Paradigms in
Communication and it
Rasmus Helles
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Agenda
Review
Research paradigms: brush-up
Craig’s seven traditions in communication research
Summary
Preview: Neo-positivism
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Review
Ontology and epistemology
Theory levels
Methodological reduction ≠ ontological reduction
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Research paradigm: brush up
Shared assumptions in a Ontological and epistemological assumptions
community of researchers Exemplary studies and research approaches
From Newton to Einstein in the field of physics: Scientific
Different implications in physics revolutions imply a shift from one paradigm to another
and social sciences Social sciences as a ’multiparadigmatic field: Several
paradigms exist in parallel
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Research paradigms: Individual exercise
Have a look at your notes from week 36
What are research paradigms according to them?
How would you explain that into everyday language if you were to explain
this to a younger sibling?
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Paradigms in the contexts of communication and IT
Craig (1999) communication theory as a field:
1. The rhetorical tradition
2. The semiotic tradition
3. The phenomenological tradition
4. The cybernetic tradition
5. The sociopsychological tradition
6. The sociocultural tradition
7. The critical tradition
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Elements in Craigs traditions
How is communication understood?
What are the typical communication problems addressed?
What are the key concepts and terminology?
What are the plausible grounds for seeing communication this way?
Where does it challenge our common sense notions about communication?
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Craig: an applied example
Hanne writes a text to Mikkel, her fiend
"Hey, a new café opened downtown. Want to check it out this weekend?"
M
H
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Social psychological tradition
"Hey, a new café opened downtown. Want to check it out this weekend?"
The message is a stimulus
...it may influence
M’s reaction could
M’s state of mind
change their future
(plans)
relationship (pos/neg)
M
H
M’s prior relation to H may make him
accommodate her suggestion
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Semiotics
"Hey, a new café opened downtown. Want to check it out this weekend?"
Denotation:
Denotation:
Invitation to visit
New food outlet available
together
Connotation:
Connotation: Leisure and unplanned
Less formal spaces for social M sociality
interaction H
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Craig: an applied example
Hanne writes a text to Mikkel, her fiend
"Hey, a new café opened downtown. Want to check it out this weekend?"
Semiotics:
Social psychological tradition: Codes, references,
Stimulus, effect, behavior change interpretation of
meaning
M
H
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PAUSE
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Traditions (selection)
The rhetorical tradition
The semiotic tradition
The sociopsychological tradition
The sociocultural tradition
The critical tradition
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Group exercise: pick a tradition
Read Craigs description of your communication tradition and its characteristics in the first table
Write down the notion of communication as Craig defines it in the first table
Translate it into your own words: How would you explain it to someone?
Discuss examples from your own everyday life: What does this mean in practice?
Enter a description of your tradition in the padlet on Absalon (Craig_padlet_hold_{a,b,c})with Craigs
definition, your definition and the best example you can think of.
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Communication theory as a field: Where does Lasswell stand?
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Group exercise: categorize texts in traditions
• Choose 2-3 favourite texts from basic communication theory (or another
communication-related course of yours)
• Which tradition would you place them in and why?
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Craigs sevens traditions and implications for research
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Group exercise: discuss limits of your traditions
Return to your communication tradition
Consult table two in Craig (1999): how does your communication tradition argue against the
other traditions in Craigs overview?
Choose the one you find most straight forward and compare the two in terms of
Notion of Typical communication How these may be
communication problems studied in practice
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Summary
• Take a look at your notes and the
padlet we created together.
• How do the seven traditions
approach communication ( = what
are their ontological assumptions
about communication as a
phenomenon)?
• What are the implications for
communication research ( = which
epistemological and methodologal
assumptions does this imply )?
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Preview
Next time: Positivism and post-positivism
Readings: Blaikie & Priest chapter 3 + 4
Chapter 3 gives an introduction to the basic
principles of neo-positivist research. Focus on the
differences between early and late positivism as
well as the eight steps in neo-positivist research
Chapter 4 gives three examples of neo-positivist
research in action, read these as illustrations that
may improve your understanding with a focus on
the one about age and environmentalism
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