Module 7 Notes
DEVC 205
Communication Theory as Coherent field
There are different strands
“Umbrella term for all careful, systematic, self-conscious discussion and analysis of communication
phenomenon.”
Hi Marejen! I concur to what Carey said about social cultural traditions being considered as a co-
creation of social reality. It is true that whatever is communicated and passed on becomes part
of our daily lives, and it continues to grow and change over time, influencing societies at large
from region to region. I also appreciate that you included the impact of language in shaping
societies. There are times when I also feel uncomfortable with rhetoric tradition in terms of
speaking up and persuasion, even though my work requires me to do so. Over time, I feel like
you’re going to overcome this fear and become a natural if you put it into practice.
Hi Josh! Thank you for sharing this. I appreciate that you discussed sociopshychological tradition
since this also relates to sociocultural tradition. Indeed, people’s behavior are highly influenced
by what they know, what others practice, and with what is communicated around them.
Cognitive development theory is quite an interesting topic, I hope you can share more of it in
class. 😊 I’m also curious about cybernetic tradition as information technology becomes more
and more prominent around us. This tradition would really be helpful in getting the most
information across through a system. The future of communication also relies within this
tradition such as artificial intelligence, robotics, computer systems, and other transfer lines which
would give maximum dissemination.
Hi Rose! I like that you stated Littlejohn & Foss (2008) in your argument that at the heart of this
tradition (sociopsychological) is a single human with unique personality traits, mental processes
(like perception and learning), psychological variables (emotions, attitudes, prejudice, and
aggression), and social behavior. This also reminds me of the Nudge theory by Thaler and
Sunstein (2008) indicating libertarian paternalism - that people have the freedom to choose, but
choice architectures or change in their environment allows them to make (better) choices). Even
the smallest change in words can also alter people’s behavior. Sociopsychological tradition
perfectly describes how communication is used and being used to alter individual’s cognitive
ability to “perceive, interpret, and generate information to think, feel, and behave
autonomously.”
