Communication Theory and Research Methodology

Presenter:Twakulilwa Kayofa

201014815Tuesday, 04 March 2015

Presentation Outline

• Introduction: Reception theory• History and Orientation• Exponents of the theory• Core assumptions and Statements• Conceptual model• Application• References

Introduction: Reception theory

• Started in literature, recognising audience to understand meaning• Theory has developed in cultural studies of media• Focusses on interpretation of messages• Understand the attribution and construction of meaning (derived

from media) with the receiver.• Media messages are always open and polysemic (having multiple

meanings) and are interpreted according the context and culture of receivers.

History and Orientation

• Similar to the reader response and audience theory• Most influential the in 1970s and 1980s in Germany• Mass communication• Meaning cannot be understood without considering readers

Exponents of the theory

• Hans-Robert Jauss in the late 1960sFrom literature perspective

• Staurt Hall developed it furtherFrom communication perspective

Core assumptions and Statements• People are not passive• Meaning can be distorted or interpreted differently• Reader interprets messages based on individual cultural background

or life experience

Language/Messages Establish meaning Meaning made by audience

Encoding Decoding

Continued…

• Stuart Hall's developed the "Encoding-Decoding" model of communication.

- meaning is encoded by the sender and decoded by the receiver.- meanings may be decoded to mean something else.- senders encode meaning in their messages according to their ideals

and views- messages are decoded by the receivers according to their own ideals

and views,- may lead to miscommunication or to the receiver understanding

something very different from what the sender intended. (Hall 1993, 91)

Conceptual model

Source: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--WCHnLqu3tY/UKLgs0EebbI/AAAAAAAAASw/HaQHBi9d7LA/s1600/RECEPTION+THEORY.png

Example

• The interpretation of the Swapo Secretary General calling people “aafyona” (commoners) at a campaign star rally. The interpretation was that:

1. Some said it is a tradition in his own setting2. Some said it is an insult3. And some said he aimed to tarnish the objective of the campaign

Application

• I can use this theory when analysing data for my research• Acknowledge that messages are decoded according to the receivers

background

References

• Becker, Howard S. and Michal M. McCall. (1990) Symbolic Interaction and Cultural Studies.• http://

www.zeepedia.com/read.php?reception_theory_theories_of_communication• http://

www.slideshare.net/dphillips4363/reception-theory-presentation