What is communication research?

Answer 1

Years ago, few scholars studied communication. But since the 1940s, more research has been done in this field of study, as researchers try to understand how people communicate (or fail to communicate); some scholars are also looking into how animals communicate-- there has been research done with gorillas who were taught sign language, grey parrots (who are capable of speech), and various other species. Today, you can even major in Communication at a number of colleges. Communication research can take many forms: Some scholars focus on media effects-- for example, studying what impact mass media like television, radio, Pop Music and movies have on young people. One famous communication scholar, George Gerbner, wrote about "cultivation theory" and the "mean world syndrome"-- his research did not show a direct link between bad behavior and watching violent programs on TV, but it did show that as time goes by, the kids who watch more and more of these violent kinds of programs become accustomed to them, and begin to believe the world is a violent and dangerous place. Other well-known communication scholars include Marshall McLuhan, Neil Postman, Deborah Tannen, and George Lakoff.

In addition to studying the role of media in communication, there are researchers who look at the role of gender-- for example, do men and women communicate differently, or is that just a myth? Some researchers study the role of social class, or one's level of education, or one's culture, on communication. Some go out and do field work where they live with a particular group of people and observe how they use their language. And other communication researchers examine semantics: how meaning is created, how words change meaning, etc. Today, many scholars are also doing research into the impact of globalization on the way we communicate-- most Americans only speak one language (English) but many will be working with people from other cultures, and it is important to understand how ideas and beliefs are expressed in those other cultures.