communication theory (critical approaches iii)
TRANSCRIPT
CRITICAL A
PPROACHES TO
COMMUNICATION TH
EORY
T A R A WI L
K I NS O N
TRADITIONS OF COMMUNICATION THEORY
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PHENOMENOLO
GICAL
TRADITION
C OM
MU N I C A T I O
N A S T H E E X P E R I E N C E O F S E L F A N D OT H E R S
T H R OU G H D I A L O
G U E .
PHENOMENOLOGICAL TRADITION• The perception of the phenomenon – object, event,
condition• Phenomenology: intentional analysis of everyday life from
the standpoint of the person who is living it.• The phenomenological tradition places great emphasis on
people’s perceptions and interpretations of their own subjective experiences.
• Actual lived experience is the basic data of reality• Phenomenological tradition answers two questions:
• Why is it so hard to establish and sustain authentic human relationships
• How can this problem be overcome?
BASIC PRINCIPLES – STANLEY DEETZ
Meaning of things consists
of the potential of
things
Language is a
vehicle of
meaning
INTERPRETATION IS CRITICAL
Interpretation
Phenomenological Tradition
PHENOMENOLOGY - VARIATIONS
Phenomenology
Classical Phenomenolo
gy
Phenomenology of
Perception
Hermeneutic Phenomenolo
gy
CLASSICAL PHENOMENOLOGY• Truth can only been obtained through direct experience• We must be disciplined in how we experience things• In order to arrive at the truth, we must set aside our biases• Objects of the world present themselves through
consciousness• Husserl’s approach highly objective• Objective
PHENOMENOLOGY OF PERCEPTION• Objective Subjective• Human being is a unified physical and mental being who
creates meaning in the world• We know things only through our personal relationship to
things• We are affected by the world, but also affect the world by
how we experience it• Things do not exist in and of themselves apart from how
they are known, people give meaning to things
HERMENEUTIC PHENOMENOLOGY• Consistent with ‘phenomenology of perception’ but applies
to communication• Reality is not known by careful analysis but by natural
experience, which is created by the use of language• What is real is experienced through the use of language in
context• It is in language that things first come into being and are• Communication is the vehicle by which meaning
is assigned to experience
FENCING THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATION THEORY
• These seven traditions have deep roots in communication theory.
• They have been mapped with respect to the objective/interpretive dichotomy.
• Hybrids are possible across traditions.• Ethical tradition is an addition
ETHICAL T
RADITION
C OM
MU N I C A T I O
N A S P E OP L E O
F C H A R A C T E R I N T E R A C T I N G I N J U S T
A N D B E N E F I C I A L WA Y S
ETHICAL TRADITIONNCA ‘Credo for Communication Ethics’:
① Advocates truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason.② Accepts responsibility for short-term and long-term
consequences of communication.③ Strives to understand and respect other communicators
before evaluating and responding to their messages.