Preface
Section One Introduction to Mass Communication Theory
Chpater 1 Introduction
Three Quesitions About Media
Defining and Redefining Mass Communication
Five Eras of Media Theory
The Era of Mass Society and Mass Culture
Emergence of a Scientific perspective on Mass Communication
The Limited Effects Paradigm Emerges
Cultural Criticism:A Challenge to the Limited Effects Paradigm
Emergence of a Mederate Effects perspective
Ongoing Debate over Issues
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Significant People and Their Writing
Chapter 2 Mass Communication Theory
Overview
Science and Human Behavior
Schizophrenic Social Science
Defining Theory
Mass Communication and Theory
Summary
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Significant People and Their Writing
Section Two Era of Mass Society and Mass Culture
Chpater 3 The Rise of Media Industries and Mass Society Theory
Overview
The Beginnings
The Rise of Yellow Journlism
Cycles of Mass Media Development and Decline
Mass Society Critics and the Great Debate over Media
Mass Society Theory Assumptions
Rise of the Great Debate over Media
Early Examples of Mass Society Theory
Geminschaft and Gesellschaft
Mechanical and Organic Solidarity
Mass-Society Theory in Contemporary Times
Summary
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Qeustions
Significant People and Their Writing
Chpater 4 The Rise of Media Theory in the Age of Propaganda
Overview
The Origin of progaeanda
Propaganda Comes to the United States
behaviorism
Freudianism
magic Bullet Theory
Lasswell's Propageanda Theory
Lippmann's Theory of Public Opinion Formation
Reacjtion Against Early Propaganda Theory
Moderm Propaganda Theory
Liberarianism Reborn
Summary
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Significant People and Their Writing
Chapter 5 Normative Theories of Mass Communication
Overview
The Origin of Normative Theories of Media
The Origin of Libertarian Thought
The Marketplace of Ideas:A New Form of Radical Libertarianism
Government Regulation of media--The Federal Radio Commission
Professionalization of Journalism
Limitations of Professionalization
Social Responsibility Theory of the Press:A postwar Compromise
The Cold War tests Social Responsibility Theory
Using Social Responsibility Theory to Guide Professional Practice
Is There Still a Role for Social Responsibility Theory?
Civic Journalism
Other Normative Thories
Summary
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Significant People and Their Writing
Seciton Three The Rise and Fall of Limited Effects
Chapter 6 Limited Effects Theory Emerges
Overview
Paradigm Shifts
The Paradigm Shift in Mass Communication Theory
The Two-Step Flow of Information and Influence
Limitations in the Lazarsfeld Model
Limited Effect Theory
Attitude Change Theories
CArl Hovland and the Experimental Section
The Communication Research Program
Emergence of the Media Effects Focus
The Selective Processes
The Hovland -Lazardfeld legacy
Limitations of the Experimental Persuasion Rsearch
Summary
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Significant People and Their Writing
Chapter 7 Middle-Range Theory and the Consolidation of the Limited Effects Paradigm
Overview
building a Paradigm
Robert Merton:Master Paradigm Markder
The Functional Anlaysis Approach
Information Flow Theory
Information Diffusion Theory
kalpper's PhenomenisticTheory
An Apolopy for Mass Entertainment
Elite Pluralism
C.Wright Mills and The Power Elite
Assumption of the Limited Effects Paradigm
Drawbacks of the Limited Effects paradigm
Contributions of the Limited Effects Paradigm
Summary
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Significant People and Their Writing
Chapter 8 Challenging the Dominant Paradigm:Childern,System,and Effects
Overview
Focus on Children and Violence
Televison Violence Theories
Catharsis
Social Learning
Social Ongnition from Mass Media
Aggressive Cues
The Context of Mediated Violence
Active Theory fo Television Viewing
The Developmental Perspecijver
Media and Children's Socialization
Systems Theories of Communication Processes
The Rise of Systems Theories
Mathematical Theory of Communication
Modeling systems
A Simple Systems Models to Human Communication
Adoption of Systems Models by Mass Commnuication Theorists
close VErsus Open Systems
The Utility of systems Models
A Focus on Stucture and Function
Summary
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Significant People and Their Writing
Section Four Contemporary Mass Communication Theory--Searching for Consensus and Confronting challenges
Chapter 9 Emergence of Critical and Cultural Theories of Mass Communication
Overview
Changing Times
The Cultural Turn in Media Research
Macroscopic versus Microsopic Theories
Critical Theory
Comparing Cultural Theories with Those Based on Based on Empirical Research
Rise of Cultural Theorise in Europe
Marxis Theory
Neomarxism
Textual Analysis andLiterary Criticism
The Frankfurt School
Development of Neomarxist Theory in Britain
Political Economey Theory
The Debate between Cultural Studies and Political Economy Thorists
Cultural Studies:Transmissional versus Ritual Perspectives
Symbolic Interaction
social Construction of Reality
Research on Popular Culture in the United States
Summary
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Significant people and Their Writing
Chapter 10 Madia and Audiences:Theories About the Role of Media in Everyday Life
Overview
Audience Theories:From Source-Dominated to Active Audience Perspectives
Limitation of Early Audience-Centered Research
Confusion of Media Functions and Media Uses
Revival of the Uses and Gratifications Aoorioach
The Active Audience Revisited
Uses and Gratifications and Effects
Development of Reception Studies:Decoding and Sensemaking
Feminist Reception Studies
Framing and Frame Analysis
Information Processing Theory
An Information Processing Model
Processing Television New
Some Final Words to Clear the Mist
Summary
Exploring Mass communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Significant People and Their Writing
Chapter 11 Theories of Media,Culture,and Society
Overview
Marshall McLuhan:The Medium is the Message and Massage
Harold Innis:The Bias of Communication
McLuhan:Understanding Media
Social Mariketing Theory
The Knowledge Gap
Agenda-Setting
The Spiral of Silence
Media System Dependency Theory
Cultivation Analysis
The Controversy
The Products of Cultivatio Analysis
The Mean World Index
A Final Note on Cultivation
media as culture Industies:The Commodification of Culture
Advertising:The Ultimate Cultural Commodity
News Production Research
Media Intrusion Theory
Summary
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Significant People and Their Writing
Chapter 12 Trends in Mass Communicationg Theory:Seeking Consensus,Facing challenges
Overview
Communication Science
Two Views of Communication Science
An Example of Communication Science
Social Semiotics Theory
The Communications Revolution
The End of Mass Communication
Globalization and Media
Globalization Problems
Role of Media in Globalization
Postmodern Criticism of Modernity
Avoiding the Dreams of Modernity
Challenges from Cognitive Psychology and Biological Science
The Media Literacy Movement
Two Views of Media Lteracy
Summary
Exploring Mass Communication Theory
Critical Thinking Questions
Signficant People and Their Writing
References
Index