Understanding and Evaluating Mass Communication Theory, Essay Example

Five key points

The chapter begins to define what a social network is by using Facebook as an example. Then, the chapter begins to define what the universe is in relation to the 1 billions users on Facebook. The chapter goes on to state, through psychological opinion, the types of persons using this social media type: people with low self-esteem and narcissists (further psychological evaluation of Facebook users revealed that users would carry these traits over to their avatars) (4).The first chapter is dedicated to the “developing a formal, systematic set of ideas about Facebook and its role in the social world” (4).  These ideas revolve around discovering what the difference is between the real/physical world and the virtual world; defining humanities relationship between the two; and by defining the four trends in media theory “the mass society  and mass culture, limited-effects, critical culture, and meaning-making trends” (4).

Five terms with definitions

Grant Theory: Theory designed to describe and explain all aspects of a given phenomenon (i.e. it is what it says it is: a mass theory encompassing all subgenre theories kind of like social media encompasses Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).

Mass Communication: When a source, typically an organization, employs a technology as a medium to communicate with a large audience (i.e. the Cartoon Network using satellites to reach viewers).

Mediated Communication: communication between a few or many people that employ a technology as a medium (i.e. a how-to video new employees have to watch before they start their job).

Interpersonal Communication: Communication between two or a few people, typically face-to-face (i.e. a brunch date between two friends).

Causality: When a given factor influences another, even by way of an intervening variable (i.e. the power goes out and everyone’s alarm clocks/phones go off or die and therefore everyone is late for work the next day).

Works Cited

Baren, Stanley & Davis, Dennis. “Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment, and Future.” Cengage Publishing. (2015). Print.