COMMUNICATION THEORY
This collection of articles and book chapters represents a basic overview of the theoretical foundations of applied health communication. Dating back to 1952 (the original publication date of Schramm's seminal "The Nature of Communication among Humans"), these readings describe many of the core concepts and causal explanations for communication effects. These readings barely scratch the surface of communication theory; the field is growing dramatically, with the intersection between social science and the humanities being a rich area of new theorizing and empirical study. Serious students will want to use this list as a set of handy basic references, as well as an entry point for further study and exploration.
Communication effects studies: An overview
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Readings:
McQuail, D. (1994). Mass Communication Theory, 3rd Ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Chap. 13, "Processes of short term change" (pp 327-251) & Chap. 14, "Longer term and indirect change" (pp 352-373).
Schramm, W. (1971). "The nature of human communication." In Schramm, W. & Roberts, D. The Process and Effects of Mass Communication. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, pp 1-73.
Message learning theory
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Reading:
Petty, R. & Cacioppo, J. (1981). Attitudes
and Persuasion: Classic and Contemporary Approaches. Dubuque, IA, William
C. Brown. Chap. 3: "The message learning approach" (pp 59-94).
Theory of planned behavior
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Reading:
Fishbein, M. & Ajzen, I. (1981). "Acceptance,
yielding & impact: Cognitive processes in persuasion." In Petty, R. et
al., Cognitive Responses in Persuasion. Hillsdale, NJ: LEA, pp. 339-359.
Social learning theory
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Reading:
Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought
& Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Chap 2: "Observational learning" (pp 47-105)
Diffusion theory
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Reading:
Rogers, E. (1995). Diffusion of Innovations. New
York: The Free Press. Chap. 1, "The Diffusion Process" (pp 1-37).
Convergence and bounded normative influence theory
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Reading:
Rogers, E. & Kincaid, L. (1981). Communication
Networks: Toward a New Paradigm for Research. New York: The Free Press. Chap.
1, "The miracle of Oryu Li" (pp 1-30) & Chap. 2, "The convergence model of
communication and network analysis" (pp 31-78).
Ideation and social change
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Readings:
Cleland, J. & Wilson, C. (1987). "Demand
theories of the fertility transition: An iconoclastic view." Population
Studies, 41, 5-30.
Figueroa, M. et al., (2002). "Communication
for social change: An integrated model for measuring the process and its outcomes."
Communication for Social Change Working Paper Series, No. 1. New York: The
Rockefeller Foundation.
Communication and affect
Reading:
Witte, K. & Allen, M. (2000). "A meta-analysis
of fear appeals: Implications for effective public health campaigns." Health
Education & Behavior, 25(5): 608-632.
Witte, K. (1992). Putting the fear back into fear appeals: The extended parallel process model. Communication Monographs, 59, 329-349.
Thesenvitz, J. (2000). Understanding and Using Fear Appeals for Tobacco Control.
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