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Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
Lecture Notes
Chapter 10: Mediated Communication
Learning Objectives
After reading this chapter, you will be able to . . .
1. Explain social media and discuss how social media differ from mass media
3. Explain how social network analysis explains the production and reproduction of
memes
5. Identify the gratifications sought by using particular media forms
7. Provide systematic understanding of a professional situation by employing
principles of individual and social approaches to communication
Summary
Chapter 10 provides an overview of four theories of mediated communication. First, diffusion of
innovations: the process by which people decide to adopt a new media technology, the
characteristics that make a new media technology more appealing, and the categories of people
most and least likely to adopt the new technology. Next, social network analysis is used to
compare the emails of managers who voluntarily quit versus those who decided to stay over the
course of 5 months. Researchers found that managers who quit had less network centrality and
the content of their emails demonstrated less engagement than the mangers who decided to stay.
Third, media richness theory provides advice for choosing media to send different types of
messages, helpful in understanding media choices within organizations, such as communication
preferences between superiors and subordinates. Finally, Uses and Gratifications Theory focuses
on the choices receivers make. It argues audience members are active and use media forms that
provide them with the individual gratifications they seek.
I. What Is Social Media?
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
A. Media refers to large organizations responsible for producing the content we see on
television, in movies, recordings, print, and on the web
B. Social media refers to “digital technologies that allow people to connect, interact,
produce and share content” (Lewis, 2010, p. 2)
1. These media forms vary in nature and purpose but blogs, social networking
websites, podcasting, video and photo sharing sites and discussion forums
3. Social media were originally intended to aid people in achieving personal goals,
now they are also used to achieve professional goals
II. Diffusion of Innovations
A. Rogers’ (2003) diffusion of innovations theory provides a framework for
understanding why some inventions become popular and others never really catch on
2. The theory can be used for medical, educational, and agricultural innovations
3. What is considered innovative varies by place and community
B. Innovation decision process
1. Rogers (2003) identified six stages through which a person, group, or
organization progresses in deciding whether to adopt an innovation
a. Knowledge stage—becoming aware of innovation and the potential
2. If not, this is called discontinuance
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
a. Replacement discontinuance—switching the innovation with either a new or
old version
b. Disenchantment rejection—complete abandonment
C. Why some innovations and not others?
1. It is not just the process of adopting an innovation, but the reasoning for why
some innovations are adopted
2. There are five qualities that influence the rate and likelihood of an innovation
being adopted
a. Relative advantage—the innovation better at achieving the goals for
performance than other innovations
b. Compatibility—how consistent is the innovation with the person’s current
values, lifestyle, and experience?
D. Time and diffusion
1. Even if an innovation exhibits the five qualities just described, ultimately people
determine the success or failure of its adoption. It must reach critical mass
a. Critical mass refers to the notion that if a sufficient number of people adopt
the innovation, additional adoption of the innovation becomes self-
sustaining, assuring future growth (Markus, 1987)
b. Rate of adoption, or the relative speed with which an individual (or group or
organization) adopts the innovation. There are five categories of adopters
i. Innovators—first group to adopt an innovation
2. Reciprocal interdependence—even innovators and early adopters need additional
people to also have the technology in order to receive maximum benefits
III. Social Network Analysis
A. Network analysis was historically related to the organizational context, but it has
expanded
1. “Communication networks are the patterns of contact between communication
2. Network analysis involves mapping out those patterns focusing on the types of
links between members, the roles members play in the network, the mode or
channel by which messages are exchanged, and the content of the messages
B. Network properties: there are four attributes of social network analysis
2. Content—the categorization of topics
4. Level of analysis—what is the focus of the network analysis–the individuals in
the network, groups within the network, etc.?
C. Properties of network links
1. Social network analysis also requires uncovering the nature of the connections
2. Seven potential links can be assessed
a. Strength–frequency, intimacy, or intensity of the connection
b. Direction—extent to which the link is reciprocal between network members
c. Symmetry—whether the two people connected share the same type of
relationship with each other
d. Frequency—how often the two people communicate with each other
Instructor Resource
Dainton, Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life 4e
SAGE Publishing, 2018
D. Network roles
2. There are five types of roles nodes can play
a. Gatekeeper—controls the flow of information from one part or the network
to another
b. Bridge—member of more than one group
E. Implications for understanding social media
1. A social network analysis can allow us to uncover large-scale trends in ideas and
influences
3. Researchers can understand the spread of memes—ideas, behaviors, or practices
that spread from one person to another in a network
IV. Media Richness Theory
A. What is a rich medium?
1. The central argument of media richness theory is that communication
2. Media richness refers to the information carrying capacity of the medium
3. Medium richness is determined by assessing four characteristics
a. Speed of feedback (which is related to synchronous or asynchronous
capacities)
b. Ability to personalize the message
B. How ambiguous is the message?
2. Ambiguity refers to the possibility of multiple interpretations
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3. Communication effectiveness is assumed to occur because of a match between
the ambiguity of the message and the richness of the media
V. Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT)
A. UGT focuses on why a receiver uses particular media forms
1. UGT maintains that humans have options and free will
3. Three primary assumptions drive our discussion of uses and gratification theory
a. Audience members actively use various media to fulfill certain needs or
B. Why do we watch what we watch?
1. McQuail (1987) identified four classes of motivations that include several sub-
categories
2. UGT maintains people have many options from which they deliberately select to
meet personal needs