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SPRING
2001 THEORY WORKBOOK
Table
of Contents General
Contexts
Intrapersonal Communication (Persuasion) Applied Contexts Last updated February 14, 2001
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SPRING 2001 THEORY WORKBOOK SMALL
GROUP CONTEXT DRAMATISM Explanation of Theory: Dramatism claims that the communicator must act as if he or she were an actor in a drama, where they are trying to get the audience to accept their view of reality as true. The communicator must try to identify with the audience members through various means to gain acceptance. Theorists: Kenneth Burke Date: 1968 Primary Article:Burke, K. "Dramatism," The International Encyclopedia
of the Social Sciences, Vol. 7, David L. Sills (ed.), Macmillan, NY,
1968, p. 445-451. Individual Interpretations: I believe that this theory is interesting
because the communicator must act in certain ways to appeal to the
audience, yet I believe they should make sure they do not lose sight
of what their own values are. Metatheoretical Assumptions: Ontological Assumptions: This theory has deterministic values. It
claims that the communictor has to be persuading and has to "act"
to get the audience to accept his or her message. Epistemological Assumptions: This theory is based on many truths,
that the communicator must change his ways according to his audience
and present situation. To be persuading, the communicator must not
focus on oneway of thinking. Axiological Assumptions: This theory is value-netral, focusing instead
on the changes which need to be mae by the communicator from situation
to situation. Regardless of values, the communicator mmust "act" in
accordance with audience values. Critique: Burke is quite confusing in his explanation of this theory
because he leaves things unexplained. He also assumes that guilt underlies
all public address, which has not been proven yet and could certainly
depend on situations. Ideas and Implications: There are five central elements of the human drama, which coincide with the audience. These are: Act/Response, Scene/Situation, Agent/Subject, Agency/Stimulus, & Purpose/Target. Burke believes it is our nature to create, use, and abuse language. Communication scientists can¹t lead Burke¹s claim that
unconscious identification produces behavior and attitude change,
but they can confirm that perceived similarity facilitates persuasion.
Example:When a communicator stands to give a speech, such as a politician,
they have to get the audience to see eye to eye with them before they
will ever be able to get their point across. A politician, hopefully
will believe in the things he is saying, but even if he isn¹t,
he can make the audience love him by speaking about things that are
important to them. Relevant Research: Burke, K., "On human behavior considered Drastically,¹ " in Permanence and Change, Bobbs-Merrill, Indianapolis, 1965, pp.274-294. Mechling, E., & Mechling, J., "Sweet Talk: The Moral Rhetoric Against Sugar," Central States Speech Journal, Vol. 34, 1983, pp. 19-32. Chesebro, J., "Extensions of the Burkean System," Quarterly
Journal of Speech, Vol. 78, 1992, pp. 356-368. Other Communication Scholars who have done work on this theory: Elizabeth
Mechling, Jay Mechling, Sonya Foss, Karen Foss, & Celest Condit.
Location in Eight (8) Primary Communication Theory Textbooks: Anderson, R. & Ross, V. (1998). Questions of Communication: A practical introduction to theory (2nd ed.). NewYork: St. Martin¹s Press, p. 178-180. Cragan, J. F., & Shields, D.C. (1998). Understanding communication theory: The communicative forces for human action. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon, not in. Griffin, E. (2000). A first look at communication theory (4th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill, p. 285-294. Griffin, E. (1997). A first look at communication theory (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill, p. 312-321. Infante, D. A., Rancer, A.S., & Womack, D. F. (1997). Building communication theory (3rd ed.). Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, p. 530-531. Littlejohn, S.W. (1999). Theories of human communication (6th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, p. 161-168. West, R., & Turner, L. H. (2000). Introducing communication theory: Analysis and application. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, p. 275-287. Wood, J. T. (1997). Communication theories in action: An introduction. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, p. 135-144. |