Week 10 Blog # 2

Public Agenda

According to McCombs and Shaw, public agenda is the most important public issues as measured by public opinion surveys.  This information can be found on page 361 in chapter 28 of our textbook. 

While McCombs and Shaw did their own survey to find out what the most important issues, most of the public surveys are done through mass media so it is usually biased anyways.  I can see what McCombs and Shaw were trying to prove; they were trying to prove that one affects the other, but I don't feel this is true in they way it should be.  I think that the media played a huge part in people's opinions about what is the most important public issues, but I think it should be the other way around.  I feel that people's opinions on what is most important should shape the media's agenda. 

~Tornn

Week 10 Blog # 1

Agenda-setting Hypothesis

McCombs and Shaw argue that the media has, "the ability to transfer the salience of issues on their news agenda to the public agenda," and they call this the Agenda-Setting Hypothesis.  This information can be found on page 359 of chapter 28 in our textbook.  

I find the agenda-setting hypothesis meaningful because I truly believe the media affects our thoughts far more than most people understand.  There is so much going on around us daily, but we only know what we are exposed to.  The media has the ability to filter what we are exposed to.  I feel the reason our county is at war in Iraq right now is because the media portrayed all the threats of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq constantly.  The media gave people an awareness that Iraq could possibly have WMD's.  This led to a fear that American's are so well known for, causing our invasion into the Iraqi county.  

~Tornn

Week 9 Blog # 3

Semiotics

Semiotics is described as the study of the social production of meaning from sign systems; the analysis of anything that can stand for something else.  This information can be found on page 323 in chapter 25 of our textbook.  

I feel that semiotics are meaningful because I think that analyzing anything can be considered a study of semiotics.  I feel this way because every statement, every action, and every form of communication has symbolic meanings deeper than the actual surface meaning.  I feel that I am studying semiotics everyday when I try to figure out why someone has said something in the way they did, because I know there is some other intentions behind their statements.

~Tornn

Week 9 Blog # 2

Faustian Bargain

According to our text, a faustian bargain is, "A deal with the devil; selling your soul for temporary earthly gain."  This information can be found on page 319 in chapter 24 of our book.

I think faustian bargain is a meaningful concept because companies and corporations are doing things like this daily in American society.  Companies continue to pay the people who create the goods they sell cents a day illegally.  They are ruining the lives of people by supporting what many (including myself) consider "slave" labor.  The rich in our country don't care about human rights or anything other than their own economic gain; thus enacting a faustian bargain.

~Tornn

Week 9 Blog # 1

Overdetermination

Overdetermination is defined as, "Equifinality; a systems theory assumption that a given outcome could be effectively caused by any or many interconnected factors." This information can be found on page 314 of chapter 24 in our book.  

I think overdetermination is meaningful because people use it as an excuse to ignore a problem that may otherwise be forced towards a solution if the reason for the problem could truly be discovered.  The book uses climate change as an example and I feel that it shows the full extent to overdetermination.  All the scientists (except six) believe that global warming is happening and caused by humans, so I don't understand why people would ignore the facts and data other than our fear of change.

~Tornn

Week 8 Blog # 3

Phatic Communication

Phatic Communication is communication that is aimed at maintaining relationships rather than passing on information or saying something new.  This information can be found on page 298 of chapter 23 in our textbook.  I find phatic communication meaningful because I feel it is a concept that isn't appreciated like it should be when used in daily life.

When one is in a relationship they aren't expected to continue to communicate through phatic communication, the other person always wants to hear something new, exciting, or interesting.  The odd thing is, the reason those two people have a relationship (this is assuming the relationship is positive in most aspects) is because of how well things work naturally between them.  Phatic communication works to maintain those good aspects of the relationship, but in many situations I've had, the other person in the relationship doesn't want to speak about good aspects of their relationship, but instead new things which can be frustrating.

~Tornn

Identification

Identification is the common ground between the speaker and their audience through physical characteristics, talents, occupation, experiences, personality, beliefs, and attituteds; consubstantiation.  This information can be found on page 290 of chapter 22 in our textbook.  

I think that identification is extremely important because it can be the difference between a speaker's message being accepted or rejected by his/her audience.  If the audience doesn't feel connected and as though they can trust the speaker, then they are far more likely to be skeptical of their message.  This leads the audience to question many aspects of the speaker's message that they may not have questioned had they felt a deeper connection with the speaker. As a speaker one must understand this and try to be the most likable person in every situation where speaking.

~Tornn

Week 8 Blog # 1

Rhetoric

According to Aristotle, rhetoric was discovering all possible means of persuasion.  This information can be found on page 280 of chapter 21 in our textbook.  I find rhetoric interesting because it seems to be an almost "dirty" way to persuade someone of something, but it is extremely important in our society.  

I think rhetoric is important because it is really the process of figuring out how you can persuade someone to feel the way you want them to.  Rhetoric is a practice of getting into someone's mind and basically tricking them into feeling the way you want them to.  When ever politicians, lawyers, preachers, and salespeople try to convince you of something, its rhetoric they have turned to before even trying to convince you.  

~Tornn

Week 7 Blog # 1

Information Model

The information model is a view that communication is merely a conduit for the transmission of information about the real world.  This model can be found on page 263 of chapter 20 in our book.  The information model is interesting to me because it assumes that communication of information is simply for information on the "real world."  

The theory is odd because all the other theories and ideas through our book thus far have felt that social reality is shaped by communication, and tended to ignore ideas involving information about sciences, politics, and other "real world," (as some people may call them) type things, but instead focused more on human interaction, relationships, and the psyche.  I tend to feel that the later things are more "real world" to me than science, or politics anyways.

~tornn

Week 7 Blog # 1

Ethnography

Ethnography is a system of mapping out the social discourse in order to discover who people think they are, what they think they are doing, and to what end they think they're doing it.  Griffin's description of Ethnography can be found on page 252 in chapter 19 of our book.  

I found ethnography to be meaningful because it really reminded me of the Phenomenological Theory in the sense that it was a continual study through a great deal of observation.  I think discovery through observation is simply one of the coolest possible ways to gain a greater understanding of anything.  Plus I've always been super interested in people who are culturally different from me because I always want to know how someone else's feelings differ from mine in any given situation.

~Tornn

Week 6 Blog # 3

Interview with Hirokawa

Giffin asked Hirokawa a question about how sometimes he is so incredibly bored and not stimulated by his groups ideas or discussions that he sometimes tells jokes and feels that according to Hirokawa's theory of group decision making, that it may be hindering the groups ability towards making good decisions.  This interview is about chapter 17 and can be found at www.afirstlook.com.  I found this question to be stimulating because I find myself in similar situations to Griffin quite often and thought it was interesting that he brought the question into play.  Luckily for me, Hirokawa explained that joking can actually be functionally helpful towards a couple of his four essential functions in the theory.  

I'm glad to have heard this information because it means I can continue to joke in groups as long as I'm not too negative and have good things to say in addition to my sarcastic or joke-like remarks.  

~Tornn

Week 6 Blog # 2

Problem Analysis

"Determining the nature, extent, and cause(s) of the problem facing the group," is called problem analysis.  This information can be found on page 223 of chapter 17 in our book.  I think problem analysis is the most important function of a successful group, because without understanding what their problem is, they will never be able to get any further than step one.  

Problem analysis is meaningful to me because its really difficult to get a group of people to take the time to figure out the real meanings behind a problem they face.  I find this to be quite frustrating because the solution would be hundreds of times easier to find if the group knew the problem they had to face.

~Tornn