Communication theories 2013 - 1
International Master's Program in
International Communication Studies
Communication Theories
1st semester 2013
Instructor: Sewen Sun
Office: Journalism Building 205
Phone: Campus Extension 67436 E-mail: telsws@nccu.edu.tw
Office Hours:10:30-14:00 Tur., and by appointment
Course Meeting:
Lectures and discussions: 13:10-16:00, Thursday
Place: College of Communication Building 310207
Course Objective & Description:
The objective of this course is to familiarize students with various perspectives on
communication theory and to enhance students’ ability to analyze communication
phenomenon. Course materials cover a range of topics, including media effects,
entertainment, new media, and so on.
Course Requirements:
1.
Class Presentation of Assigned Readings (30 points): You are required to make
presentations of assigned readings. The presentation should include a brief
summary and synthesis of the main points of the readings, and insights or ideas
that the readings provoked for you. The presenter should try to engage the class
during presentation. Outline of presentation must be posted on NCCU e-learning
website 48 hours prior to the class meeting（Tuesday 1:10 PM）.
2.
Class Participation (10 points): All students should familiarize themselves with
assigned readings, and actively participate in class discussions. Please don't be late,
leave early and absent without permission
3.
Research Paper (40 points)
＊Two or three students form a research team and work on a collaborative research
paper. The paper should include research question, literature review, and a brief
description of research design.
＊Weeks 8 & 9 (Nov.7 & 14) will be devoted to present the first draft of your
research paper (30% of the 40 points)
－The first draft of your research paper must be posted on NCCU e-learning
website 48 hours prior to your presentation（Tuesday 1:10 PM）.
－You have 10 to 15 minutes for the class presentation.
＊Weeks 15 & 16 (Dec. 26 & Jan. 2) will be devoted to present the second draft of
your research paper (50% of the 40 points) .
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－The second draft of your research paper must be posted on NCCU e-learning
website 48 hours prior to your presentation(Tuesday 2:10 PM).
－You have 10 to 15 minutes for your presentation.
＊ The final version of your research paper will be due on Jan. 16（Thursday 1:10
PM）(20% of the 40 points).
4.
Paper Critique (10 points)
You are required to critique one research paper and provide constructive
comments on its first and second draft. You critique should be limited within 3 to
5 minutes.
Course Readings:
1. Books’ Chapters
Miller, K. (2005). Communication Theories: Perspectives, Processes, and Contexts.
(2nd ED.) McGraw Hill.（NCCU Library of Communication: 302.201 M648 2005）
Ch. 2 Philosophical foundations: What is theory? Pp.20-34
K. B. Jensen (2012). (ed.), A Handbook of Media and Communication Research:
Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies (2nd ed). (NCCU Library of
Communication: 302.23072 H236-I 2012).
Ch.2 The Humanistic Sources of Media and Communication research, (pp.23-48)
Ch.5. The Study of News Production, (pp.87-105)
Ch.8. Media Effects: Quantitative Tradition, (pp.153-170)
J. Bryant & M. B. Oliver (2009). (eds). Media Effects: Advances in Theory and
Research. (NCCU Library of Communication:：302.23 M489-VII 2009)
Ch.2. News Framing Theory and Research (pp.17-33)
Ch.12 Mass Media , Social Perception, and The Third-Person Effect(pp.252-268)
Baran, S. J., & Davis, D. K. (2012). Mass Communication Theory: Foundations,
Ferment, and Future(6th Ed). Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth. (NCCU Library of
Communication:302.2301 B225 2012)
Ch.8. The Emergence of Critical and Cultural Theories of Mass
Communication.
2. Journal Articles
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Course Schedule
Week1 (Sep. 19 ) Mid-Autumn Festival
Week 2 (Sep. 26) Introduction to the Course and Communication Theory
Introduction to course and NCCU E-learning website.
Readings:
Miller, K. (2005). Communication Theories: Perspectives, Processes, and Contexts.
(2nd ED.) McGraw Hill.
Ch. 2 Philosophical foundations: What is theory? Pp.20-34
Week 3 (Oct. 3) Introduction to Communication Theory: Critical and Cultural
Studies
Readings﹕
Baran, S. J., & Davis, D. K. (2012). Mass Communication Theory: Foundations,
Ferment, and Future(6th Ed). Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth. Ch.8. The Emergence
of Critical and Cultural Theories of Mass Communication.
Jensen, K. B. (2012). Ch.2 The Humanistic Sources of Media and Communication
research, in K. B. Jensen(ed.), A Handbook of Media and Communication
Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies (2nd ed), (pp.23-48).
Suggested readings for Weeks 2 & 3:
Jensen, K. B. (2012). Ch.1 Introduction: The State of Convergence in Media and
Communication Research, in K. B. Jensen(ed.), A Handbook of Media and
Communication Research: Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies (2nd ed),
(pp.1-20).
Baran, S. J., & Davis, D. K. (2012). Mass Communication Theory: Foundations,
Ferment, and Future(6th Ed). Boston, Mass.: Wadsworth. (NCCU Library of
Communication：302.2301 B225 2012)
McQuail, D. (2010). McQuail’s Mass Communication Theory (6th, ed.). Los Angeles,
Calif,; London: Sage Publications. (NCCU Library of Communication ：
302.2301 M173 2010).
Aakhus, M. (2007). Communication as Design. Communication Monographs, 74(1),
112-117.
Baxter, L. (2007). Problematizing the Problem in Communication: A Dialogic
Perspective. Communication Monographs, 74(1), 118-124.
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Donsbach, W. (2006). The Identity of Communication Research. Journal of
Communication, 56(3), 437-448.
Miller, K. (2005). Communication Theories: Perspectives, Processes, and Contexts.
(2nd ED.) McGraw Hill.（NCCU Library of Communication: 302.201 M648
2005）
Ch. 3 Post-positivist perspectives on theory development. Pp.35-50
Ch. 4 Interpretive perspectives on theory development. Pp.51-65
Ch. 5 Critical perspectives on theory development. Pp.66-82.
Week 4 (Oct. 10) National Day
Week 5 (Oct. 17) News Effects
Readings﹕
Hjarvard, S. (2012). Ch.5. The Study of News Production, in K. B. Jensen(ed.), A
Handbook of Media and Communication Research: Qualitative and
Quantitqative Methodologies (2nd ed), (pp.87-105).
Tewksbury, D., & Scheufele, D. A. (2009). Ch.2. News Framing Theory and Research,
in J. Bryant & M. B. Oliver (eds). Media Effects: Advances in Theory and
Research (pp.17-33).
Borah, P. (2011). Conceptual Issues in Framing Theory: A Systematic Examination of
a Decade's Literature. Journal of Communication, 61(2), 246-263.
Suggested readings for week 5:
Borah, P. (2011). Seeking More Information and Conversations: Influence of
Competitive Frames and Motivated Processing. Communication Research,
38(3), 303-325.
Miller, A., & Roberts, S. (2010). Visual Agenda-Setting & Proximity after Hurricane
Katrina: A Study of Those Closest to the Event. Visual Communication
Quarterly, 17(1), 31-46.
Lecheler , S., Vreese, C. d., Slothuus, R. (2009). Issue Importance as a Moderator of
Framing Effects. Communication Research, 36(3), 400-425.
Kiousis, S., & McDevitt, M. (2008). Agenda Setting in Civic Development: Effects of
Curricula and Issue Importance on Youth Voter Turnout. Communication
Research, 35(4), 481-502.
Entman, R. M. (2007). Framing Bias: Media in the Distribution of Power. Journal of
Communication, 57(1), 163-173.
Scheufele, D. A., & Tewksbury, D. (2007). Framing, Agenda Setting, and Priming:
The Evolution of Three Media Effects Models. Journal of Communication, 57,
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9-20.
Sheafer, T. (2007). How to Evaluate It: The Role of Story-Evaluative Tone in Agenda
Setting and Priming. Journal of Communication, 57(1), 21-39.
Reese, S. D. (2007). The Framing Project: A Bridging Model for Media Research
Revisited. Journal of Communication, 57(1), 148-154.
Week 6 (Oct. 24) Media effects
Readings：
Jensen, K. B. (2012). Ch. 8. Media Effects: Quantitative Tradition, in K. B.
Jensen(ed.), A Handbook of Media and Communication Research: Qualitative
and Quantitqative Methodologies (2nd ed), (pp.153-170).
Perloff, R. M. (2009). Ch.12. Mass Media , Social Perception, and The Third-Person
Effect, in J. Bryant & M. B. Oliver (eds). Media Effects: Advances in Theory
and Research (pp.252-268).
Reid, S. A. (2012). A self-categorization Explanation for the Hostile Media Effect.
Journal of Communication Research, 62, 381-399.
Suggested readings for week 6:
Golan, G. J., & Day, A. G. (2008). The First-Person Effect and Its Behavioral
Consequences: A New Trend in the Twenty-Five Year History of Third-Person
Effect Research. Mass Communication & Society, 11, 539-556.
Scharrer, E., & Leone, R. (2008). First-Person Shooters and the Third-Person Effect.
Human Communication Research, 34(2), 210-233.
Sun Y.,Pan Z.,&. Shen L. (2008). Understanding the Third-Person Perception:
Evidence From a Meta-Analysis. Journal of Communication, 58(2), 280-300.
Paek, H. J., Pan, Z., Sun, Y., & Houden, D. (2005) The Third-Person Perception of
Social Judgment. An Exploration of Social Distance and Uncertainty in
Perceived Effects of Political Attack Ads. Communication Research,
32(2):143-170.
Meirick, P. C. (2005) Rethinking the Target Corollary: The Effects of Social Distance,
Perceived Exposure, and Perceived predispositions on First- person and
Third-person Perception. Communication Research, 32(6):822-843.
Hansen, G. J., & Kim H., (2011). Is the Media Biased Against Me? A Meta-Analysis
of the Hostile Media Effect Research. Communication Research
Reports,28(2),169-179.
Choi, J., Yang, M., & Chang, J. J. (2009). Elaboration of the Hostile Media
Phenomenon: The Roles of Involvement, Media Skepticism, Congruency of
Perceived Media Influence, and Perceived Opinion Climate. Communication
Research, 36(1), 54-75.
Gunther, A. C., Miller, N., & Liebhart, J. L. (2009). Assimilation and Contrast in a
Test of the Hostile Media Effect. Communication Research, 36(6), 747-764.
Gunther, A. C., & Liebhart, J. L. (2006). Broad Reach or Biased Source?
Decomposing the Hostile Media Effect. Journal of Communication, 56(3),
449-466.
Gunther, A. C., and Schmitt, K. (2004). Mapping boundaries of hostile media effect.
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Journal of communication. 54(1): 55-70.
Week 7 (Oct. 31）Entertainment
Readings﹕
Oliver, M. B., & Raney, A. A. (2011). Entertainment as Pleasurable and Meaningful:
Identifying Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motivations for Entertainment
Consumption. Journal of Communication, 61, 984-1004.
Bartsch, A.(2012). Emotional Gratification in Entertainment Experience: Why
Viewers of Movies and Television Series Find it Rewarding to Experience
Emotions. Media Psychology, 15(3),267-302.
Week 8 and 9 (Nov. 7 & 14) Presentation of the first draft of your research paper
(30% of the 40 points). The first draft of research paper must be posted on
NCCU e-learning website 48 hours prior to your presentation.
Week 10 (Nov. 21) Entertainment
Readings﹕
Hall, A., & Zwarun, L. (2012). Challenging Entertainment: Enjoyment, Transportation,
and Need for Cognition in Relation to Fictional Films viewed Online. Mass
Communication and Society, 15,384-406.
Reinecke, L.,Tamborini, R. Grizzard, Lewis, R. Eden, A., & Bowman, N. D., (2012).
Characterizing Mood Management as Need Satisfaction: the Effects of Intrinsic
Needs on Selective exposure and Mood Repair. Journal of Communication, 62,
437-453.
Suggested readings for Weeks 7 &10
Krakowiak, K. M., & Oliver, M. B. (2012). When Good Characters do Bad Things:
Examining the effect of Moral Ambiguity on Enjoyment. Journal of
Communication, 62, 117-135. 3人cite,統計多
Greenwood, D. N., & Long, C. R. (2011). Attachment, Belongingness Needs, and
Relationship Status Predict Imagined Intimacy With Media Figures.
Communication Research, 38(2), 278-297.
Appel, M., & Richter, T. (2010). Transportation and Need for Affect in Narrative
Persuasion: A Mediated Moderation Model. Media Psychology, 13(2), 101-135.
Bartsch, A., Appel, M., & Storch, D. (2010). Predicting Emotions and Meta- Emotions
at the Movies: The Role of the Need for Affect in Audiences' Experience of
Horror. Communication Research, 37(2), 167-190.
Greenwood, D. (2010). Of Sad Men and Dark Comedies: Mood and Gender Effects on
Entertainment Media Preferences. Mass Communication & Society, 13(3),
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232-249.
Week 11 (Nov. 28) Digital Communication: Audience and Users
Readings:
Webster, J. G., & Ksiazek, T. B. (2012). The Dynamics of Audience Fragmentation:
Public Attention in an Age of Digital Media. Journal of Communication,
62,39-56.
Marwick, A. E. & Boyd, D.(2010). I Tweet Honestly, I Tweet Passionately: Twitter
Users, Context Collapse, and the Imagined Audience. New Media and Society,
13(1), 114-133.
Sparks, C. (2013). What is the “digital divide” and why is it important? Javnost - The
Public, 20(2),27-46.
Week 12（Dec. 5）Digital Communication: User-generated content
Readings﹕
Dylko, I., & McCluskey, M. (2012). Media effects in the Era of Rapid technological
transformation: A case of user-generated content and political participation.
Communication Theory,22:250-278.
Van Dijk, J. (2009). Users Like You? Theorizing Agency in User-generated Content.
Media, Culture, and Society 31(1):41-51.
Erstad, O. (2013) The agency of content creators: Implications for personal
engagement and media Industries. Javnost - The Public, 20(2),67-82.
Week 13（Dec. 12） Networked Communication: Social Media
Readings﹕
Snelson, C., Rice, K., & Wyzard, C.(2012). Research priorities for YouTube and
video-sharing technologies: A Delphi study. British Journal of Educational
Technology, 43(1),119-129.
Courtois, C., Mechant, P., & Marez, L.D. (2012). Communicating creativity on You
Tube: What and for whom? Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.
15(3):129-34.
Sugimoto, C.R., Thelwall, M., Larivie`re, V., Tsou, A., Mongeon, P., & Macaluso, B.
(2013). Scientists popularizing science: Characteristics and Impact of TED Talk
Presenters. PLoS ONE 8(4): e62403.
Wilson, R. E., Gosling, S. D., Graham, L. T. (2012). A Review of Facebook Research
in the Social Sciences. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 7(3), 203-220
Humphreys, L., Gill, P., Krishnamurthy, B., & Newbury, E. (2013). Historicizing new
media: A content analysis of Twitter. Journal of Communication, 63,413-431.
Suggested Reading for Week 13：
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Snelson, C. (2011). YouTube across the disciplines: a review of the literature.
MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 7(1),159-169.
Week 14 （Dec. 19）New Media: Social Relationship
Readings﹕
McLaughlin, C., & Vitak, J. (2011). Norm Evolution and Violation on Facebook. New
Media and Society, 14(2), 299-315.
Hall, J. A., & Baym, N. K. (2011). Calling and Texting (too Much): Mobile
maintenance expectations (over) Dependence, entrapment, and Friendship
satisfaction. New Media and Society, 14(2), 316-331.
Fornas, J. ,& Xinaris, C. (2013). Mediated identity formation: Current trends in
research and society. Javnost - The Public, 20(2),11-26.
Suggested Readings for Week 14：
Ledbetter, A. M., Mazer, J. P., DeGroot, J. M., Meyer, K. R., Yuping, M., & Swafford,
B. (2011). Attitudes Toward Online Social Connection and Self-Disclosure as
Predictors of Facebook Communication and Relational Closeness.
Communication Research, 38(1), 27-53.
McNamee, L. G., Peterson, B. L., & Pena, J. (2010). A Call to Educate, Participate,
Invoke and Indict: Understanding the Communication of Online Hate Groups.
Communication Monographs, 77(2), 257-280.
Weeks 15 & 16 (Dec. 26 & Jan. 2) Presentation of the second draft of your
research Paper. (50% of the 40 points) The second draft of research paper must be
posted on NCCU e-learning website 48 hours prior to your presentation.
Week 17（Jan. 9）New media: Meme and Social Transmission
Readings﹕
Shifman, L. (2011). An Anatomy of a YouTube Meme. New Media and Society, 14(2),
187-203.
Berger, J., & Milkman, K. L. (2012) What makes online content viral? Journal of
Marketing Research, 49(2):190-205.
Lavaveshkul, L. (2012). How to achieve 15 minutes (or more) of fame through
YouTube. Journal of International Commercial Law and Technology,
7(4):370-385.
Suggested Readings for Week 17：
Berger, J. (2013).Contagious: Why Things Catch On. Simon & Schuster.
Berger’s talk at AtGoogle Talks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN4eDk1pq6U
Berger, J. (2011). Arousal Increases Social Transmission of Information,
Psychological Science, 22(7), 891 – 893.
Berger, J. & Milkman, K. (2010). Social Transmission, Emotion, and the Virality of
Online
Content.
Available
at:
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http://cci.som.yale.edu/sites/cci.som.yale.edu/files/BergerVirality_of_Online_Co
ntent.pdf
Leskovec, J., Backstrom, L., & Kleinberg, J. (2009, June). Meme-tracking and the
dynamics of the news cycle. In Proceedings of the 15th ACM SIGKDD
international conference on Knowledge discovery and data mining (pp. 497-506).
ACM.
Knobel, M., & Lankshear, C. (2007). Online memes, affinities, and cultural production.
A new literacies sampler, 199-227.
The final version of your research paper will be due on Jan. 16（Thursday 1：10
PM）(20% of the 40 points).
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