%0 Thesis %1 fish_study_1984 %A Fish, Marjorie J. %C Austin %D 1984 %K dissertation externalist funding institutional intellectual mass-communication sociology-of-science united-states %T A Study of Mass Communication Research and Scholarship %X Main characteristics, challenges, current practices and future directions of mass communication research are examined from a sociology of science perspective to determine the influence of theory, method and utility to government and industry decision makers on the development of future directions of research activity in this field. Intellectual underpinnings for theory, method and utility for mass communication research activity are traced through the more established social sciences which from the 1930s through the 1960s were based on fairly stable pragmatist and behavioral assumptions. However, by the 1970s when anticipated theories and procedures of this orientation had not gone unchallenged alternate philosophies and research approaches with new perspectives on the purposes of social science research began to receive greater attention from North American scholars. Mass communication, distinctly American social science which developed during the era of stability, had by the 1970s also experienced the repercussions of challenge and disaffection with a positivist, behavioral research orientation. The degree to which challenges have affected mainstream research activity by the 1980s is examined from the perspective of the influence of funding, sponsorship arrangements and university setting. Nine hypotheses concerning the impact of institutional structures on research activity and researcher perspectives on the field are tested through survey techniques. Nominal data was gathered relative to the recent past, present, and planned future research activity of mass communication researchers affiliated with major and minor American universities. Statistical analysis using Chi-Square provided partial confirmation for the research hypotheses which posit a disassociation between the primary research activity of scholars and what they perceive as the most relevant approaches and areas for research innovation in the field. Developed as a service oriented field, mass communication research appears to continue following the original directions for research activity. However, researchers also seem to be aware and concerned about the limitations of the research agenda and supportive of developing theories, procedures and structures for more actively pursuing alternate approaches to research activity.

@phdthesis{fish_study_1984, abstract = {Main characteristics, challenges, current practices and future directions of mass communication research are examined from a sociology of science perspective to determine the influence of theory, method and utility to government and industry decision makers on the development of future directions of research activity in this field. Intellectual underpinnings for theory, method and utility for mass communication research activity are traced through the more established social sciences which from the 1930s through the 1960s were based on fairly stable pragmatist and behavioral assumptions. However, by the 1970s when anticipated theories and procedures of this orientation had not gone unchallenged alternate philosophies and research approaches with new perspectives on the purposes of social science research began to receive greater attention from North American scholars. Mass communication, distinctly American social science which developed during the era of stability, had by the 1970s also experienced the repercussions of challenge and disaffection with a positivist, behavioral research orientation. The degree to which challenges have affected mainstream research activity by the 1980s is examined from the perspective of the influence of funding, sponsorship arrangements and university setting. Nine hypotheses concerning the impact of institutional structures on research activity and researcher perspectives on the field are tested through survey techniques. Nominal data was gathered relative to the recent past, present, and planned future research activity of mass communication researchers affiliated with major and minor American universities. Statistical analysis using Chi-Square provided partial confirmation for the research hypotheses which posit a disassociation between the primary research activity of scholars and what they perceive as the most relevant approaches and areas for research innovation in the field. Developed as a service oriented field, mass communication research appears to continue following the original directions for research activity. However, researchers also seem to be aware and concerned about the limitations of the research agenda and supportive of developing theories, procedures and structures for more actively pursuing alternate approaches to research activity.}, added-at = {2019-08-29T01:56:31.000+0200}, address = {{Austin}}, author = {Fish, Marjorie J.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/2808ca37576c530efc2233e2aa5db391a/jpooley}, interhash = {9240ab4d4e04bfb9f1d5d35730b734d6}, intrahash = {808ca37576c530efc2233e2aa5db391a}, keywords = {dissertation externalist funding institutional intellectual mass-communication sociology-of-science united-states}, school = {University of Texas at Austin}, timestamp = {2019-08-29T01:56:31.000+0200}, title = {A {{Study}} of {{Mass Communication Research}} and {{Scholarship}}}, type = {{{PhD Thesis}}}, year = 1984 }