Introduction to Course

Epistemology as a Basis for Theory

• Schlick, M. (1974). The Nature of Knowledge. In General Theory of Knowledge (pp. 1-48). New York: Springer-Verlag.

• Smith, G. C. S., & Pell, J. C. (2003). Parachute Use to Prevent Death and Major Trauma Related to Gravitational Challenge: Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials. British Medical Journal, 327, 1459-1461.

No Class--Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

How are Theories Constructed?

• Reynolds, P. (1971). A Primer in Theory Construction. Indianapolis, IN: The Bobbs-Merrill Co. (p. 3-81).

Conducting computer searches for theory-based articles

More on the Ways Theories are Constructed

• Chaffee, S. H. (1996). Thinking About Theory. In M. B. Salwen & D. W. Stacks (Eds.), An Integrated Approach to Communication Theory and Research (pp. 15-32). Mahawa, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

• Beatty, M. J. (1996). Thinking Quantitatively. In M. B. Salwen & D. W. Stacks (Eds.), An Integrated Approach to Communication Theory and Research (pp. 33-43). Mahawa, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

  Note: the Beatty article is combined with the Chaffee article in a single pdf file

The Use of Models in Theory Construction

• Shoemaker, P. J., Tankard, J., James William, & Lasorsa, D. L. (2004). Theoretical Models. In How to Build Social Science Theories (pp. 107-144). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Communication as a discipline and a social science

• Paisley, W. (1972). Communication research as a behavioral discipline. Unpublished manuscript.

• McLeod, J. M., & Reeves, B. (1981). On the nature of mass media effects. In G. Wilhoit & H. deBock (Eds.), Mass Communication Review Yearbook (Vol. 2, pp. 245-282): Sage Publications.

Determination of Final Theories for Presentations
Receive Annotated Bibliography Assignment

Some Historical Overviews of Communication Theory

• Chaffee, S. H., & Hochheimer, J. L. (1982). The beginnings of political communication research in the United States: Origins of the 'limited effects model. In E. M. Rogers & F. Balle (Eds.), The Media Revolution in America and Western Europe (pp. 263-283). Norwood: Ablex.
  
• Bryant, J., & Miron, D. (2004). Theory and Research in Mass Communication. Journal of Communication, 54(4), 662-704.
  
  

Using and Evaluating Theory

• Shoemaker, P. J., Tankard, J., James William, & Lasorsa, D. L. (2004). Using and Evaluating Theory. In How to Build Social Science Theories (pp. 167-183). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Feb. 12

Exam 1--In class

Cultivation

• Gerbner, G., Gross, L., Signorielli, N., Morgan, M., & Jackson-Beeck, M. (1979). The demonstration of power: Violence profile No. 10. Journal of Communication, 29(Summer), 177-196.

• Hirsch, P. M. (1981). On not learning from one's own mistakes: A reanalysis of Gerbner et al.'s findings on cultivation analysis. Communication Research, 8, 3-37.

Becomes

• Hawkins, R. P., & Pingree, S. (1982). Television's influence on social reality. In N. I. o. M. Health (Ed.), Television and behavior: Ten years of scientific progress and implications for the eighties (Vol. 2, pp. 224-247). Rockville, MD: National Institute of Mental Health.

• Potter, W. J. (1991). Examining Cultivation from a Psychological Perspective. Communication Research, 18(1), 77-102.

Social Reality

• Shapiro, M., & Lang, A. (1991). Making Television Reality: Unconscious processes in the construction of social reality. Communication Research, 18(5), 685-705.

• Shrum, L. J. (1995). Assessing the social influence of television: A social cognition perspective on cultivation effects. Communication Research, 22(4), 402-429.

Uses and Grats/Active Audience__________________________

• Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1974). Utilization of mass communication by the individual. In J. G. Blumler & E. Katz (Eds.), The uses of mass communication: Current perspectives on gratification research (pp. 19-32). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

• Rubin, A. M. (2002). The Uses-and-Gratifications Perspective of Media Effects. In J. Bryant & D. Zillmann (Eds.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research (pp. 525-548). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

• Levy, M. R., & Windahl, S. (1985). The concept of audience activity. In Rosengren, Wenner & Palmgreen (Eds.), Media gratifications research: Current perspectives (pp. 109-122). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

• Biocca, F. (1988). Opposing conceptions of the audience: The active and passive hemispheres of mass communication theory. Communication Yearbook, 11, 51-80.

Media Dependency__________________________

• Ball-Rokeach, S. J. (1998). A theory of media power and a theory of media use: Different stories, questions, and ways of thinking. Mass Communication & Society, 1, 5-40.

• Shapiro, M. A., & Chock, T. M. (2004). Media Dependency and Perceived Reality of Fiction and News. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 48(4), 675-695.

Annotated Bibliographies Due at Start of Class

Diffusion of Innovations/Information__________________________

• Rogers, E. (1971). Elements of Diffusion: An Overview. In Communication of Innovations (pp. 2-75). New York: The Press.

• Haider, M., & Kreps, G. L. (2004). Forty years of diffusion of innovations: Utility and value in public health. Journal of Health Communication, 9, 3-11.

• Gantz, W. (1983). The diffusion of the news about the attempted Reagan assassination. Journal of Communication, 23, 56-66.
  

Framing & Agenda Setting __________________________

• Pan, Z., & Kosicki, G. (1993). Framing Analysis: An approach to news discourse. Poltical Communication, 10, 55-75.

• Scheufele, D. A. (1999). Framing as a theory of media effects. Journal of Communication, 49, 103-122.

• McCombs, M. E., & Shaw, D. L. (1972). The agenda-setting function of mass media. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36, 176-187.

• Sheafer, T., & Weimann, G. (2005). Agenda Building, Agenda Setting, Priming, Individual Voting Intentions, and the Aggregate Results: An Analysis of Four Israeli Elections. Journal of Communication, 55(2), 347-365.

Priming & Schema__________________________

• Roskos-Ewoldsen, D., Roskos-Ewoldsen, B., & Carpentier, F. F. D. (2002). Media Priming: A Synthesis. In J. Bryant & D. Zillmann (Eds.), Media Effects: Advances in Theory and Research (pp. 97-120). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

• Wicks, R. (1992). Schema theory and measurement in mass communication research: theoretical and methodological issues in news information processing. In S. Deetz (Ed.), Communication Yearbook (pp. 115-145). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

• Shapiro, M. A., & Fox, J. R. (2002). The Role of Typical and Atypical Events in Story Memory. Human Communication Research, 28(1), 109-135.

Excitation Transfer__________________________

• Bryant, J., & Miron, D. (2003). Excitation-transfer theory and three-factor theory of emotion. In J. Bryant, D. Roskos-Ewoldsen & J. Cantor (Eds.), Communication and Emotion: Essays in honor of Dolf Zillmann (pp. 31-59). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

• Sundar, S. S., & Kalyanaraman, S. (2004). Arousal, Memory, and Impression-Formation Effects of Animation Speed in Web Advertising. Journal of Advertising, 33(1), 7-17.

Mood Management __________________________

• Knobloch-Westerbrook, S. (2006). Mood Management: Theory, Evidence, and Advancements. In J. Bryant & P. Vorderer (Eds.), Psychology of Entertainment. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

• Knobloch-Westerwick, S., & Alter, S. (2006). Mood Adjustment to Social Situations Through Mass Media Use: How Men Ruminate and Women Dissipate Angry Moods . Human Communication Research, 32(1), 58-73.

Entertainment Theory __________________________

• Vorderer, P. (2001). It's all entertainment--sure. But what exactly is entertainment? Communication research, media psychology, and the explanation of entertainment experiences. Poetics, 29(4-5), 247-261.

• Raney, A. A. (2004). Expanding Disposition Theory: Reconsidering Character Liking, Moral Evaluations, and Enjoyment. Communication Theory, 14(4), 348-369.

Drafts of Theory Paper Due at Beginning of Class

Flow Theory __________________________

• Something original from Csikszentmihalyi, To Be Announced

• Sherry, J. L. (2004). Flow and Media Enjoyment. Communication Theory, 14(4), 328-347.

ELM __________________________

• Petty, R. E., & Wegener, D. T. (1999). The Eleboration Likelihood Model: Current Status and Controversies. In S. Chaiken & Y. Trope (Eds.), Dual-Process Theories in Social Psychology. New York: Guilford Press.

• Coulter, K. S., & Punj, G. N. (2004). The Effects of Cognitive Resource Requirements, Availability, and Argument Quality on Brand Attitudes. Journal of Advertising, 33(4), 53-64.

Limited Capacity Model of Motivated Mediated Message Processing ______________________

• Lang, A. (2006) Motivated cognition (LC4MP): The influence of appetitive and aversive activation on the processing of video games. In Paul Messarsis and Lee Humphries (Eds.) Digital Media. Peter Lang Publishing.

• Lang, A., Shin, M., & Lee, S. (2005). Sensation-seeking, Motivation, and Substance Use: A Dual System Approach. Media Psychology, 7(1), 1-29.

• Potter, R.F, LaTour, M., Braun-LaTour, K. & Reichert, T. (2006). Program Context Effects on an Appeal to Fear. Journal of Advertising, 35 (3), 69-82.

Social Cognition __________________________

• Tan, A. S. (1986). Social learning of aggression from television. In J. Bryant & D. Zillmann (Eds.), Perspectives on Media Effects (pp. 41-55). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

• Bandura, A. (2001). Social cognitive theory of mass communication. Media Psychology, 3(3), 265-299.

Third-Person Effect __________________________

• Perloff, R. M. (1999). The third-person effect: A critical review and synthesis. Media Psychology, 1, 353-378.

• Lee, B. and R. Tamborini (2005). "Third-Person Effect and Internet Pornography: The Influence of Collectivism and Internet Self-Efficacy." Journal of Communication 55(2): 292-310.

Spiral of Silence__________________________

• Noelle-Neumann, E. (1991). The theory of public opinion: The concept of the spiral of silence. In Communication Yearbook (Vol. 14, pp. 256-287).

• Simpson, C. (1996). Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann's "Spiral of Silence" and the Historical Context of Communication Theory. Journal of Communication, Summer, 149-173.

Knowledge Gap__________________________

• Olien, C. N., Donohue, G. A., & Tichenor, P. J. (1982). Structure, Communication and Social Power: Evolution of the Knowledge Gap Hypothesis. Massacommunicatie, 10(3), 81-87.

• Chew, F., & Palmer, S. (1994). Interest, the knowledge gap, and television programming. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 35, 271-287.

• Grabe, M. E., Lang, A., Zhou, S., & Bolls, P. D. (2000). Cognitive access to negatively arousing news: An experimental investigation of the knowledge gap. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 44, 581-598.

Theory Paper Due at Beginning of Class, No Late Papers Accepted