Mass Comm Bachelor of Communication Communication Theory and Research Methods 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which communication model introduced the concept of 'noise' as a barrier to message transmission?
- Shannon-Weaver model (Correct answer)
- Lasswell model
- Berlo's SMCR model
- Osgood-Schramm model
Correct answer: Shannon-Weaver model
The Shannon-Weaver model of communication introduced the concept of noise as any interference that distorts a message between sender and receiver.
Question 2: What does 'agenda-setting theory' propose?
- Media tells the public what to think about, not what to think (Correct answer)
- Audiences actively set their own media consumption agenda
- Journalists align with political parties' agendas
- Advertisers determine news content priorities
Correct answer: Media tells the public what to think about, not what to think
Agenda-setting theory, developed by McCombs and Shaw, proposes that the media influences public perception by choosing which issues to cover prominently.
Question 3: What is 'uses and gratifications theory' in communication research?
- Audiences actively choose media to satisfy specific needs (Correct answer)
- Media use is passive and determined by content producers
- Audiences gratify media companies through subscription fees
- Content satisfies advertisers' brand placement needs
Correct answer: Audiences actively choose media to satisfy specific needs
Uses and gratifications theory argues that audiences are active and make deliberate media choices to fulfill needs like information, entertainment, or social connection.
Question 4: In research methodology, what is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?
- Qualitative explores meaning and experience; quantitative measures numerical data (Correct answer)
- Qualitative uses large samples; quantitative uses small focus groups
- Qualitative is more objective; quantitative is subjective
- Qualitative uses surveys; quantitative uses interviews
Correct answer: Qualitative explores meaning and experience; quantitative measures numerical data
Qualitative research explores meanings, themes, and experiences through methods like interviews, while quantitative research collects and analyzes numerical data through surveys or experiments.
Question 5: What is 'framing theory' in mass communication?
- How media presents information influences how audiences interpret it (Correct answer)
- The physical layout used in television news broadcasts
- The legal framework governing broadcast licenses
- The structure of a news story's narrative arc
Correct answer: How media presents information influences how audiences interpret it
Framing theory proposes that the way media presents information — what is included, emphasized, or omitted — shapes how audiences understand an issue.
Question 6: What is 'cultivation theory' associated with George Gerbner?
- Heavy TV viewing shapes audiences' perception of social reality (Correct answer)
- Farming communities have distinct media consumption patterns
- Repeated ad exposure cultivates brand loyalty over time
- Media producers cultivate relationships with government sources
Correct answer: Heavy TV viewing shapes audiences' perception of social reality
Cultivation theory holds that long-term, heavy television viewing leads audiences to perceive the world as more like the TV world than it actually is.
Mass Comm Bachelor of Communication Communication Theory and Research Methods 1
Which communication model introduced the concept of 'noise' as a barrier to message transmission?