LECTURE 4 // COMMUNICATION THEORY

COMMUNICATION THEORY

Laswell's Maxim
'Who says what to whom in what channel with what effect'
-Key quote as designer

Seven

Cybernetic/ Information theory
Semiotics
Phenomenonological
Rhetorical
Socio-Psychological
Socio-Cultural
Critical

1. Cybernatic
- Companies for distribution and networking. Theory using mathematics percentage to understand
The infromation OR Cyerbernatic theory

Worked complex system to see if what work in a world war.

1st formulation - the telephone

3 levels of communication

ONE
Technical - Accuracy. Systems of encoding/ decoding
Always need technology
-Language. Decoding

TWO
Semantic - Percision of language
How to preceive?
How much of the message can be lost without meaning being lost?

THREE
Effectiveness
- Does the message have affect behaviour the way we want it to'

Communications theory is a part of a bigger theory

SYSTEMS THEORY

2. Semiotics.

Semantics - addresses what a sign stands for.
Dictionaries are semantic reference books, what the sign means

Syntactics - The relationship among signs

Pragmatics - Studies how they are pratically used

Semiosphere

What's wrong with semiotics?
Does everything really have a sign?

Medicine - Context of the communication
Language
Trainer - Social group
- Object materialises as signs

Limitations - Doesn't fit, everythibg changes all the time

Semiotics - Highway code

Presumes meanings are clear but we are taught what they mean

3. The Phenomenological

The process of knowing through direct experience. The way humans come to understand the world.

Authentic human relationship

Phenomenology
Heightens and lowers your sense of tension of what is around you. Your awareness. Walking noticing the ground because you have but if you dont just carry on walking.

Rhetoric
About persuasions. Let people know how to listen to you - to sound powerful

Improve memory
Authentic communication
Physical
Type of language

Hyperbole - Push an idea to the limit

Irony -

Rhetoric - Very powerful
Adventurous
World leader/Dictators

Without using it communications is something that is subject to problems

Images need context - Type to be a message

Trained in Rhetoric

The sociopsychological traditions
- Study of the individual as a social being
- Three key areas
Expression, Interaction and Influence

Sociocultural tradition

Define yourself in a group, frames your cultural identity

All about context - Changes
Age can be a massive factor

Critical Communication theory
Idea of power structures
- Panopticon
Feminist studies - The issue of gender

Post colonial theory - The way different areas of the world suffered for being colonies