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A communication theory is a proposed description of communication phenomena, the relationships among them, a storyline describing these relationships, and an argument for these three elements. Communication theory provides a way of talking about and analyzing key events, processes, and commitments that together form communication. Theory can be seen as a way to map the world and make it navigable; communication theory gives us tools to answer empirical, conceptual, or practical communication questions

Communication theory is a proposed description of communication phenomena, the relationships among them, a storyline describing these relationships, and an argument for these three elements. (Took the "A" off of the first sentence) Communication theory provides a way of talking about and analyzing key events, processes, and commitments that together form communication. Theory can be seen as a way to map the world and make it navigable; communication theory gives us tools to answer empirical, conceptual, or practical communication questions. This field uses evidence to support different types of relationships, which is forgoer to the development of communication theory. [1] (Added sentence)


Although communication as an overall concept is variously defined in both commonsense and specialized ways, within communication theory, communication is seen as a vital symbolic and social process. In general, communication is often seen from two perspectives—as an exchange of information (the transmission perspective), and as the work we do to connect with one another and our world (the ritual perspective). This transmission versus ritual distinction is also reflected in communication theory.

Although the overall concept of communication is defined in both commonsense and specialized ways, communication within communication theory is seen as a vital symbolic and social process. (Changed wording of the first sentence) In general, communication is often seen from two perspectives—as an exchange of information (the transmission perspective), and as the work we do to connect with one another and our world (the ritual perspective). This transmission versus ritual distinction is also reflected in communication theory.

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Information Theory

Communication theories in information theory examine the technical process of information exchange, usually using mathematics. The origins of this perspective on communication theory is linked to the development of information theory in the early 1920s. Limited information-theoretic ideas had been developed at Bell Labs, all implicitly assuming events of equal probability. The history of information theory as a form of communication theory can be traced through a series of key papers during this time. Harry Nyquist's 1924 paper, Certain Factors Affecting Telegraph Speed, contains a theoretical section quantifying "intelligence" and the "line speed" at which it can be transmitted by a communication system. Ralph Hartley's 1928 paper, Transmission of Information, uses the word "information" as a measurable quantity, reflecting the receiver's ability to distinguish one sequence of symbols from any other. The natural unit of information was therefore the decimal digit, much later renamed the hartley in his honour as a unit or scale or measure of information. Alan Turing in 1940 used similar ideas as part of the statistical analysis of the breaking of the German second world war Enigma ciphers. The main landmark event that opened the way to the development of the information theory form of communication theory was the publication of an article by Claude Shannon (1916–2001) in the Bell System Technical Journal in July and October 1948 under the title "A Mathematical Theory of Communication". Shannon focused on the problem of how best to encode the information that a sender wants to transmit. He also used tools in probability theory, developed by Norbert Wiener.

In information theory, communication theories examine the technical process of information exchange while typically using mathematics. This perspective on communication theory originated from the development of information theory in the early 1920s. (Rewrote the first two sentences). Limited information-theoretic ideas had been developed at Bell Labs, all implicitly assuming events of equal probability. The history of information theory as a form of communication theory can be traced through a series of key papers during this time. Harry Nyquist's 1924 paper, Certain Factors Affecting Telegraph Speed, contains a theoretical section quantifying "intelligence" and the "line speed" at which it can be transmitted by a communication system. Ralph Hartley's 1928 paper, Transmission of Information, uses the word "information" as a measurable quantity, reflecting the receiver's ability to distinguish one sequence of symbols from any other. The natural unit of information was therefore the decimal digit, much later renamed the hartley in his honour as a unit or scale or measure of information. Alan Turing in 1940 used similar ideas as part of the statistical analysis of the breaking of the German second world war Enigma ciphers. The main landmark event that opened the way to the development of the information theory form of communication theory was the publication of an article by Claude Shannon (1916–2001) in the Bell System Technical Journal in July and October 1948 under the title "A Mathematical Theory of Communication". Shannon focused on the problem of how best to encode the information that a sender wants to transmit. He also used tools in probability theory, developed by Norbert Wiener.

Interpersonal communication

Theories in interpersonal communication are concerned with the ways in which very small groups of people communicate with one another. Although interpersonal communication theories have their origin in mass communication studies of attitude and response to messages, since the 1970s, interpersonal communication theories have taken on a distinctly personal focus. Interpersonal theories examine relationships and their development, non-verbal communication, how we adapt to one another during conversation, how we develop the messages we seek to convey, and how deception works. The foundation of modern interpersonal theory is considered a historical distinction of the self. [2]


Theories in interpersonal communication are concerned with the ways in which very small groups of people communicate with one another. Although interpersonal communication theories have their origin in mass communication studies of attitude and response to messages, since the 1970s, interpersonal communication theories have taken on a distinctly personal focus. Interpersonal theories examine relationships and their development, non-verbal communication, how we adapt to one another during conversation, how we develop the messages we seek to convey, and how deception works. The foundation of modern interpersonal theory is considered a historical distinction of the self. (Added sentence and reference)

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Critical Perspectives on Media and Communication

Critical social theory in communication, while sharing some traditions with rhetoric, is explicitly oriented toward "articulating, questioning, and transcending presuppositions that are judged to be untrue, dishonest, or unjust."(p. 147) Some work bridges this distinction to form critical rhetoric. Critical theories have their roots in the Frankfurt School, which brought together anti-establishment thinkers alarmed by the rise of Nazism and propaganda, including the work of Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno. Modern critical perspectives often engage with emergent social movements such as post-colonialism and queer theory, seeking to be reflective and emancipatory. One of the influential bodies of theory in this area comes from the work of Stuart Hall, who questioned traditional assumptions about the monolithic functioning of mass communication with his Encoding/Decoding Model of Communication and offered significant expansions of theories of discourse, semiotics, and power through media criticism and explorations of linguistic codes and cultural identity.


Critical social theory in communication, while sharing some traditions with rhetoric, is explicitly oriented toward "articulating, questioning, and transcending presuppositions that are judged to be untrue, dishonest, or unjust."(p. 147) Some work bridges this distinction to form critical rhetoric. Human production in society is important to critical theory. As humans produce social relations, there is a relation between human action and social space. Communication is the substantial affiliation of the individual and society. [3] (Added three sentences) Critical theories have their roots in the Frankfurt School, which brought together anti-establishment thinkers alarmed by the rise of Nazism and propaganda, including the work of Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno. Modern critical perspectives often engage with emergent social movements such as post-colonialism and queer theory, seeking to be reflective and emancipatory. One of the influential bodies of theory in this area comes from the work of Stuart Hall, who questioned traditional assumptions about the monolithic functioning of mass communication with his Encoding/Decoding Model of Communication and offered significant expansions of theories of discourse, semiotics, and power through media criticism and explorations of linguistic codes and cultural identity.

  1. ^ Zelizer, Barbie (2007) Communication Theory: Making Communication Theory Matter (Vol 25) p. 410-415. Hoboken, USA; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
  2. ^ Stephan, Timothy., Harrison, Teresa M., (1993) Communication Theory: Communication, Theory, and History": Interpersonal Communication, Theory, and History (Vol 3) p. 163-172 New York, NY: Guilford Publications
  3. ^ Fuchs, Christian (2019) Communication Theory: Henri Lefebvre’s Theory of the Production of Space and the Critical Theory of Communication (Vol 29) p. 128-150. Wiley Subscription Services, Inc