COMM THEORY: On the Nature of Theory

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COMM THEORYOn the Nature of Theory

• John A. Cagle, Ph.D.
• Communication
• California State University, Fresno

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COMM 100

• Theories of Human Communication is a course
  designed to introduce upper division students to
  communication theory from a scientific
  perspective.

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THEORY

• A theory is a scientific account of phenomena.
• At a minimum it is a strategy for handling
  observations in research, providing a conceptual
  system for describing and explaining.

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Darnell's definition of theory

• "A theory is a set of statements, including some
  lawlike generalizations, systematically and
  logically related such that the set implies
  something about reality.
• It is an argument that purports to provide a
  necessary and sufficient explanation for a range
  of phenomena.

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• It must be capable of corrigibility--that is, it
  must be possible to disconfirm or jeopardize it
  by making observations.
• A theory is valuable to the extent that it
  reduces the uncertainty about the outcome of a
  specific set of conditions."

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A theory includes

• an identification of the components or conceptual
  categories by which we classify the elements of a
  system
• a specification of the characteristics of these
  components and
• a specification of a set of laws in conformity
  with which states of the system precede or
  succeed each other.

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Law As centrality increases, rank
increases. Antecedent conditions C1 C2 C3
Cn ___________ Consequent conditions
E
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Theory of Small Group Influence
Conformity
Rank
Influence
Centrality
Observability
Source T.K. Hopkins, The Exercise of Influence
in Small Groups
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Think of True Love what factors produce true
love, maintain it, or destroy it?

• Take out a piece of paper write down four of
  these main factors

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Theory of True Love

• TRUST
• ATTITUDE
• RECIPROCITY
• COMMITMENT
• _lt add your own gt_
• True Love

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Cagles Dirty Joke TheorySome Independent
Variables

• SOURCE attraction, age, sex, status, attitude,
  credibility, skill. . .
• MESSAGE clarity, language, timing, delivery,
  organization, content. . .
• RECEIVER attitude, age, sex, status, attitude,
  perception of source. . .
• CHANNEL live, VHS, print, book, email. . .

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Cagles Dirty Joke TheorySome Dependent
Variables

• LAUGHTER
• DISGUST
• CONFUSION
• PHYSICAL
• LEAVING
• COMPREHENSION
• ATTITUDE CHANGE
• Etc.

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Cagles Dirty Joke TheoryVariables

• JOKE SOURCE MESSAGE RECEIVER CHANNEL
  LAUGHTER SHOCK CONFUSION
• MIXED SEX DIRTY JOKE SHOCK
• SAME SEX DIRTY JOKE HILARITY

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COMMUNICATION

• Communication is a complex, pervasive phenomena.
• Virtually every human endeavor involves
  communication in some way.
• Consequently, there are a great many
  communication theories--each, in its own way,
  appropriate to those aspects of the phenomena
  germane to its purpose.

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Communication Mosaic A Metaphor

• First, the metaphor of a mosaic offers a
  theoretical orientation to illumine the
  inter-connectedness among all communication
  theories.
• Second, it provides an overview of some of the
  more interesting, provocative, and heuristic
  theories within the major types of communication
  theories.
• Meaning is created from bits and pieces which our
  mind puts together into a gestalt.

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Meaning Is Created
I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty
uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg The phaonmneal
pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch
at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer inwaht
oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny
iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer
be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl
mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed
ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling
was ipmorantt!
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Beckers Mosaic Model of Message
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The main dimensions of the mosaic model

• Context
• Function
• Intention
• Variable
• Level of analysis
• Analytic and synthetic properties
• Audience