DEFINITIONS, MODELS &

PERSPECTIVES

Week 2: Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO OBJECTIVES Explain why definitions are important and

why there can be more than one definition of communication

Identify how definitions vary in terms of breadth, intentionality, sender/receiver orientation and importance of symbols

Explain the three functions of models as well as their drawbacks

Distinguish between the psychological, social constructionist and pragmatic perspectives

CHAPTER TWO OBJECTIVES Explain for any given model which

perspective it belongs to

Criticize each perspective by describing it’s weaknesses

Understand the cultural studies perspective

Identify the elements of communication in Hymes’s SPEAKING model.

DEFINITIONS

A good definition of communication tells us what behaviours count as communication, which ones don’t and also its essential characteristics.

DISCOVERY OR CONSTRUCTION? Describing

something that already exists: objective.

Theoretically there is one correct definition for everything.

Describing the practical use of something: subjective.

Multiple definitions based on individual needs and experiences.

COMMUNICATION IS … … a process of acting on information

… the discriminatory response of an organism to stimulus

… an effort after meaning

… a human process through which we make sense out of the world and share that sense with others

… the transmission of ideas, emotions, skill, etc by the use of symbols …

DEFINING COMMUNICATION

How broad is communication?

Is communication intentional?

Is communication sender or receiver based?

Is all communication symbolic?

MODELS Explanatory function: breaking down

complex processes into constituent parts and showing how the parts are connected.

Predictive function: helps answer questions about the future (based on patterns in the model).

Control function: helps us guide our behaviour and work out where we may have gone wrong (how to control a process).

THE DRAWBACKS OF MODELS

They are incomplete

They can be misleading if oversimplified

There are many ways to model a process

They make assumptions about processes

FOUR MODELS …

1. Psychological Perspective

2. Social Constructionist Perspective

3. Pragmatic Perspective

4. Cultural Studies Perspective

PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Communication is a psychological process whereby two (or more) individuals exchange meanings through the transmission and reception of communication stimuli

PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST PERSPECTIVE

Communication is a process whereby people in groups, using the tools provided by their culture, create collective representations of reality.

SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONIST PERSPECTIVE

PRAGMATIC PERSPECTIVE

Communication is a system of interlocking, interdependent behaviours that become patterned over time.

PRAGMATIC PERSPECTIVE

CULTURAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVE

Any given culture is, in fact, a web of interconnected acts of communication, much of which lies below the surface.

CULTURAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVE

ETHNOGRAPHY OF COMMUNICATION

HOMEWORK

DAY TASK

Monday Notes for Objectives 1-4

Tuesday Notes for Objectives 5-8

Wednesday Start Reading Log #1

Thursday Finish Reading Log #2

Weekend Key words from Chapter 2Preview Chapter 3