摘要:

This paper argues that not only is theory‐building often unfashionable, but the spurious assumption that the presence of scholarly disputes signifies the need to abandon theory‐building efforts adds to the difficulties of those willing to develop and expand general theories of human communication. We argue that the time is at hand to provide a new response to the published criticism of the symbolic convergence theory (SCT) and its attendant method of fantasy theme analysis (FTA). Since 1977, critics have made a number of charges about the usefulness of the symbolic convergence theory. We have collapsed the more frequently mentioned and argued points into four indictments of SCT: (1) SCT's proponents have not clarified the basic presuppositions that undergird the theory; (2) SCT is Freudian‐based and therefore applies only to small group communication; (3) SCT's insights are researcher‐dependent not dependent on the theory; (4) SCT is a relabeling of old concepts with ttivial jargon that lacks precision and clarity. This paper explains and refutes each indictment. The paper concludes with a discussion of constructive criticism and the harms resulting from indiscriminate and unjustified criticism on theory building in

ISSN:1050-3293    

DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2885.1994.tb00093.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

A selective review of theories of fear appeals is carried out which concludes that these theories have gradually become divorced from the notion of fear. The forces that motivated that separation are examined and a set of arguments are advanced favoring a reunion of fear with a theory of fear appeals. As a means of achieving that union, emotion theory is reviewed and a set of axioms extracted. The axiomatic framework is then used to demonstrate how an emotional perspective on fear appeals might shed new light on this area of persuasion. Recommendations are offered for future studies of fear appeals.

ISSN:1050-3293    

DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2885.1994.tb00094.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Book reviewed in this article:World Changes: Thomas Kuhn and the Nature of SciencePaul Horwich, editor.Politeness in language: Studies in its history, theory, and practiceRichard J. Watts, Sachiko Ide, and Konrad Erlich (Editors)

ISSN:1050-3293    

DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2885.1994.tb00095.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1994

数据来源: WILEY