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3: Communication Theory

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    251083

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    Learning Objectives

    After reading this chapter you should be able to:

    • Define theory and explain its functions
    • Explain what makes a good theory
    • Understand Theoretical Paradigms
    • Explain the Empirical Laws Paradigm
    • Explain the Human Rules Paradigm
    • Explain the Systems Theory Paradigm
    • Explain the Rhetorical Theory Paradigm
    • Explain the Critical Theory Paradigm

    How did the universe begin? Where did it all come from? Scientists, theologians, and educators have been debating this topic for centuries. A commonplace for this debate occurs in school textbooks—should they teach creationism or the big bang theory? How you answer this question depends on the theoretical perspective you hold. In either case, your theoretical perspective includes some common features—reasons to justify your theory and evidence you use to prove that it is correct. Creationists cite the Bible or other religious texts as proof of their theoretical perspective. Advocates of the big bang theory argue that the earth emerged 13.7 billion years ago and cite the continued expansion of space (Hubble’s law) as verifiable proof that this theory is correct. But how do we know which theory is right? Let’s apply this same reasoning to communication. Think about the many ways you develop and try to answer questions about the “right” ways to communicate.

    We want to leave the intricacies of the theoretical debate between creationism and the big bang theory to our colleagues in the physical sciences, religious studies, and philosophies. However, we’ll use this chapter to explore theoretical issues relevant to the study of communication. By the end of this chapter, you should understand what communication theories are, their functions, how we evaluate them, and the five major theoretical paradigms shaping communication study today. You’ll also discover just how important communication theory is to your everyday life.

    • 3.1: Defining Theory
      This page highlights the significance and development of communication theories, explaining how they shape interactions and guide behavior. These theories help organize experiences and challenge societal norms. The comparison to Newton's gravity emphasizes their fluidity and unpredictability. Key evaluation criteria include scope, parsimony, heuristic value, openness, appropriateness, and validity, which aid in understanding their relevance and application in diverse communication contexts.
    • 3.2: Empirical Laws Paradigm
      This page discusses empirical laws theories that argue for universal laws governing human communication, similar to natural sciences. It highlights the focus on identifying predictable communication outcomes based on causation and generalization. While these laws are probabilistic and influenced by context, they aid in understanding interaction patterns. However, their potential oversimplification may lead to challenges in complex situations.
    • 3.3: Human Rules Paradigm
      This page discusses the limitations of empirical laws in studying communication, advocating for human rules theories that emphasize flexible, context-dependent rules. These rules promote personal choice and adaptability in communication, contrasting with the rigidity of laws. While human rules theories recognize the dynamic nature of communication, they struggle with predicting outcomes and may be limited by cultural factors.
    • 3.4: Systems Theory Paradigm
      This page discusses the systems theory paradigm in communication, emphasizing interconnectedness and the idea that the whole exceeds the sum of its parts. Influenced by thinkers like Hegel and von Bertalanffy, it highlights goals and homeostasis within systems. While it provides a broad perspective on communication and the role of individuals in their environments, critics point out its potential for excessive breadth and lack of established research owing to its recent development.
    • 3.5: Rhetorical Theories Paradigm
      This page discusses rhetoric as a foundational communication tradition utilizing human symbols. It emphasizes theories for creating and evaluating messages, highlighting concepts like ethos, logos, and pathos, as well as the Toulmin model. It also covers evaluative theories from figures like Burke and Foucault.
    • 3.6: Critical Theories Paradigm
      This page examines critical communication theories that challenge oppressive practices and amplify marginalized voices, contrasting them with descriptive theories. Influenced by Marxism, postmodernism, and feminism, these theories advocate for social change through praxis and aim to expose dominant ideologies. Despite their potential for driving social transformation, their subjective nature can lead to debates over conflicting values.
    • 3.7: Evaluating Theories
      This page discusses the role of theories in understanding communication, emphasizing their multifaceted nature. It outlines the theory formation process, which includes questioning, observing, and concluding, and evaluates theories based on six qualities: scope, parsimony, heuristic value, openness, appropriateness, and validity.

    This page titled 3: Communication Theory is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Misc (LOUIS: The Louisiana Library Network) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.