Wednesday, January 31
Good work this week. I know the class is moving slow and may by repetitive from your other comm classes, but I assure you new exiting information is on the horizon. This week we covered the following;
1.) Applied vs. Basic Communication Research
2.) What a Theory is
3.) Evaluating Theories Explain
Predict
Control
Heuristic
Communicative
Inspiration
4.) Operationalization
5.) Hypothesis vs. Research Question
6.) IV vs. DV
7.) Types of Questions Definition
Fact
Value
Policy
8.) Theory Building (Inductive vs. Deductive)
Question for thought;
On Monday I gave an example of a theory I created to help explain a common situation. For posting, describe a theory of your own. It does not have to be a good theory, but it should not be a real published communication theory. In addition, critique your own theory on two of the possible six principles we discussed.
posted by Dr. Jeffrey Bolt at 3:35 PM
20 Comments:
Wasn't I just on this blog last week...feels like Groundhog Day LOL
I have a pet peeve (and theory) about people who pull out in front of you when you're the last car in a line of cars and then immediately slow down to turn at the next intersection. Using the principles of explanation and prediction, I believe these drivers are in a hurry and motivated to not be the last in a line of cars - a simple explanation and better than stupidity or inattention (always factors). It would be easy to predict using observation but other factors would need to be considered to avoid falsification of results.
Marianne Riggenbach
I have a theory that if people have a messy car they most likely are messy in the workplace. That would include having a messy desk. When applying the principles of explanation and prediction,I believe you can tell by the way a person takes care of their car if they are clean or dirty. Moreover, it demonstrates how a person may treat their work space(desk). When predicting, I would observe the theory and see if it held to be true.
Erin Satzger
I have a theory that the more I got out and party/socialize, the higher my GPA is. For the past few semesters, as I increase the frequency that I go out weekly, my GPA inches up.
From an explanation standpoint, the term "to party" offers many versions. Does my GPA increase due to just socialization or is it alcohol consumption? Does the day of the week or time of night effect my performance the next day?
As for prediction, this theory can be easily falsified if applied to others. I personally may be more adapted to late nights and early mornings. As a whole, a population may not be as successful as I am at balancing school and fun.
Steph Repp
I have a theory that all you need to get a date is to already have a date. I have seen it happen more than a few times to my friends and myself. There is never just one person asking you out, it's five...and then there is always the time span of none. Applying the principles of explanation and prediction, I think that when an individual gets asked out for a date, they radiate some mysterious confidence and joy that otherwise may be buried to an outsider. Thus, the opposite sex finds this confidence attractive, and therefore will ask them out.
Amanda Gabriele
I have this theory that the rougher a girl looks, the more attention she will get from guys. This can be explained using the principles of explanation and prediction. This has occured to my friends and I more than once. My friends and I could be dressed up and go out and hardly get any attention from guys if none at all, but then the next day if we're out with no make-up on, messy hair, and sweats, it seems as though thats when guys want to talk to a girl.
Ashley Mayle
I have a theory that people subconsiously make themselves have bad days so they can later have good days--or atleast think they're good days becausec they're comparatively better than the bad days.
Obviously I would have to define "good day" and "bad day" since they're both so subjective.
The prediction portion of this theory could be troublesome because there may not be just good and bad days, but also "mediocre" and "okay" days. I'm not sure you could predict if you were going to have a good day tomorrow, just because you had a bad today.
Lauren Birmingham
I have this theory that because i have been sitting here for the past hour thinking about nothing but a "personal theory" it has caused me to not be able to produce one. By applying the principles of explanation and prediction, I believe that I focused so much on one subject; I was not able to creatively open my mind and produce a theory. By predicting, I would probably have some kind of feeling in the back of my head that would most likely influence my performance of accomplishing my goal of producing a theory.
Marc Shupp
I have a theory that the more you try to plan an event, down to every little detail, the more likely something will go wrong. I believe you should let things play themselves out. When applying the principles of explanation and prediction, it is a little tricky. Prediction, sometimes you just know something is going to go wrong, no matter what you do, the explanation could simply be that your plans could go wrong just becuase of who is involved, where it is or the weather. I believe you should just try to make the best out of everything.
Megan Ebert
Over the past few months, I learnt that the best way to adapt to new situations would be to go along to get along, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Having that old saying in mind, expectations come to you in a very easy manner. It’s very common in my country, for example, that friends would shake each other’s hands whenever they meet. Here, it’s not the case; you don’t shake your friend’s hand whenever you meet him. That was a lesson I had to learn when I came here. You might encounter your friend with a hug, but you don’t always shake his hand. If I am introduced to a new friend, we shake hands, but I should expect that we’re not doing so the next time we meet.
Mohamed Aboulhaya.
I have a theory that the more sleep that I get each night the more tried I am the next day. One day last week I sleep for like 10 hours and I was still very tired the next day. Then another day last week I only slept for like 5 hours and I was tired the next day. You would think that the more sleep that you get the more rested you would be the next day but it does not seem like that is true.
As a prediction this theory could be falsified and a lot would have to be done to verify the results to make sure they are true results.
Richard Toth
I have a theory that the more I write down things on a daily schedule, the better I do in school and the better I feel overall. Obviously writing down assignments and test dates aren't going to hurt you, but I have noticed that the more organized I am overall due to my daily schedule routine the higher my overall grades seem to be as well. Applying the concept of explanation and prediction, I would come to conclude that getting all of my assignments and important tasks written out in front of me makes me feel much more organized and it keeps me focused. As simple as it is, it's easy to see why it makes people feel better overall as well. This could also be falsified in different aspects because it is a weak and vague theory.
Jim Sherlock
Using an example from class, I believe if you see a very unattractive male dating a very attractive female the assumption is that this male is extremely rich. Using explanation to determine what "attractive" means, one can predict an unattractive males social status just by juding the attractiveness of his spose.
Matt Brower
I have a theory that people that grew up with parents that gave them everything will have horrible work ethic. A lot of people where I work have parents that gave them everything growing up and now that they have to work they complain about every single thing. I believe people are like this because they aren't use to working hard for their money and they just expect it to be handed to them at all times. This is just my prediction, but if I did research on this I bet it would be true!!!!
Tiffani Clark
Okay, so I'm late.
Did you ever notice that most girls in college treat other women their age poorly? You know, scan them up and down, give them dirty looks, and talk trash with their posse at the bars and what not. I'd say this happens for a few reasons. One- self fulfilling prophecy. They expect girls to be mean, they treat them that way, and in turn, the girls end up responding that way. Second- These girls have not found their value. They're looking for it in men, physical beauty and beer. Surprise, they won't find it there. Third- Since they are trying to find value in these circumstances, they have a lot of competition. Competition between women, it's so bizarre. I suppose this would be hard to research because not many women would admit to these erroneous behaviors.
-Elizabeth Franko
I have a theory that the more you look at a clock to check the time, the longer it will seem till you get off work. Using the principles of explination and prediction, I think that If a person is constantly focused on the idea of getting off work and is eager for this to happen they tend to lose a sense of reality and time seems slower. It would be difficult to control this theory but through observation I think it could be found true.
Leah Verbosky
I have this theory about text messaging that it takes longer and could be more dangerous than simply calling the person. You may be thinking duh, but i've seen it done many times. while driving a car, my friend was texting her friend who was simply sitting at home watching tv. By using the principles of explanation, i believe that my friend thought it is more convienent to text someone than taking the time to call. She thinks its easier to text than to turn down the music, hold the phone to her hear, listen, and talk. but really you could get a conversation along a lot quicker by calling. and not to mention when your a bad driver like this girl, texting can be dangerous!
Dan Caparso
I have this theory that the more I procrastinate on writing a paper, the better I will do on said paper. However, by using principles of explanation and predicition, do I really do better on the paper if I wait until a day before it is due? Or is this what I tell myself so that I feel better about the paper? Just because I may get better grades on papers by procrastinating, it doesn't necessarily mean that I can accurately predict that others may do well on their papers.
Scott Smith
I've always thought that having a job during the school year helped me get better grades. By using prediction I thought back to when I had a job freshmen and sophmore year and I recieved a 3.3. My Junior year I didn't work and got a 2.8. By using explanation I make sense of this by saying if I'm always busy I am constantly doing work, if I have no job I have time to myself and procrastinate and find it harder to get motivated.
I've always thought that having a job during the school year helped me get better grades. By using prediction I thought back to when I had a job freshmen and sophmore year and I recieved a 3.3. My Junior year I didn't work and got a 2.8. By using explanation I make sense of this by saying if I'm always busy I am constantly doing work, if I have no job I have time to myself and procrastinate and find it harder to get motivated.
Justin Quinlan
My theory is that kids are basically a reflection of their parents. If a kid is lazy, not driven, or not motivated, then this could be a result of his or her parents being the same way. It is commonly said that children will take after their parents and assume certain traits of the family. With explanation and prediction this can be good and bad, however, a lot of times children will meet the expectations of the parents and exceeding past those of which the parents have accomplished given the dramatic increase and advancement in technology over time.
Cole Caster
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