A First Look at Communication Theory ISE

Em Griffin received his B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication from Northwestern University. He is professor of communication at Wheaton College in Illinois, where he has taught for the past 26 years and has been chosen Teacher of the Year. His research interest centers on the development of close friendships. Dr. Griffin is the author of three applied communication books: The Mind Changers analyzes practical techniques of persuasion; Getting Together offers research-based suggestions for effective group leadership; and Making Friends describes the way that quality interpersonal communication can build close relationships. He also leads workshops on these topics in the Philippines, Singapore, and the United States.

The 11th edition of A First Look at Communication Theory encourages students who are encountering the field for the first time to tackle theories without fear. The authors' conversational style and relevant examples keep complex theories within the grasp of first-time theory students. They introduce over 30 diverse theories that are a mix of foundational and recent scholarship and, with the benefit of numerous examples and connections to pop culture, help students apply them to their own lives. The discrete presentation of the theories ensures a well-rounded understanding of each while promoting integrative thinking and facilitating the ability of instructors to skip or rearrange their presentation. The broad selection of theories-from the classics to the cutting edge-ensures that students have a solid foundation with which to begin understanding the relationships between theories.

Division One: OverviewCh. 1: Launching Your StudyCh. 2: Talk About TheoryCh. 3: Weighing the WordsCh. 4: Mapping the TerritoryDivision Two: Interpersonal CommunicationInterpersonal MessagesCh. 5: Symbolic InteractionismCh. 6: Expectancy Violations TheoryCh. 7: Family Communication Patterns TheoryRelationship DevelopmentCh. 8: Social Penetration TheoryCh. 9: Uncertainty Reduction TheoryCh. 10: Social Information Processing TheoryRelationship MaintenanceCh. 11: Relational Dialectics TheoryCh. 12: Communication Privacy Management TheoryCh. 13: Media Multiplexity TheoryDivision Three: Social Influence PersuasionCh. 14: Social Judgment TheoryCh. 15: Elaboration Likelihood ModelCh. 16: Cognitive Dissonance TheoryPublic RhetoricCh. 17: The RhetoricCh. 18: DramatismCh. 19: Narrative ParadigmDivision Four: Group and Organizational CommunicationGroup CommunicationCh. 20: Functional Perspective on Group Decision-MakingCh. 21: Symbolic Convergence TheoryOrganizational CommunicationCh. 22: Cultural Approach to OrganizationsCh. 23: Communicative Constitution of OrganizationsCh. 24: Critical Theory of Communication in OrganizationsDivision Five: Cultural ContextIntercultural CommunicationCh. 25: Communication Accommodation TheoryCh. 26: Face-Negotiation TheoryCh. 27: Co-Cultural TheoryCh. 28: AfrocentricityGender and CommunicationCh. 29: Feminist Standpoint TheoryCh. 30: Muted Group TheoryDivision Six: Mass CommunicationMedia and CultureCh. 31: Media EcologyCh. 32: Context CollapseCh. 33: SemioticsCh. 34: Cultural StudiesMedia EffectsCh. 35: Uses and GratificationsCh. 36: Cultivation TheoryCh. 37: Agenda-Setting TheoryDivision Seven: IntegrationCh. 38: Common Threads in Comm Theories