Summary Complete exam material EXAM A - Introduction to Communication Science
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Course
Inleiding Communicatiewetenschap (S_ICS)
Institution
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU)
Book
A First Look at Communication Theory
Complete summary of Introduction to Communication Science at the VU. From the book “A First Look at Communication Theory”, 2024 edition. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 36 and 37: the material for the first 3 weeks & the first midterm.
What is communication?
● Communication is the relational process of creating and interpreting messages that elicit a
response.
● 3 parts of the communication process:
○ The beginning (the creation of the message)
○ The middle (the message’s characteristics)
○ The end (the interpretation of the message and response to it)
● The intense focus on messages is what sets the communication area apart from others. It’s
relational.
● Text = any message that can be studied, regardless of the medium.
What is theory?
● A theory consists of a set of systematic, informed hunches about the way things work.
○ A set of hunches
○ Informed hunches: a theorist's hunches should be informed.
○ Hunches that are systematic
Chapter 2
Objective communication theories
● Assume we live in a world where we can understand truth through unbiased observation.
● The scholars who create these theories identify as scientists and use quantitative
measurement to uncover cause-and-effect relationships involving messages.
● Beliefs about:
○ The ways of knowing about communication → truth is singular.
○ Whether human nature is free or constrained → objective scholars stress out the
forces that shape human behavior.
○ The purpose of the theory → objective scholars believe that theories are never
proven - just not yet disproven.
○ The value of scholarship to society → objective scholars hold a distinction between
the knower and the known.
Interpretive communication theories
● Assume we live in a world where truth is subjective, depending on a person’s lived
experiences.
● Many scholars identify as humanists and they examine qualitative data to understand,
interpret and critique messages.
● Beliefs about:
,○ The ways of knowing about communication → truth is socially constructed through
communication. Experiences shape what you see.
○ Whether human nature is free or constrained → interpretive scholars focus on
conscious choices made by individuals.
○ The purpose of the theory → interpretive scholars are less interested in testing
theory through empirical data.
○ The value of scholarship to society → interpretive scholars value socially relevant
research that gives us deeper insight into how people assign meaning.
, Chapter 3
What makes an objective theory good?
1. Prediction of future events
2. Explanation of the data
3. Relative simplicity
4. Hypotheses that can be tested
5. Practical utility
6. Quantitative research
What makes an interpretive theory good?
1. Clarification of values
2. New understanding of people
3. Aesthetic appeal
4. Community of agreement
5. Reform of society
6. Qualitative research
4 dimensies hoe je kan bepalen
1. Ways of knowing
2. Human nature
3. Purpose of theory
4. Highest value
Interpersonal Messages
Chapter 5 - Symbolic Interactionism Theory
Metaphors or analogies to describe interpersonal communication
1. The bowling model
a. A one-way model of interpersonal communication that regards the message content
and delivery as determining the outcome; sender action.
b. Flaws: real-life interpersonal communication is sometimes confusing and often
unpredictable. There’s always more involved than the speaker's action.
2. The Ping-Pong model
a. A competitive two-way model of interpersonal communication emphasizing
feedback and adjustment to win; player interaction.
b. Flaws: a true model would have people sending and receiving multiple balls at the
same time. Also table tennis is a competitive game, in successful dialogue, both
people win.
3. The Charades analogy
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