CMN 101

Question 1

what is a theory

Answer 1

• a set of systematic informed hunches about the way things work
• interrelated constructs, definitions, propositions that represent a phenomenon with purpose of explaining and predicting

Question 2

2 types of communication scholars

Answer 2

1. social scientist: construct and test social scientific theory (explains why ads are similar/ dissimilar, successful/effective, unsuccessful/insufficient)
2. interpretive scholars/ humanist: develop and apply interpretive theory (interpret meaning of the ad)

Question 3

social scientific theory (ELM- elaborating likelihood model)

Answer 3

ELM major proposition:
2 routes to persuasion
A: central- high elaboration
B: peripheral: low elaboration

Question 4

factors that influence level of elaboration

Answer 4

1. personal relevance
2. distraction
3. prior knowledge

Question 5

characteristics of Social Scientific Theory

objective and 3 characteristics

Answer 5

objective: describe the way things are

1. nomothetic: seeks general patterns (compare w/ natural science
   - physical science: universal law
   - social science: strong regularities
2. associative: identifies relationships between variables
3. predictive: contains falsifiable hypothesis

Question 6

examples of interpretive theory

Answer 6

creates a perspective

• framework for generating meaning
• lens for viewing artifacts and events
• evaluative

Question 7

2 ways of using research to develop theory

Answer 7

1. inductive: start with conclusion (observation)-moves from specific instance to general observation
2. deductive(top down): starts with a premise-starts with generalized principles known to be true to a conclusion

Question 8

social scientific approach
vs
interpretive approach
MAIN DIFFERENCE

Answer 8

• Social scientific approach: trying to generalize

- interpretive approach: describing very specific differences

Question 9

constructivism:

Answer 9

communication is a daily practice (required skill)

Question 10

3 levels of communication competence

Answer 10

1. linguistic competence: being able to speak the language (grammar, making a sentence)
2. sociolinguistic competence: how to use the language in an appropriate way
3. functional competence: communication serves certain functions (persuade, entertain) if you accomplish your goal with communication + functional competence

Question 11

what is the highest level of competence

Answer 11

functional competence

Question 12

constructivism focuses mainly on functional competence what two areas?

Answer 12

1. social perception skill: understanding people in social world
2. message production skill

Question 13

social perception

Answer 13

helps us understand ppl around us and social situations were in

Question 14

what does social perception occur through

Answer 14

interpersonal constructs: cognitive schemes or templates that we fit over social reality to order our impressions of people

Question 15

3 properties of the interpersonal construct system

Answer 15

all reflect cognitive complexity

1. differentiation: the more schemes (constructs) the more differentiated your system is
2. abstractness/strength: some construct more abstract than others. more abstract = bigger strength (taking what you observe to a higher generalization
3. integration: the more integrated the more stronger it is

Question 16

interpersonal cognitive complexity

Answer 16

ability to acquire, store organize and generate information about other people and social situations
- it is domain specific (better over certain things than others

Question 17

what does it mean to have a higher complexity

Answer 17

differentiated, abstract, and integrated construct system

Question 18

person-centerdness

Answer 18

extent o which message adapts to he subject affective and relational aspects

• high PC: greater message production skill
• low PC: lesser message production skill

Question 19

What two things does Person centeredness require

Answer 19

1. ability
2. motivation
   - high PC does not mean nicer

Question 20

pragmatic implications

Answer 20

interacting with people different than you enhances skills

Question 21

action assembly theory

Answer 21

the cognitive mental structures that underline production of messages

Question 22

what are the 4 observations that started the Action Assembly Theory

Answer 22

1. behavior is simultaneously repetitive & creative
2. people act on the basis of meanings they attach to stimulus inputs
3. sometimes behavior is automatically // sometimes highly conscious
4. behavior consists of efferent commands yet our phenomenal experience of our behavior consists of abstract action specifications

Question 23

what are the two building blocks of behavior

Answer 23

1. constitute procedural knowledge: knowledge about ho to do things
2. procedural records: long term memory structures that record the relationship between actions, outcomes and situations (if-then-when)
   * vary in fors of:
3. abstractness
4. strength

Question 24

activation process

Answer 24

activation: certain procedural records are activated when the current situation matches the situation features stored in then & when current goals match the outcome features stored in them. the closer the match the higher the activation level of the procedural record

Question 25

assembly

Answer 25

process of piecing together all the components that make up out output representation - usually a smooth process - assemply takes time

Question 26

in assembly what are the two ways of overcoming difficulties

Answer 26

1. advance planning | 2. utilizing assemblies

Question 27

output representation

Answer 27

action plan to reach goal

Question 28

4 levels of output representation

Answer 28

1. interaction representation: overall goal 2. ideational representation: what meaning trying to convey 3. utterance representation: what exactly you say 4. sensorimotor representation: most important

Question 29

what 3 things does causation require

Answer 29

1. cause comes before effect 2. association (correlation) between cause and effect 3. elimination of the 3rd variable

Question 30

goal, plan, action model

Answer 30

goals: future states an individual desires to attain or maintain

Question 31

what are features of interaction goals

Answer 31

interaction/ communication goals: goals that require communication/ coordination with others to accomplish - cognitive in nature - often multiple goals operating at the same time

Question 32

primary goals

Answer 32

Push goals | -central motivation for speaking: defines the situation

Question 33

secondary goals

Answer 33

pull goals -impose contraints on pursuit of primary goal (set boundaries that limit (a secondary goal can become primary) (not less important)

Question 34

plans

Answer 34

a hierarchically organizer cognitive representations of action sequences used to achieve goals

Question 35

canned plans vs new plans

Answer 35

canned: ready to use ACTION ASSEMBLY THEORY (behavior been doing it for a long time)

Question 36

plan complexity:

Answer 36

a characteristic of a message pen based on - the degree to which details of the plan are worked out - he number of distinct actions in the plan including contingent actions (more things you have to do)

Question 37

contingent actions

Answer 37

if A doesn't happen the B, if B doesn't happen then C actors influencing

Question 38

plan complexity

Answer 38

- desireto achieve primary goal - knowledge relevant to plan - number of secondary goals

Question 39

managing thwarted plans

Answer 39

implement plans at different point in time | -we alter the plan at low, mid, or high level alterations

Question 40

hierarchy principle

Answer 40

when peoples initial plans fail more likely to perform low rather than mid or high level alterations

Question 41

factors influencing likelihood of high level alterations

Answer 41

- goal desire - time constraints - frequency of failure