SCOM 240 FINAL FULL EXAM QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE
2025/2026
Traditions - Answers Socio-Psychological, Cybernetics, Rhetorical, Semiotic, Socio-Cultural,
Critical, Phenomological
Socio-psych Tradition - Answers -epitome of objective
-truths can be discovered through careful systematic research
-"How can I get others to change"?
Cybernetic Tradition - Answers -studying of info processing, feedback, and control in
communication
-"How does the system work?" "What could change it?"
Rhetorical Tradition - Answers -art of using all available means of persuasion, focusing upon
lines of argument, organization of an idea, language use, delivery
Semiotic Tradition - Answers -study of verbal and non verbal signs that can stand for something
else and how society interprets them
Socio-cultural Tradition - Answers -as people talk, they produce and re-produce culture
-language shapes our perception of reality
-Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
Critical Tradition - Answers -idealistic views, knowledge is not enough--needs action
-pivots around power, oppression, and different privileges of society
Phenomenological Tradition - Answers -most interpretive
-intentional analysis of everyday experience
-"Learn new experiences about the self and others"
Symbolic Interactionism Theory - Answers -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 - Answers -Judee Burgoon
-objective, socio-psych
-"when someone breaks a social expectation that you have for them"
-communicator characteristics
Social penetration Theory - Answers -Altman & Taylor
-objective, socio-psych
-"process of developing deeper intimacy with another person through mutual self-disclosure and
other forms of vulnerability"
Relational Dialectics - Answers -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 - Answers -Aristotle
-objective, rhetoric
-public speaking "ethos, pathos, logos"
Public Sphere - Answers -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 - Answers -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 - Answers -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 - Answers -Geertz & Pacanowsky
-interpretive, socio-cultural
-"how comm is used within an org"
-think root metaphor
-producing/reproducing culture
Semiotics - Answers -Barthes
-interpretive, semiotic
-"social production of meaning from sign systems; analysis of anything that can stand for
something else"
Cultural Studies Theory - Answers -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 - Answers -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 - Answers -Sandra Harding & Julia Wood
-interpretive, critical
-"how you view something regarding your position, looks at marginalized groups"
Information Systems Theory - Answers Karl Weick
-applied systems theory to organization
2025/2026
Traditions - Answers Socio-Psychological, Cybernetics, Rhetorical, Semiotic, Socio-Cultural,
Critical, Phenomological
Socio-psych Tradition - Answers -epitome of objective
-truths can be discovered through careful systematic research
-"How can I get others to change"?
Cybernetic Tradition - Answers -studying of info processing, feedback, and control in
communication
-"How does the system work?" "What could change it?"
Rhetorical Tradition - Answers -art of using all available means of persuasion, focusing upon
lines of argument, organization of an idea, language use, delivery
Semiotic Tradition - Answers -study of verbal and non verbal signs that can stand for something
else and how society interprets them
Socio-cultural Tradition - Answers -as people talk, they produce and re-produce culture
-language shapes our perception of reality
-Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
Critical Tradition - Answers -idealistic views, knowledge is not enough--needs action
-pivots around power, oppression, and different privileges of society
Phenomenological Tradition - Answers -most interpretive
-intentional analysis of everyday experience
-"Learn new experiences about the self and others"
Symbolic Interactionism Theory - Answers -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 - Answers -Judee Burgoon
-objective, socio-psych
-"when someone breaks a social expectation that you have for them"
-communicator characteristics
Social penetration Theory - Answers -Altman & Taylor
-objective, socio-psych
-"process of developing deeper intimacy with another person through mutual self-disclosure and
other forms of vulnerability"
Relational Dialectics - Answers -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 - Answers -Aristotle
-objective, rhetoric
-public speaking "ethos, pathos, logos"
Public Sphere - Answers -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 - Answers -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 - Answers -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 - Answers -Geertz & Pacanowsky
-interpretive, socio-cultural
-"how comm is used within an org"
-think root metaphor
-producing/reproducing culture
Semiotics - Answers -Barthes
-interpretive, semiotic
-"social production of meaning from sign systems; analysis of anything that can stand for
something else"
Cultural Studies Theory - Answers -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 - Answers -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 - Answers -Sandra Harding & Julia Wood
-interpretive, critical
-"how you view something regarding your position, looks at marginalized groups"
Information Systems Theory - Answers Karl Weick
-applied systems theory to organization
