SCOM 240 FINAL FULL STUDY GUIDE
Traditions - answer -socio-psychological, cybernetics, rhetorical, semiotic, socio-
cultural, critical, phenomological
Socio-psych tradition - answer --epitome of objective
-truths can be discovered through careful systematic research
-"how can i get others to change"?
Cybernetic tradition - answer --studying of info processing, feedback, and control in
communication
-"how does the system work?" "what could change it?"
Rhetorical tradition - answer --art of using all available means of persuasion, focusing
upon lines of argument, organization of an idea, language use, delivery
Semiotic tradition - answer --study of verbal and non verbal signs that can stand for
something else and how society interprets them
Socio-cultural tradition - answer --as people talk, they produce and re-produce culture
-language shapes our perception of reality
-sapir-whorf hypothesis
Critical tradition - answer --idealistic views, knowledge is not enough--needs action
-pivots around power, oppression, and different privileges of society
Phenomenological tradition - answer --most interpretive
-intentional analysis of everyday experience
-"learn new experiences about the self and others"
Symbolic interactionism theory - answer --george mead (his student blumer)
-interpretive, socio-cultural
-put together after he died in 1931
-"on going use of language and gestures in anticipation of how the other will react- a
conversation"
-how comms shapes identity
Expectancy violation theory - answer --judee burgoon
-objective, socio-psych
-"when someone breaks a social expectation that you have for them"
-communicator characteristics
Social penetration theory - answer --altman & taylor
-objective, socio-psych
,-"process of developing deeper intimacy with another person through mutual self-
disclosure and other forms of vulnerability"
Relational dialectics - answer --baxter & montgomery
-interpretive, phenomenological
-dynamic know of contradictions in personal relationships; unceasing interplay between
opposing tendencies (tension)
-all satisfying long-term relationships have 4 characteristics: liking, trust, commitment,
control mutuality/predictability
Aristotle's rhetoric - answer --aristotle
-objective, rhetoric
-public speaking "ethos, pathos, logos"
Public sphere - answer --jurgen habermas
-comm that happens in the public, technical and private spheres
Public sphere: base certain generalizable interests that cannot be handled either by a
logic of intimacy or by expert discourse; centers on issues that affect the community at
large
Agenda setting theory - answer --mccombs & shaw
-objective, socio-psych
-mass media has the ability to transfer the salience of issues on their news agenda to
the public agenda
Dramatism - answer --kenneth burke
-interpretive, rhetorical
-"what is going on when people open their mouths"
-dramatic pentad; how speaker gets the audience to accept his views
-interpretive "a technique of analysis of language and thought as basically modes of
action rather than as means of conveying info" ex. Hillary and trump/ drama infused
language-highly polarized
Organizational cultural theory - answer --geertz & pacanowsky
-interpretive, socio-cultural
-"how comm is used within an org"
-think root metaphor
-producing/reproducing culture
Semiotics - answer --barthes
-interpretive, semiotic
-"social production of meaning from sign systems; analysis of anything that can stand
for something else"
Cultural studies theory - answer --stuart hall
-interpretive, critical
, -"mental frameworks different classes and social groups deploy in order to make sense
of the way society works"
Speech codes theory - answer --philipsen
-interpretive, socio-cultural
-"the creation of a separate way of speech within a smaller group of a society"
-changed the name of his theory to move from description to explanation
Standpoint theory - answer --sandra harding & julia wood
-interpretive, critical
-"how you view something regarding your position, looks at marginalized groups"
Information systems theory - answer -karl weick
-applied systems theory to organization
-goal oriented
-based on information processing
-most information is equivocal (different from uncertainty)
Equivocality - answer -when there are two or more plausible explanations; most
information has two equal voices
-act --- response --- adjustment
The 3 stages of socio-cultural evolution: - answer -enactment--selection--retention
System's theory looks at organizations as: - answer -human systems
Steps of reducing equivocality: - answer -1. Enactment-making sense of information
2. Selection- apply rules or cycles
3. Retension
Structural rules: - answer -direct to a specific department
Hierarchy rules: - answer -refer to authority to decide
Norms rules: - answer -things done in past/patterns/how to act
Precedents/history rules: - answer -how have we handled something in the past
When do you use cycles? - answer -when ambiguity is high: double meaning=double
interact (act, response, and adjustment)
Series of behaviors/communication used to decrease ambiguity - answer -1. Action
2. Response
3. Adjustment
Traditions - answer -socio-psychological, cybernetics, rhetorical, semiotic, socio-
cultural, critical, phenomological
Socio-psych tradition - answer --epitome of objective
-truths can be discovered through careful systematic research
-"how can i get others to change"?
Cybernetic tradition - answer --studying of info processing, feedback, and control in
communication
-"how does the system work?" "what could change it?"
Rhetorical tradition - answer --art of using all available means of persuasion, focusing
upon lines of argument, organization of an idea, language use, delivery
Semiotic tradition - answer --study of verbal and non verbal signs that can stand for
something else and how society interprets them
Socio-cultural tradition - answer --as people talk, they produce and re-produce culture
-language shapes our perception of reality
-sapir-whorf hypothesis
Critical tradition - answer --idealistic views, knowledge is not enough--needs action
-pivots around power, oppression, and different privileges of society
Phenomenological tradition - answer --most interpretive
-intentional analysis of everyday experience
-"learn new experiences about the self and others"
Symbolic interactionism theory - answer --george mead (his student blumer)
-interpretive, socio-cultural
-put together after he died in 1931
-"on going use of language and gestures in anticipation of how the other will react- a
conversation"
-how comms shapes identity
Expectancy violation theory - answer --judee burgoon
-objective, socio-psych
-"when someone breaks a social expectation that you have for them"
-communicator characteristics
Social penetration theory - answer --altman & taylor
-objective, socio-psych
,-"process of developing deeper intimacy with another person through mutual self-
disclosure and other forms of vulnerability"
Relational dialectics - answer --baxter & montgomery
-interpretive, phenomenological
-dynamic know of contradictions in personal relationships; unceasing interplay between
opposing tendencies (tension)
-all satisfying long-term relationships have 4 characteristics: liking, trust, commitment,
control mutuality/predictability
Aristotle's rhetoric - answer --aristotle
-objective, rhetoric
-public speaking "ethos, pathos, logos"
Public sphere - answer --jurgen habermas
-comm that happens in the public, technical and private spheres
Public sphere: base certain generalizable interests that cannot be handled either by a
logic of intimacy or by expert discourse; centers on issues that affect the community at
large
Agenda setting theory - answer --mccombs & shaw
-objective, socio-psych
-mass media has the ability to transfer the salience of issues on their news agenda to
the public agenda
Dramatism - answer --kenneth burke
-interpretive, rhetorical
-"what is going on when people open their mouths"
-dramatic pentad; how speaker gets the audience to accept his views
-interpretive "a technique of analysis of language and thought as basically modes of
action rather than as means of conveying info" ex. Hillary and trump/ drama infused
language-highly polarized
Organizational cultural theory - answer --geertz & pacanowsky
-interpretive, socio-cultural
-"how comm is used within an org"
-think root metaphor
-producing/reproducing culture
Semiotics - answer --barthes
-interpretive, semiotic
-"social production of meaning from sign systems; analysis of anything that can stand
for something else"
Cultural studies theory - answer --stuart hall
-interpretive, critical
, -"mental frameworks different classes and social groups deploy in order to make sense
of the way society works"
Speech codes theory - answer --philipsen
-interpretive, socio-cultural
-"the creation of a separate way of speech within a smaller group of a society"
-changed the name of his theory to move from description to explanation
Standpoint theory - answer --sandra harding & julia wood
-interpretive, critical
-"how you view something regarding your position, looks at marginalized groups"
Information systems theory - answer -karl weick
-applied systems theory to organization
-goal oriented
-based on information processing
-most information is equivocal (different from uncertainty)
Equivocality - answer -when there are two or more plausible explanations; most
information has two equal voices
-act --- response --- adjustment
The 3 stages of socio-cultural evolution: - answer -enactment--selection--retention
System's theory looks at organizations as: - answer -human systems
Steps of reducing equivocality: - answer -1. Enactment-making sense of information
2. Selection- apply rules or cycles
3. Retension
Structural rules: - answer -direct to a specific department
Hierarchy rules: - answer -refer to authority to decide
Norms rules: - answer -things done in past/patterns/how to act
Precedents/history rules: - answer -how have we handled something in the past
When do you use cycles? - answer -when ambiguity is high: double meaning=double
interact (act, response, and adjustment)
Series of behaviors/communication used to decrease ambiguity - answer -1. Action
2. Response
3. Adjustment
