Theory of Mass Communication

Office Hours: TBA

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION
COURSE OBJECTIVES
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
EXAMINATIONS
GRADING
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
LIST OF READINGS
POSSIBLE PAPER SOURCE AND IDEAS SOURCE

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Description

Study of mass communication models, theory development, mass communication and theory relationship to research in mass communications.

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Objective

1. To examine the major theoretical and research trends in the field of mass communication;
2. To examine various mass communication models and theories;
3. To examine the way theories (in general) are developed;
4. To develop the ability to critically examine existing theories; and
5. To examine the relationship between mass communication theories and theories in related disciplines (e.g. interpersonal communication, political science, sociology, etc.)

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Course Requirements

The required texts are:
Baran, Stanley J. and Davis, Dennis K., Mass communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment and Future. Belmont, California: Wadsworth, 1995.
A compilation of readings available on reserve at the Dean B. Ellis Library.

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Examination

There will be two written (take home) exams in the course. These will be the midterm and final. These will cover lecture materials, assigned readings, readings from scholarly journals and other pertinent materials. Both exams will be comprehensive in nature.

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Grading

Final grades will be distributed as the following percentages:

 Annotated Bibliography = 20%
 Critical Essay = 40%
 Midterm Exam =10%
 Final Exam =15%
 Class Discussions = 15%

The following scale will be used to determine letter grades:

 95-100=A
 85-94=B
 70-84=C
 Below 70=F
 No curves will be applied to grades.

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Tentative Schedule

Week 1
Introduction--Chapter 1 of text Historical Perspective-- the evolution of mass communication theory--What is theory? What do theories do? Why study theories? Mass Comm theories versus Physical Science Theories.

Handouts

Week 2
Assessing the State of Theory in Mass Communication Research Chapters 3 & 6 of text.

MICRO-LEVEL APPROACHES

Week 3
Attitudinal Effects - Chapters 2 & 5 of text.
The Bullet (Hypodermic Needle) Theory
The Limited Effects Model -- Chapter 4 of text

Week 4
Cognitive Effects -- Chapter 13 of text. Agenda Setting

Week 5
Cultivation Process Research - Chapter 14; TAKE HOME EXAM

Week 6
Behavioral Effects
Violence and the Media - Chapter 11
Pornography and the Media - Chapters 12, 13, & 15
Psychological Approaches - Media and Deviance

Week 7
Speech Communication and/or Public Relations Theory - Guest Lecture EXAM DUE

Week 8
Functional Approaches - Uses and Gratifications
The Spiral of Silence
Critiques Due

MACRO-LEVEL APPROACHES

Week 9
Studying the small group-- The Co-orientation Theory

Week 10
The importance of media in large social systems; reevaluating the powerful effects model
Dependency Theory
Mass Society

Week 11
Media and Economics
Does Marx make any sense today?

Week 12
Media and Literacy
The knowledge gap hypothesis

Week 13
Mass Media and National Development
The Dominant Paradigm
Humane development
The culturalist approach
Diffusion Studies

Week 14
Marshall MacLuhan's Media Determinism
TAKE HOME FINAL

Week 15
The future of mass communication theory
Is mass communication research worth doing?

Week 16
Paper presentations

Week 17
Paper presentations
FINAL (take home) EXAM DUE

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Reading List

Week 2
Wilbur Schramm, "The Unique Perspective of communication: A Retrospective View," in Journal of Communication, 33: 6-18 (Summer, 1983).

Everett Rogers and Steven H. Chaffee, "Communication As An Academic Discipline: A Dialogue," Journal of Communication, 33: 18-31 (Summer, 1983).

Austin S. Babrow, "The Advent of Multiple-Process Theories of Communication," Journal of Communication, 43, 3: 110-118 (Summer, 1993).

Pietila, Veikko, "Perspectives on our Past: Charting the Histories of Mass Communication Studies," Critical Studies in Mass Communication, 11, 4: 346-361 (December, 1994).

Krippendorf, K., The Past of Communication's Hoped-for Future," Journal of Communication, 43, 3: 34-44 (Summer, 1993).

Week 3
"The People's Choice" by Bernard Berelson, Hazel Gaudet and Paul Lazarsfeld in Erie County, Ohio.

Week 4
Maxwell E. McCombs and Donald L. Shaw, 'The Agenda-Setting Function of the Media," Public Opinion Quarterly, 36: 176-187 (Summer, 1972).

Brosius Hans-Bernd and Kepplinger Hans Mathias, "Linear and Nonlinear Models of Agenda-Setting in Television," Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 5-23 (Spring 1992).

Week 5
Saito, Shinichi, Cultivation Theory Revisited: Another look at the theory and implications for future research," Unpublished research paper. Presented at the AEJMC Conference, Washington, DC, (August 1995).

Gerbner, George, Gross, Larry, Morgan, Michael and Signorelli Nancy, "The Mainstreaming of America: Violence Profile No. 11," Journal of Communication, 30: (1980).

Hirsch, Paul M., "The Scary World" of the Non viewer and other Anomalies: A Reanalysis of Gerbner et al.'s Findings on Cultivation Analysis," Communication Research, 7: 4 pp 403-456 (October, 1980).

Potter W.J(1994).Cultivation theory and research : A methodological critique.Journalism monograph,147,1-34.

Perse.E.M.Ferguson,D.A.,&Mcleod,D.M.(1994). Cultivation in the new media environment. Communication Research,1994,21,1,79-104.

Week 6
NIMH, "Television and Behavior: Ten Years of Scientific Progress and Implications for the 1980s," in Donald Ungurait et al. (eds.), Media Now (White Plains,N.Y.: Longman, 1985).

TV Guide, "Violence on Television: A Symposium and Study," sponsored by the editors of TV Guide.

Gloria Steinem, "Erotica vs. Pornography," in Donald Ungurait et al. (eds), Media Now (White Plains, N.Y.: Longman, 1985), pp 439-446.

Jean B. Elshtain, "The Victim Syndrome: A Troubling Turn in Feminism," in Donald Ungurait et al. (eds.), Media Now (White Plains, N.Y.: Longman, 1985), pp. 447-456.

Week 8
Katz, Elihu. "The Two-Step Flow of Communication: An Up-To-Date Report on an Hypotheses." Public Opinion Quarterly, 21, pp. 61-78, Spring 1957.

Blumler, J. "Role of Theory in Uses and Gratification Studies," Communication Research, 6, 1 January 1978.

Gantz, W. "How Uses and Gratification Affect Recall of Television News," Journalism Quarterly, 1978.

Week 9
George A. Donohue, Phillip J. Tichenor, and Clarice Oline, "Mass Media Functions, Knowledge and Social Control," Journalism Quarterly, 41: 552-659 (Winter, 1973).

Jack M. McLeod and S.H. Chaffee, "The Construction of Social Reality," in Tedeschi (ed.), The Social Influence Process, (Chicago: Aldine-Atherton, 1972).

Week 10
Ball-Rokeach and M.L. DeFleur, "A Dependency Model of Mass-Media Effects," Communication Research, 3:3-21 (January, 1976).

Beninger, James R., "The Flirtation With Mass Society," Public Opinion Quarterly, pp. 546-566, Winter, 1987.

Week 11
Karen Siune and F. Gerald Kline, "Communication, Mass Political Behavior, and Mass Society," in Steven H. Chaffee, (ed.), Political Communication, (Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1975), pp. 65-84.

Paul Lazarsfeld,and Robert K. Merton, "Mass Communication, Popular Taste and Organized Social Action," in Wilbur Schramm, (ed.), Mass Communications (Urbana, Ill.: University of Illinois Press, 1972).

Week 12
Phillip J. Tichenor, George A. Donohue, and Clarice N. Olien. "Mass Media Flow and Differential Growth in Knowledge." Public Opinion Quarterly, 34, pp. 159-170, 1970.

Ceceille Gaziano. "Forecast 2000: Widening Knowledge Gaps." Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly.74,2,237-264.

Week 13
Sonaike, Adefemi, "Communication and Third World Development: A Dead End?," Gazette, 41, 2, pp. 83-103.

Amienyi, Osabuohien P. (1991). "Communication and Development Quintessentials: The focus of international development agencies and theorists," Journal of Development Communication, 9, 1, pp. 1-17.

Amienyi, Osabuohien P. (1991). "The Association Between Mass Media Exposure and National Identification in Nigeria, International Third World Studies Journal and Review, 2, 2, pp. 337-346.

Ryan, Bryce, and Neal Gross, "The Diffusion of Hybrid Seed Corn in Two Iowa Communities," Rural Sociology, 8, pp. 15-24, 1943.

Coleman, James, et al., "The Diffusion of an Innovation Among Physicians," Sociometry, 20, pp. 253-270, 1957.

Week 14
Marshall Mcluhan. "Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man." New York: McGraw Hill, 1964

Bruce E. Gronbeck. "Mcluhan as Rhetorical Theorist." Journal of Communication, pp. 117-128, 1981.

Week 15
Byron Reeves, "On How We Study and What We Study," Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, pp. 235-237 (1992).

Richard F. Carter, "Our Future Research Agenda: Confronting Challenges...Or Our Dying Grasp?" Journalism Quarterly, 1991: 282-285.

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Possible Paper Source And Ideas Source

Journals

Journal of Broadcasting ------------------------ Public Opinion Quarterly

Journalism Quarterly --------------------------- Journal of Advertising

Journalism Monographs ------------------------ Journal of Marketing

Public Relations Quarterly ---------------------- Journal of Advertising Research

Journal of Marketing Research ----------------- Journal of Consumer Research

Journal of Communication --------------------- Communication Research

Communications Monographs ------------------ Journalism Educator

Newspaper Research Journal ------------------- Mass Comm Review

Southwest Mass Comm Journal ---------------- Gazette

Others

Communication Abstracts ---------------------- Sociological Abstracts

Psychological Abstracts ------------------------- Dissertation Abstracts

Thesis Abstracts

Some Subject Areas

 

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