MOOC - Online Introduction to Milestones in Communication Science
Module 1 – Introduction to Communication Science
1.2 What is communication?
Communication = each act of transmitting information (thoughts, ideas and emotions; through
spoken words, non-verbal gestures, and signs and symbols).
Media (television, internet etc. technical media) as channel to communicate
Pyramid of communication (different levels of communication and how they are connected to other
scientific disciplines)
Societal communication: aimed at large mass audience
Institutional communication: performed by political parties, organized religions (like
corporations)
Group identification: family/fan group
Interpersonal communication: between two or more people
Intrapersonal communication: with yourself (information processing, thinking, internalizing
information in the process of giving meaning to the world around us)
1.3 Concepts
Communication enables us to function as social, cultural and political animals different
perspectives (theories, models and concepts).
- Concept = word or set of words that represents an idea lots of different concepts used
and different meanings (communication sees movie also as ‘text’ for example)
1.4 Theories
Theories = statements about reality that seek to explain or predict a relation between phenomena
- Model are used to illustrate hypothesis
o Independent variable: presumed cause
o Dependent variable: presumed effect
- Proof or disproof a hypothesis and in extension a connected theory (research)
o Primary date: collect own data
o Secondary: study results from others
- Means to gather data:
o Observation: observe phenomena
o Experiments: limit interfering variables
, o Surveys: questionnaires amongst respondents (quantitative and qualitative)
o Content analysis: study the message itself (quantitative and qualitative)
Not all theories are testable (can’t observe presumed relation; combines a set of theories; predict
nothing) sometimes more paradigms or approaches = ‘view glasses’ used to study the world
1.5 Transmission
Theory: transmission model = communication as a linear process that starts with the sender, to
message, to audience (receiver).
- Laswell: who says what in which channel to whom with what effect
- Many things can cause a disruption of effective communication
- Communication in this linear way is only effective when the desired effect is reached
(message is received and correctly interpreted by the receiver)
Transmission model (Shannon & Weaver):
Sender (person(s) who create a message) message channel (medium) receiver effect
At each ‘’ noise can disrupt transmission
Models see communication as a linear process emphasis on (desired) effects
1.6 Reception, Signs, Signification
’60 critic toward linear effect orientated approach many people give different meaning to a
message than intended. They focussed on recipience of communication and how they give meaning
to a message with own toolkit (social background, knowledge) = non-linear model there is no
‘wrong’ communication when ‘desired’ effect is not reached
Polysemic = different people interpreting a message in a different way
Semiology = studies communication systems = study of signs (everything that communicates
something; word, photo) and signification (process of giving meaning to the signs)
Influence of semiotics on communication science: communication not as linear process but is an
exchange of meaning sender puts meaning in a message and the receiver takes meaning from a
message.
Reception of a message
Communication can have multiple valid outcomes
Successful communication can only exist when all these elements are in place
Each active communication has one dominant function that relates to one of the elements of
the model. Functions identified are:
o Emotive (sender): primary purpose of the message is to communicate emotions and
attitudes of a sender (love letter)
, o Connotative (receiver): receiver is directly addressed to do something specific (commercial)
o Referential/descriptive (context): message describes primarily a situation (news report)
o Phatic (channel): main purpose of communicating is to keep the lines open (coffee with
friend)
o Poetic (message): message is an end in itself (painting aiming at being beautiful)
o Metalingual (code): use communication to explain the codes that we use (dictionary)
1.7 Cultural approach
How we give meaning to the world around us; construct our own social reality; and the role of
communication in group dynamics and social interaction.
Much attention to social context of communication
Communication as the means to share and reinforce ideas thereby constantly creating and
adapting our culture
People as social animals as such we are constantly involved in social group dynamics
Main purpose of communication is to maintain some sort of balance in a social system
Introduces a new element (X): the social environment that person A & B share (e.g.
colleagues, friends) if one element changes this changes the relationship of the three.
X can take many forms: place you work, political religions, or even another person
Through communication we can get along with each other, make sense of the world and function as
social animals without we can’t position ourselves in social reality
- People construct social & cultural reality by constantly communicating values, attitudes and
ideas = social constructionism
1.8 Three approaches
1. Linear transmission perspective = correct communication causes the desired effect; focus on
effects of communication.
2. Communication as the production and exchange of meaning; concerned with the
construction of messages using signs and approaches extracting meaning from these
messages (signification). Interpretation of communication can lead to different but equally
valid outcomes.
Module 1 – Introduction to Communication Science
1.2 What is communication?
Communication = each act of transmitting information (thoughts, ideas and emotions; through
spoken words, non-verbal gestures, and signs and symbols).
Media (television, internet etc. technical media) as channel to communicate
Pyramid of communication (different levels of communication and how they are connected to other
scientific disciplines)
Societal communication: aimed at large mass audience
Institutional communication: performed by political parties, organized religions (like
corporations)
Group identification: family/fan group
Interpersonal communication: between two or more people
Intrapersonal communication: with yourself (information processing, thinking, internalizing
information in the process of giving meaning to the world around us)
1.3 Concepts
Communication enables us to function as social, cultural and political animals different
perspectives (theories, models and concepts).
- Concept = word or set of words that represents an idea lots of different concepts used
and different meanings (communication sees movie also as ‘text’ for example)
1.4 Theories
Theories = statements about reality that seek to explain or predict a relation between phenomena
- Model are used to illustrate hypothesis
o Independent variable: presumed cause
o Dependent variable: presumed effect
- Proof or disproof a hypothesis and in extension a connected theory (research)
o Primary date: collect own data
o Secondary: study results from others
- Means to gather data:
o Observation: observe phenomena
o Experiments: limit interfering variables
, o Surveys: questionnaires amongst respondents (quantitative and qualitative)
o Content analysis: study the message itself (quantitative and qualitative)
Not all theories are testable (can’t observe presumed relation; combines a set of theories; predict
nothing) sometimes more paradigms or approaches = ‘view glasses’ used to study the world
1.5 Transmission
Theory: transmission model = communication as a linear process that starts with the sender, to
message, to audience (receiver).
- Laswell: who says what in which channel to whom with what effect
- Many things can cause a disruption of effective communication
- Communication in this linear way is only effective when the desired effect is reached
(message is received and correctly interpreted by the receiver)
Transmission model (Shannon & Weaver):
Sender (person(s) who create a message) message channel (medium) receiver effect
At each ‘’ noise can disrupt transmission
Models see communication as a linear process emphasis on (desired) effects
1.6 Reception, Signs, Signification
’60 critic toward linear effect orientated approach many people give different meaning to a
message than intended. They focussed on recipience of communication and how they give meaning
to a message with own toolkit (social background, knowledge) = non-linear model there is no
‘wrong’ communication when ‘desired’ effect is not reached
Polysemic = different people interpreting a message in a different way
Semiology = studies communication systems = study of signs (everything that communicates
something; word, photo) and signification (process of giving meaning to the signs)
Influence of semiotics on communication science: communication not as linear process but is an
exchange of meaning sender puts meaning in a message and the receiver takes meaning from a
message.
Reception of a message
Communication can have multiple valid outcomes
Successful communication can only exist when all these elements are in place
Each active communication has one dominant function that relates to one of the elements of
the model. Functions identified are:
o Emotive (sender): primary purpose of the message is to communicate emotions and
attitudes of a sender (love letter)
, o Connotative (receiver): receiver is directly addressed to do something specific (commercial)
o Referential/descriptive (context): message describes primarily a situation (news report)
o Phatic (channel): main purpose of communicating is to keep the lines open (coffee with
friend)
o Poetic (message): message is an end in itself (painting aiming at being beautiful)
o Metalingual (code): use communication to explain the codes that we use (dictionary)
1.7 Cultural approach
How we give meaning to the world around us; construct our own social reality; and the role of
communication in group dynamics and social interaction.
Much attention to social context of communication
Communication as the means to share and reinforce ideas thereby constantly creating and
adapting our culture
People as social animals as such we are constantly involved in social group dynamics
Main purpose of communication is to maintain some sort of balance in a social system
Introduces a new element (X): the social environment that person A & B share (e.g.
colleagues, friends) if one element changes this changes the relationship of the three.
X can take many forms: place you work, political religions, or even another person
Through communication we can get along with each other, make sense of the world and function as
social animals without we can’t position ourselves in social reality
- People construct social & cultural reality by constantly communicating values, attitudes and
ideas = social constructionism
1.8 Three approaches
1. Linear transmission perspective = correct communication causes the desired effect; focus on
effects of communication.
2. Communication as the production and exchange of meaning; concerned with the
construction of messages using signs and approaches extracting meaning from these
messages (signification). Interpretation of communication can lead to different but equally
valid outcomes.
