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Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

Overview of Themes  The History of Communication Studies  Contemporary Approaches to the Study of the Discipline Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. © 2009 Creatas/Jupiterimages

“…the long and influential development of the communication discipline.” The History of Communication Studies Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Rhetorical Tradition: The Art of Persuasion  Negative Connotations  The Power of Persuasion  Guidelines for Effective Public Speaking  Humanism and Enlightenment: The Surge toward Scientific! Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Behaviorist Tradition: Communication as Science  The Elocution Movement  A Discipline Emerges  Communication and English Departments  The Great Divide  The Art of Public Address  The Human Behavior of Speaking as Social Science Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Great Debate  Humanism Vs. Behaviorism  The Artistry of the Speech Moment Vs. Behavioral Patterns of Speakers  The Study of Persuasion From the Perspective of Social Science  The Yale Studies  Political and Mass Media Message Studies  Rhetorical Criticism Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

“…these approaches address issues that have real relevance in everyday life” Contemporary Approaches, Theories, and Methods Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

About The Word “Approach”  Worldview  Paradigm  Assumptions of What is True or False About “Reality” (= Communication)  Multiple Paradigms Bring Multiple Questions, Research Methods, and Theories About Communication Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Social Science Approach Goal of ResearchTo Describe, Predict, and Explain View of RealityExternal and Describable View of Human BehaviorComplex but Predictable Primary MethodsQuantitative Analysis of Surveys, Observation, Experiments and Focused Interviews ContributionsIdentifies Communication Patterns Among Variables LimitationsDoes Not Focus on the Influence of Power or Societal Forces Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Interpretive Approach Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc. Goal of ResearchTo Describe, Predict, and Explain in Context View of RealitySubjective View of Human BehaviorCreative and Voluntary Primary MethodsQualitative Analysis of Rhetorical Texts and Ethnographic Data (Such as Participant-Observation, Observation, and Interviews) ContributionsEmphasizes In-Depth Study of Communication LimitationsLimited Number of Participants; Does Not Focus on Power or Societal Forces

The Critical Approach Goal of ResearchTo Describe, Explain and Understand Society in Order to Affect Change View of RealitySubjective and Material View of Human BehaviorResistive Primary MethodsTextual Analysis, Media Analysis ContributionsEmphasizes Power Relations in Communication Interactions; Recognizes Societal Impact on Communication LimitationsDoes Not Focus on Face-to-Face Communication Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.

The Postmodern Approach Goal of ResearchTo Understand the Contemporary Human Condition View of RealitySubjective View of Human BehaviorFluid Primary MethodsTextual Analysis, Participant- Observation ContributionsChallenges Assumptions About Gender, Race, Ethnicity and Other Social Categories LimitationsDoes Not Focus on Face-to-Face Communication; may be viewed as pessimistic and impractical Copyright © 2010, 2006 Pearson Education, Inc.