Week 12, Communication Theory, Sociocultural

Culture and Communication

  • Theme: Culture

    • Connection between music or arts to cultural identity.

Sociocultural Communication

  • Defined as a process of interaction producing and reproducing shared meanings, rituals, and social structures.

    • Key Elements:

      • Process must involve another person.

      • Interaction connects individuals and defines relationships within society (e.g., cultural, economic, political, social).

      • Knowledge and reality form common understandings in the world.

      • Continuous, ongoing process informed by semiotics.

Theoretical Approaches

  • Sociocultural Tradition:

    • Macro Approaches: Focus on how society functions through communication.

    • Micro Approaches: Focus on everyday social interactions and communication exchanges.

    • Terminology:

      • Langue/Synchronic (language structure at a point in time)

      • Parole/Diachronic (language use and changes over time)

Coordination and Meaning

  • Communication is critical for coordinating activities among individuals and groups.

    • Problems in communication reflect breakdowns in shared meanings and coordination.

Social Constructs

  • Key Constructs: Race, Gender, and Sexuality are social constructions.

    • Race: Defined by perceived differences creating societal hierarchies and exclusions.

    • Gender: A social construct assigning roles based on biological differences.

    • Sexuality: Societal constructs that define sexual orientation and preferences.

The Meaning of Race

  • Race is a perceived difference system, leading to social stratification.

    • Examples:

      • Caste system in India, regionalism, and historical perspectives on race in the U.S.

Gender Constructs

  • Gender is similarly a social construct with assigned roles affecting labor division.

    • Non-binary and diverse gender expressions challenge traditional binaries.

Understanding Sexuality

  • Sexuality Spectrum:

    • The concept that sexuality can be seen as both inherent (born this way) and socially constructed.

    • Challenges the traditional view of sexuality as purely biological.

    • Emphasizes discovery and cultural specificities in understanding one’s sexuality.

Privilege in Society

  • Privilege can lead to unequal advantages based on group membership (e.g., race, gender).

    • Highlights the concept of Unearned Advantage and Conferred Dominance.

Communication Frameworks

  • Social construction frameworks promote the questioning of definitions and classifications within communication studies.

    • Communication is seen as a ritual that builds relationships rather than merely transmitting information.

Social Construction Theories

  • Berger and Luckmann’s work emphasizes how realities are socially constructed and shaped through language and communication.

  • Three-Step Process of Social Construction:

    1. Externalize: Construct the social world.

    2. Objectify: Experience it as real.

    3. Internalize: Believe and embed it within ourselves.

Challenging Individualistic Views

  • Questions the view of the individual as a sole creator of thought and memory, suggesting collective contributions to identity and meaning.

  • Emphasizes that communication is inherently linked to power dynamics and relational contexts.

Power Dynamics in Communication

  • Power is constructed through communication, visible in dynamics such as institutional interactions (e.g., therapy sessions, police interviews).

  • The concept of power is relational and embodied in social constructions.

Conclusion on Sociocultural Thought

  • Utilizing an idealist or materialist lens affects understanding sociocultural communication and its implications for reality and power dynamics.

  • Encourages critical examination of social constructs in communication practices.