Talk About Theory

1. Talk About Theory 2

2. Slide 2 Talk About Theory • Two Communication Scholars View a Diehard Fan • Objective or Interpretive: Sorting Out the Labels • Ways of Knowing: Discovering Truth of Creating Multiple Realities? • Human Nature: Determinism or Free Will? • The Highest Value: Objectivity or Emancipation? • Purpose of Theory: Universal Laws or Interpretive Guides? • Objective or Interpretive: Why Is It Important?

3. Slide 3 Talk About Theory • Glenn Sparks is a behavioral scientist –applies the scientific method to describe, predict, and explain recurring forms of human behavior • Marty Medhurst is a rhetorician – studies ways symbolic forms can be used to identify with people, or to persuade them to a certain point of view

4. Slide 4 Talk About Theory • Need to grasp crucial differences between the objective and interpretive approaches to communication • Glenn Sparks: behavioral scientist, conducts experiments • Marty Medhurst: rhetorician; interpret texts

5. Slide 5 Two Communication Scholars View a Diehard Fan • MasterCard “Priceless” campaign • Ad Week: • “Peyton Manning is one of the few superstar athletes who shows he can act in his commercials. We’ve seen his cheerleader-for-the-everyday guy before. This time he’s rooting for the waitress who drops her tray, the latte guy who’s burned by escaping steam, and the movers who let a piano escape down a hill. “That’s okay guys. They’re not saying ‘boo,’ they’re saying moooooovers.’”

6. Slide 6 Two Communication Scholars View a Diehard Fan • Glenn: An Objective Approach • Objectiveapproach – assumption that truth is singular and is accessible through unbiased sensory observation; committed to uncovering cause-and-effect relationships

7. Slide 7 Two Communication Scholars View a Diehard Fan • Glenn: An Objective Approach (continued) • MasterCard convinced Manning’s celebrity appeal will rub off on the public image of their credit card • Source credibility – perceived competence and trustworthiness of a speaker or writer that affects how the message is received

8. Slide 8 Two Communication Scholars View a Diehard Fan • Glenn: An Objective Approach (continued) • Hovland and Weiss suggest that expertise and trustworthiness are two main ingredients of perceived credibility

9. Slide 9 Two Communication Scholars View a Diehard Fan • Glenn: An Objective Approach (continued) • Kelman: when people forge a body of identification with a figure like Manning, they’ll gladly embrace his persuasive pitch • Identification – perceived role relationship that affects self-image and attitudes; based on attractiveness of role model, and sustained if relationship remains salient

10. Slide 10 Two Communication Scholars View a Diehard Fan • Glenn: An Objective Approach (continued) • Do viewers transfer Manning’s expertise from the gridiron to credit cards? • “I would want an objective test to find out if celebrity appeals really work” • Is ad campaign followed by increase in new card applications or number of charges? • Test whether ad has same effect on viewers who do not know who Manning is

11. Slide 11 Two Communication Scholars View a Diehard Fan • Marty: An Interpretive Approach • Interpretive approach – linguistic work of assigning meaning or value to communicative texts; assumes that multiple meanings or truths are possible

12. Slide 12 Two Communication Scholars View a Diehard Fan • Marty: An Interpretive Approach (continued) • MasterCard uses Manning in an attempt to identify manliness with money • Invites viewer to become part of “team” being instructed by “Coach” Manning • Burke’s dramatistic pentad – five-pronged method of rhetorical criticism to analyze a speaker’s persuasive strategy – act, scene, agent, agency, purpose

13. Slide 13 Two Communication Scholars View a Diehard Fan • Marty: An Interpretive Approach (continued) • Ad starts with confusion, moves through pain and destruction, and arrives at manliness, money, and acceptance • Symbolic transformation has taken place • Manning “coaching” the right attitude • Symbolic equivalence established between being manly and being “in the money”

14. Slide 14 Objective or Interpretive: Sorting Out the Labels • Objective approach and interpretive approach to communication study clearly differ in starting point, method, and conclusion • Glenn, social scientist who works hard to be objective • Marty, rhetorical critic who does interpretive study

15. Slide 15 Objective or Interpretive: A Difference that Matters • Most interpretive scholars are humanists, but a growing numberof postmodern communication theorists reject that tradition • Humanistic scholarship – study of what it is like to be another person, in another time and place; assumes there are few important panhuman similarities

16. Slide 16 Objective or Interpretive: A Difference that Matters • Separate worldviews of interpretive scholars and scientists reflect contrasting assumptions about ways we arrive at knowledge, the core of human nature, questions of value, and the purpose and methods of research

17. Slide 17 Ways of Knowing: Discovering Truth or Creating Multiple Realities? • Epistemology – study of the origin, nature, method, and limits of knowledge • Scientists assume Truth is singular • Interpretive scholars regard truth as socially constructed through communication

18. Slide 18 Human Nature:Determinism or Free Will? • Determinism – assumption that behavior is caused by heredity and environment • Scientists stress forces that shape human behavior (biology and environment) • Interpretive scholars focus on conscious choices made by individuals

19. Slide 19 The Highest Value:Objectivity or Emancipation? • Most social scientists place high value on objectivity that is not biased by ideological commitments • Interpretive scholars believe that ability to choose separates humanity from the rest of creation, and value scholarship that expands free choice (emancipation)

20. Slide 20 The Highest Value:Objectivity or Emancipation? • Emancipation – liberation from political, economic, racial, religious, or sexual oppression; empowerment • Deetz claims that every general communication theory has two priorities – effectiveness and participation

21. Slide 21 Purpose of Theory: Universal Laws or Interpretive Guides? • As a behavioral scientist, Glenn works to pin down universal laws of human behavior that cover a variety of situations • Theory testing is basic activity

22. Slide 22 Purpose of Theory: Universal Laws or Interpretive Guides? • As rhetorical critic, Marty strives to interpret a particular communication text in a specific context • Explores web of meaning that constitutes human existence

23. Slide 23 Objective or Interpretive: Why Is It Important? • When you understand what each type of theorist is about, your comfort zone will expand and your confusion will diminish • Metatheory: theory about theory; stated or inherent assumptions made when creating • Both seek to improve society

24. Slide 24 Figure 2-2: Classification of Communication Theories According to Objective/Interpretive Worldview