Communication science

What is a theory

A theory is a way to come up with an answer

What is an everyday theory

It is basically common sense and this theory is upheld by everyone within a society it is rarely systematic but is often incorrect

What is a normative theory

This has more to do with how media should function. They are not neutral but they are the societal norms

What is an operational theory

They are like a guide solutions

What is a social-scientific theory

This is where the scientist are involved creating rational theories as a result of evidence.

What is a cultural theory

These theories are clearly argued and are coherent. They are similar to a social- scientific theory

What is structure

It is the societal expectations in which we are bought up in

What is agency

agency is basically free will

What is the scientific debate between structure and agency

Basically its like what has influenced you is it society for example marxism, changes in relations or is it to do with like the own persons free will

What is a paradigm

It is the group in which scientists are in

What is the liberal paradigm (AKA dominant)

They think of science in a positive way, have a functional approach to media, functionalist, utilitarian and bahavourist

What is the critical paradigm (challenger)

often left-wing,they think that humans are detemined by their environments, they see media as a complex part of power relations. They are critical of Pluralist liberalism (reproduces existing inequalities) , Functionalism(hides power dynamics) , Behaviourism(notion of the homo economicus, the male/female,… is essentialist and reductive) , Positivism(imitation of exact sciences is methodologically limited in social sciences

Why do paradigms matter

They determine the questions we can ask and the way we can research them.

What is framing

It is how things can be put into different perspectives depending on the narrative that the creator wants to put across

What is framing as an everyday theory

This related to the media’s portrayal of facts which often implies lies, manipulation and the twisting of facts. It can be the opposition between the real factual truth.

Framing as social-scientific theory

Frames occur due to the need to select, organise , interpret and understand a complex reality. We are cognitive misers which means we are lazy and try to do as little thinking as possible meaning we will use frames no matter what

what is LeBons theory

crowds are made up of normal people who get transformed in and affected by the psychological process of crowd formation ie a collective psychology

What does LeBon reject

he rejects that people in a crowd are crazy but says that crowds are highly irrational collective entities

What approach does Tarde have

he distinguished between crowd and public

• crowds and masses : old mode of human association and is members share a physical presence ( Gemeinschaft)

• Public: members are physically dispersed but share an ideational coherence