WEEK 5 Communication Theory: Other Models Intro to Communication Dr. P.M.G. Verstraete

Three Broad Approaches  Linear Transmission (Process)  Processing and Signification (Semiosis)  Constructing Reality

Processing & Signification (Semiosis)

Signification

Communication is generation of meaning Who is generating a meaning? For whom? For what? Signification

Communication = the creation of a shared understanding through interaction among two or more agents What is the shared understanding between a chicken and a fox? Signification

Communication = sharing a common language, a common culture, a common heritage, cultural symbols, rituels... Signification

Uncommon language: No communication? Here there is no sharing; hence, There is no communication! Really?

Models towards signification Towards signification

1. Laswell’s model (1948) Towards signification

who says what in which channel to whom with what effect ? Towards signification

But: effect is not necessarily ‘meaning’  = a measurable change in the receiver that is caused by identifiable elements in the process  Laswell’s model is about how to create appropriate change in either part of the model Towards signification

2. Newcomb’s model (1953) Towards signification Ok, so ‘effect’ is not necessarily ‘meaning’… what about ‘information’?

Focus on the role of communication in society or in social relations = interpersonal communication = all the parts are interdependent Assumption: need for information about our social environment AB X A = communicator B = receiver X = any part of the social environment Equilibrium ! Towards signification

3. Jacobson’s model (1960) Towards signification So ok, seeking information is deeply embedded in the social role of communication, but this model is still about how to change our reactions (effect) to a social environment… not quite yet ‘signification’

Jacobson’s interest lies in meaning and the internal structure of a message. = a double model, that bridges the gaps between process and semiotic schools Jacobson’s departure point is 6 constitutive factors that makes communication possible: Towards signification Context Message Addresser_______Addressee Contact Code Notice how Jacobson added: context, contact and code to our previous model.

These 6 constitutive factors correspond to different functions: Towards signification Context Message Addresser_______Addressee Contact Code Referential Poetic Emotive_______Conotative Phatic Metalingual

Example: ‘I like Ike’ Towards signification Referential Poetic Emotive_______Conotative Phatic Metalingual Compare with ‘Sik bakalim’

Constructing Reality

Communication is construction of personal and social realities. Social Reality

Who constructs your reality? You? Social Reality

4. George Gerbner’s model (1956) Social Reality

Gerbner’s model: - it relates the message to the reality that it is about (questions of perception and meaning) - it sees the communication process as consisting of two alternating dimensions: the dimension of the perceptual/receptive the dimension of communication: means and control Social Reality

event E – percept of event E – statement about event SE Social Reality

Horizontal dimension: Human perception = filtering of external stimuli, selection & distortion Meaning = derived from the matching of external stimuli with internal concepts (recognition) This matching is controlled by our culture Social Reality

Can you see what I see?

Social Reality Can you see what I see? The Rorscharch test

Social Reality Can you see what I see?

Social Reality Can you see what I see?

Social Reality Can you see what I see?

Social Reality Can you see what I see?

Social Reality Can you see what I see?

Social Reality Can you see what I see?

Social Reality Can you see what I see?

Social Reality Can you see what I see?

Social Reality Can you see what I see? Culture influences our perception

Vertical dimension: When the percept is converted into a signal = a message (a signal or statement about the event) divided into a signal and a form (a unified concept, cf. the medium is the message) Social Reality

2 more related concepts On the horizontal dimension: access Who has access to the mass media? The one who has access can also make the selection (cf. the news on TV) On the vertical dimension: availability What is made available by the communicator determines what is actually perceived (another form of selectivity, cf. restricted readership) Social Reality Add to your glossary!

Who constructs whose reality? And how? Social Reality So: what about social control? Mass Communication

Who constructs whose reality? And how? Social Reality Interpersonal Communication

5. Westley and MacLean’s model (1957) Social Reality

Westley and MacLean’s model: ( extension of Newcomb’s model particularly for mass media) So: ABX + C: an editorial-communicating function = the process of deciding what and how to communicate Social Reality

B lost direct or immediate experience of X B lost direct relationship with A Social Reality A (reporter) sends story to C (newsroom) C transmits story to B (audience) Need for information + dependency

AB X Compare with Newcomb’s model Is the equilibrium destroyed? Towards signification

Recap: all models where can it go wrong?

1.Anything that hinders communicating 2.Anything that orients or affects the communication in specific way with undesirable outcome Communication Problems ‘Noise’

who says what in which channel to whom with what effect ? Lasswell’s model Effectiveness

Sender Receiver Codes a message Decodes it Message Medium Feedback Noise 2-way interaction model Linear transmission models Message Listeners (Decoding) Speaker (Coding) 1-way interaction model

Shannon and Weaver’s model Possible problems could be: Technical (transmission) Semantic (desired meaning) Effectiveness (desired behavior)

event E – percept of event E – statement about event SE – percept of statement about SE Gerbner’s model Problems on horizontal dimension Problems on vertical dimension Problems of access and availability

AB X A = communicator B = receiver X = any part of the social environment Problems with equilibrium ? Newcomb’s model

Westley & MacLean’s model A = communicator B = receiver X = any part of the social environment C = editorial-communicating function Communication problems induced by power or personal interest

6 constitutive factors and their corresponding functions: Jacobson’s model Context Message Addresser_______Addressee Contact Code Referential Poetic Emotive_______Conative Phatic Metalingual Problems of understanding, when culture or code is not shared