Tricky query needs your attention

nice051 · #1 Saturday, December 24, 2011

what do mean by a communication theory and how it is constructed ?

marwatone · #2 Saturday, December 24, 2011

Go through the following thread. It might be of some help.

http://www.cssforum.com.pk/css-optio...ournalism.html

Call for Change · #3 Saturday, December 24, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by nice051

what do mean by a communication theory and how it is constructed ?

Meaning

The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action.
In modern contexts, while theories in the arts and philosophy may address ideas and empirical phenomena which are not easily measurable, in modern science the term "theory", or "scientific theory" is generally understood to refer to a proposed explanation of empirical phenomena, made in a way consistent with scientific method. Such theories are preferably described in such a way that any scientist in the field is in a position to understand and either provide empirical support ("verify") or empirically contradict ("falsify") it.
In English, the word dates back to 1592, when it was used to mean a concept or scheme. By the 1630s, scientists had co-opted the word, using it to describe an explanation or thought which was based on observation and testing. “To theorize” also emerged at around the same time.
Definition
Kaplan (1964) states that "a theory is a way of making sense of a disturbing situation". According to the Frey, Botan, Friedman & Kreps (1991) “A generalization about a phenomenon that explains how or why the phenomenon occurs".

A theory as explain by Kim (1995) "A system of generalizable statements that are logically linked together to understand or predict human phenomena".
Features
1-Falsifiability:
•The theory must make sufficiently precise predictions that we can at least imagine evidence that would contradict the theory.
•If something is not falsifiable, it doesn’t mean it is wrong, simply that it has no place in science.
2-Parsimony- Simplicity:
•The best theory is the one that makes the fewest number of assumptions.
•All things being equal, the simplest theory is the best theory.
•The simplest of two or more competing theories is preferable and the unknown should first be explained in terms of the known.
•Warning: simple theories are not always right.
3-Generativity:
•A good theory doesn’t just explain results that have been found, but it also generates predictions that can be tested.
•Research is promoted by the offering of a good theory.
4-Precision:
•The theory makes precise predictions.
•Ambiguity is bad for a theory.
•Predictions must have consistency: there cannot be internal contradictions.

5-Good Track Record:

•The theory holds up to research results. Studies have tested the hypothesis and have provided support.

Functions

To describe, explain, predict, or control the human phenomena in a variety of contexts.
When we look from the perspective of theory, if we ponder upon a particular event or series of events of the same kind happening in any certain circumstances, we can analyze the situation and make decisions for the benefit of those who are involved in the situation. By describing something, we mean a brief over-view of the matter. When we use the term “explain”, this means that we look into the matter with a broader perspective and check out each and every fact and figure involved and related to the matter. This detailed study or analysis of everything helps us make predictions for future events or occurrences; we know in advance about what can or is going to happen. This further helps us to a great deal because since we have analyzed and found out the situation completely, we can take steps which can help us avoid problems.

Importance of Theories

Coming up with theories is at the heart of the scientific process. In simplest terms, observations of a phenomenon lead to an educated guess about what is causing it or how it works. Experiments or other forms of research then test this guess or hypothesis. If these guesses are confirmed, a theory emerges. If it’s a powerful one, it will both explain, telling you why something is happening in such-and-such a way, and predict, telling you what should happen next. Theories may be abandoned or modified as researchers learn from both their successes and their failures. Explaining how something works is important, and not only for the sake of knowledge itself. Explanations can lead to solutions. You can’t fix something if you don’t understand what’s gone wrong. You can’t prevent cancer cells from madly multiplying if you don’t know how and why they started to madly multiply in the first place. To interfere in the process, you have to understand the process, in all its overwhelming complexity.

Theory Construction

A theory is built step by step, following a systematic pattern. There is no fixed formula of it. However, generally this pattern comprises of a basic set of 5 Ws and 1H, which is given as under:

•What:

The initial step of theory construction is when a person, on the basis of his individual thoughts and experiences, thinks, gathers facts and figures in his mind and ponders about them and develops a concept about any particular matter.

•How:

Then the concept which was developed is further processed in terms of linking it with other factors and concepts which resemble with the initial concept and which are related to it.

•What and How:

The set of interlinked factors which was gathered is then examined in relevance to more similar factors. This will lead to a few factors being dropped and the remaining factors are combined to form a theoretical statement.

•Why:

The factors which the theoretical statement comprised of are now explained in relevance to each other and their links with the surroundings are also analyzed. Further assumptions are made on the basis of this in order to carry out the next step.

•Who, Where and When:

All the factors and assumptions which were gathered previously are now tested with the help of research since theory can not be built without carrying out appropriate research and authentication of all the assumptions made. Using all the required and necessary research tools and methods, the theoretical statement is verified. The theoretical statement is either rejected or accepted. If it is accepted, it becomes a theory. In case of its rejection, it still remains a part of study and gives chances to future researches regarding the same issue.

What is Communication Theory

The discipline that studies the principles of transmitting information and the methods by which it is delivered (as print or radio or television etc.)
Importance of Communication Theories
Communication is deeply rooted in human behaviors and societies. It is difficult to think of social or behavioral events from which communication is absent. Indeed, communication applies to shared behaviors and properties of any collection of things, whether they are human or not. Communication, (from the Latin "communicare") literally means "to put in common", "to share". The term originally meant sharing of tangible things; food, land, goods, and property. Today, it is often applied to knowledge and information processed by living things or computers. We might say that communication consists of transmitting information. In fact, many scholars of communication take this as a working definition, and use Lasswell's maxim ("who says what to whom") as a means of circumscribing the field of communication. Others stress the importance of clearly characterizing the historical, economic and social context. The field of communication theory can benefit from a conceptualization of communication that is widely shared. Communication Theory attempts to document types of communication, and to optimize communications for the benefit of all. Indeed, a theory is some form of explanation of a class of observed phenomena. Karl Popper colorfully described theory as "the net which we throw out in order to catch the world--to rationalize, explain, and dominate it." The idea of a theory lies at the heart of any scholarly process, and while those in the social sciences tend to adopt the tests of a good theory from the natural sciences, many who study communication adhere to an idea of communication theory that is akin to that found in other academic fields.

nice051 · #4 Sunday, December 25, 2011

In spite of having clear criteria by which to judge news , the fact is that ' the news is what we make of it ' discuss. kindly handle this query and explain it .

Call for Change · #5 Monday, December 26, 2011

When the encoder of mass media messages encodes any message there are many intervening factors which distort the message and the decoder can not decode it correctly. same case is discussed in this statement. for instance any news story is encoded correctly and it meets the criteria but before going to the audience it is effected by the intervening variables and the the person who is receiving that news story interpret it differently. these factors may be the age, sex, language, experience, mental level, education and lot more. Following paradigms of selective influence will make it clear how we perceive different messages according to our rationality, experiences etc. if you have any ambiguity in understanding do let me know i will make it clear with real life examples.

Principles of Selective Influence Theories

There are four basic principles that govern the actions of audiences and lie at the heart of the selective influence theories. These principles are:

Selective Attention
Selective Perception
 Selective Recall
Selective Action

1. Selective Attention

Individual differences result in distinctive patterns of attention to media content. People develop “Mental Filters” that screen out vast amount of information. Their attention is confined to only a limited segment of what is available. For example, those with deep concerns about their health pay closer attention to content dealing with medical issues than others.

2. Selective Perception

It is one of the most significant of all the factors for understanding the selective influence theories. Perception refers to the psychological activity by which individuals organize meaningful interpretations. Selective perception is that people of distinct psychological characteristics, interests, beliefs, prior knowledge, attitudes, needs and values will interpret the same media content in very different ways. For example, some people may read deep shared meanings into poetry that leave others yawning.

3. Selective Recall

The principle of selective recall parallels those of attention and perception. Selective recall plays a role in the efforts to change attitudes. People remember what they want to remember. Some kinds of content for some kinds of people will be actively remembered for a long time. For others, with different cognitive structures, category membership and social linkage may be forgotten the same material quickly.

4. Selective Action

Action is the last link in the chain. Before it can take place, a member of an audience has to attend to the media presentation, perceive its meaning & remember its content. All of these responses will be dependant upon the intervening influences of cognitive variables, categories and their sub-cultures and social linkage with other people.

Selective Influence Theories can be summed u in two ways

•First is in the terms of the nature of the intervening conditions that they pose between media content and the responses people make.
•Second is in terms of the four principles of selectivity that lead individuals to attend, to interpret, recall and act upon media messages in distinct ways.

Conclusion

The Selective influence theories provide very sound guides as to the kinds of factors that must be researched thoroughly before we will be able to understand and predict the effects of mass communication on audience. They are as relevant to the study of media influence today as they were during the decades when they were being developed. It is true that they pose a long list of variables intervening between media and masses.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Psychology, By David G. Myers, 6th Edition	sarfrazmayo	Psychology	24	Sunday, July 20, 2014 03:47 PM
urgent analysis of tricky query	nice051	Islamic History & Culture	3	Tuesday, December 06, 2011 04:29 PM
photosharing query !	SYEDA SABAHAT	Site Feedback	0	Thursday, August 25, 2011 12:26 PM
SQL (Structured Query Language)	Janeeta	Computer Science	0	Saturday, January 19, 2008 01:25 PM

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Call for Change For This Useful Post:
nice051 (Sunday, December 25, 2011), SYEDA SABAHAT (Sunday, December 25, 2011)