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THEORISTS: Harold Laswell and Charles Wright

DATE: 1948, 1960

PRIMARY ARTICLES:
Laswell, H (1948). The structure and function of communication
and society: The communication of ideas. New York: Institute for
Religious and Social Studies, 203-243.
Wright, W. R. (1960). Functional analysis and mass
communication. Public Opinion Quarterly,(24), 610-613.

• Functionalism describes society as a self-regulating
system made up of interdependent parts functioning
together to generate stability and social order.

• This system is composed of various social institutions
as religion, the family, economic system, politics, and
others which function to maintain society in a state of
harmonious balance or equilibrium.

METATHEORETICAL ASSUMPTIONS

Ontological Assumptions
Epistemological Assumptions

Axiological Assumptions


Ontological Assumptions:
This theory assumes that humans have a certain amount of
free will. They can use mass communication for any variety of
functions but they have to use it for something. Humans can
make a choice in what to watch for any variety of reasons
even if it is just for noise.


Epistemological Assumptions:
The knowledge is universal and it is one truth that
mass communication functions as a part of our
society. It is a main source of
surveillance, entertainment, correlation, transmission,
and mobilization(McQuial - 1987).


Axiological Assumptions:
This theory is objective and value-neutral. It
does not matter what person is going to
watch the television because everyone
watches it for a reason.

ANALYSIS
Scientific Theory

Explanatory Power:
It explains our society's use for media and mass
communication.

ANALYSIS
Predictive Power:
It predicts that people will use the media for specific
functions.

Parsimony:
It is simple because the audience has a need and the
media fulfills that need.

ANALYSIS
Falsifiability:
The theory could be proved false should the media
become dysfunctional or nonfunctional.

Internal Consistency
The theory makes sense in that there are several
functions of the media and they are not in conflict with
one another. Some people can use the media for more
than one function at different times.

ANALYSIS
Heuristic Provocativeness
Is there a way that the media is dysfunctional? Does the media
serve the same functions now as it did 30 years ago?

Organizing Power:
We know that human beings have needs so we look for ways to fill those
needs. This theory organizes how the media fits in to this equation.

NATURE OF THE AUDIENCE
Mass Communication is directed toward a relatively
large, heterogenous and anonymous audience
Exceptions: messages addressed to specific individuals
like letters, telephone calls, telegrams, etc.

• LARGE – any audience exposed during a short period of time
and of such a size that the communicator couldn’t interact with
its members face-to-face basis.
• HETEROGENOUS – aggregation of individuals occupying a
variety of positions within the society except exclusive audience
or elite.
• ANONYMITY – the individual audience members generally
remain personally unknown to the communicator.

NATURE OF COMMUNICATION EXPERIENCE
Mass Communications are characterized as public, rapid and
transient.

• PUBLIC – the messages are addressed to no one in
particular, their content is open for public surveillance.
• RAPID – the messages are meant to reach large audiences
within a relatively shorter time
Unlike works of fine art, which may be examined at leisure
over centuries.
• TRANSIENT – they are usually intended to be consumed
immediately, not to enter permanent records.
Exceptions: film libraries, radio transcriptions and
kinescope recordings

NATURE OF COMMUNICATOR

• Mass communication is organized
communication.

COMMUNICATOR – works through the
a complex organization embodying an
extensive division of labor and an
accompanying degree of expense.

MAJOR COMMUNICATION ACTIVITIES
LASSWELL WRIGHT
1. SURVEILLANCE 1. SURVEILLANCE
2. CORRELATION 2. INTERPRETATION/
PRESCRIPTION
3. TRANSMISSION 3. SOCIALIZATION/
EDUCATION
- 4. ENTERTAINMENT

HAROLD D. LASSWELL AUTHOR CHARLES R. WRIGHT
He is was a leading American He is
political scientist and Professor Emeritus
communications theorist. He of Communication
was a member of the Chicago and Society.
BRIEF BACKGROUND
school of sociology and was a His interest is
professor at Yale University in in the sociology
law. of mass
communication.
Political Science and
Communication Theory FIELD OF EXPERTISE Sociology

The Structure and Function of The Nature and Function of Mass
Communication in Society Communication

(The article is in specified form
(The article is in general form
because the word “mass
because the word ARTICLE communication” is a special kind of
“communication” is in the communication and requires to be
broader perspective and a wider more specific in the field of mass
sense) communication.)

1948 YEAR OF PUBLICATION 1959

5 14
(This is because Harold Lasswell
is the pioneer in communication NUMBER OF REFERENCES USED
research then there is a few
number of references.)

Scientific Approach Sociological Approach
(used Biological Equivalencies for (used Macro and Micro Level
functional and structural of Analyzation in describing
equivalencies between and concretizing functions
APPROACH IN WRITING
communication in human society and dysfunction of
and other living entities.) communication activities in
society.)

Political, Scientific and Theorist Sociological
View or Perspective View or
VIEW IN WRITING
Perspective

Used scientific terms such as Used sociological terms like
equilibrium, stimuli, single-celled egalitarianism, social
TERMINOLOGIES
organism, etc. cohesion, social change,

Used Analogies to explain mass media Used sociological and abstract
function both individual and society to realistic examples (macro level or
biological organisms. Just as different micro level) like public
EXPLANATIONS/
types of cells in the body, mass media institutions communicating
APPLICATIONS USED
functions only when they work (public health service), individual
smoothly together with other parts. anxieties, etc.

General/Broad Sense Specific Sense

DIFFERENCES IN THE ARTICLE
The primary author of the Major Modified version of Lasswell’s
Communication Function communication function.

Three Functions Four Operations
(Function is not used because it
is reserved for another meaning:
positive consequences)
MODIFICATION ON TERMINOLOGIES

Correlation Interpretation/ Prescription

Transmission of the social inherentence Socialization/ Education

– refers to the collection and distribution of
information concerning events in the
environment, both within a particular society and
outside it.

1. COLLECTION
2. DISTRIBUTION

Example: coverage of a presidential election
campaign

To some extent, surveillance corresponds to what is

-Includes interpretation of the information presented
about the environment, prescriptions about what to
do about it, and attempts to influence such
interpretations, attitude, and conduct

1. INTERPRETING – analyzation
2. PRESCRIBING – recommendation
3. INFLUENCING – afftecting the norms and
behaviour of the society

Example: editorial activity, propaganda, or attempts
at persuasion

• Surveillance itself incorporates editorial
judgements that determine what items qualify as
news or information to be disbursed.
• Interpretation and value judgements are often
implicit or implied, sometimes explicit, in the
news.
• According to a 1997 dissertation of Linda Lannus,
reports that surveillance and correlation activities
tended to be indistinguishable to the reporters,
editors, and readers of two daily metropolitan
newspapers.

Focuses on the assimilation of people in the society.
Concerns the communicative processes by which the
society’s store (or part of its store) of values, social
norms, knowledge, and other cultural components is
made known to and instilled in members and
potential members.

Wright’s modified meaning – [EDUCATION OR
SOCIALIZATION] includes concern with
communication relevant to the assimilation of
children and adults into various social
roles, immigrants into a new society, and related

– refers here to communication activities
primarily (even if arbitrarily) considered
as amusement, irrespective of any other
features they may seem to have

Example: television situation comedy,
Gossip – may be informative,
judgemental, reinforcing of some
shared values, and titillating.

4 MAJOR COMMUNICATION
ACTIVITIES IN A SINGLE CASE
– due to the sense of abstraction of the 4 major communication activities

Example text:

A hurricane is coming this way!
(SURVEILLANCE) Board up the windows.
(CORRELATION) People are responsible for
protecting themselves and their property.
(SOCIALIZATION) It’s a thrilling drama of
humanity versus the elements!
(ENTERTAINMENT)

ROBERT K. MERTON’S DISTINCTION OF
SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCES AND AIMS OF
SOCIAL ACTIVITY

According to intention:
MANIFEST FUNCTIONS– significant intended consequences (sinasadya)
LATENT FUNCTIONS– significant unintended consequences (di-sinasadya)

According to effect
FUNCTION – positive consequence or effect; contributes to the strength and
continuing operation of the society under study.
DYSFUNCTION – negative consequence or effect
NONFUNCTION – irrelevant to the system under study (no effect)

*Any social activity such as mass communication campaigns, can be analyzed
in terms of what seem to be manifest or latent functions and dysfunctions
for the society, its members or its culture.

PUBLIC HEALTH
CAMPAIGNS
Communication Activity: Surveillance
Function (Positive Consequences): to persuade
people to get physical check-ups, to get immunization
shots against the flu, to stop smoking and so on.
Dysfunctions (Negative Consequences):
frightening away potential health clinic who fear they
may learn that they have some incurable disease
Manifest (significant intended
consequences):reductions in the risk of epidemic
Latent(significant unintended consequences):
boosts in prestige given to public health workers

GUIDELINES
1. Avoid trying to classifying every possible effect of mass
communication as functional or dysfunctional. Limit functional
analysis to those consequences that seem important to the
maintenance and/or change of society, its members, or culture.

Ex. Movies or television set in contemporary places might lead some viewers to learn a few new
facts about the story’s locale, such as street names. But unless we can see how that minor effect
is significantly for the maintenance or change of society, its members, or culture, then simply
calling it functional or dysfunctional does not increase our understanding of mass communication
(impertinence/irrelevancy). Suppose, on the other hand, that movie and setting influenced
viewers’ ideas about how people sought to migrate to it. (potential topic).

2. Avoid equating the terms functional and dysfunctional with our
personal ideas of good and bad (setting aside our personal bias).

1. It provides warnings about imminent threats of danger ( a
hurricane, earthquake or military attack)
2. Population can mobilized and protect itself from destruction.
3. It functions as a support feelings of egalitarianism
* EGALITARIANISM – a belief in human equality.
4. It contributes to the everyday institutional operations in the
society.

2 FUNCTIONS OF MASS COMMUNICATED NEWS – Paul Lazersfeld and Robert Merton

1. STATUS CONFERRAL – news reports about members of any
society enhance their prestige.
2. ETHICIZING or ENFORCEMENT OF NORMS – strengthens
social control by exposing deviant behaviour to public view and
possible censure.

Group/ Macro Level
1. Uncensored news about the world threatens the structure of any society
2. It pressures for social change.
3. It can result to widespread panic.

Individual/ Micro Level
1. It heightens anxieties of an individual
2. It can result to privatization
Privitazation – the individual overwhelmed by the data
brought to his attention reacts by turning to matters in his private life, over
which he has greater control .
3. It leads to individual apathy about civic activity.
4. It can lead to narcotization.

Narcotization – equating an informed citizen into an active citizen.

1. It helps to prevent an even greater
flood of mass-communicated news.
2. It helps us to be more aware of
such taken-for-granted management
of the news when it is not provided
3. It prevents undue public anxiety
about news of impending danger.

1. Needed social change may not get
media support but social conformism
does.
2. It is weakening peoples’ critical
ability to find, sift, sort, interpret, and
evaluate news for themselves.
(Weakening of one critical faculties;
Consumption of Pre-digested Ideas and
Concepts)

1. It may help unify the society and increase
social cohesion by providing a broad base
of common social norms, values, and
collective experiences to be shared by its
members.
2. Individuals might be helped in their
integration into the society through
exposure to common social norms and
other cultural matters.

1. The presentation of a more or less
standardized view of culture through
mass communication could result in a
loss of regional, ethnic, and other
subcultural variety and could discourage
cultural diversity and creativity.
2.It also depersonalize the process of
socialization

It offers
diversion, amusement and
relaxation for everybody.
(Macro or Micro Level of the
Society)

1. Too much escapism, may distract people
from important social issues and divert them
from useful social participation and action.
2. If people became so dependent on mass
communication for entertainment that they
no longer were able to entertain themselves
and became permanent mass media
spectators.

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