Communication Theories: Origins, Methods and Uses in the Mass Media

by Severin, Werner J.; Tankard, James W.

• ISBN13: 9780801317033
• ISBN10: 0801317037
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

Introduces the theories, foundations, and research methodology of mass communication. Discusses the radical developments in communication technology, multimedia and the internet that are essentially redefining mass communication. New revised edition. Paper. DLC: Mass media.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiii
PART I THE CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE	1	(20)
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION THEORY	3	(18)
The Concept of Mass Communication	4	(1)
The New Media Environment	5	(6)
The Role of Theory	11	(1)
The Goals of Mass Communication Theory	12	(1)
The Effects of Mass Communication	13	(2)
Changes in Mass Communication Theory	15	(1)
Theoretical Questions Raised by Changes in the Media Environment	16	(1)
Conclusions	17	(1)
Discussion	17	(1)
References	18	(3)
PART II SCIENTIFIC METHOD AND MODELS OF MASS COMMUNICATION	21	(50)
CHAPTER 2 SCIENTIFIC METHOD	23	(22)
Imagination in Science	24	(2)
The Cumulative Nature of Science	26	(1)
Scientific Generalizations about Reality	27	(1)
Scientific Hypotheses	27	(1)
Safeguards against Bias and Fraud	28	(2)
Ethics and Fraud in Science	30	(1)
The Process of Scientific Inquiry	31	(1)
Acquiring Empirical Data	32	(6)
Reasoning about the Data	38	(2)
Conclusions	40	(1)
Discussion	40	(1)
References	41	(4)
CHAPTER 3 MODELS IN MASS COMMUNICATION RESEARCH	45	(26)
Functions of a Model	46	(1)
Evaluation of a Model	46	(1)
Some Early Communication Models	47	(4)
The Delivery of Useful Information	51	(2)
Information Theory Applied	53	(4)
Osgoods's Model	57	(1)
The Schramm Models	58	(1)
Newcomb's Symmetry Model	59	(1)
The Westly-MacLean Model	60	(2)
The Gerbner Model	62	(2)
A Schema Theory of Information Processing	64	(3)
Conclusions	67	(1)
Discussion	68	(1)
References	68	(3)
PART III PERCEPTION AND LANGUAGE ISSUES IN THE MASS MEDIA	71	(86)
CHAPTER 4 THE ROLE OF PERCEPTION IN COMMUNICATION	73	(18)
Influences on Perception	74	(4)
Perception and Mass Communication	78	(2)
Other Selective Processes	80	(2)
Models of Information Processing	82	(1)
Schema Theory	83	(1)
Subliminal Perception	84	(2)
Perception of Pictures	86	(2)
Conclusions	88	(1)
Discussion	88	(1)
References	89	(2)
CHAPTER 5 PROBLEMS IN ENCODING	91	(18)
Characteristics of Language	91	(6)
Misuses of Language	97	(3)
Three Kinds of Statements	100	(2)
Studies of Objectivity	102	(4)
Implications for Encoding	106	(1)
Conclusions	107	(1)
Discussion	107	(1)
References	107	(2)
CHAPTER 6 ANALYSIS OF PROPAGANDA: FIRST THEORIES OF DECODING AND EFFECTS	109	(24)
What Is Propaganda?	109	(3)
The Propaganda Devices	112	(13)
Effectiveness of Propaganda Devices	125	(3)
Conclusions	128	(1)
Discussion	128	(1)
References	129	(4)
CHAPTER 7 THE MEASUREMENT OF READABILITY	133	(24)
The History of Readability Measurement	134	(2)
The Flesch Formulas	136	(2)
Using a Formula	138	(1)
The Fry Graph for Estimating Readability	139	(1)
Applications of Readability Formulas	139	(8)
Cloze Procedure	147	(2)
Newer Approaches to Readability Measurement	149	(2)
The "Writeability" Movement	151	(1)
Readability Measurement in Other Languages	152	(1)
Conclusions	152	(1)
Discussion	153	(1)
References	153	(4)
PART IV THE SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH	157	(90)
CHAPTER 8 COGNITIVE CONSISTENCY AND MASS COMMUNICATION	159	(20)
Heider's Balance Theory	160	(1)
Newcomb's Symmetry Theory	161	(1)
Osgood's Congruity Theory	162	(8)
Festinger's Theory of Cognitive Dissonance	170	(5)
Conclusions	175	(1)
Discussion	175	(1)
References	176	(3)
CHAPTER 9 THEORIES OF PERSUASION	179	(38)
The Concept of Attitude	180	(1)
Hovland's Army Research	180	(2)
One-Sided and Two-Sided Messages	182	(2)
The Yale Communication Research Program	184	(1)
Source Credibility	185	(4)
Fear Appeals	189	(3)
Resistance to Counterpropaganda	192	(2)
Inoculation Theory	194	(2)
Katz's Functional Approach	196	(1)
Attitudes and Behavior	197	(3)
Classical Conditioning of Attitudes	200	(2)
Techniques of Persuasion	202	(5)
The Newer Process Models of Persuasion	207	(4)
Conclusions	211	(1)
Discussion	212	(1)
References	213	(4)
CHAPTER 10 GROUPS AND COMMUNICATION	217	(14)
Sherif's Research on Group Norms	218	(1)
Asch's Research on Group Pressure	219	(1)
How Norms Are Developed	220	(1)
Lewin's Food Habits Studies	221	(1)
Groups and Political Attitudes	222	(2)
The Social Identification Model	224	(1)
Groups as Instruments of Change	225	(1)
Groups and Mass Communication	225	(2)
Audience Segmentation	227	(1)
Conclusions	228	(1)
Discussion	229	(1)
References	229	(2)
CHAPTER 11 MASS MEDIA AND INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION	231	(16)
The Mass Media and Voting Behavior	232	(1)
The Role of the Community in Decision Making	233	(4)
Criticisms of the Two-Step Flow	237	(1)
Diffusion of Innovations	238	(6)
Conclusions	244	(1)
Discussion	244	(1)
References	245	(2)
PART V MASS MEDIA EFFECTS AND USES	247	(96)
CHAPTER 12 AGENDA SETTING	249	(28)
The Chapel Hill Study	250	(2)
Precursors of the Hypothesis	252	(1)
A Change in Thinking	252	(1)
The Media Agenda and Reality	253	(1)
The Charlotte Study	254	(2)
Experimental Evidence	256	(2)
Priming	258	(1)
Presidential Agendas	258	(2)
The Obtrusiveness of Issues	260	(1)
Abstract and Concrete Issues	261	(1)
Bias by Agenda	262	(1)
The Question of Time Lag	263	(1)
The Role of Exposure	264	(1)
Agenda Building	265	(1)
The Need for Orientation	266	(1)
Who Sets the Media Agenda?	266	(3)
New Areas of Agenda Setting	269	(1)
New Developments in Agenda Setting	269	(1)
How Does Agenda Setting Work?	269	(1)
Applied Agenda Setting	270	(1)
Conclusions	271	(1)
Discussion	272	(1)
References	273	(4)
CHAPTER 13 THE KNOWLEDGE-GAP HYPOTHESIS	277	(20)
The Role of the Mass Media	278	(2)
Operational Forms of the Hypothesis	280	(1)
Possible Reasons for a Knowledge Gap	281	(1)
The Knowledge Gap in Public Affairs	282	(1)
"Sesame Street"	283	(2)
Refinement of the Hypothesis	285	(2)
The Generality of the Hypothesis	287	(1)
The Knowledge Gap and the New Technology	287	(2)
New Developments in Knowledge-Gap Research	289	(1)
Criticism of the Hypothesis	290	(2)
Overcoming Knowledge Gaps	292	(1)
Conclusions	292	(1)
Discussion	293	(1)
References	293	(4)
CHAPTER 14 EFFECTS OF MASS COMMUNICATION	297	(32)
The Bullet Theory	297	(1)
The Limited-Effects Model	298	(1)
Cultivation Theory	299	(2)
New Developments in Cultivation Theory	301	(2)
McLuhan's Media Determinism	303	(2)
The Spiral of Silence	305	(2)
The Third-Person Effect	307	(1)
Media Hegemony	308	(1)
Effects of Television Violence	309	(4)
Social Learning Theory	313	(1)
The Powerful-Effects Model	313	(3)
The Size of Effects	316	(1)
New Directions in Effects Research	316	(6)
Conclusions	322	(1)
Discussion	323	(1)
References	324	(5)
CHAPTER 15 USES OF THE MASS MEDIA	329	(14)
Beginnings of the Uses and Gratifications Approach	330	(1)
Uses and Gratifications in an Election Campaign	330	(1)
Classifying Individual Needs and Media Uses	331	(3)
Criticisms of the Uses and Gratifications Theory	334	(2)
Empirical Tests of the Uses and Gratifications Theory	336	(1)
New Thechnology and the Active Audience	337	(2)
Recent Developments in Uses and Gratifications Research	339	(1)
Conclusions	339	(1)
Discussion	340	(1)
References	340	(3)
PART VI THE MEDIA AS INSTITUTIONS	343	(58)
CHAPTER 16 MASS MEDIA IN MODERN SOCIETY	345	(36)
Four Theories of the Press	345	(8)
The News Media as Agents of Power	353	(2)
Functions of the Media	355	(2)
Values and Ideology in Support of the Society	357	(3)
Our Mental Picture of the World	360	(1)
Popular Teste and Social Action	361	(2)
Social Conformism	363	(1)
Conditions of Media Effectiveness	363	(3)
Enduring Values in the News	366	(2)
Making News: The Social Construction of Reality	368	(1)
Controlling the News Staff and Maintaining the Status Quo	368	(3)
Possibilities for Policy Deviation	371	(1)
Sources Rating Reporters	372	(1)
Mass Communication and Sociocultural Integration	373	(4)
Conclusions	377	(1)
Discussion	377	(1)
References	378	(3)
CHAPTER 17 MEDIA CHAINS AND CONGLOMERATES	381	(22)
Media Chains	381	(11)
Media Cross-Ownership	392	(2)
Media Conglomerates	394	(3)
Conclusions	397	(1)
Discussion	397	(1)
References	398	(3)
PART VII BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER	401	(12)
CHAPTER 18 THE OVERALL PICTURE	403	(10)
The Model and Communication Research	404	(5)
Mass Media Research	409	(1)
Conclusion	410	(1)
Reference	411	(2)
Index	413