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8: Communication Theory

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    55191

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    Learning Objectives

    After reading this chapter you should be able to:

    • Define theory and explain its functions.
    • Demonstrate how theories are developed.
    • Explain what makes a useful theory.
    • Understand the idea of 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.

    • 8.1: Introduction
      The chapter sets out to help readers: define and understand the functions of theory, demonstrate theory development, identify what makes a useful theory, and understand various theoretical paradigms including Empirical Laws, Human Rules, Systems Theory, Rhetorical Theory, and Critical Theory Paradigms. It uses the debate between creationism and the big bang theory to explore these concepts within the realm of communication, stressing the significance of communication theory in everyday life.
    • 8.2: Defining Theory
      This page discusses the common misconception among students that theories, especially those related to communication, lack relevance in their lives. It emphasizes that personal theories guide daily communication and highlights the need to develop more sophisticated theories for better understanding.
    • 8.3: How We Develop Communication Theories
      The text explores the origins and development of communication theories, emphasizing the importance of asking questions, observing behavior, and forming theories. It highlights the dynamic nature of communication theories compared to static physical science theories like gravity. The text discusses criteria like scope, parsimony, heuristic value, openness, appropriateness, and validity to evaluate good theories.
    • 8.4: Laws and Communication
      The text explores the empirical laws perspective in communication theory, which seeks to understand human interaction through cause and effect relationships similar to physical laws. It highlights the evolution of communication studies from rhetorical traditions to a more scientific approach driven by probability rather than absoluteness. While empirical laws help predict outcomes in communication, they are not 100% reliable due to the complexity and variability of human behavior.
    • 8.5: Human Rules Paradigm
      The page discusses the distinction between empirical laws theories and human rules theories in communication. While empirical laws theories strive for absolute truths akin to physical laws, human rules theories emphasize flexible, subjective rules created by people. These rules are contextually and culturally dependent, accounting for choice in communication behaviors.
    • 8.6: Systems Theory Paradigm
      The Systems Theory Paradigm marks a shift from empirical approaches by focusing on interconnectedness in understanding communication. Developed by Ludwig von Bertalanffy, it emphasizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, exemplified by global warming discussions. This paradigm explains communication through interconnections, rather than isolated acts, and is applied in areas like Organizational Communication.
    • 8.7: Rhetorical Theories Paradigm
      The text elaborates on the Rhetorical Theories Paradigm in communication, defining rhetoric as symbolic human interaction across various realms. It describes how rhetorical theories guide message production, as seen in public speaking and advertising, by employing approaches like Aristotle's ethos, logos, and pathos. Theories also aid in message evaluation with diverse interpretive frameworks such as those of Kenneth Burke and Michel Foucault.
    • 8.8: Critical Theories Paradigm
      The article discusses four theoretical paradigms used to understand communication, emphasizing their failure to critique existing communication norms. This calls for critical theories that critique and seek social change within oppressive communication paradigms. It mentions Byron Hurt's examination of sexism in hip-hop, and explores various critical theories, including Marxism, postmodernism, and feminism, which challenge oppressive social structures.
    • 8.9: Communication Theory Summary
      The text discusses the role of theories in understanding communication phenomena, highlighting that multiple theories can be used to gain a broader perspective. It outlines the process of forming theories: asking questions, observing, and forming answers. Evaluating theories involves assessing their scope, parsimony, heuristic value, openness, appropriateness, and validity.

    This page titled 8: Communication Theory is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Tammera Stokes Rice via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.