Introduction to Communication Science week 1: 1.8 Three approaches

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1. not in the Coursera site:

Transcript of all Week 1 videos: https://d396qusza40orc.cloudfront.net/commscience/transcripts%2FTranscript_Week_1%20Coursera.pdf

This lecture in .webm: http://d396qusza40orc.cloudfront.net/commscience/recoded_videos%2F1.8%20Coursera.081d86b07e9011e38cde7ba58578077b.webm

2. In the Coursera site, but apparently unaffected by the login block, for this lecture:

Subtitle text: https://class.coursera.org/commscience-001/lecture/subtitles?q=23_en&format=txt

Video mp4: https://class.coursera.org/commscience-001/lecture/download.mp4?lecture_id=23

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Week 1 description:

"Introduction to the course: some basic models of our field
In this introduction to the course I will briefly introduce the field of communication science and discuss some basic models that will serve as guidelines to the rest of the course."

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We’ve made a very broad distinction between
three perspectives on our field.

The first approach is the linear transmission
perspective.

Correct communication in this perspective
causes the desired effect.

Therefore this approach tends to focus on
effects of communication.

The second approach sees communication as
the production and exchange of meanings.

It is concerned with the construction of
messages using signs,

and the process of extracting meaning from
these messages, called signification.

The interpretation of communication can lead to
different but equally valid outcomes.

The third approach looks at how we use
communication to construct our social reality.

It examines the many ways we connect with
people around us, by constantly sharing ideas

and thereby constructing, reinforcing (or
deconstructing) our identity.

This perspective sees communication as the
binding force of every society, group or culture.

The potential to bind of course goes hand in
hand with a potential for group deconstruction,

audience fragmentation and cultural alienation.

Obviously there are many more ways to
distinguish schools of thought within our field.

And I would like to point out that these
categories are by no means fixed

or universally agreed upon.

But for this introductory course I will use these
basic perspectives as a useful tool

to categorize some of our more widely used
theories and models.

In the following week I will go back in time to
talk with you

a bit about the history of communication
science.

Then we will discuss in each week after that,
one of the three basic perspectives:

the linear effect oriented approach, the reception
or signification approach

and the cultural approach.

If you want to know more about the topics we
discussed this week,

there are links to further readings, movies, and websites

in the online environment of this MOOC.

Also, try to test your recall by answering some
multiple choice questions

and join the discussion on our online forum.

I hope to see you next week!