Introducing Communication Theory: Analysis and Application: 2024 Release ISE

Richard West is a past President of the National Communication Association. He is also Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Emerson College in Boston. At Emerson, he has served as the Department Chair for several years, as the Acting Director of the Institute for Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies, and as the Project Director of the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning. He is past President of the Eastern Communication Association, where he received the Past Officer's Award and was recognized as a "Distinguished Research Fellow" in the Association. Rich is also the former Director of NCA's Educational Policies Board. Both Illinois State University (B.A./M.A.) and Ohio University (Ph.D.) have recognized him as an Outstanding Alum in Communication Studies. Rich's research has appeared in Communication Education, Communication Studies, Communication Quarterly, Day Care and Early Education, Communication Reports, Journal of Family Communication, among other diverse outlets. He has written extensively in the area of classroom communication and has been recognized as a "Leading Scholar" in Classroom Communication by the Communication Institute for Online Scholarship (CIOS). Rich's principle co-author is Lynn Turner. Together with Lynn, he has co-authored 5 books in multiple editions. He is also co-editor of The Family Communication Sourcebook and the co-editor of the Sage Handbook of Family Communication. In 2014, NCAs Family Communication Division recognized the Sourcebook as its Outstanding Book Award. In addition, Rich has (co) authored dozens of articles and book chapters and is a current member of numerous journal editorial boards. Rich's research has been featured in a number of media outlets including USA Today, Christian Science Monitor, NPR, Toronto Globe & Mail, CNN International, Austin Statesman (TX), among others. When he has some free time, he enjoys working on his 105 year-old summer home in Maine, but privately admits that he would rather hire people than do the work himself! Lynn Turner teaches in the College of Communication at Marquette University.  She received her Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1989.  She is the author of several journal articles, books, and book chapters focused on communication studies.  She is the recipient of the Marquette University College of Communication Research Award (1998), the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language, and Genders Outstanding Book Award (1997) and Outstanding Article Award (2000).  She is guest editor (with Richard West) for a special issue of the Journal of Family Communication and she serves on the editorial board of several communication journals.  She is the Vice-President of Central States Communication Association and Past-President of the Family Division of the National Communication Association.  Her current research interests include family communication, gendered communication, and communication and relationships.

Part 1 Foundations
1 Thinking About Communication: Definition, Models, and Ethics
2 Thinking About the Field: Traditions and Contexts
3 Thinking About Theory, Research, and Paradigms


Part 2 Empirical/Post-Positivist Theories 
The Self and Messages  
4 Expectancy Violations Theory


Relationship Development
5 Uncertainty Reduction Theory
6 Social Exchange Theory
7 Social Penetration Theory
8 Social Information Processing Theory


Groups, Teams, and Organizations
9 Structuration Theory
10 Organizational Information Theory


The Media
11 Agenda Setting Theory
12 Spiral of Silence Theory
13 Uses and Gratifications Theory


Culture and Diversity
14 Face-Negotiation Theory


Part 3 Interpretive Theories
The Self and Messages 
15 Symbolic Interaction Theory
16 Coordinated Management of Meaning


Relationship Development
17 Communication Privacy Management Theory


Groups, Teams, and Organizations
18 Groupthink
19 Organizational Culture Theory


The Public
20 The Rhetoric
21 Dramatism
22 The Narrative Paradigm


The Media
23 Media Ecology Theory


Culture and Diversity
24 Communication Accommodation Theory


Part 4 Critical Theories
Relationship Development
25 Relational Dialectics Theory


The Media
26 Cultivation Theory
27 Cultural Studies Theory


Culture and Diversity
28 Muted Group Theory
29 Feminist Standpoint Theory
30 Co-Cultural Theory