“Communication Studies is an academic field that deals with processes of communication, commonly defined as the sharing of symbols over distances in space and time. Hence, communication studies encompasses a wide range of topics and contexts ranging from face-to-face conversation to speeches to mass media outlets such as television broadcasting. Communication studies, as a discipline, is also often interested in how audiences interpret information and the political, cultural, economic, and social dimensions of speech and language in context.”
Subcategories
1. Some subfields of communication are, Communication Studies, Mass Communication, Speech and Rhetorical Studies, Organizational, and Communication Theory.
2. Concepts are stepping-stones to developing theories. One concept of communication would be language itself. Language can be defined as a system of vocal signs and is the most important sign system of human society. Another concept would be non-verbal communication. The act of communicating is not limited to things we can hear only. We can communicate through sighs, facial expressions and print, just to name a few.
3. Two leading theories within the discipline of communication are communication accommodation theory and speech accommodation theory. Howard Giles created the communication accommodation theory. It argues that people, when interacting with each other will adjust their speech, vocal patterns, and their gestures, to accommodate to others. This theory had evolved from another of Giles’ theories. This theory was the Speech Accommodation Theory. It was created in order to demonstrate the value of social psychological concepts to understanding the dynamics of speech. It looked further into the motivations behind the shifts in people’s speech patterns. Because of his work Giles has been awarded many notable prizes and held the positions of chair of the Department of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and president of both the International Communication Association and the International Association for the Study of Language and Social Psychology.