Mapping the Territory
Chapter 4
Dr. Richards
What is communication?
Scholars hold widely divergent views as to
what communication is and how we should
use theory.
Robert Craig suggests that communication
should be viewed as a practical discipline;
theory is developed to solve real world
problems.
7 traditions
Craig identifies seven established traditions of
communication theory.
These traditions group theories by what they
do rather than by their philosophical
assumptions.
The Socio-Psychological Tradition
Looks to predict and control human interaction.
Assumes that human behavior is caused, can be
predicted and discovered by careful observation
Highly objective relies on systematic testing and
observing
The Socio-Psychological Tradition
Theorists check data through surveys or
controlled experiments, often calling for
longitudinal empirical studies.
What is a longitudinal study?
Why is it good?
What would it look like?
The Cybernetic Tradition
Communication as a system of information
processing.
Communication is the link among system
parts it is what connects system elements to
one another.
These theories look at how to refine and
improve communication by balancing
predictability and uncertainty.
The Rhetorical Tradition
For rhetorical scholars the communicative
world is full of texts to analyze.
The focus is on public address which finds its
home in public speaking
The rhetorical tradition is highly interpretive
and seeks how messages are aesthetically
and practically designed.
Features of the Rhetorical Tradition
Speech distinguishes humans from other
animals.
A confidence in the efficacy of public address.
A setting of one speaker addressing a large
audience with the intention to persuade.
Features of the Rhetorical Tradition
Oratorical training as the cornerstone of a
leaders education.
An emphasis on the power and beauty of
language to move people emotionally and
stir them to action.
Do we see these features in our world today?
Where? When?
The Semiotic Tradition
Semiotics study of verbal and nonverbal signs
that stand for something else
Focuses on the sharing of
meaning/communicating via signs
Signs are not connected to the external world
but used to represent it for people
Words are a special kind of sign known as a symbol
The Semiotic Tradition
Meanings dont reside in words or other
symbols, but in people.
Meaning is learned within a culture
The tradition is highly interpretive (everyone
may have different meanings for the same
sign)
How does this influence communication?
The Socio-Cultural Tradition
Communication creates reality and allows us
to participate in that reality.
Culture produced and reproduced as people
talk
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
The hypothesis has two versions
1. Linguistic determinism
We are prisoners of our native language,
unable to think certain thoughts or perceive
in certain ways because of the grammatical
structure and lexicon of our language.
Language influences how we see the world
around us
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
2. Linguistic relativity
The grammar and lexicon of our native
language powerfully influences but does not
imprison our thinking and perception.
Linguistic determinism is generally
unsupported
Thought can exist without words to describe it
Anyone ever had a feeling/experience they were
unable to put into words?
Ex. Sky diving, the gratitude you have for someone who
did you a huge favor
The Socio-Cultural Tradition
It is through language that reality is produced,
maintained, repaired, and transformed.
Persons-in-conversation co-construct their
own social worlds
How is this accomplished? What does it look like?
The Critical Tradition
Critical theorists challenge three features of
contemporary society.
1.
2.
3.
The control of language to perpetuate power
imbalances.
The role of mass media in dulling sensitivity to
repression.
Blind reliance on the scientific method and
uncritical acceptance of empirical findings.
The Critical Tradition
There is no objective truth even objective
science is value-laden and has its own biases.
Communication is the tool to both create and
undo inequity.
lack of fairness or justice
The Phenomenological Tradition
Communication is the experience of oneself
and others in interaction.
Experiences are individual and unique
Peoples perceptions and interpretations of their
own subjective experiences is important
Why?
The Phenomenological Tradition
Experiences (and therefore meanings) can
only be shared through dialogue where the
main focus is to get to know one another.
Phenomenology refers to the intentional
analysis of everyday life from the standpoint
of the person who is living it.
The Phenomenological Tradition
Phenomenological tradition seeks to answer
two questions:
1.
2.
Why is it so hard to establish and sustain
authentic human relationships?
How can this problem be overcome?
Mapping the Territory
Chapter 4
Dr. Richards
