Notes on Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Group, and Mass Communication; Media Literacy & Classroom Activities

Intrapersonal Communication

  • Definition: communication with oneself; self-talk and self-evaluation processes.
  • Examples mentioned:
    • Reminder sticky notes
    • Evaluating your outfit before a date
    • Daydreaming about your study partner
    • Researching a topic for your essay
  • Self-talk can be both productive and negative;
    • Personal anecdote: some people dislike self-reflection, possibly due to pride or self-hate
  • Self-evaluation as a process:
    • Stepping back to answer: Where am I? Where do I want to be? What steps must I take to get there?
    • We engage in self-evaluation more often than we realize
  • Feedback loop in intrapersonal context:
    • Feedback from the “receiver” is constant because you are both sender and receiver in your own mind
    • Everything you say and do in your mind is being evaluated by you

Interpersonal Communication

  • Definition: communication between two or more people whose lives mutually influence one another; typically dyads.
  • Transmission can be intentional or unintentional:
    • Intentional examples: greeting a neighbor, asking a professor a question before class, sharing funny stories on a date
    • Unintentional example: frowning at a professor when a pop quiz is announced (the message is received even if not intended)
  • Dyad:
    • A term for pairs; interpersonal communication often occurs in dyads
  • Transition to group communication:
    • Once more people are involved, dynamics shift (not just two people)

Group Communication

  • Definition: a network of known people communicating with each other; still a known group with a shared purpose (e.g., classroom, meeting)
  • Examples:
    • Attending mass with a congregation
    • Moms organizing a playdate for kids
    • Group of friends at a party
    • Business meeting with the CEO
  • Dynamics:
    • In group settings, a leader may dominate the flow of communication (e.g., CEO)
    • Messages can be both intentional and unintentional
    • Roles of senders and receivers constantly change as interaction unfolds
  • Example illustrating bidirectional communication:
    • An artist performs; the audience responds with cheers; the artist receives feedback and adjusts (simultaneous back-and-forth)

Mass Communication

  • Definition: society-wide communication; messages can reach large, mixed audiences across space and time
  • Characteristics:
    • Technology enables sending messages to large audiences; some recipients are known, some are strangers
    • Interaction has evolved (e.g., commenting on social pages, Yelp reviews)
  • Examples:
    • Watching television
    • Reading newspapers
    • Streaming services
  • Consumer role:
    • Not only do you consume mass media, you can also interact and contribute
  • Why it matters:
    • Understanding the differences among intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, and mass communication helps us as media consumers

Fun Facts / Media Content Volume (illustrating the media landscape)

  • There are 700 hours of feature films per year
  • More than 300 videos added to YouTube per minute
  • More than 48{,}000{,}000 hours of video every year globally through commercials
  • More than 1500 books published globally per day

Media Literacy: What it is and why it matters

  • Definition: a set of perspectives we actively use to expose to mass media, process, and interpret media messages
  • Credibility and sources:
    • Emphasis on verifying sources (e.g., identifying the author’s credentials, such as James Potter, not confusing with fictional characters like Harry Potter)
    • A credible source adds validity to what is being claimed
  • Levels of media literacy:
    • Not binary; people have varying levels of media literacy
    • High-level readers question and control how they are influenced by messages
    • Low-level readers may develop exaggerated impressions of problems, even if those impressions conflict with personal experience
  • Goal in class: develop high levels of media literacy to be knowledgeable consumers and effective journalists
  • Four dimensions of media literacy (ways to evaluate a message):
    • Cognitive: dimension deals with intellectually processing information; analyzing the source, intention, and context
    • Emotional: considers how emotions affect media consumption; mood can influence interpretation; emotional resonance can indicate an agenda behind a message
    • Aesthetic: interpreting media content from an artistic/critical perspective; considering quality and depth beyond surface appeal
    • Moral: examining values and moral intentions embedded in the medium and its message; recognizing biases and agendas

Dimensional Analyses with Examples

  • Cognitive dimension:
    • Example: 2017 Wonder Woman movie analyzed for Greek/Roman myth references, depth, and world-building beyond a surface-level action film
    • High cognitive literacy would notice and appreciate these deeper elements
  • Emotional dimension:
    • Emotions influence reception; mood can color interpretation; strong emotions often signal an agenda or manipulation
    • Wonder Woman example: emotional appeal can drive engagement (e.g., empowering narrative for audiences)
  • Aesthetic dimension:
    • Interpreting visual and auditory presentation, production quality, and artistic choices
    • Examples include casting choices, production design, and subtle cues that affect interpretation
    • Wonder Woman example: casting of Robin Wright as a powerful general added a layered aesthetic effect; recognition may depend on prior knowledge
    • Music examples (case studies) to illustrate hidden messages in sound:
    • King Harvest — Dancing in the Moonlight (1972): real-life backstory of trauma inspiring a hopeful, alternative dream; illustrates how content can convey messages beyond the surface
    • Foster the People — Pump Up Kicks: dark themes about teen mental illness and violence, paired with a pop sound; controversy about whether to retire the song due to its sensitive subject matter; highlights the tension between artistic intent and audience reception
  • Moral dimension:
    • Analyzing the values reflected in a message and the moral stance embedded in the media artifact
    • Wonder Woman critique by Richard Brody (New Yorker): argues the movie’s moral lesson centers on human nature rather than a traditional villain; invites interpretation about what the film says about morality and society
    • Recognition that interpretation is subjective and dependent on the audience member's perspective

Practical Application: Media Literacy in Action

  • Ongoing goal: strengthen media literacy across the course; each chapter reading will be accompanied by a media literacy assignment (TML)
  • TML process:
    • Read assigned material (e.g., Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death)
    • Answer provided questions in Canvas; bring printed responses to class for discussion
    • In-class discussion prompts help connect theory to real-world examples and current events
  • Sample classroom activity: discussing sources and bias in a given article, distinguishing source credibility, and considering political or commercial agendas
  • Group activity: seven secrets about the media
    • Students are grouped into three or four (preferably three per group)
    • Each group is assigned one of the seven secrets and prepares a short report (3-5 minutes) for the class
    • Deliverables include: summarize the secret, apply examples, and evaluate its validity
    • Balanced participation is required; ensure everyone contributes
    • Creative delivery is encouraged (role-plays, slides, stories); visual aids are optional but welcomed
    • If using Canvas, groups can attach their presentation materials for the instructor to review
  • Grading criteria for group presentations:
    • Preparedness and time management (3-5 minutes per group)
    • Clear definition, application with examples, and evaluation of the secret
    • Balanced student participation (no one dominates)
    • Entertaining and teachable delivery to engage the class
  • Logistics and classroom management:
    • Instructor will form groups and assign a secret number; students should work together to prepare
    • If a group has fewer than three, the instructor will adjust by assigning additional members
    • A quiz (Quiz 1) will include questions about the seven secrets, so students should take notes during presentations
  • Bonus and discussion opportunities:
    • Bonus questions may be offered for extra points; engagement and depth are rewarded
  • Final notes from the instructor:
    • Participation and thoughtful discussion are valued; the class aims to connect media literacy theory to real-world media consumption and production
    • Emphasis on critical thinking, evidence gathering, and respectful debate about representation, bias, and morality in media

Summary of Key Takeaways

  • Intrapersonal, interpersonal, group, and mass communication form a spectrum of how information is transmitted and interpreted depending on the social context and number of participants
  • Media literacy involves actively analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting media messages across cognitive, emotional, aesthetic, and moral dimensions
  • Real-world examples (Wonder Woman, Dancing in the Moonlight, Pump Up Kicks) illustrate the importance of looking beyond surface meaning and recognizing hidden messages and moral implications
  • The coursework emphasizes practical application through group-based seven-secret presentations, with clear criteria for preparation, content, balance, and engagement
  • The goal is to develop high-level critical thinking about media and to become informed, responsible consumers and communicators