Interpersonal Communication and Mass Media Theory
Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication is inherently relational; it takes place within a relationship, impacts the relationship, and defines it. The way you communicate determines the nature of that relationship.
Types of Listening
- Informational Listening: Listening to learn (low active scale).
- Critical Listening: Goal is to evaluate what is being said (mid active scale).
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
We receive interpersonal communication through all our senses, including words, expressions, eye contact, and posture.
Symbolic Interactionism
Proposed by Herbert Blumer, this theory suggests we act based on the meaning we assign to things, which is usually derived from social interactions and can change over time.
Erving Goffman: Dramaturgy and Social Performance
Erving Goffman argued that people act to intentionally express themselves so that others will be impressed.
Key Concepts
- Interactions: Reciprocal influence of individuals upon one another’s actions when in immediate physical presence.
- Performance: Activity of a participant on a given occasion that influences other participants.
- Audience: Those who contribute to other performances.
- Routine: Pre-established patterns of action shown in a performance.
- Social Relationship: When an individual plays the same part to the same audience, a relationship can arise.
Front and Personal Front
Front setting refers to the expressive equipment of a standard kind intentionally or unwittingly employed by the individual during their performance:
- Expressive equipment: Tools or props used to communicate during social interactions.
- Standard kind: Existing social norms or standardized ways of expressing oneself.
- Intentionally or unwittingly employed: Using tools to shape perception, or doing so without realizing it.
Personal front refers to appearance and manner. Misrepresentation occurs when the performer manipulates the audience, signifying things that have no basis in reality.
Types of Performers
- Sincere: Fully believe in the role they play and are invested in presenting an authentic message.
- Cynical: Putting on a performance for the benefit of the audience without believing in the role.
- Deluded: Deceiving themselves, believing in their own performance or authenticity.
Rituals
Social interactions characterized by formality, repetition, and shared meaning that reaffirm bonds, identity, and values.
- Formalized behavior: Prescribed actions or procedures.
- Shared meaning: People understand the symbolic meaning behind ritual actions.
Rituals help save face in social interactions (e.g., apologies).
Mass Media and Society
Mass society develops a mass culture where values and beliefs tend to be homogeneous and fluid. Characteristics include large populations, homogenization, anonymity, centralized power, and consumerism.
Functionalism
Talcott Parsons used an organicist metaphor, viewing society as an interdependent, self-regulating system tending toward equilibrium. Dysfunction occurs when what is functional for society is not functional for all individuals or sub-groups.
Communication Models
The linear model identifies noise (physical, physiological, or semantic) as a barrier. While it breaks communication into parts, it often fails to account for feedback, power relationships, or one-to-many communication.
Media Influence Theories
- Two-Step Flow Theory (Katz): Information flows from media to opinion leaders, then to the public. Social group membership often influences decision-making more than mass media.
- Agenda Setting: The media does not tell us what to think, but what to think about. This involves priming (topic frequency) and framing (how a topic is presented).
- Spiral of Silence (Noelle-Neumann): Public opinion is formed through social pressure. Fear of isolation keeps people from speaking up when one side dominates the conversation.