Needing help with (introduction to) communication studies? Here's a full list of the most important concepts and terms!
Summary Introduction to Communication Studies
introduction to communication studies: summary of chapter 2: approach-paradigm-theory
All for this textbook (17)
Written for
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Bachelor Of Social Sciences- Orientation
Introduction to communication sciences (009459)
All documents for this subject (6)
Seller
Follow
anaellekermarrec
Reviews received
Content preview
5. The mainstream paradigm
1) Growth of the mainstream paradigm
- Institutionalisation after WWII, focus in US
- Liberal-pluralist view on man and society
- Post war context; growth of leisure time, growth of media usage, rise in
welfare levels, new economic growth, towards cold war
2) Functionalist media theory
- structural and macro approach
→ focus on societal structures, society seen as a total system maintained and
supported by subsystems (eg; economy, politics, military, education…
→ repetitive patterns of action that build up structures (AGIL scheme)
- Media seen as an institution that fulfils the needs of society
→ contributes to the system
→ instruments of socialisation/integration of different groups in society
a. The 3 basic functions of media (Lasswell)
Surveillance function (1)
→ observation and control of environment, gather and disseminate info
eg: weather predictions, factual report on elections
Correlation function (2)
→ Interpretation concerning societal processes and developments
eg: linking climate change to the warm weather
Cultural transmission function (3)
→ Transfer, communication and maintenance of norms and values among
different generations and groups
b. Distinction between positive/negative and manifest/latent functions
(Merton&Lazarsfeld)
→Eufunctions: maintaining balance
→Dysfunctions: disturbing balance
→Manifest functions: intended consequences
→Latent functions: unintended consequences and difficult to observe
1
, c. 3 other functions (Merton&Lazarsfeld)
Conformity function (1)
→ Enforcing prevailing social attitudes and values: enforcement of social
norms and socialization and rewarding conformism, punishing deviation
Status conferral function (2)
→ Media as agents of legitimization by conferring status to issues, persons,
organizations, etc.
Narcotizing function (3)
→ Creating illusion of participation
d. Critiques
- problematic and vague concepts
- conservative bias
→ framework of pluralist approach to societal processes
- Limited attention to socially disintegrating effects and processes of
change
3) Action oriented approaches
→ critique on linear and structural approaches
→ micro approach to social action
→ focus on individual actions and consciousness, reflexivity and interpretation
a. Symbolic interactionism
- Critique on stimulus-response and behaviorism
- How does culture structure day to day experience?
- Learning via daily interaction and mutual conditioning
- We take on different roles in different situations
- Symbols mediate and structure our experience (provide tools for
interpretation)
→mediate and structure our experiences
- occurs in a constantly changing dynamic cultural context
2
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller anaellekermarrec. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.95. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.