Abstract
This article defines communication as interaction through symbols and messages and presents communications as a discipline concerned with the nature and role of message systems in human life and society. It situates the field historically through the symbolic construction of culture, described as story telling, and traces major transformations from oral traditions to print publics and electronic media. The article gives particular attention to television as a ritualized system that exposes diverse audiences to shared patterns of messages and raises questions about culture, socialization, democracy, and public life. It also outlines an academic structure for the field, including codes and modes, communication behavior, and communication systems and institutions. The article concludes by identifying major scholarly projects intended to help define and refine communication studies.
Recommended Citation
Gerbner, George
(1984)
"Defining the field of communication.,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 48, Article 4.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol48/iss1/4
