Communication Theories and Societal Transformation

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key communication theories, concepts, and societal frameworks mentioned in the lecture transcript.

Communication

A fundamental social process crucial for building and maintaining society, through which meaning is developed, ideas are exchanged, and connections are forged.

Theological Purpose

A purpose of communication that encompasses its inherent meaning and significance.

Material Purpose

A purpose of communication relating to the tangible outcomes and products of communication.

Functional Purposes

The roles communication plays within a system or society.

Subjective Functional Purpose

Activities and circumstances that individuals find for themselves.

Objective Functional Purpose

The inherent roles things play in a system.

Alliteracy

The state of being able to read and write but having little interest in doing so.

Edward Sapir's Communication Theory

The theory suggesting communication is about acts in which meaning develops within human beings to reduce uncertainty, confusion, and bias.

Communication Process

The interplay between communication parties involving encoding, decoding, a message, medium, and channels.

Explanatory Power

A characteristic of a theory that explains how and why events happen.

Predictive Power

A characteristic of a theory that allows for forecasting future outcomes.

Parsimony

A theoretical principle where simpler theories are generally preferred over complex ones.

Theorizing Research

The process by which scholars investigate, interpret, and explain phenomena through observation, analysis, and generalization.

Operationalization

Defining abstract concepts into measurable variables.

Liberalism

A theory emphasizing individual rights and freedoms, which requires democratic governance.

Marxism Theory

A theory that focuses on class conflicts in society.

Interpersonal Communication

Communication between two or more people characterized by face-to-face interaction.

Buber's I-Thou Relationship

A type of interpersonal relationship characterized by mutual respect, sincerity, honesty, and dialogue.

Buber's I-It Relationship

A transactional relationship involving inequality where one party dominates the other.

Johari Window

A communication model that categorizes self-awareness and perception into Open, Blind, Hidden, and Unknown selves.

Open Self

In the Johari Window, information that is known to both oneself and others.

Blind Self

In the Johari Window, information that is unknown to oneself but known to others.

Hidden Self

In the Johari Window, information known to oneself but hidden from others.

Unknown Self

In the Johari Window, information that is unknown to both oneself and others.

Small Group Communication

Communication within a group of $3$ to $15$ people who interact to achieve a common goal.

Stages of Group Formation

The sequence of group development: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning.

Mass Communication

Communication involving a large, heterogeneous, anonymous audience transmitted through mass media institutions.

Herbert Bulmer's Matrix

A system that differentiates between Mass, Group, Public, and Crowd based on interaction, organization, and consciousness.

Mediated Communication Model

The Kelleys and MacLean model comparing interpersonal and mass communication, highlighting reduced feedback due to physical distance.

Surveillance

A mass media function involving gathering and disseminating information about events and issues affecting society.

Correlation

A mass media function that interprets information and provides expert opinions to help the audience understand events.

Agenda Setting Theory

The idea that media influences what the public thinks about by selecting which issues to cover and how prominently to feature them.

Framing

The technique of presenting stories in a specific way to influence public perception.

Priming

Media coverage that influences the criteria people use to evaluate issues or candidates.

Gatekeeping

The process of selecting what information gets published or broadcast.

Uses and Gratification Theory

The theory that audiences are active consumers who select media content based on specific needs such as cognitive, affective, or social-integrative needs.

Normative Theories of the Press

Models that describe how media should operate within a society based on social, cultural, and political standards.

Authoritarian Theory

A normative theory where the state controls media to maintain order and the individual is considered less significant than the state.

Libertarian Theory

A normative theory emphasizing absolute freedom of the press and the sovereignty of the individual's natural rights.

Development Media Theory

The principle that media should be an agent of change to empower individuals and society toward political, social, and economic development.

Social Responsibility Theory (SRT)

A theory recognizing that press freedom entails a duty to provide factual, impartial, and accurate information to the public.

Hutchins Commission

A body that observed media had become too focused on commercial interests and advocated for SRT principles like truthfulness and neutrality.

Knowledge Gap Theory

The premise that as media availability increases, people with higher socioeconomic status acquire information faster, widening the gap with lower-status individuals.

Intrapersonal Communication

A communication setting involving communication with oneself.