Teorías funcionalistas de la comunicación

Summary

This video explains the functionalist theories of mass communication, highlighting three key theories: 1) The two-step flow of communication, which emphasizes the role of opinion leaders in transmitting media messages; 2) Uses and Gratifications theory, which suggests that people actively use media to satisfy various needs; and 3) Agenda Setting, which argues that media influences the public and political agendas by determining what issues are considered important. The video provides insights into how these theories view communication as a function of societal needs and their influence on social, political, and economic contexts.

Takeaways

• 😀 Functionalism is a theoretical approach widely used in sociology, anthropology, psychology, and mass communication research, emphasizing the importance of societal functions.
• 😀 The central idea of functionalism is that social facts are best explained by the functions they serve in society, helping maintain and develop the social system.
• 😀 In mass communication, functionalism suggests that communication is best understood by examining its functions and how it interacts with other elements like politics and economy.
• 😀 The 'Two-Step Flow of Communication' theory, proposed by Paul Lazarsfeld and Elihu Katz, highlights the role of opinion leaders as mediators between the media and the public.
• 😀 Opinion leaders must be charismatic, knowledgeable, relatable to the population, and easily recognizable within their social groups.
• 😀 The 'Uses and Gratifications' theory posits that individuals actively select media to satisfy various needs, such as cognitive, emotional, and social needs.
• 😀 The theory of Uses and Gratifications views the audience as active users, not passive consumers, of media content.
• 😀 According to Uses and Gratifications, the media fulfills five types of basic psychological needs: cognitive, aesthetic, personal, social integration, and escapism.
• 😀 The 'Agenda-Setting' theory, proposed by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw, suggests that the media influences which issues are considered important in society, impacting political agendas.
• 😀 The development of Agenda-Setting theory evolved through three phases: determining which topics are considered important, shaping how people think about them, and influencing opinions and attitudes.

Q & A

What is functionalism in communication studies?

Functionalism in communication studies is a theoretical approach that explains social phenomena, including mass communication, by looking at the functions they serve in society. It emphasizes how communication helps maintain and develop social structures.

What are the key components of functionalism in mass communication?

Functionalism in mass communication focuses on the idea that communication functions play a critical role in maintaining social order, and it examines how communication interacts with other societal elements like politics and the economy.

What is the two-step flow of communication theory?

The two-step flow of communication theory, proposed by Paul Lazarsfeld and Elihu Katz, suggests that information from mass media is received by opinion leaders, who then relay it to others in their social groups. Opinion leaders play a crucial role in mediating communication.

What characteristics make someone an opinion leader in the two-step flow theory?

To be considered an opinion leader, an individual must be charismatic, knowledgeable in a specific area, relatable to the group, and easily recognizable within the social group.

How does the Uses and Gratifications theory view the audience in communication?

The Uses and Gratifications theory views the audience as active participants who select and use media to satisfy specific needs. This contrasts with the idea of a passive audience that is easily manipulated by the media.

What are the five main types of needs addressed by mass communication in the Uses and Gratifications theory?

The five types of needs are cognitive (knowledge), affective (emotional and aesthetic satisfaction), personal identity (security and status), social integration (relationship reinforcement), and escapism (entertainment and relaxation).

What is the core idea of the Agenda Setting theory?

The Agenda Setting theory proposes that the media has the power to influence the public agenda by highlighting certain topics, which in turn may influence what political authorities consider important.

How does Agenda Setting theory describe the relationship between media, public, and political agendas?

Agenda Setting theory suggests that media coverage shapes public perception of important topics, which can, in turn, influence the political agenda, as politicians respond to the issues deemed important by the public.

What were the three phases of the Agenda Setting theory's development?

The three phases are: 1) the media’s ability to set the agenda by determining which topics are considered important, 2) the media’s influence on how people think about those topics, and 3) the media’s power to shape public opinion and attitudes on the issues.

How does the Functionalist perspective apply to mass communication?

From a Functionalist perspective, mass communication is best understood by examining the roles and functions it serves in society, particularly in maintaining social order and linking individuals to larger social, political, and economic systems.