CIS Communication Theory Primary
(Also Dr. Aune's section of Organizational Communication Secondary)

Topic:  To investigate how different culture's usage of media and modern communication technology differs, surveyed through various modern communication theories.

Intercultural Foundations

Communication Theories of Interest

Reading List


Intercultural Foundations:

Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions

Edward Hall (high context vs. low context societies)

Min-Sun Kim's Self-Construal Theory

Hofstede:  Culture is the independent variable (influencing behavior)
Min-Sun Kim:  Individual is the independent variable (influencing behavior)

 


Communication Theories of Interest: 

Uses / Gratifications Theory    Relational / Nonverbal Communication    Uncertainty Reduction Theory    Self-Disclosure / Social Penetration Theory    Conversational Implicature / Cooperative Principle    Speech Acts Theory    Politeness / Face Theory    Persuasion    Pragmatics

 

Uses and Gratifications Theory

- we seek out media / technology that fulfills our needs
- some of these needs:  entertainment (online gaming), communication (cell phone), information (Google / online newspapers)


Relational Communication / Non-verbal Communication Theory:

(Joe Walther)
Walther, Sunnafrank and Burgoon's Article:  "Information Seeking Strategies, Uncertainty and Computer Mediated Communication:  Towards a Conceptual Model (PDF)

we find ways to communicate non-verbal information

Example:  in e-mail- we use CAPS, emoticons :) and 'punctuation' to convey non-verbal information to the message receiver

Non-verbal communication is very important to communication- and people find ways to use it.  It increases our ability to convey a message to another person.


Uncertainty Reduction Theory:

(C. Berger)
(followed by Michael Sunnafrank - Predicted Outcome Value Theory)

- we are uncomfortable with uncertainty in relationships
- we are aware of this and do things to lower uncertainty in the relationship (such as self-disclosing, to raise intimacy)
- this is accomplished by self-monitoring ourselves

Might tie into here:  Judy Burgoon and Expectancy - Violations Theory

- if people act as we expect, we don't think much about it
- if they act weird, we search for a reason to settle our anxiety about why they are acting weird
- culture is a way to settle this anxiety - offers a reasonable explanation for weird behavior

    Example:  Someone acting weird online

See also:  Wiseman article- mention of Gudykunst and anxiety-uncertainty management theory (AUM): we try to minimize misunderstandings with those of other cultures- as misunderstandings rise, we feel uncertain about the other / situation.  This causes anxiety within us, provoking us to reduce the uncertainty and increase our mindfulness.  We reduce uncertainty using strategies like asking questions, self disclosing.


Self-Disclosure Theory / Social Penetration Theory:

(Altman & Taylor)

- ways to increase intimacy in a relationship
- you make yourself vulnerable by disclosing information, which in turn obligates the other person to reciprocate and give up / reveal information (a vulnerability) about themselves (called the norm of reciprocity)
- this process (social exhange of disclosing) can be very rewarding or very costly

This theory ties well to Uncertainty Reduction Theory - it is a method for reducing Uncertainty and Anxiety Managment (AUM / Gudykunst)


Theory of Conversational Implicature / Cooperative Principle:

Paul Grice - Studies in the Ways of Words
When we communicate we assume cooperativeness (Cooperative Principle)
We follow the maxims of:  quantity, quality, relevance, manner

A good source on Grice:  http://www.rbjones.com/rbjpub/philos/bibliog/grice89.htm#cProlegomena


Conversational Implicature (summarized from Dr. Aune's PPT)

Dr. Aune's article - Communicative Responsibility (summarized from Dr. Aune's PPT)


Speech Acts Theory:

John Searle:  Speech Acts

A good source on Speech Acts:  http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/hopkins_guide_to_literary_theory/speech_acts.html


Politeness / Face Theory:

Politeness
(Brown & Levinson)

From:  http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/lang/pragmatics.htm#16

  1. I want some beer. (bald on record:  direct)

  2. Is it OK for me to have a beer?  (positive politeness:  somewhat direct)

  3. I hope it's not too forward, but would it be possible for me to have a beer?  (negative politeness:  somewhat indirect)

  4. It's so hot. It makes you really thirsty.  (off record:  indirect)

Face Theory
- EVERYONE has face needs!

- there are two types of face needs- positive face needs and negative face needs
- these two types of face needs are always in combat

- positive face needs:  need to look good, be likeable
- negative face needs:  need to be free, have an open schedule, etc.


Theories of Persuasion:

(Barb O'Keefe)

1.) baldly / direct ("that dress makes you look ugly - go change")
2.) by appealing to positive face ("that other dress will bring out your eyes")
3.) by appealing to negative face (some non-threatening action - off record / semi-indirect:  "sorry to bother you, but would you mind putting on that dress instead?")
4.) indirect ("I saw someone the other day with a dress like that other one you have, they looked nice in it")


Pragmatics:

Herbert Clark - Using Language
    - study language from 2 perspectives -

Thomas Holtgraves - Language as Social Action

 

Pragmatics covers many ideas in here:  speech acts, conversational implicature, politeness, and other stuff that has to to with relational communication.  A good summary is here:  http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/lang/pragmatics.htm

Dr. Aune's viewpoint:  People never say exactly what they mean, and always mean more than they say.  Pragmatics is the way that we can go about accounting for what is actually meant when people make utterances.


Questions (based on reading list / theories above):

Primary Question (Communication Theory Primary)

Secondary Question (Organizational Communication Secondary)

 


Uses / Gratifications Theory    Relational / Nonverbal Communication    Uncertainty Reduction Theory    Self-Disclosure / Social Penetration Theory    Conversational Implicature / Cooperative Principle    Speech Acts Theory    Politeness / Face Theory    Persuasion    Pragmatics

Intercultural Foundations    Reading List