Posts Tagged: social scientist

Week 2: Intro to Theory
_____

1.  How would a person working in the field of mass communications define theory?  Chapter 1 states, “Theory is a common word, and most people have at some point in their lives learned about some theories, especially in the natural sciences.”  So, how do theories apply to the realm of mass communications?
Theory and research form the basis of the communications field.  Theories are attempts to explain something about the world around us by answering a question.  Studying communication practices, or communication science draws heavily on observation of the parts of communicative processes that can be objectively measured.  Communication theory belongs in the social sciences which seek to explain how people behave and social phenomena.  Communication science can also be described as a discipline that “seeks to understand the production, processing and effects of symbol and signal systems by developing testable theories.”

2. Is there ever an end to research?  Whether focusing on communication theory or the natural sciences, research of common topics have progressed for years.  However, how close are we to the finish line?  And is the statement to “prove a theory” accurate?
Researchis endless and we can always learn new things.  As discussed in class, testing the practicality and falsifiability are two ways that research can always be extended.  Until something is proven false, even in the slightest instance, it can still be considered true.  Nothing is definite.  If a theory starts out as practical during one time period, it doesn’t mean it will forever stay this way.  Times change and people adapt to new ways of society.  Therefore theories change and research continues.  Social scientists believe that theories can never be proven beyond all doubt; theories can either be supported or challenged.

3. In social sciences it is difficult to establish guidelines for assigning values to measurements because of the variability of human behavior and the inability to directly observe a construct.  Therefore, values must often be inferred.  How do social science researchers get around the potential inaccuracies of inferred information?
This is tough.  Natural science researchers have definite ways to read exact measurements such as a thermometer or measuring tape.  They can count cells or species and use mathematical formulas to arrive at an answer.  But the social scientist does not have comparable tools to precisely measure a characteristic such as motivation or anxiety.  They also can’t put a measurement on the knowledge someone already posses, such as social awareness or computer understanding.  Social science researchers must decide what measure will be used and explain why they are appropriate for the construct that is being studied.  However, different people act differently in the same situation and responses to situations change over time.  This makes it difficult to measure human behavior with the kind of precision social scientists are looking for.

4. Although this may seem basic, what is the most popular research technique for mass communications and why?  As we conduct our own research this semester we should pinpoint the most efficient way of collecting accurate and relevant information that will benefit our final projects in the long run.
Surveys are considered the most common research technique in mass communication.  It is also the most familiar method, not only in this field but for nearly any research purpose.  A survey is a research technique for collecting information from people by asking them structured questions.  It is important to think of the types of questions that will be asked, how it is related to the hypothesis, who the people are that will answer the questions, and how the questions will be asked.  Surveys can be done either at a single point in time (cross-section) or at different times (longitudinal).  Open-ended questions can be answered in any way the respondent chooses.  Whereas with closed-ended questions the researcher provides responses and instructions to the respondent about selecting them.

5. In past schooling and jobs I’ve held, case studies seemed to pop up as the most common form of research a company can easily do on it’s own.  However, I always questioned their worth.  Chapter 3 explains the purpose of a case study to be a systematic investigation of a “sample” consisting of a single unit.  Are case studies a definite understanding that can be applied to the mass populous?
A case study may be considered a version of the sampling done by quantitative researcher who are trying to investigate a sample consisting of a single unit.  They also are concerned with gathering enough detail to answer questions such as why or how the event or situation came to acquire particular characteristics.  A weakness of case studies is that they cannot be generalized.  All that applies is the logic: “if it happened here, it can happen somewhere else.”  It is not a guarantee that characteristics discussed in the case study do actually exist and apply everywhere.  It is simply proof that they could happen.

6. Most mass communication programs in college emphasize the development of skills towards media production.  This is also the main idea of students when learning about their career choice.  Why learn theory? What is the relevance and how can it be applied to a real-life situation on the job after schooling?
Although the theory itself may sound abstract, the principles that it relates to are anchored in reality.  The book defines theory in chapter 1 as: a statement that seeks to predict or explain how certain phenomena are related to each other.  The theory may be an abstract idea, but the questions it helps people answer are real.  In the work environment, journalists talk about the public’s need to know which can be considered setting the agenda of a story.  Just because reporters do not openly talk about agenda setting to pass the time, this does not mean they are not actively (or deliberately) engaging in it.