Communication and Society
PROF. PATRIZIA CATELLANI; PROF. BENIAMINO STUMPO
Module I (Prof. Patrizia Catellani)
COURSE AIMS
The course is focused on persuasive and mass media communication. Special attention is devoted to the
political sphere. The course will take into account the features of the source, message and target that
jointly contribute to communication persuasiveness.
COURSE CONTENT
Module 1
1. Persuasive communication
o Two-way models
o One-way models
2. Mass media communication and its effects
o Agenda setting effect
o Priming effect
o Framing effect
3. Message source
o Credibility and similarity
o Sleeper effect
o Psychological reactance
4. Message
o Negative messages and risk communication
o Framing effect in health communication
5. Message target
o Matching effect
o Individual moderators
READING LIST
N. CAVAZZA, La persuasione, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2006.
P. CATELLANI, G. SENSALES (edited by), Psicologia della politica, Cortina, Milano, 2011 (chapters: 1-2-5-6-7-9-10).
TEACHING METHOD
Lectures, discussion of empirical research, use of online teaching aids on Blackboard platform.
COURSE ASSESSMENT
By oral examination.
For students who attend lectures the examination will centre on lecture notes and online teaching material that
supplement the set texts.
For students who do not attend lectures the examination will centre on the set texts.
NOTES
On the website http://blackboard.unicatt.it, students enrolled can find online aids to the course: teaching
materials, self-assessment exercises, information and notices, topics for dissertations.
For information about the course, students can also consult the teacher's virtual classroom at www.unicatt.it, or
contact
Dr.
Patrizia
Milesi
(patrizia.milesi@unicatt.it),
Dr.
Augusta
Isabella
Alberici
(augustaisabella.alberici@unicatt.it), or Dr. Mauro Bertolotti (mauro.bertolotti@unicatt.it).
Further
information
can
be
found
on
the
lecturer's
http://docenti.unicatt.it/web/searchByName.do?language=ENG or on the Faculty notice board.
webpage
at
Module II (Prof. Beniamino Stumpo)
COURSE AIMS
The second module of the course will focus specifically on values, from a psychological and social
perspective.
Social organisation in its diverse structures and rules, the processes of interaction and communication that
take place within it that in reality underlie a network of values, namely of guiding principles to which
individuals and groups make reference.
The values act as an anchor from the subjective point of view. They help to organise the reality in which
individuals live, to determine both the expectations and the resulting judgements of
satisfaction/dissatisfaction and the sense of the communications and messages.
The basic theme is, therefore, to study the role of values in the orientation both of the choices and
decisions of individuals and the processes of communication and interaction in the socio-cultural ambit.
COURSE CONTENT
-
The psychology of values and the basic theories of reference (Schwartz, Hofstede, Inglehart)
Individual values as the guiding principle for choices, decisions, assessments of people, events, etc.
Values as a basic element of individual identity
Values and communication
Values and culture
The values of health and wellbeing in modern and post-modern society
Values and politics
Values and consumer choices
The role and the relevance of values for marketing, brands, advertising.
READING LIST
L. ANOLLI, Psicologia della cultura, Il Mulino, Bologna, 2004 (chapters 1, 2, 5, 6, 8 and 9).
Slides from the lecturer’s notes used during lectures, these can be downloaded from the Blackboard.
TEACHING METHOD
Lectures in the lecture room.
Presentation of specific applications of communication of values: case histories related to the culture, to mass
media, to consumption. Practical lessons to analyse communication in key values.
ASSESSMENT METHOD
Oral exams at the end of the course.
NOTES
Further
information
can
be
found
on
the
lecturer's
http://docenti.unicatt.it/web/searchByName.do?language=ENG or on the Faculty notice board.
webpage
at