Contribution Of Psychology To Communication Studies (Essay Sample)

Contribution of psychology to communication studies
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Introduction
Communication studies refer to an academic discipline that deals in the process of human communication. Communication may take several forms such as verbal communication, non verbal communication, written communication. The discipline focuses on several topics such as face to face communication and the use of television broadcasting. As a social science, communication studies overlaps with psychology because most communication aspects that are first laid out by the technical aspects are retained in the psychological perspective. Human beings receive and process information differently because of variations in their cognitive processes. These cognitive processes are also manipulated by the individual past experiences, which then shape their attitudes, beliefs and determine how people are influenced by the messages they receive. Psychology is mainly concerned with the study of behavior and the human mind. Psychological theorists posit that human beings choose their future responses based on their previous experiences (Myers, 2015). The relationship between communication studies and psychology cannot be downplayed because it goes beyond examining behaviorism and the impact of internal cognitive mechanism on the process of communication. In this essay, the relevance of psychology and its contribution to communication studies is reviewed.
Psychology and communication studies
The relationship between psychology and communication is mainly established in the three types of communication; face to face communication, communication through mass media and mediated interpersonal communication.
Relevance of psychology in face to face communication studies:
Face to face personal interactions entails the exchange of information between two or more people using both verbal and nonverbal cues. Psychology enables communication students to understand the processes that govern such social interactions in order to provide meaning and structure to the social interaction. Several researchers have endeavored to explain the link between psychology and communication. For instance, the theory of interactional synchrony was put forward to explain the interrelatedness between a person’s verbal cues and their non verbal cues. As people interact with one another, their verbal cues and non verbal cues match, which determines how the social interaction proceeds. In addition, Burgoos (1978), another psychologist, proposed the violations theory in communication that explained the change in communication patterns when one or more parties to the communication process violated the expectations of others in terms of how the communication process was supposed to proceed. For example, if a person touches a stranger, the stranger will react in a manner to show that his or her expectations have been violated. In summary, the field of psychology has produced psychological models and frameworks which have enabled researchers in communication and communication students to have detailed descriptions and to form specific predictions of the manner in which individuals exchange their verbal and no verbal cues.
Relevance of psychology in mediated interpersonal interactions:
Mediated interpersonal reactions involve small groups of people exchanging information in real time via different types of media such as telephones or video conferencing facilities. In these cases, the processes that take place from face to face interactions are taken a notch higher and influenced by the nature of these media. Computer-mediated communication is often lacking in some of the aspects such as verbal cues especially when people communicate via an online messaging platform. The lack of social cues in most forms of computer-mediated communication makes mediated interpersonal interactions to develop less personal relations compared to face to face interactions.
The field of psychology has determined ways in which computer-mediated communication mechanisms can be used to support relationship formation and personal interaction. According to the social processing theory, the more limited band width or sensory richness of computer-mediated communication compared to the face to face interactions is, the longer it takes for people to share and exchange information. Psychologists argue that computer-mediated interpersonal communications can be made more personal by creating a feedback loop, where information sent is replied to. The feedback loop leads positive impression management and reciprocity hence leading to more intense interactions. In summary, people use different types of media to conduct interpersonal relationships thereby combining both aspects of the face to face interactions and those that are only unique to the types of media or technology in use. The additive model of psychological processing is thus important in communication studies as a framework for understanding mediated interpersonal interactions (Lo, 2008).
Relevance of psychology in mass communication:
Mass communication entails the use of mass media outlets such as newspapers, radio, television or print media to pass information to large audiences. The rapid advancement in technology has revolutionized mass communication as an individual is now able to send an email to a website which can then be transmitted to larger audiences. It has changed the people’s understanding of the communication process. Psychology enables researchers and communication students understand mass communication by combining the aspects of face to face communication with those of mediated interpersonal interactions. According to George Gerbner’s cultivation theory, people will change their perception of mediated personal interactions and how they interact face to face when they are overly exposed to mass media (Potter, 2014). This is because mass media changes their perception of the world. For instance, those who watch television for long hours and which are filled with scenes of violence are more likely to be afraid of going out at night. The cultivation theory combines the impact of psychological processes and the effects of mass media on communication. Mass media has a significant impact on interpersonal interactions (Harris and Sanborn, 2013). For instance, when people watch television, their perceptions of the people on the television screens will affect their interactions with actual people in real life situations. This implies that psychology is important in determining how and why people respond to stimuli, in the manner that they do. By understanding the impacts of mass media on individual communication, researchers are able to design ways to help them streamline their communication processes.
Cross-cultural research and communication:
The influence of culture on communication is undoubtedly clear. Individual cultures have major underpinnings on people’s identities, social interactions and response to stimuli. Communication studies should therefore take into consideration the cultural aspects of individuals and their impacts on communication behavior. The field of psychology plays a critical role in helping researchers in communication understand the effect of individual culture on the functioning of the human mind. Psychologists posit that culture is s...