REVISITING THE SEVEN

TRADITIONS OF
COMMUNICATION
THEORY
WEEK 2-3

NIKKO DEN S. MIRO

AB Communications| Master of Development Communication
Course Instructor
COURSE
ORIENTATION &
INTRODUCTION
(WEEK 1)
Mr. Nikko Den S.
Miro
Master of Development Communication | BatStateU-TNEU (2023)
Bachelor of Arts in Communication | Westmead International School (2017)

BatStateU-TNEU PB Guest Lecturer (2021-Present)

Pru Life UK - Financial Advisor (2024-present)
BPO Head Hunter (2020-present)
De La Salle Lipa SHS Part time Teacher (2018-2021)
The Resultscx Lipa - Tmobile Assurance Wireless(2019-2020)
The Results Companies Lipa - Sirius XM Radio Satellite (2018-2019)
Alorica Lipa Incorporated - Comcast (2017-2018)
Ibex Global Shaw- IOS Tech (2017)
ABS-CBN Southern Tagalog -Intern (2016)
Air1 Radio 91.9 FM Southern Luzon - Intern/Junior Disc Jockey (2016)
Pahayagang Balikas - Intern (2016)
 History of Communication Study
EUROPE

INTELLECTUAL
MIGRATION ADOLF HITLER

AMERICA

SCHOOLS OF
THOUGHT

FRANKFURT CHICAGO PALO ALTO

Seven Traditions of
Communciation
1. CYBERNETIC
2. SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL
3. SOCIO-CULTURAL
4. SEMIOTICS
5. CRITICAL
6. RHETORICAL
7. PHENOMENOLOGICAL
 CYBERNETIC TRADITION

It examines the overall workings of

communication in relation to systems. A
system is “a system of parts, or variables,
that influence one another, shape and
control the character of the overall
system” (Littlejohn & Foss, 2008, p. 40).

Communication is theorized as
information processing, with the goal of
getting the most information across with
the least amount of interference.
Feedback is the key concept that makes
effective communication possible within
a system (Maguire,2006).
 CYBERNETIC TRADITION
Norbert Wiener, an MIT scientist, coined the
word cybernetics in order to characterize
artificial intelligence. The term is a
transliteration of the Greek word meaning
controller, and ruler and illustrates the way in
which feedback enables information
processing in the minds and computers.

Therefore, Cybernetics refers to a tradition of

complex systems where the interacting
elements influence one another. In this
tradition, communication is seen as a system
of processing information, feedback, and
control. Furthermore, the vision of
communication as information transfer was
strengthened by Claude Shannon, the Bell
Telephone Company scientist, who developed
mathematical signal transmission theory.
Shannon and Weaver’s Model of
Communication
 CYBERNETIC TRADITION

Shannon sees you as the information source; you

speak your message into the telephone
mouthpiece which transmits a signal through the
telephone wire channel. Therefore, the receiver
signal picks up static noise along the way. This
altered signal is reconverted to sound by the
receiver in the earpiece.

Thus, information loss occurs on the way so that

the message you received differs from the one
sent. However, a lot of people believe information
is something that matters to a person or messages
of significant value. Rather, Shannon sees
information as reduction of uncertainty; He further
sees information as the ability of a message to
combat the chaos of noise.
COMMUNICATION THEORIES IN CYBERNETIC
TRADITION

Problematic Integration Theory-was developed by

Austin Babrow in 1992. Is a theory of communication
that addresses the processes and dynamics of how
people receive, evaluate, and respond to information and
experiences.

Basic System Theory-Maintains that systems are

structures that one can study and see how the parts of
the system interact.

Information Theory-Originated with Claude Shannon

and focuses on the transmission of signals through
networks and seeks to improve that process. It tries to
counteract noise and facilitate the accurate flow of
messages.
COMMUNICATION THEORIES IN CYBERNETIC
TRADITION

Network theory- is the study of graphs as a

representation of either symmetric relations or
asymmetric relations between discrete objects.

General System Theory-Developed by biologist

Ludwig von Bertalanffy this branch of system theory
highlights the commonalities within systems.
 SOCIO-CULTURAL TRADITION

Communication is theorized as the (re)production of

social order. Reality is socially constructed through
micro-level interaction processes (Maguire,2006).

Communication in these traditions is typically

theorized as a symbolic process that produces and
reproduces shared sociocultural patterns (Craig,
1999).

Sociocultural tradition cultivates communicative

practices that acknowledge cultural diversity and
relativity, value tolerance, and understanding, and
emphasize collective more than individual
responsibility.
THEORIES IN SOCIO-CULTURAL TRADITION

Cultural Interpretation Theory-trying to

understand the actions of a group or culture,
observing and describing.

Social constructionism-The theory centers on

the notion that meanings are developed in
coordination with others rather than separately
by everyone.

Cultural identity Theory-refers to a person's

sense of belonging to a particular culture or
group.
 RHETORICAL TRADITION

Communication is theorized as the practical art of

discourse (Maguire,2006).

Problems of communication in the rhetorical

tradition are conceived as social exigencies that
can be resolved through the artful use of
discourse to persuade audiences (Bitzer, 1968).

The rhetorical tradition seems plausible and

useful because it appeals to many commonplace
beliefs about communication, it is also interesting
because it challenges other commonplace beliefs
and reveals some of the deepest paradoxes of
communication.
CANONS OF RHETORICAL TRADITION

INVENTION-INTEGRATION OF REASONING
AND ARGUMENTS IN SPEECH

ARRANGEMENT-ORGANIZATION OF SPEECH

STYLE- USE OF LANGUAGE IN SPEECH

DELIVERY-PRESENTATION OF SPEECH

MEMORY- STORING INFORMATION IN

SPEAKER'S MIND
APPROACH RHETORICAL TRADITION

INTERPRETIVE HERMENEUTIC APPROACH

THEORIES IN RHETORICAL TRADITION

Dramatism-Life is a drama, and it can be

understood in dramatic terms; communicators
involved in situations are seen as actors performing
dramatic scenes

Rhetorical Sensitivity-effective communication

arises from sensitivity and care in adjusting what
you say to a listener or audience

Communicator Style- Robert Norton and

colleagues states that not only do we give
information, but we also present that information in
a certain form that tells other how to understand
and how to
 CRITICAL TRADITION

Communication is theorized as discursive

reflection.

Social justice can be restored when ideological

distortions are recognized through communication
practices that enable critical reflection
(Maguire,2006).

Aiming for social movement.

Communication conceived in this way explains

how social injustice is perpetuated by ideological
distortions and how justice can potentially be
restored through communicative practices
 THEORIES IN CRITICAL TRADITION

Feminist theory - is a generic label for a perspective or group of

theories that explores the meaning of gender concepts. Aims to
expose the powers as well as the limits of the gendered division
of the world.

Dual Systems Theory- represents the coming together of

Marxist and radical feminism--in the belief that the oppression of
women results from a complex articulation of patriarchy and
capitalism.

The Patriarchal Universe of Discourse-Julia Penelope (1990) has

developed a critical theory of patriarchal universe of discourse.
For this linguist, language is central to all human experience.

Muted Group Theory-it states that muteness is due to the lack of

power which besets any group that occupies the low end of the
totem pole;
PHENOMENOLOGICAL TRADITION

Communication is theorized as dialogue. Authentic human

relationships are sustained, and common ground is
established through the direct experience of others (Craig,
1999; Griffin, 2003; Maguire, 2006).

The phenomenological tradition emphasizes the

interpretation of one's own subjective experiences.

Highly Subjective

No generalization/ Co-creation with participants

Experiences has different compartments of reality

THEORIES PHENOMENOLOGICAL TRADITION

Classical Phenomenology-that truth could only be

obtained through direct experience

Social Phenomenology-social relations, especially the

use of language in ordinary life, acknowledges that
experience is inherently social and that consciousness
cannot be divorced from language.

Hermeneutic Phenomenology-examines that the

reality of something is not known by careful analysis or
reduction but by natural experience, which is created
by the use of language in everyday life.
 SEMIOTIC TRADITION

Communication is theorized as intersubjective

mediation by signs and symbols. Because
meanings are in people, gaps between subjective
realities are bridged through a shared language
or sign system (Maguire,2006).

Problems of communication in the semiotic

tradition are primarily problems of
(re)presentation and transmission of meaning, of
gaps between subjectivities that can be bridged,
if only imperfectly, using shared systems of signs
(Craig, 1999)
 SEMIOTIC TRADITION

Communication is theorized as intersubjective

mediation by signs and symbols. Because
meanings are in people, gaps between subjective
realities are bridged through a shared language
or sign system (Maguire,2006).

Problems of communication in the semiotic

tradition are primarily problems of
(re)presentation and transmission of meaning, of
gaps between subjectivities that can be bridged,
if only imperfectly, using shared systems of signs
(Craig, 1999)
 THEORIES IN SEMIOTIC TRADITION

General Semantics- Improving daily

communication by discovering the ways words
distort, obscure, and complicate understanding
between people; special character of symbols
(Symbols are arbitrary, symbols are abstract,
symbols are ambiguous, meanings are contextual.

Langer's Theory of Symbols-All animal life is

dominated by feeling, but human feeling is
affected by conception and symbols-and
language, meaning is the complex relation among
the symbol, the object, and the
person;signification,connotation,denotation.
 THEORIES IN SEMIOTIC TRADITION

Birdwhistell on Kinesics-Body language-

concerned with abstracting from the continous
muscular shifts which are characteristics of living
physiological systems those groupings of
movement which are of significance to the
communicational process and thus to the
interactional systems of particular social groups.

Ekman and Friesen on Kinesics-Analyzed

nonverbal activity in 3 ways: By origin, coding, and
usage; 5 types of nonverbal behavior: Emblem,
illustrator, adaptor, regulator, affect display.
Socio-psychological Tradition
Socio-psychological tradition

• Communication is theorized as expression, interaction, and influence. Cause-and-

effect relationships can be discovered through careful, systematic observation
(Maguire,2006).
• Individuals are seen as social beings with unique characteristics that make them think,
feel, and behave autonomously. Individuals also have the cognitive ability to perceive,
interpret, and generate information (Littlejohn & Foss 2008: 42). The strong focus on
the individual, characteristic of the sociopsychological approach, allows scholars to
theorise about aspects such as behaviour and cognitive processes through the use of
empirical and scientific observations or experiments (Craig & Muller 2007: 313).
Socio-psychological tradition

• Those who adhere to the socio-psychological tradition uphold a cause–effect model.

That is, communication theory is examined from a view that holds that someone’s
behavior is influenced by something else—something social psychologists call a
“variable.” Craig (2007) believes that underlying this tradition is the assumption that
our own communication patterns and the patterns of others vary from one person to
another.
• An early advocate of the socio-psychological tradition was Carl Hovland. Hovland, a Yale psychologist,
examined attitude change and investigated the extent to which long- and short-term recall influences an
individual’s attitudes and beliefs. In the 1950s—long before personal computers came into existence—
Hovland also was the first to experiment with computer simulations and the learning process.
Socio-psychological tradition

• His work and the work of other social psychologists underscored the importance of
experimental research and trying to understand causal links. It is this scientific
evidence for human behavior that continues to pervade much communication
theorizing from this tradition.
Branches of Socio-psychological tradition

• The socio-psychological tradition has three (3)

branches :
•Behavioral
•Cognitive
•Biological
Branches of Socio-psychological tradition

•Behavioral
How people actually behave in the communication situation.
Branches of Socio-psychological tradition

•Cognitive
How individuals acquire, store, and process information-leads to
behavioral outputs
Branches of Socio-psychological tradition

•Biological
Effects of brain function and structure, neurochmistry, and genetic
factors in explaining human behavior
Key Ideas of Socio-psychological tradition

• Psychological explanations
• Mechanisms that govern actions
• focus on persuasion= attitude change
 Key Ideas of Socio-psychological tradition

• Psychological explanations
- tries to study what’s happening to the human mind, how the human is able to do all of
these things, process information, etc.

• Mechanisms that govern actions=discoverable through research

- Once you're able to do a research on certain area, you're able to clearly identify what
other various mechanisms affects human mind.

• Focus on persuasion= attitude change

-Message processing,how individuals plan message strategies, and the effects of messages
on individual
Basic Tenets of Socio-psychological
tradition

• Truths to be discovered by careful, systematic observation (experiments)

• Scholars of this tradition seek to provide insight in the ways we process information
• Relationship between communication stimuli, audience predisposition, and opinion change.
• Attention is also paid to persuasion and attitude change as scholars realize the power that other persons
can have on others and how messages affect the mind as well.
• The central question of this tradition is: What can I do to get them to change?
• E.g., the Yale attitude studies investigated 3 causes of persuasive messages:
• o Who says it (expertise, trustworthiness)
• o What is said (fear appeals, order of arguments)
• o Whom is it said to (personality, susceptibility to influence)
Focus of Theories of Sociopsychological
tradition

1. Individual social behavior

2. Psychological variables
3. Individual effects
4. Personalities and Traits
5. Perception
6. Cognition
Focus of Theories of Sociopsychological
tradition

1. Individual social behavior-how does an individual react within a

society, how does a person act with other person

2. Psychological variables- These variable paly an importan part in our

day to day lives
Focus of Theories of Sociopsychological
tradition

3. Individual effects- How come certain things affects individuals in ceratin

ways

4. Personalities and Traits- Varies from person to person

Focus of Theories of Sociopsychological
tradition
5. Perception- How we perceive the world around us

6. Cognition- mental processes within us determine outcomes and how we

approach a particular situation.

TAKE NOTE:
These theories have many differences, but they share a common
concern for behavior and personality traits, and cognitive processes that
produce or affect the behavior of a person.
Salient features of Sociopsychological
tradition

• Study of the individual asa social being

• Individual human mind=focus of the research

• Focus on persuasion and attitude change

• How humans develop and strategize messages and it's efefcts to

individuals
Theories associated with Sociopsychological
tradition

• Social Exchange Theory

• is a sociological and psychological theory that studies the social behavior in
the interaction of two parties that implements a cost-benefit analysis to
determine risks and benefits. The theory also involves economic
relationships—the cost-benefit analysis occurs when each party has goods that
the other parties value.

Harold Kelley
John Thibaut
(pronunciation: tee
boat)
Theories associated with Sociopsychological
tradition

• Application: Essential to learn the cost of a relationship, decide who to marry

or date, and determine opportunities for career advancement and new jobs.
• Context: Intrapersonal and Interpersonal because the exchange happens
between people but the person who determines if the relationship is
rewarding is the individual.
• Approach to knowing: Empirical/Scientific because it predicts people in
relationships will seek reward and avoid punishments.
• Goal: Identify the major forces in an interpersonal relationship that make
them rewarding to both parties. Interpersonal exchanges are like economic
exchanges. People want to receive a fair reward for the cost.
In the Social Exchange Theory, we try to give something of equal value to what we get in a
relationship. Remember this clip from the TV show The Big Bang Theory, where Sheldon
tries to anticipate what his friend Penny will give him for Christmas?
Social Exchange Theory

• Notice how the value of the napkin

was different for Penny than for
Sheldon. Have you tried to anticipate
how much to spend and what to give
as a gift? Gift giving is similar to other
acts of exchange we do to make
relationships satisfying. Kind words,
running an errand, overlooking a
mistake can all be rewards when we
count the cost of a relationship.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory

Author: Leon Festinger (pronunciation: fess in jur)

• Application: This theory can be used to get relief from doing something you don’t believe
in. Have you ever wanted to motivate someone to make healthier choices? If you can identify
dissonance in a person, pointing out how their beliefs do not match their behavior, this theory
indicates that person will be naturally motivated to change so that their beliefs and behaviors
match. Handy to know if you are feeling guilty or want to help someone make better life
choices.
• Context: Intrapersonal because the dissonance (that uncomfortable feeling when one’s behavior
does not match one’s values) happens within a person, not between people. Some students
confuse dissonance with a conflict between people. It is not. Dissonance is a conflict with
yourself.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory

• Context: Intrapersonal because the dissonance (that uncomfortable feeling when one’s behavior
does not match one’s values) happens within a person, not between people. Some students confuse
dissonance with a conflict between people. It is not. Dissonance is a conflict with yourself.
• Approach to knowing: Empirical/Scientific because the researchers want to find how they can predict
what a person will do when he or she is experiencing the discomfort of cognitive dissonance.
• Goal: The theory predicts that when a person’s beliefs do not match their behavior, that person
will feel uncomfortable (dissonance) and be motivated to reduce that dissonance by either
• changing their belief,
• changing their behavior,
• justifying their inconsistent belief and behavior, or
• changing their awareness that their belief and behavior do not match.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory

• If you identified Rapunzel’s cognitive dissonance as her internal struggle between her belief that she should be
an obedient daughter and her behavior of disobeying her mother by leaving the tower, you are right. Notice
Flynn is not part of this dissonance. Flynn and Rapunzel do have a conflict between them over whether she
leaves the tower or stays. Rapunzel wants Flynn to help her explore the world she has been deprived of while
she was locked in the tower. Flynn does not want the responsibility of showing her the world outside the tower.
This conflict is not dissonance because the tension is between them not within themselves.

• As an aside, you can persuade someone by helping them see the dissonance inside themselves. If your friend
values her health and looks, yet smokes, you could help her become more aware of how uncomfortable this
dissonance is. Offer a way out of this tension by encouraging her to change her behavior and stop smoking.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory

• The key to this theory is to remember it is intrapersonal. This means the focus
is on your internal dialogue with yourself rather than between you and another
person.

• Some students mistakenly think the conflict they have with a friend creates
dissonance between them. They may feel uncomfortable but this tension is not
called cognitive dissonance. Only the discomfort you have internally with the
battle between your own values and your own behavior creates dissonance.
 Social Penetration Theory

Irwin (pronunciation: ur Dalmas (pronunciation: doll

win) Altman mass) Taylor

• SPT proposes that as relationships develop, interpersonal communication moves from relatively shallow, non-
intimate levels to deeper, more intimate ones. Altman and Taylor noted that relationships "involve
different levels of intimacy of exchange or degree of social penetration". SPT is known as an
objective theory as opposed to an interpretive theory, meaning it is based on data drawn from
actual experiments and not simply from conclusions based on individuals' specific experiences.
 Social Penetration Theory

• Application: Essential for getting to know people, networking, persuading people,

determining the right amount of information to share on social media or face-to- face, and
reducing first-meeting anxiety.
• Context: Interpersonal because disclosure happens between two people, one discloses
information to another and this can bring relationships closer.
• Approach to knowing: Empirical/Scientific because the researchers use objective
quantitative methods to examine facets of relationship development that can predict the
outcomes of self-disclosure.
• Goal: To predict how self-disclosure moves a superficial relationship to an intimate one.
 Social Penetration Theory

• The Onion” is one of the most identifiable

analogies in Social Penetration Theory. The
layers of the onion represent various aspects
of a person’s personality, with the outer layer
representing an individual’s outer self
or public image. As an individual moves
deeper into the layers of the onion, more
“layers” of a person’s personality is revealed.
 Social Penetration Theory

• In the movie Shrek, the main character Shrek

(who just happens to be an ogre with not a lot of
friends) struggles with social penetration. In this
clip, Shrek is preparing to go on a quest to save a
princess with the obnoxious and overbearing
Donkey. Shrek is struggling with being seen in his
culture as just a “big, stinky ogre.” Donkey
mentions the cultural expectations of ogres, to
which Shrek responds sarcastically with the
stereotypical behavior he should exhibit. Shrek
indicates that there is much more to ogres than
what people think, bringing up the classic Social
Penetration analogy of “the onion.”
Face Negotiation Theory

Author: Ting-Toomey (pronunciation: ting too mee)

• is a theory conceived by Stella Ting-Toomey in 1985, to understand how people

from different cultures manage rapport and disagreements. The theory posited
"face", or self-image when communicating with others, as a universal
phenomenon that pervades across cultures. In conflicts, one's face is
threatened; and thus the person tends to save or restore his or her face. This set
of communicative behaviors, according to the theory, is called "facework".
 Face Negotiation Theory

Author: Ting-Toomey (pronunciation: ting too mee)

• Application: Anyone who has struggled to work through conflict, interested in supporting new
and old relationships, wondered how to understand their in-laws when they don’t agree with
you, wish you knew how to recover from embarrassing situations, wanted to know how to deal
with conflict and maintain the relationship afterward.
• Context: Culture because the communication is influenced by the cultural traditions and values.
• Approach to knowing:Empirical/Scientific because researchers compiled large amounts of data,
how people lose face, save face, maintain face and restore face.
• Goal: To predict that a person, particularly in conflict, will use specific communication behaviors
to save face.
 Face Negotiation Theory

• Notice how Harry Potter is humiliated and tries to recover some respect by making
Aunt Marge embarrassed. It would be handy if we had magic to recover from
embarrassing situations. This theory explores non-magical, but effective, means of
doing just that.

• Professor Stella Ting-Toomey developed the Face Negotiation Theory when she
noticed a pattern of communication behavior where people tried to protect their
“face.” Protecting one’s “face” is particularly important in her Chinese heritage. If a
son or daughter misbehaves, the parent’s “face” is damaged, not just the son’s
or daughters.
•
 Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Charles Berger (pronunciation: Richard Calabrese (pronunciation:

burg er) cal uh breeze)

• also known as initial interaction theory, developed in 1975 by Charles Berger and Richard
Calabrese, is a communication theory from the post-positivist tradition. It is one of the few
communication theories that specifically looks into the initial interaction between people
prior to the actual communication process. The theory asserts the notion that, when
interacting, people need information about the other party in order to reduce
their uncertainty. In gaining this information people are able to predict the other's behavior
and resulting actions, all of which according to the theory are crucial in the development of
relationship.
 Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Charles Berger (pronunciation: Richard Calabrese (pronunciation:

burg er) cal uh breeze)

• Application: Essential for getting to know people, networking, persuading people, finding
information on how to conduct yourself in every social setting, reducing social anxiety, and
communicating interculturally.
• Context: Intrapersonal because we experience this motivation to find out information internally.
Interpersonal because the encounter takes place between two people.
• Approach to knowing: Empirical/Objective because researchers study this concept using
quantitative methods to try and find out how we reduce our uncertainty and find ways to predict
others’ behavior.
• Goal: To predict how you reduce your uncertainty of how to behave with and what to think of a
stranger so you can predict that stranger’s behavior.
 Uncertainty Reduction Theory

• Let’s see how you do identify the different Uncertainty Reduction strategies used by Hitch when he
meets a beautiful girl at a bar. Watch this clip from Hitch. You are looking for passive, active and
interactive strategies. If you saw Hitch using a passive strategy at the beginning to reduce
uncertainty when he was observing her from across the room, you are right. How about his
active strategy when he asked the bartender about her. And finally Hitch decides to talk to
her directly to learn more about her. This is the interactive strategy.

• We all don’t need to be as clever in our dialogue as Hitch to smoothly get to know another
person. However, it does help to understand some of the concepts in these theories. Paying
attention to communication cues is critical when it comes to intercultural communication
where it is even more difficult to predict another person’s behavior.
•
 REFERENCES

• Craig, R. T. (1999). Communication theory as a field. Communication Theory, 9(2), 119–161.https:/ /doi.org/10.1111/ j.1468-2885.1999.tb00355.

• ANOTHER LOOK AT MAPPING THE TERRITORY: SEVEN TRADITIONS IN THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATION THEORYInternational
Journal of International Relations, Media and Mass Communication Studies Vol.4, No.2 pp.20-27, May 2018

• Krauss, R. M., & Fussell, S. R. (1996). Social Psychological Models of Interpersonal Communication. Models of Interpersonal Communication.
• https://slcc.instructure.com/courses/429441/pages/uncertainty-reduction
theory?module_item_id=5082533

• Maguire, K.C. (2006). Making Sense of the Seven Communication Traditions. Communication Teacher, 20:4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVss0IfxSwc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FtCTW2rVFM
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQPooq-_AH8&t=4s
 Theories in Computer-Mediated
Communication- Media Richness
• Media Richness Theory -was introduced by Richard L. Daft and Robert H.
Lengel in 1986 as an extension of information processing theory. Rich media has
the ability to incorporate both verbal and non-verbal cues.

• MRT is used to rank and evaluate the richness of certain communication media,
such as phone calls, video conferencing, and email. For example, a phone call
cannot reproduce visual social cues such as gestures which makes it a less rich
communication medium than video conferencing, which affords the transmission
of gestures and body language.

• The richer the medium one uses, the more efficient the exchange
Theories in Computer-Mediated
Communication- Media Richness
• Face to Face discussion

Video
Conference • Computer print out
• Written reports
TelephoneCalls
• E-mail
TEXTING • Texting
• Telephone Call
E-MAIL • Video conferencing
• Face to Face discussion
Written Report

Computer Print Out

Theories in Computer-Mediated
Communication- Social Information Processing

• Social information processing theory,

also known as SIP, is an interpersonal
communication theory and media
studies theory developed in 1992
by Joseph Walther.

• Social information processing theory

explains online interpersonal
communication without nonverbal cues
and how people develop and manage
relationships in a computer-mediated
environment.
Theories in Computer-Mediated
Communication- Social Information Processing

• Walther argued that online

interpersonal relationships may
demonstrate the same or even
greater relational dimensions and
qualities (intimacy) as traditional
FtF relationships. However, due to
the limited channel and
information, it may take longer to
achieve than FtF relationships.
 Theories in Computer-Mediated
Communication- Social Information Processing
• Scholars James Farrer and Jeff Gavin from Sophia University in
Japan examined the online dating process and dating relationship
development to test the SIP theory. This study examines the
experiences of past and present members of a popular Japanese
online dating site in order to explore whether social information
processing theory is applicable to Japanese online dating
interactions, and how and to what extent Japanese daters
overcome the limitations of CMC through the use of contextual
and other cues.

• 36 current members and 27 former members of Match.com Japan

completed an online survey. Using issue-based procedures
for grounded theory analysis, they found strong support for SIP.
Japanese online daters adapt their efforts to present and acquire
social information using the cues that the online dating platform
provides, although many of these cues are specific to Japanese
social context.
 Theories in Computer-Mediated
Communication- Social Presence Theory
• Social Presence Theory- Was first formally introduced by John
Short, Ederyn Williams, and Bruce Christie in The Social Psychology
of telecommunications.

• Media according to this theory are classified on a continuum ranging

from cold to warm. Unlike Cold Media, warm Media support a large
number of cue systems, and thus offer greater involvement of users.

• Explores how the "sense of being with another" is influenced by digital

interfaces in human-computer interactions.
 Theories in Computer-Mediated
Communication- Social Presence Theory

• The theory notes that computer-based communication is lower in

social presence than face-to-face communication, but different
computer-based communications can affect the levels of social
presence between communicators and receivers.
Theories in Computer-Mediated
Communication- Social Presence Theory
Fewer Cues Systems

More Cue Systems

Written Text Face to Face

Written Text
Fewer Cues Systems
Face to Face
More Cue Systems
 Theories in Computer-Mediated
Communication- Channel Expansion Theory
• Was developed by John. R. Carlson and Robert W. Zmud in 1999.As
communicators gain experience with a particular CMC, the medium
will become richer for them hence improving the efficiency of the
communication.

• (CET) states that individual experience serves as an important role in

determining the level of richness perception and development towards certain
media tools. It is a theory that incorporates experiential factors to explain and
predict user perceptions of a given media channel. The theory suggests that the
more knowledge and experience users gain from using a channel, the richer
they perceive the medium to be.
 Theories in Computer-Mediated Communication-
Lack of Social Context Cues

• Because of the absence of social context cues, social inhibitions

are reduced. Behavior becomes more uninhibited, and people display
less sociably desirable behavior. It appears that the lack of cues
causes people to become less concerned with others and reduces the
need to be liked by them. This kind of behavior can exacerbate
conflict (Kiesler and Sproull, 1992).

• Face to face communication is the richest in social context cues and

any form of mediated communication lessens the cues available.
 Theories in Computer-Mediated Communication-
Lack of Social Context Cues

• Social context cues may include demographic (e.g., age, gender,

race) and personal characteristics of communicators (e.g.,
appearance, accent, tone) (Kiesler, Siegel, & McGuire, 1984; Sproull
& Kiesler, 1986).

Lack of Social CMC Users Cannot:

• Convey Charisma
Context Cues • Dominance
• Affection
 Theories in Computer-Mediated Communication-
Lack of Social Context Cues

• Because of absent social context cues, social inhibitions are

reduced. Behavior becomes more uninhibited, and people display less
sociably desirable behavior. It appears that the lack of cues causes
people to become less concerned with others and reduces the need
to be liked by them. This kind of behavior can exacerbate conflict
(Kiesler and Sproull, 1992).
CMC Users Cannot:
Lack of Social • Convey Charisma
• Dominance
Context Cues • Affection
 Theories in Computer-Mediated
Communication- Signaling Theory
• Shows "Why certain signals are reliable and others are not. For a
signal to be reliable, the costs of deceptively producing the signal
must outweigh the benefits.
 What was the argue of Nancy Baym

• Baym's primary argument here is that digital communication should

not be understood as an impoverished version of face-to-face
communication, but as a mixed modality that combines elements of
face-to-face communication with elements of written
communication. From this perspective, we can see that there are
social cues specific to digital formats that enable us to nuance
communication, from emoticons to caps lock to abbreviations and
slang. These cues, as well as photos, video, or other multimedia
representations of self, allow us to convey friendliness, build
intimacy, or express strong emotions.
 What was the argue of Nancy Baym

• Nancy Baym argues that in CMC

interaction, people are not able
to see, hear, or feel one another,
which eliminates their ability to
use context cues.

• Nancy baym suggested that we

may use "EMOTICONS“.
 Hyperpersonal Communication Model

• The Hyperpersonal model is a model of

interpersonal communication that
suggests computer-mediated
communication (CMC) can become
hyperpersonal because it "exceeds [face-
to-face] interaction", thus affording
message senders a host of communicative
advantages over traditional face-to-face
(FtF) interaction.

• Communication professor Joseph Walther is

credited with the development of this theory in
1996, synthesizing his and others' extensive
research on computer-mediated
communication.
 Hyperpersonal Communication Model

• Receiver in Hyperpersonal
Communication Model
• Idealization of Partner
• When users perceive some similarity
• When Users have no interfering nonverbal
cues
• Over-estimations-Attraction
• Receivers also over-interpret relational
messages: Online self -disclosure has a
proportionately greater impact on
intimacy in CMC than in FtF interactions
(Joinson, 2001), and receivers attribute
greater personal interest to disclosers
online than offline (Jiang et al., 2011).
 Hyperpersonal Communication Model

• Sender

• Selective Self-Presentation

• -Mindful construction of desired messages

• -Non Verbal "leakage" of non-preferable
information.

• The creation and selection of visual images to

display via social media also include memes
(pictures or artworks with a superimposed
short,pithy text message) and tiny video clips,
that is, GIFs (see Church et al., 2019). Selective
self-presentation appears with respect to
avatars in online games as well.
 Hyperpersonal Communication Model

• Sender

• Selective Self-Presentation

• Selective self-presentation appears with

respect to avatars in online games as well.

• Individuals choose avatar appearances not just

to reflect personalities, but to accommodate
contextual goals.

• Vasalou and Joinson’s (2009) experiment

found differences in the attractiveness and the
accuracy of avatars that participants created as
they prepared for dating, gaming, or blogging
encounters.
 Hyperpersonal Communication Model

• Channel Helps compose the message that we

want)
• Discretionary Engagement

• Reallocation of Attention from monitoring to message

• Composition

• Editing

• Users can focus their attention on message construction

instead of their physical appearance and nonverbal
behavior, or that of their conversation partner. They
control message composition and edit before sending.
One study found that editing activity correlated with the
intimacy of the messages individuals produced (Walther,
2007).
 Hyperpersonal Communication Model

• Feedback
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Perceptions-reciprocal influences
• Transformation of self and others

• Use abbreviations that you and your partner only

know. Expectancy confirmation (and strategic
disconfirmation) effects are accomplished using
sociable language in CMC just as strongly as using
voice offline (e.g., Tong & Walther, 2015).
Confirmatory feedback following individuals’ selective
self-presentation online changes their self-perceptions
in line with their performance, more so when feedback
comes from friends than from strangers (Carr &
Foreman, 2016).
 Hyperpersonal Communication Model

• Feedback
• Feedback systems display new code systems, as
well: People signal that they “Like” someone’s
message, clicking a graphic “thumbs up” for a
Facebook posting or a heart on a Twitter tweet,
while the poster (and audience) watch the
number of these Likes increase (Singer &
Brooking, 2018).

• The reinforcement potential of Likes is as strong as

that of monetary and other social rewards, according
to neuroscience research (Sherman et al., 2018).
Hyperpersonal Communication Model

• Dynamics in the
Hyperpersonal model they
don’t happen as fast as they
can in the face to face
communication they happen
sometimes better, but it takes
time for them to take effect-
Joe Walther
 REFERENCES

• Arizona legislature: applying media richness theory to member and staff communication. State & Local
Government Review, 37(2), pp. 142-150.
• Ellison, N. B. C. S. (2007). The benefits of facebook ‘‘friends:’’ social capital and college students’ use of
online social network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication.
• Ferber, P., Foltz, F & Pugliese, R. (2005). Computer-Mediated Communication in the arizona legislature:
applying media richness theory to member and staff communication. State & Local Government Review,
37(2), pp. 142-150.
• Personal connections in the digital age, by Nancy Baym.Book Review. Retrieved at.
https://journal.transformativeworks.org/index.php/twc/article/view/279/225
• https://campusadr.net/ODRModule/missing_social_context_cues.html#:~:text=Because%20of%20absent%2
0social%20context,to%20be%20liked%20by%20them.-Communication Theory
• The Relationship Between Social Context Cues and Uninhibited Verbal Behavior in Computer-mediated
Communication. Retrieved at.https://www.mediensprache.net/archiv/pubs/2842.htm