COM 275 Exam 1

Model

Model

a graphic means of explicating an abstract process such as communication (linear, interactive, transactional)

linear model

based on the principles of stimulus response psychology

Interactive model

Circular model in which communication is shown to be interactive and interpretive

transactional model

describes the giving and receiving of information through communication

Content analysis- PRO

describes what on/helps identify areas of interest and or concern

Content analysis- CON

incomplete picture (limited categories)/ no evidence of medias effect

Laboratory Experiments- PRO

good for establishing causality/ researcher has a lot of control/ relatively inexpensive/ easier for others to replicate

Laboratory Experiments-CON

Artifical surroundings may affect a participants behavior/ experiemtnal bias

Survey Research- PRO

generalizability (participants are observed in natural settings/ behaviors are more natural)/ Expedient description

Survey Research- CON

little or no evidence of casual relationships/ poor quality of self-reported data

Other Methods

longitudinal data collection (cohort, panel)/ meta-analysis/ triangulation

What defines mass-communication

large-scale distribution and reception process characterized by OIAMS: one directional information flow/ impersonal source and anonymous receiver/ asymmetrical source-receiver association (organized powerful source)/ market (economic) exchange relationship/ standardized message content

Birth of field

trends leading to change to modern society (industrialization, urbanization, modernization)

Mass Society

1920s mass society =

social differentiation

informal social controls weaken

communication become more difficult

Anomie: normless-ness

Magic Bullet theory

perspective of much early research

1. people are socially isolated

2. have uniform instincts

3. not influenced by social ties

Human nature and isolation = similar reception and interpretation

direct, immediate, powerful and uniform effects

#War of Worlds

(The effects weren't uniform = disproved)

Payne Fund Studies

1st major research

series of studies commissioned to examine content, audience and effects

studies do not really show uniform effects but the overall effects are very strong

seen as evidence of magic bullet theory

Standard History

powerful media effects

limited media effects

effects of varying levels

Carl Hovland

Media effects on attitude change, why we fight

Paul Lazarsfeld

opinion leaders and Two-Step Flow model of media effects

Harold Lasswell

5 questions

Who

Says What

In Which Channel

To Whom

With what effect?

3 functions for communication

surveillance of the environment

correlation of components of society

cultural transmission between communication

(Pioneer)

Kurt Lewin

dynamics of group communication, Sweetbreads study

Precursor Studies- Samuel Stouffer

Pioneered empirical research and stastical methods for media research

Precursor Studies- Douglas Waples

Added under what conditions to the 5 questions

Precursor Studies- Wilbur Schramm

mediating factors (between content and audience), selective exposure, selective perception, selective retentions, social categories perspectives

Precursor Studies- Benard Berslson

5 variables in generalization

Precursor Studies- Joseph Klapper

Ordinary, media are not a necessary or sufficient cause of change

typically, mediating factors make media an agent of reinforcement

Precursor Studies- Albert Bandura

Social learning theory: social cognitive theory

Mediation

medias role in providing knowledge

what does mediation do

aids relationships with objects not directly known (indirect)

-provide versions of events not directly experienced

-creates contact with actors, politicians, and others not otherwise accessible

-fosters particular perceptions of people, places, and events

mass society theory

media are controlled by dominant elite and produce content promoting their interests

Marxist Theory

Media create a false consciousness that subordinates the working-class

functionalsim

media are a functional part of society that contributes by promoting order, transmitting culture, and reducing tensions

critical political-economic theory

media economics and technology concentrate ownership, resulting in commodification and subordinating public interest to private interests

modernization and development theory

media promote modernization and development by disseminating information that promotes education, health, and welfare

communication technology determinism

social change result from biases that are inherent in the form of new media technology

information social theory

new media technology promotes social change characterized by economy based an information society

mass communications and culture

2 major perspectives in mass communication (social scientific and the culturalist)

Culturalists perspective focuses on construction of meaning from texts

Cultural Theories deal with

Mass culture

gender and subculture

new technology

political-economic issues (commodification, commercialization, hegemony)

Theory on technology influencing culture

-media logic

-cultivation

-global culture

-postmodern culture

normative theory

value judgements concerning how media ought to operate

5 categories central to the media-society debate

-ownership: should be plurality

-order: should assist in maintenance

-expectations: should be fair, accurate and complete

-values: should support dominant values of society

-rights: should respect the rights of individuals

The Fourth Estate

based on belief that the press should be free of censorship

theory of social responsibility (ownership of media is public trust, press must be truthful accurate and objective, press should be free but self-regulated, government should intervene only to protect public interest)

Four theories of press influence (authorization, sovient communist, libertarian, and social responsibility)

Public sphere

organizational structure and media product

Structural features (size, ownership, function) influence organization conduct, performance, and product

3 hypothesis: Content is influenced by

Media workers socialization & attitudes (a communicator- centraled approach)

Media organized routines

Social institutions and forces

5 media organizatioanl relations

with society

with pressure groups

with owners, clients and suppliers

with the audience

internal to the organization

conflicting influences on content

-constraint vs. autonomy

-routine production vs. creativity

-commerce vs. art

-profit vs. social purpose

different approaches to studying media content

-traditional content analysis

-critical perspectives on content

-structuralism and semiology

-media content as information

-media performance discourse

traditional content analysis

two main assumptions

1. link b/w the external object and reference will be clear

2. frequency of occurrence will express 'meaning'

limits = risk of imposing an incorrect meaning-system

critical analysis of media

-ability to fulfill intended functions

-domination of media establishment

Marxist approaches

-media contain images favorable to ruling class

-audiences uncritically consume these images and adopt this favorable view

structionalisim and semiotics

explores the nature of sign systems that regulate latent meaning of texts

goals is to identify the cultural meaning of media content

a sign is composed of a significant and a signified

information theory

Communication is the intentional transfer of information

Content should be judged by its efficiency in reducing uncertainty

Informative text, pictures, and narratives can be quantified to judge effectiveness

media performance

basic idea

quality of information is measurable

usually based on some notion of public interest such as freedom and independence, content diversity, news objectivity, reality reflection or distortion

interpretive approach attributes

no quantification, attention to the latest content, assume source/ receiver assign many meanings

interpretive approach limits

no commonly accepted systematic method, does not meet scientific standards of reliability, not easy to generalize from, not a way of summarizing content

audience research traditions

structural- social system as a primary determinant

behavioral - based on needs and circumstances

social-cultural - how media are given meaning

audience characteristics

modern mass audience is larger, more dispersed, individualized, privatized

audience as a market

an aggregate of individual consumers

boundaries based on economics

members unrelated to each other

members have no shared identity

formation is temporary

types of audience

audience as a group

gratification set as audience

the medium audience

audience as defined by content

Concepts of Audience Reach

potential audience

paying attention

attentive audience

internal (attention to particular content)

cumulative (% of reached audience over time)

target audience (potential by a particular source/ advertiser)

clause's 5 layer model

message offered, message receivable, message received, message registered, message internalized

Biocca's versions of activity

selectivity, utilitarianism, intentionality, resistance to influence, involvement