Chapter 1

The study of communication is the study of HUMAN BEHAVIOR

A. Ability to communicate at higher levels than animals makes us human

B. Ability to use symbols to stand for objects and ideas…

C. Abilty to refer to real and imaginary phenomena in past, present and future

What do we mean by the processes of communication?

- How people communicate

1. speakers (adaptation)

2. receivers (listen)

- Outcomes of communication

1. attitude change

2. behavioral change

3. how does communication influence people’s attitudes, beliefs, values, etc.?

4. understand variables that produce these outcomes

- Why people communicate the way they do

1. cognitive, psychological traits for both speakers and receivers

AN ENGINEER, A PSYCHOLOGIST AND A COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST ARE ARGUING ABOUT WHICH OF THEM ACTUALLY STUDIES COMMUNICATION … ALL 3 OF THEM CLAIM THAT THEIR DISCIPLINE STUDIES COMMUNICATION – HOW COULD YOU SETTLE THE ARGUMENT?



What is communication theory?

- Set of statements that describe;

1. what’s going on in a communication situation: understand the theoretic variables that are operating

explain: outcomes that occur

predict: what’s going to happen reasonable predictions are necessary for knowledge

theories allow for reasonable predictions [ad campaign for physicians]



Functions of Science

A. Description

Identifying variables relevant to a situation



B. EXPLANATION

Accounting for outcomes/effects



C. PREDICTION

Hypothesizing future outcomes/effects



D. CONTROL (APPLICATION)

Using theoretic knowledge to attain personal goals and solve problems in the real world

Nature/ Characteristics of Communication

· Symbolic Process

· Social Process

· Co-orientation process

· Individual interpretation process

· Shared meaning process

o Denotation (Literal, dictionary meaning)

o Connotation (Personal meaning based on one’s experience with the concept)



· Contextual Process





Defining Communication



- No single accepted def.

- Choice of definition depends upon …

1. Guides the work of the theorist

2. Reflects perspective of scholar / student

- What are characteristics of a good definition?

1. It specifies what something is

2. It distinguishes what it is from what it is not