Mass Communication Theories

Melvin L. DeFleur, Boston University Margaret DeFleur, Boston University

INTRODUCTIONChapter 1: Shaping the American Media: A Brief Overview
Chapter 2: The Nature and Uses of Theories
Part I: Interdisciplinary Contributions to Media StudiesChapter 3: The Scientific Method and the Social Construction of Reality: The Contributions of Philosophy
Chapter 4: Public Opinion as Shaper by the Press: The Contribution of Political Science
Chapter 5: Cognitive Processing: The Contribution of Psychology to Mass Communication Theory
Chapter 6: The Concept of Mass Society: The Magic Bullet Theory: As a Contribution of Sociology to Media Studies
Part II: The Beginnings: Early Analyses of Mass CommunicationChapter 7: James Bryce’s Theory of Public Opinion and the Press
Chapter 8: Walter Lippmans’s Theory of Unintentional News Distortion
Chapter 9: The “Magic Bullet” Theory of Uniform and Powerful
Part III: Contemporary Theories of Mass CommunicationChapter 10: The Selected and Limited Influences Theory
Chapter 11: Gatekeeping Theory
Chapter 12: Agenda-setting Theory
Chapter 13: The Two-Step Flow of Communication Theory
Chapter 14: Uses for Gratification Theory
Chapter 15: Information Utility Theory
Chapter 16: Modeling Theory
Chapter 17: Social Expectations Theory
Chapter 18: Media-Influenced Diffusion-of-Innovation Theory
Chapter 19: Popular Culture Theory
Chapter 20: The Creeping Cycle of Desensitization Theory
Chapter 21: Critical Cultural Perspectives
Chapter 22: Cultural Imperialism Theory
Chapter 23: Collateral Media Instruction Theory
Chapter 24: Other Formulations and Concepts