Part C: Systems Theory – Term Paper

Frandsen, K. & Millis, M. (1993). On conceptual, theoretical and empirical treatments of feedback in human communication: Fifteen years later. Communication Reports, 6(2), 79-91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08934219309367568

 According to this study, the importance of feedback in communication has waned in the recent past reducing its popularity in the research and theory of the communication field. Conflicting ways have emerged in defining and treating the concept of reduced significance of feedback. It speculates that for communication to be effective, it should incorporate feedback as an essential element. The study reviews the literature on feedback as a method of investigation. From the systems, point of view, the research concludes that feedback makes communication complete.

Lewis, F., Hammond, M., & Woods, N. (1993). The family’s functioning with newly diagnosed breast cancer in the mother: The development of an explanatory model.;Journal Of Behavioral Medicine,16(4), 351-370. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf00844777

;The study tends to investigate how illness affects marriage, children, and parent-relationship due to the increasing rates of breast cancer among mothers of child-bearing age. ;The previous hypothesis of the study was that depression resulting from parents; moods was a major problem n marriage. The research uses data collected from diagnosed mothers and young children as a family functioning model. The study concludes that interaction between non-ill parents and children enables them to cope well with their problems.

Babrow, A. ; Swanson, D. (1988). Disentangling antecedents of audience exposure levels: Extending expectancyvalue analyses of gratifications sought from television news.;Communication Monographs,;55(1), 1-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03637758809376155

This work tends to develop the gratifications research from the prior applications of expectancyvalue while studying a student exposed to the television news. The study previously suggested that gratificationseeking orientations and expectancyvalue are related but different in a way. A student having a habit of watching the TV news made the basis for the investigation. The report concludes that the exposure to TV news affects the intentions and exposure levels.

Babrow, A. (1988). Theory and method in research on audience motives.;Journal Of Broadcasting ; Electronic Media,;32(4), 471-487. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08838158809386717

The research is a review of various conceptions of the purposes of the audience. The hypothesis before the study was that exposure motives are rooted in the interruptive frameworks. The study identifies features that are relevant to the reasons of self-report. The report concludes that selfreported reasons depend on related measurement issues.

McPhee, R. ; Babrow, A. (1987). Causal modeling in communication research: Use, disuse, and misuse.;Communication Monographs,;54(4), 344-366. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03637758709390238

Causal modeling logic and procedures are an aid to avoiding research errors in standard traditional analysis. It hypothesizes that communication research is important in avoiding mistakes in the investigation report. The study makes use of a table having similar techniques and casual modeling. The review helped find out that methodological rigor, besides research sophistication, is critical in the elimination of the research errors.

;

References;

Babrow, A. ; Swanson, D. (1988). Disentangling antecedents of audience exposure levels: Extending expectancyvalue analyses of gratifications sought from television news.;Communication Monographs,;55(1), 1-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03637758809376155

Babrow, A. (1988). Theory and method in research on audience motives.;Journal Of Broadcasting ; Electronic Media,;32(4), 471-487. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08838158809386717

Frandsen, K. ; Millis, M. (1993). On conceptual, theoretical and empirical treatments of feedback in human communication: Fifteen years later.;Communication Reports,;6(2), 79-91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08934219309367568

Lewis, F., Hammond, M., ; Woods, N. (1993). The family’s functioning with newly diagnosed breast cancer in the mother: The development of an explanatory model. Journal Of Behavioral Medicine,16(4), 351-370. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf00844777

McPhee, R. & Babrow, A. (1987). Causal modeling in communication research: Use, disuse, and misuse. Communication Monographs, 54(4), 344-366. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03637758709390238