COMM 1100 Final Exam

Critical tradition theorists

suspcious of empirical work that scientists say is ideologically free; concerned with imbalances of power

semiotic tradition

states that words are arbitrary symbols that have no meaning, no natural connection w/ the things they describe

social penetration process

1. Peripheral items are exchanged sooner and more frequently than private info.

2. Self-disclosure is reciprocal, especially in early stages

3. Penetration is rapid first, then slows down quickly as tightly wrapped inner layers are reached

4. Depenetration is a gradual process of layer-by-layer withdrawal (relational retreat)

socio-psychological tradition

there are communication truths that can be discovered by careful systematic observation; cause-and-effect patterns, quantitative measures

cybernetic tradition

communication as the link connecting the separate parts of any system; how does the system work, what could change it, how can we get the bugs out

rhetorical tradition

language as a practical art of public communication; discovery of all available means of persuasion

socio-cultural tradition

as people talk, they produce and repoduce culture; power to language

phenomenological tradition

emphasis on people’s perception and their interpretation of their own experience; how people develop authentic human relationship

behavioral scientists

test theories

minding (symbolic interationism)

self-talk before responding

creating reality (symbolic interationism)

we are all involved in a constant negotiation w/ others to publicly define our identity and the nature of the situation

metaphor

clarifies what is unknown or confusing by equating it w/ an image that’s more familiar or vivid (equating workplace dynamic to being like “family”)

corporate stories

carry the ideology of management and reinforce company policy

personal stories

stories employees tell about themselves, often defining how they would like to be seen within orgs

boundary ownership

the rights and responsibilities that co owners of private info have to control its spread

central route (ELM)

message elaboration

peripheral route

mental shortcut process

biased elaboration

top-down thinking in which a predetermined conclusion colors the supporting data underneath

objective elaboration

bottom-up thinking, lets facts speack for themselves

ideologies

the mental frameworks that diff classes and social groups deploy to make sense of society

articulate

speaking out on oppressions + linking that subjugation w/ media representations; the work of cultural studies

cultural studies

neo-Marxist critique that sets forth the position that mass media manufacture consent for dominant ideologies

economic determinism

the belief that human behavior and relationships are ultimately caused by differences in financial resources

hegemony

the subtle sway of society’s haves over its have-nots

encoding

producers (dominant ideology) purposively create messages w/ ideological content

decoding

consumers interpret messages using different types of reading

Gramsci’s Hegemony

subaltern classes “consent” to new world led by ruling class; not overtly coercive, private orgs impose new ideology, public coercive orgs support private orgs, effects not total

denotation

what is explicitly said

connotation

what is inferred

negotiational practice

person contructs own meaning

dominant hegemonic practice

consumer decodes message according to intended meaning from producer

oppositional practice

consumer understands message’s literal meaning, also understands producer’s intention, purposively reads against desired connotation

pessimism of the intellect

struggle to believe powerless can fundamentally alter system

optimism of the will

those who know, must expose

cultural hegemony

the invisible domination of one culture over others

Nommo

the generative and productive power of the spoken word

call-and-response

a communication style in which audience members offer verbal and nonverbal feedback

mythoforms

source of ideas and concepts around which ppl organize their lives

afrocentric communication

1. must benefit African ppl

2. must resist racism + colonialism

3. must affirm the humanity of African ppl

4. must envision fresh possibilities for the future

improvisational style

the message is only partially prepared, the unprepared depends on the audience; connection between audience and speaker

epistemology

how we study the world

dominant culture

consists of relatively well-off, white, European American, nondisabled, heterosexual men

co-cultural group

marginalized group