Unit 1. Communication and the Process of Theorising.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1. Understand the meaning of communication, the values and field of communication, scholarly pursuit and study of communication;
2. Understand the meaning, goals, criteria and ways for evaluating communication theories;
3. Understand how theories are developed and grown scientifically and systematically;
4. Appreciate the importance of communication theory and the process of theorising as an effort of scholarly pursuit; and
5. Classify the communication theory and the perspectives of communication theory.
INTRODUCTION.
This unit introduces students to communication as a unique field of study and learn about the process of theorising as a scholarly pursuit. The theory will also be introduced as an effort to enrich your knowledge, especially in communication.
PRE-TEST.
The objective of pre-test for Unit 1 is to test your conceptual understanding on important points of communication and the processes of theorising. Before you continue reading this unit, it is hoped that you will answer the questions in the following pre-test. State True (T) or False (F) for each of the following statements: No. Statements Answer.
1. Communication is the systematic process in which individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meanings.
2. Theory is a true reality and cannot be questioned.
3. The process of theorising is a useful scholarly effort in enriching knowledge and assist in human daily lives.
4 Epistemology means the way humans acquire knowledge and it influences how scholars build a theory.
5 A theory is considered goof if it is developed sophisticatedly and possess high abstract value.
UNIT DESCRIPTION.
This introductory unit discusses the foundation and important information about communication, theory and the process, roles of theorising in the knowledge, scholarly pursuit and daily lives. Good understanding about Unit 1 will assist students to understand the following chapters in Units 2 and 3.
Key Terms.
Communication is defined as a systematic process in which individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meaning. (Refer pg 9 -10).
The values/impacts of communication discussed in the textbook is referred to the communication in everyday lives to fulfil personal goals, relationship, professional and cultural (Refer pg. 10-14).
The scope of communication field discussed in the textbook began with the emergence of classical authors such as Aristotle and Plato until the modern field of communication that includes intrapersonal communication, interpersonal communication, group and team communication, public communication, performance, media and new technologies of communication, organisational communication and intercultural communication (Refer pg. 14 ?? 22).
Although the scope of communication has increased significantly, there are two themes underlying every different branches of the communication field. The first theme is symbolic activities, a process that using symbols to interact, experience, monitoring, and to handle our thinking, feeling and doing. Second theme is the process of create and interpret meaning. Both are interconnected. This is called the essence of communication (Refer pg. 23 - 26).
Careers in communication field are so broad and challenging. Among the field that can be explored by students whose primary backgrounds and interests are in communication; research, public relations and advertising, education, consulting, and human relations and management (Refer pg. 26 - 28).
Theory.
Theory is defined as human constructions? symbolic ways we represent phenomena (Refer pg. 31 - 32).
Generally, the goals of theory are to describe, explain, predict or understand, control and reform to describe about represent phenomena (Refer pg. 32 - 38).
Then, the standard for evaluating theories is discussed in detail. Usually, scholars use five criteria as a standard for evaluating whether a theory is good or bad; important or trivial; helpful or useless; and sound or defective. The criteria are as follows:
(a) Scope? how much does the theory describe and explain the phenomena?
(b) Testability? Is it testable?
(c) Parsimony? Is it appropriately simple?
(d) Utility? Is it useful or practical?
(e) Heurism? Does it generate new thought or insight? (Refer pg. 38 - 45)
Perspective is important to understand theory. Keep in mind that theories are points of view, not absolute truths. Theory is a way to describe phenomena and has its own focus and purposes. However, the different theories may fit well together, and sometimes cannot. It depends on the ontology and epistemology foundations contained in the theory. Theories also have limited focus and scope. No theory can address all communication or even all facets of a single type of communication, as human constructions are limited (Refer pg. 45 ?? 49).
PROCESS.
Element.
There are four key elements that contributed to the development of theory:
(a) View of Human Nature ?? ontology:
(i) Determinism ?? assumes that human behaviour is governed by forces beyond individual control, such as biology and environment.
(ii) Free Will ?? humans have free will and that they make choices about how to act.
(iii) Individual freedom is constrained by what is called thrownness.
(Refer pg. 52 ?? 55)
(b) Ways of Knowing ?? epistemology:
(i) Discovering truth ?? objectivism: knowledge is assumed as a truth that it is uninfluenced by values, biases and personal feeling.
Reality is a material and true that can be discovered in this universe.
(ii) Creating meaning ?? subjectivism: knowledge is human creation
and not an absolute truth. Everything that we know is a result
from the perception and interpretation of meaning. Thus, there are
many ways to uncover all of the meanings people hold and the
realities vary widely based on individual interpretation.
(Refer pg. 55 - 59).
(c) Purposes of Theory.
Does theory should generate universal laws or theory should articulate rules that describe patterns of human activity only? There are two opinions:
(i) Universal law ?? unalterable fact that holds true across time and space.
(ii) Situated rules ?? an explanation that describes the orderliness and patterns of communication in specific circumstances. (Refer pg. 59 ?? 60).
(d) The focus of Theorising
What is the focus or content that theory address? There are two opinions:
(i) Behavioural focus ?? behaviourism, to search for brute facts,
objective and concrete phenomena.
(ii) Meaning ?? humanism, to search for institutional facts, the meaning of observation. (Refer pg. 60 ?? 63).
Testing Theories.
When the purposes and focus of theories have been decided, a scholar will start develop and test the theory. The following is the process involved:
(a) Develop hypotheses and research questions;
(b) Use quantitative research ?? surveys, experiments, descriptive statistics; or
(c) Use qualitative analysis ?? textual analysis, ethnography; or
(d) Use critical scholarship approach ?? this approach is not only academic, but it is also taking the scholar to be an activist in society and fight for a good social change.
(e) Besides, theory also depends on the research. As such, research
evaluation must be done to see the efficiency of a theory.
Criteria for judging research projects are:
(a) Validity.
(i) Internal validity: Is the design and methods used to test a theory actually measure what they claim to?
(ii) External validity: is the theory applies to the real world (the generalisability of the theory)?
b) Reliability: is the research which has been done reliable in terms of measurement, namely, does the discovery or lasting result remain consistent over repeated tests?
(c) Significance: is the theory important from the conceptual and pragmatic perspectives? Is it useful for enriching knowledge and daily lives? (Refer pg. 63 ?? 73)
TUTORIAL 1.1
Students are required to discuss activities including. Try it out in all three topics of Unit 1 ?? pg. 15, 21, 39, 55 and 63.
TUTORIAL 1.2
Students also are required to explain meaning of each key term at the end of each topic in Unit 1 ?? pg. 29, 50 and 74.
Answer the following questions:
1. Explain the elements that influence scholars in theory development.
2. What are the criteria used for interpreting research in testing a theory?
3. What is the difference between critical scholarship and other approaches?
4. Discuss the use of communication theory in your daily life.
5. Explain about your ontology ?? are you an objectivist or subjectivist?
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1. Understand the meaning of communication, the values and field of communication, scholarly pursuit and study of communication;
2. Understand the meaning, goals, criteria and ways for evaluating communication theories;
3. Understand how theories are developed and grown scientifically and systematically;
4. Appreciate the importance of communication theory and the process of theorising as an effort of scholarly pursuit; and
5. Classify the communication theory and the perspectives of communication theory.
INTRODUCTION.
This unit introduces students to communication as a unique field of study and learn about the process of theorising as a scholarly pursuit. The theory will also be introduced as an effort to enrich your knowledge, especially in communication.
PRE-TEST.
The objective of pre-test for Unit 1 is to test your conceptual understanding on important points of communication and the processes of theorising. Before you continue reading this unit, it is hoped that you will answer the questions in the following pre-test. State True (T) or False (F) for each of the following statements: No. Statements Answer.
1. Communication is the systematic process in which individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meanings.
2. Theory is a true reality and cannot be questioned.
3. The process of theorising is a useful scholarly effort in enriching knowledge and assist in human daily lives.
4 Epistemology means the way humans acquire knowledge and it influences how scholars build a theory.
5 A theory is considered goof if it is developed sophisticatedly and possess high abstract value.
UNIT DESCRIPTION.
This introductory unit discusses the foundation and important information about communication, theory and the process, roles of theorising in the knowledge, scholarly pursuit and daily lives. Good understanding about Unit 1 will assist students to understand the following chapters in Units 2 and 3.
Key Terms.
Communication is defined as a systematic process in which individuals interact with and through symbols to create and interpret meaning. (Refer pg 9 -10).
The values/impacts of communication discussed in the textbook is referred to the communication in everyday lives to fulfil personal goals, relationship, professional and cultural (Refer pg. 10-14).
The scope of communication field discussed in the textbook began with the emergence of classical authors such as Aristotle and Plato until the modern field of communication that includes intrapersonal communication, interpersonal communication, group and team communication, public communication, performance, media and new technologies of communication, organisational communication and intercultural communication (Refer pg. 14 ?? 22).
Although the scope of communication has increased significantly, there are two themes underlying every different branches of the communication field. The first theme is symbolic activities, a process that using symbols to interact, experience, monitoring, and to handle our thinking, feeling and doing. Second theme is the process of create and interpret meaning. Both are interconnected. This is called the essence of communication (Refer pg. 23 - 26).
Careers in communication field are so broad and challenging. Among the field that can be explored by students whose primary backgrounds and interests are in communication; research, public relations and advertising, education, consulting, and human relations and management (Refer pg. 26 - 28).
Theory.
Theory is defined as human constructions? symbolic ways we represent phenomena (Refer pg. 31 - 32).
Generally, the goals of theory are to describe, explain, predict or understand, control and reform to describe about represent phenomena (Refer pg. 32 - 38).
Then, the standard for evaluating theories is discussed in detail. Usually, scholars use five criteria as a standard for evaluating whether a theory is good or bad; important or trivial; helpful or useless; and sound or defective. The criteria are as follows:
(a) Scope? how much does the theory describe and explain the phenomena?
(b) Testability? Is it testable?
(c) Parsimony? Is it appropriately simple?
(d) Utility? Is it useful or practical?
(e) Heurism? Does it generate new thought or insight? (Refer pg. 38 - 45)
Perspective is important to understand theory. Keep in mind that theories are points of view, not absolute truths. Theory is a way to describe phenomena and has its own focus and purposes. However, the different theories may fit well together, and sometimes cannot. It depends on the ontology and epistemology foundations contained in the theory. Theories also have limited focus and scope. No theory can address all communication or even all facets of a single type of communication, as human constructions are limited (Refer pg. 45 ?? 49).
PROCESS.
Element.
There are four key elements that contributed to the development of theory:
(a) View of Human Nature ?? ontology:
(i) Determinism ?? assumes that human behaviour is governed by forces beyond individual control, such as biology and environment.
(ii) Free Will ?? humans have free will and that they make choices about how to act.
(iii) Individual freedom is constrained by what is called thrownness.
(Refer pg. 52 ?? 55)
(b) Ways of Knowing ?? epistemology:
(i) Discovering truth ?? objectivism: knowledge is assumed as a truth that it is uninfluenced by values, biases and personal feeling.
Reality is a material and true that can be discovered in this universe.
(ii) Creating meaning ?? subjectivism: knowledge is human creation
and not an absolute truth. Everything that we know is a result
from the perception and interpretation of meaning. Thus, there are
many ways to uncover all of the meanings people hold and the
realities vary widely based on individual interpretation.
(Refer pg. 55 - 59).
(c) Purposes of Theory.
Does theory should generate universal laws or theory should articulate rules that describe patterns of human activity only? There are two opinions:
(i) Universal law ?? unalterable fact that holds true across time and space.
(ii) Situated rules ?? an explanation that describes the orderliness and patterns of communication in specific circumstances. (Refer pg. 59 ?? 60).
(d) The focus of Theorising
What is the focus or content that theory address? There are two opinions:
(i) Behavioural focus ?? behaviourism, to search for brute facts,
objective and concrete phenomena.
(ii) Meaning ?? humanism, to search for institutional facts, the meaning of observation. (Refer pg. 60 ?? 63).
Testing Theories.
When the purposes and focus of theories have been decided, a scholar will start develop and test the theory. The following is the process involved:
(a) Develop hypotheses and research questions;
(b) Use quantitative research ?? surveys, experiments, descriptive statistics; or
(c) Use qualitative analysis ?? textual analysis, ethnography; or
(d) Use critical scholarship approach ?? this approach is not only academic, but it is also taking the scholar to be an activist in society and fight for a good social change.
(e) Besides, theory also depends on the research. As such, research
evaluation must be done to see the efficiency of a theory.
Criteria for judging research projects are:
(a) Validity.
(i) Internal validity: Is the design and methods used to test a theory actually measure what they claim to?
(ii) External validity: is the theory applies to the real world (the generalisability of the theory)?
b) Reliability: is the research which has been done reliable in terms of measurement, namely, does the discovery or lasting result remain consistent over repeated tests?
(c) Significance: is the theory important from the conceptual and pragmatic perspectives? Is it useful for enriching knowledge and daily lives? (Refer pg. 63 ?? 73)
TUTORIAL 1.1
Students are required to discuss activities including. Try it out in all three topics of Unit 1 ?? pg. 15, 21, 39, 55 and 63.
TUTORIAL 1.2
Students also are required to explain meaning of each key term at the end of each topic in Unit 1 ?? pg. 29, 50 and 74.
Answer the following questions:
1. Explain the elements that influence scholars in theory development.
2. What are the criteria used for interpreting research in testing a theory?
3. What is the difference between critical scholarship and other approaches?
4. Discuss the use of communication theory in your daily life.
5. Explain about your ontology ?? are you an objectivist or subjectivist?
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