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The University of Florida, CJC Online, Mass Communication Theory MMC6400.
The word theory may strike fear into the hearts of those without a scientific background. But as with most monsters in the closet, the vague feeling of dread evaporates under closer examination with a little courage and a powerful flashlight.
Rooted in the ancient Greek word theoria, “to look at or behold,” the term evolved to include "contemplation and speculation." Closely related to theatron or “place to look” we divine a more familiar word: theater (Wikipedia, 2021). Not so scary now?
"Theories provide a framework for understanding human behavior, thought, and development," The Purpose of Psychology Theories (verywellmind.com).
All theories seek to achieve the same goals:
to ask and answer questions about our world
to explore and understand how things relate to each other
to offer explanations and predictions about how the world works
But theories must also adapt and evolve to meet new challenges and emerging technologies, just as Einstein’s Theory of Relativity has risen to meet the challenges of String Theory. Rising as a result of the Industrial Revolution, mass communication also presents unique challenges and new opportunities. Its theorists seek to describe how people learn from and use mass media and for what purposes, with the hope of predicting mass media’s power to influence actions and shape society’s beliefs.
1) What influence do sugary cereal commercials have on young viewers?
2) How much are audiences impacted by negative images and stories?
3) Is Social media hurting your mental health?
Theories of mass communication seek to answer whether audience behaviors are truly a product of the media they ingest. They explore how much, how fast, and how directly the information is absorbed. Communication theory genres include communication science, interpretive theory, critical theory, and normative theory.
Communication science seeks to understand how humans use symbols to communicate through quantitative data.
Interpretive theory explores why or how certain behaviors occurred and their implications.
Critical theory analyzes media's role in supporting oppressive dominant soc
Normative theory paints a picture of how things “should” be, often emphasizing free speech and freedom of the press.
Communication theories within these genres are very applicable to professional use. A journalist might use agenda setting, by selecting certain stories to transfer issues of importance from news reports to public agendas. For example, in my town of Peekskill, New York, the City Manager was recently investigated and discovered to be living outside of the city limits, flouting the requirements of holding office. In this case, the media agenda quickly became a public one.
Within the realm of advertising, framing is the process of defining a way of looking at a particular topic. If you were offered the chance to save $100 on your new Subaru by driving across town to a different dealership, you probably wouldn’t bother. But if offered that same $100 off your weekly grocery bill, you’d drive to the next town to fetch your lettuce and frozen pizza. It’s the same $100, but framing changes its imagined impact.
Within entertainment programming, cultivation theory proposes that "extensive, long-term exposure to televised images affects the audience’s view of reality" (Rosenberry & Vicker, 2017, p.12). While Sesame Street might help teach toddlers the alphabet, television programming also creates an alternate reality where action heroes get shot, but keep on standing. According to Anagha Srikanth’s article in TheHill’s Changing America, “inaccurate portrayals of crime and the justice system from a mostly white point of view are impacting how viewers see reality.”
The act of communicating is an essential element of human society. Animals communicate with body language, sounds, scents, taste, and touch. Only humans use symbols. A study of communication as a social science can reveal how professionals adapt the use of symbols to create realities that specifically manipulate and persuade audiences.
Fascinating...and a little terrifying! Perhaps this is the true monster in the closet?
Questions:
What do you think about the power of mass media?
How does media affect your life or the lives of your loved ones?
Would you disconnect from the mass media for a short period of time, to test the theory?
Share your thoughts!
References
Cherry, K. (2020, May 8). Why Psychological Theories Exist And What Purpose They Serve. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/the-purpose-of-psychology-theories-2795084
Rosenberry, J., & Vicker, L. A. (2017). Applied Mass Communication Theory: A Guide for Media Practitioners (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Srikanth, A. (2020, January 24). TV crime shows present a warped view of our criminal justice system: TheHill. TV crime shows present a warped view of our criminal justice system: report – The Hill
Wikipedia. (2021, April 9). Christian contemplation. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_contemplation#Theoria
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