COM 2604 - MEDIA STUDIES:
MASS COMMUNICATION
AND MEDIA THEORY
ASSIGNMENT 01
, COM 2604 – ASSIGNMENT 01
1. INTRODUCTION
2. QUESTION 1- STUDY UNIT 3: APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF MASS
COMMUNICATION
1.1) Core Premises of Positivistic Approach
According to Media Studies Volume 1: Media History, Media and Society, Fourie (2018: 117-
118), the core premise of the positivistic approach is a scientific method obtained from analysed
data of society and the observable world. The scientific method requires empirical research that
will provide valid objective and reliable findings. These findings are the foundation for predicting
and controlling the situation which is governed by universal laws. The scientific method, on the
other hand, follows fixed steps, procedures and techniques which need to be followed by
researchers. Positivistic research is empirical, behaviourist and functionalist (form of
methodological point of view). Types of research methods used are quantitative content analysis
and survey research.
1.2) Methodologies of positivistic approach:
1.2.1) Empiricism – knowledge is believed to originate from human experience which is usually
based on observation. This scientific method needs to be tested in order to be either accepted or
rejected by measuring knowledge against facts, Fourie (2018: 118).
1.2.2) Behaviourism – is the experimental analysis of human behaviour. These are the actions of
a subject (individual or group) that can be observed. Behaviourism is connected to the linear
mass communication model developed by Shannon and Weaver (1949). The model identifies 3
areas of issues in information analysis as:
Level A - Technical
Level B - Sematic, emerging from the transmitter’s mode of address
1
MASS COMMUNICATION
AND MEDIA THEORY
ASSIGNMENT 01
, COM 2604 – ASSIGNMENT 01
1. INTRODUCTION
2. QUESTION 1- STUDY UNIT 3: APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF MASS
COMMUNICATION
1.1) Core Premises of Positivistic Approach
According to Media Studies Volume 1: Media History, Media and Society, Fourie (2018: 117-
118), the core premise of the positivistic approach is a scientific method obtained from analysed
data of society and the observable world. The scientific method requires empirical research that
will provide valid objective and reliable findings. These findings are the foundation for predicting
and controlling the situation which is governed by universal laws. The scientific method, on the
other hand, follows fixed steps, procedures and techniques which need to be followed by
researchers. Positivistic research is empirical, behaviourist and functionalist (form of
methodological point of view). Types of research methods used are quantitative content analysis
and survey research.
1.2) Methodologies of positivistic approach:
1.2.1) Empiricism – knowledge is believed to originate from human experience which is usually
based on observation. This scientific method needs to be tested in order to be either accepted or
rejected by measuring knowledge against facts, Fourie (2018: 118).
1.2.2) Behaviourism – is the experimental analysis of human behaviour. These are the actions of
a subject (individual or group) that can be observed. Behaviourism is connected to the linear
mass communication model developed by Shannon and Weaver (1949). The model identifies 3
areas of issues in information analysis as:
Level A - Technical
Level B - Sematic, emerging from the transmitter’s mode of address
1
