Theories of Communication |UGC NET Library Science| Notes Part 3

 

The theories of communication can be broadly classified into three groups namely:

1) Theories of interpersonal communications

 Ex : Linguistic theory of communication

2) Theories of mass communication (message flow models)

Ex : Theories of Mass Media Effects

3) Theories of communication distortion

Ex: Theory of communication distortion and & Theory of communication distortion in transit.

1.1 Linguistic theory of communication:

•  Deals with social interaction. 
• System of words (symbols) and appropriate methods of combination of words (syntax) is the basis for any language.

Williams (1975) mentioned two dimensions of this theory 

a) Psycholinguistic Theory:

 This theory deals with the psychological basis of using the language by any individual in other words the coding behavior.

b) Sociolinguistic Theory: 

In a society, the process of communication involves both personal factors and social factors or social context.

2. Theories of Mass Media Effects

• With the advancements in information technologies, there is expansion in use of mass media in the society.

a) Theory of Individual Differences:

Individual differences in psychological structure causing the variation in effects of mass media from person to person.

b) Psychodynamic Model of Persuasion Process: 

c) Theory of Social Categories:

This model suggests that even though people can have individual differences, people with more or less similar characteristics or background are likely to have similar behavior, leading to uniform response to mass media.

d) Theory of Social Relationships:Well-informed people first attend to mass communication and receive the information then they pass this information through interpersonal channels to people who had less access to the mass media.

3.  Theories of Communication Distortion:

a) Theory of communication distortion

Larger the volume of communication, larger would be the communication distortion, ehich leads to misunderstanding, mis-interpretation, less concentration. 

b) Theory of communication distortion in transit

Messages pass through many layers in an organization which can lead to repetition of the same message, which reduces the efficiency of communication.