Communication Theory Research Paper Topics

Communication Theory Research Paper Topics

Applications and Contexts

1. Advertising Theories
2. Argumentation Theories
3. Broadcasting Theories
4. Campaign Communication Theories
5. Communication Across the Life Span
6. Communication in Later Life
7. Communication Skills Theories
8. Community
9. Competence Theories
10. Computer-Mediated Communication
11. Conflict Communication Theories
12. Corporate Campaign Theories
13. Cultivation Theory
14. Cultural Theories of Health Communication
15. Deliberative Democratic Theories
16. Entertainment–Education
17. Environmental Communication Theories
18. Ethics Theories
19. Family and Marital Schemas and Types
20. Family Communication Theories
21. Film Theories
22. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Theories
23. Globalization Theories
24. Group Communication Theories
25. Groupthink
26. Health Communication Theories
27. Humorous Communication Theory
28. Informatization
29. Intercultural Communication Theories
30. International Communication Theories
31. International Development Theories
32. Journalism and Theories of the Press
33. Learning and Communication
34. Legal Communication Theories
35. Media and Mass Communication Theories
36. Medium Theory
37. Negotiation Theory
38. Ordinary Democracy
39. Organizational Communication Theories
40. Political Communication Theories
41. Religious Communication Theories
42. Visual Communication Theories

Critical Orientations

43. Action-Implicative Discourse Analysis
44. Activity Theory
45. Americanization of Media
46. Archeology and Genealogy
47. Autoethnography
48. Black Feminist Epistemology
49. Chicana Feminism
50. Citizenship
51. Co-Cultural Theory
52. Complexity and Communication
53. Critical Communication Pedagogy
54. Critical Constructivism
55. Critical Discourse Analysis
56. Critical Ethnography
57. Critical Organizational Communication
58. Critical Race Theory
59. Critical Rhetoric
60. Critical Theory
61. Cultural Studies
62. Deconstruction
63. Diaspora
64. Digital Divide
65. Discourse Theory and Analysis
66. Existentialism
67. Feminist Communication Theories
68. Feminist Rhetorical Criticism
69. Feminist Standpoint Theory
70. Flow and Contra-Flow
71. Frankfurt School
72. French Feminism
73. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Theories
74. Gender and Media
75. Genderlect Theory
76. Hermeneutics
77. Hybridity
78. Identity Theories
79. Ideological Rhetoric
80. Ideology
81. Interracial Communication
82. Intersectionality
83. Marxist Theory
84. Materiality of Discourse
85. Media Sovereignty
86. Medium Theory
87. Muted Group Theory
88. Neocolonialism
89. New Media Theory
90. Positioning Theory
91. Postcolonial Feminism
92. Postcolonial Theory
93. Postmodern Theory
94. Poststructuralism
95. Power and Power Relations
96. Privilege
97. Propaganda Theory
98. Public Sphere
99. Queer Theory
100. Racial Formation Theory
101. Silence, Silences, and Silencing
102. Social Justice
103. Spectatorship
104. Structuration Theory
105. Transculturation
106. Vernacular Discourse
107. Whiteness Theory
108. Womanism

Cultural Orientations

109. Afrocentricity
110. Asian Communication Theory
111. Black Feminist Epistemology
112. Buddhist Communication Theory
113. Chicana Feminism
114. Chinese Harmony Theory
115. Chronemics
116. Co-Cultural Theory
117. Community
118. Community of Practice
119. Confucian Communication Theory
120. Contextual Theory of Interethnic Communication
121. Critical Ethnography
122. Critical Race Theory
123. Cross-Cultural Adaptation Theory
124. Cultivation Theory
125. Cultural Contracts Theory
126. Cultural Performance Theory
127. Cultural Studies
128. Cultural Theories of Health Communication
129. Cultural Types Theories
130. Culture and Communication
131. Diaspora
132. Effective Intercultural Workgroup Communication Theory
133. Ethnography of Communication
134. Ethnomethodology
135. Face Negotiation Theory
136. Fans, Fandom, and Fan Studies
137. Feminist Standpoint Theory
138. Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Theories
139. Genderlect Theory
140. Gender Role Theory
141. Hindu Communication Theory
142. Hybridity
143. Identity Theories
144. Indian Rasa Theory
145. Informatization
146. Intercultural Communication Competence
147. Intercultural Communication Theories
148. Interpretive Theory
149. Interracial Communication
150. Intersectionality
151. Japanese Kuuki Theory
152. Latino Perspectives
153. Linguistic Relativity
154. Medium Theory
155. Membership Categorization Analysis (MCA)
156. Myth and Mythic Criticism
157. Neocolonialism
158. Organizational Culture
159. Performance Ethnography
160. Performance Theories
161. Popular Culture Theories
162. Postcolonial Theory
163. Privilege
164. Proxemics
165. Racial Formation Theory
166. Religious Communication Theories
167. Silence, Silences, and Silencing
168. Social Identity Theory
169. Social Justice
170. Speech Codes Theory
171. Taoist Communication Theory
172. Transculturation
173. Values Theory: Sociocultural Dimensions and Frameworks
174. Vernacular Discourse
175. Whiteness Theory
176. Womanism

Cybernetic and Systems Orientations

177. Actor–Network Theory
178. Autoethnography
179. Complexity and Communication
180. Convergence Theory
181. Coordinated Management of Meaning
182. Co-Orientation Theory
183. Cybernetics
184. Dual-Level Connectionist Models of Group Cognition and Social Influence
185. Functional Group Communication Theory
186. Information Theory
187. Mathematical Theory of Communication
188. Metacommunication
189. Organizational Co-Orientation Theory
190. Organizing, Process of
191. Palo Alto Group
192. Pragmatics
193. Relational Control Theory
194. Relational Dialectics
195. Stakeholder Theory
196. Structuration Theory
197. System Theory

Feminist Orientations

198. Black Feminist Epistemology
199. Chicana Feminism
200. Feminist Communication Theories
201. Feminist Rhetorical Criticism
202. Feminist Standpoint Theory
203. French Feminism
204. Gender and Media
205. Genderlect Theory
206. Gender Role Theory
207. Gender Schema Theory
208. Intersectionality
209. Invitational Rhetoric
210. Muted Group Theory
211. Postcolonial Feminism
212. Power and Power Relations
213. Queer Theory
214. Womanism

Group and Organizational Communication Concepts

215. Actor–Network Theory
216. Bona Fide Group Theory
217. Campaign Communication Theories
218. Collective Information Sampling
219. Community
220. Community of Practice
221. Co-Orientation Theory
222. Corporate Campaign Theories
223. Creativity in Groups
224. Critical Organizational Communication
225. Cross-Cultural Decision Making
226. Dual-Level Connectionist Models of Group Cognition and Social Influence
227. Effective Intercultural Workgroup Communication Theory
228. Field Theory of Conflict
229. Functional Group Communication Theory
230. Group Communication Theories
231. Groupthink
232. Health Communication Theories
233. Institutional Theories of Organizational Communication
234. Interaction Process Analysis
235. Leadership Theories
236. Media Richness Theory
237. Membership Categorization Analysis (MCA)
238. Organizational Communication Theories
239. Organizational Control Theory
240. Organizational Co-Orientation Theory
241. Organizational Culture
242. Organizational Identity Theory
243. Organizational Socialization and Assimilation
244. Organizing, Process of
245. Sense-Making
246. Social Identity Theory
247. Stakeholder Theory
248. Symbolic-Interpretive Perspective on Groups

Information, Media, and Communication Technology

249. Activation Theory of Information Exposure
250. Advertising Theories
251. Affect-Dependent Theory of Stimulus Arrangements
252. Agenda-Setting Theory
253. Americanization of Media
254. Audience Theories
255. Broadcasting Theories
256. Campaign Communication Theories
257. Communication in Later Life
258. Computer-Mediated Communication
259. Corporate Campaign Theories
260. Critical Theory
261. Cultivation Theory
262. Cultural Studies
263. Diaspora
264. Diffusion of Innovations
265. Digital Divide
266. Discourse Theory and Analysis
267. Documentary Film Theories
268. Entertainment–Education
269. Environmental Communication Theories
270. Expectancy Violations Theory
271. Fans, Fandom, and Fan Studies
272. Film Theories
273. Flow and Contra-Flow
274. Framing Theory
275. Frankfurt School
276. Gender and Media
277. Globalization Theories
278. Health Communication Theories
279. Information Theory
280. Informatization
281. International Development Theories
282. Interpretive Communities Theory
283. Journalism and Theories of the Press
284. Marxist Theory
285. Materiality of Discourse
286. Media and Mass Communication Theories
287. Media Democracy
288. Media Diplomacy
289. Media Effects Theories
290. Media Equation Theory
291. Media Ethics Theories
292. Media Richness Theory
293. Media Sovereignty
294. Medium Theory
295. Membership Categorization Analysis (MCA)
296. Motivated Information Management Theory
297. Neocolonialism
298. Network Society
299. New Media Theory
300. New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO)
301. Political Communication Theories
302. Popular Culture Theories
303. Postcolonial Theory
304. Presence Theory
305. Propaganda Theory
306. Public Opinion Theories
307. Public Sphere
308. Social Action Media Studies
309. Social Identity Theory
310. Social Information Processing Theory
311. Spectatorship
312. Spiral Models of Media Effects
313. Spiral of Silence
314. Two-Step and Multi-Step Flow
315. Uses, Gratifications, and Dependency
316. Violence and Nonviolence in Media

International and Global Communication Concepts

317. Culture and Communication
318. Diaspora
319. Flow and Contra-Flow
320. Free Flow Doctrine
321. Globalization Theories
322. Intercultural Communication Theories
323. International Development Theories
324. Media Diplomacy
325. Media Sovereignty
326. Neocolonialism
327. New World Information and Communication Order (NWICO)
328. Peace Theories
329. Postcolonial Theory

Interpersonal Communication Concepts

330. Accommodation Theory
331. Accounts and Account Giving
332. Action Assembly Theory
333. Action-Implicative Discourse Analysis
334. Agency
335. Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory
336. Argumentativeness, Assertiveness, and Verbal Aggressiveness Theory
337. Attachment Theory
338. Attribution Theory
339. Chronemics
340. Cognitive Dissonance Theory
341. Collective Information Sampling
342. Communibiology
343. Communication Goal Theories
344. Communication in Later Life
345. Communication Skills Theories
346. Communication Theory of Identity
347. Competence Theories
348. Compliance Gaining Strategies
349. Conflict Communication Theories
350. Constructivism
351. Conversational Constraints Theory
352. Conversation Analysis
353. Coordinated Management of Meaning
354. Cross-Cultural Adaptation Theory
355. Cultural Contracts Theory
356. Deception Detection
357. Dialogue Theories
358. Diffusion of Innovations
359. Discourse Theory and Analysis
360. Dyadic Power Theory
361. Elaboration Likelihood Theory
362. Emotion and Communication
363. Empathy
364. Ethnomethodology
365. Expectancy Violations Theory
366. Face Negotiation Theory
367. Facework Theories
368. Family and Marital Schemas and Types
369. Family Communication Theories
370. Field Theory of Conflict
371. Genderlect Theory
372. General Semantics
373. Grounded Theory
374. Hawaiian Ho‘oponopono Theory
375. Health Communication Theories
376. Heuristic-Systematic Model
377. I and Thou
378. Immediacy
379. Impression Formation
380. Impression Management
381. Inoculation Theory
382. Interaction Adaptation Theory
383. Interaction Involvement
384. Intercultural Communication Competence
385. Interpersonal Communication Theories
386. Interpersonal Deception Theory
387. Invitational Rhetoric
388. Kinesics
389. Learning and Communication
390. Metacommunication
391. Motivated Information Management Theory
392. Negotiation Theory
393. Nonverbal Communication Theories
394. Palo Alto Group
395. Paralanguage
396. Persuasion and Social Influence Theories
397. Politeness Theory
398. Power, Interpersonal
399. Privacy Management Theory
400. Problematic Integration Theory
401. Proxemics
402. Reasoned Action Theory
403. Relational Control Theory
404. Relational Development
405. Relational Dialectics
406. Relational Maintenance Theory
407. Rhetorical Sensitivity
408. Rogerian Dialogue Theory
409. Rules Theories
410. Self-Categorization Theory
411. Self-Disclosure
412. Sense-Making
413. Social and Communicative Anxiety
414. Social Construction of Reality
415. Social Exchange Theory
416. Social Information Processing Theory
417. Social Interaction Theories
418. Social Judgment Theory
419. Social Penetration Theory
420. Social Support
421. Speech Act Theory
422. Stigma Communication
423. Stories and Storytelling
424. Style, Communicator
425. Symbolic Convergence Theory
426. Symbolic Interactionism
427. Trait Theory
428. Two-Step and Multi-Step Flow
429. Uncertainty Management Theories
430. Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Non-Western Orientations

431. Afrocentricity
432. Asian Communication Theory
433. Confucian Communication Theory
434. Hawaiian Ho‘oponopono Theory
435. Hindu Communication Theory
436. Indian Rasa Theory
437. Informatization
438. Japanese Kuuki Theory
439. Taoist Communication Theory

Paradigms, Traditions, and Schools

440. Afrocentricity
441. Asian Communication Theory
442. Buddhist Communication Theory
443. Cognitive Theories
444. Communibiology
445. Communication Skills Theories
446. Constitutive View of Communication
447. Critical Theory
448. Empiricism
449. Feminist Communication Theories
450. Humanistic Perspective
451. Modernism in Communication Theory
452. Philosophy of Communication
453. Postmodern Theory
454. Postpositivism
455. Poststructuralism
456. Pragmatics
457. Rules Theories
458. Scientific Approach
459. Social Interaction Theories
460. System Theory
461. Traditions of Communication Theory
462. Variable Analytic Tradition

Philosophical Orientations

463. Axiology
464. Epistemology
465. Ethics Theories
466. Existentialism
467. Meaning Theories
468. Metatheory
469. Ontology
470. Phenomenology
471. Philosophy of Communication
472. Pragmatics
473. Realism and the Received View
474. Values Studies: History and Concepts

Psycho-Cognitive Orientations

475. Accommodation Theory
476. Action Assembly Theory
477. Activation Theory of Information Exposure
478. Activity Theory
479. Affect-Dependent Theory of Stimulus Arrangements
480. Agency
481. Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory
482. Argumentativeness, Assertiveness, and Verbal Aggressiveness Theory
483. Attachment Theory
484. Attitude Theory
485. Attribution Theory
486. Audience Theories
487. Chronemics
488. Cognitive Dissonance Theory
489. Cognitive Theories
490. Communibiology
491. Communication Across the Life Span
492. Communication and Language Acquisition and Development
493. Communication in Later Life
494. Competence Theories
495. Compliance Gaining Strategies
496. Constructivism
497. Co-Orientation Theory
498. Cross-Cultural Adaptation Theory
499. Cultivation Theory
500. Diffusion of Innovations
501. Dual-Level Connectionist Models of Group Cognition and Social Influence
502. Dyadic Power Theory
503. Elaboration Likelihood Theory
504. Emotion and Communication
505. Empathy
506. Expectancy Violations Theory
507. Face Negotiation Theory
508. Family and Marital Schemas and Types
509. Field Theory of Conflict
510. Gender and Biology
511. Gender Schema Theory
512. General Semantics
513. Heuristic-Systematic Model
514. Humorous Communication Theory
515. Immediacy
516. Impression Formation
517. Inoculation Theory
518. Interaction Adaptation Theory
519. Interaction Involvement
520. Interaction Process Analysis
521. Intercultural Communication Competence
522. Interpersonal Deception Theory
523. Intrapersonal Communication Theories
524. Leadership Theories
525. Learning and Communication
526. Linguistic Relativity
527. Meaning Theories
528. Media Effects Theories
529. Motivated Information Management Theory
530. Negotiation Theory
531. Nonverbal Communication Theories
532. Persuasion and Social Influence Theories
533. Politeness Theory
534. Power, Interpersonal
535. Privacy Management Theory
536. Problematic Integration Theory
537. Public Opinion Theories
538. Reasoned Action Theory
539. Religious Communication Theories
540. Rhetorical Sensitivity
541. Self-Categorization Theory
542. Self-Disclosure
543. Sense-Making
544. Social and Communicative Anxiety
545. Social Exchange Theory
546. Social Information Processing Theory
547. Social Judgment Theory
548. Social Penetration Theory
549. Spiral of Silence
550. Style, Communicator
551. Trait Theory
552. Uncertainty Management Theories
553. Uncertainty Reduction Theory
554. Uses, Gratifications, and Dependency
555. Values Studies: History and Concepts

Rhetorical Orientations

556. Agency
557. Argumentation Theories
558. Classical Rhetorical Theory
559. Critical Rhetoric
560. Dramatism and Dramatistic Pentad
561. Genre Theory
562. Hermeneutics
563. Identification
564. Ideological Rhetoric
565. Invitational Rhetoric
566. Metaphor
567. Myth and Mythic Criticism
568. Narrative and Narratology
569. Organizational Control Theory
570. Political Communication Theories
571. Religious Communication Theories
572. Rhetorical Sensitivity
573. Symbolic Convergence Theory
574. Visual Communication Theories

Semiotic, Linguistic, and Discursive Orientations

575. Accounts and Account Giving
576. Action-Implicative Discourse Analysis
577. Activity Theory
578. Actor–Network Theory
579. Archeology and Genealogy
580. Argumentation Theories
581. Autoethnography
582. Chronemics
583. Classical Rhetorical Theory
584. Constitutive View of Communication
585. Conversational Constraints Theory
586. Conversation Analysis
587. Critical Discourse Analysis
588. Cultural Studies
589. Deconstruction
590. Ethnomethodology
591. Feminist Rhetorical Criticism
592. Genderlect Theory
593. General Semantics
594. Genre Theory
595. Hermeneutics
596. Identification
597. Ideological Rhetoric
598. Interpretive Theory
599. Intrapersonal Communication Theories
600. Kinesics
601. Language and Communication
602. Linguistic Relativity
603. Materiality of Discourse
604. Meaning Theories
605. Metacommunication
606. Metaphor
607. Narrative and Narratology
608. Neocolonialism
609. Nonverbal Communication Theories
610. Paralanguage
611. Politeness Theory
612. Popular Culture Theories
613. Positioning Theory
614. Poststructuralism
615. Proxemics
616. Semiotics and Semiology
617. Silence, Silences, and Silencing
618. Speech Act Theory
619. Speech Codes Theory
620. Stories and Storytelling
621. Symbolic Convergence Theory
622. Symbolic Interactionism
623. Visual Communication Theories

Social-Interactional Orientations

624. Accounts and Account Giving
625. Action-Implicative Discourse Analysis
626. Activity Theory
627. Actor–Network Theory
628. Agency
629. Agenda-Setting Theory
630. Audience Theories
631. Autoethnography
632. Bona Fide Group Theory
633. Communication and Language Acquisition and Development
634. Communication Theory of Identity
635. Community
636. Community of Practice
637. Consequentiality of Communication
638. Constitutive View of Communication
639. Conversational Constraints Theory
640. Conversation Analysis
641. Coordinated Management of Meaning
642. Co-Orientation Theory
643. Cultural Performance Theory
644. Dialogue Theories
645. Diffusion of Innovations
646. Discourse Theory and Analysis
647. Dramatism and Dramatistic Pentad
648. Ethnomethodology
649. Facework Theories
650. Framing Theory
651. Functional Group Communication Theory
652. Gender Role Theory
653. Grounded Theory
654. Hawaiian Ho‘oponopono Theory
655. I and Thou
656. Identification
657. Identity Theories
658. Immediacy
659. Impression Management
660. Interpersonal Deception Theory
661. Interpretive Communities Theory
662. Intrapersonal Communication Theories
663. Invitational Rhetoric
664. Leadership Theories
665. Meaning Theories
666. Membership Categorization Analysis (MCA)
667. Negotiation Theory
668. Nonverbal Communication Theories
669. Organizational Control Theory
670. Organizational Co-Orientation Theory
671. Organizational Culture
672. Organizing, Process of
673. Palo Alto Group
674. Performance Theories
675. Politeness Theory
676. Positioning Theory
677. Postmodern Theory
678. Poststructuralism
679. Privacy Management Theory
680. Privilege
681. Proxemics
682. Relational Control Theory
683. Relational Development Theories
684. Relational Dialectics
685. Relational Maintenance
686. Rogerian Dialogue Theory
687. Rules Theories
688. Social Action Media Studies
689. Social Construction of Reality
690. Social Identity Theory
691. Social Interaction Theories
692. Social Penetration Theory
693. Speech Act Theory
694. Spiral of Silence
695. Stories and Storytelling
696. Structuration Theory
697. Symbolic Convergence Theory
698. Symbolic Interactionism
699. Symbolic-Interpretive Perspective on Groups
700. Values Studies: History and Concepts
701. Values Theory: Sociocultural Dimensions and Frameworks

Theory, Metatheory, Methodology, and Inquiry

702. Autoethnography
703. Conversation Analysis
704. Critical Discourse Analysis
705. Critical Ethnography
706. Definitions of Communication
707. Discourse Theory and Analysis
708. Epistemology
709. Ethics Theories
710. Ethnography of Communication
711. Ethnomethodology
712. Evaluating Communication Theory
713. Feminist Rhetorical Criticism
714. Genre Theory
715. Grounded Theory
716. Hermeneutics
717. Humanistic Perspective
718. Inquiry Processes
719. Interpretive Theory
720. Metatheory
721. Modernism in Communication Theory
722. Myth and Mythic Criticism
723. Ontology
724. Performative Writing
725. Phenomenology
726. Philosophy of Communication
727. Postpositivism
728. Practical Theory
729. Realism and the Received View
730. Scientific Approach
731. Stories and Storytelling
732. Theory
733. Traditions of Communication Theory
734. Validity and Reliability
735. Variable Analytic Tradition

Communication as a concept always has been with us, but the origins of the discipline are more recent. In the United States, the humanistic roots of the discipline can be found in the study of rhetoric in ancient Greece and Rome, while the social scientific side typically dates its origins to the rise of studies of mass media, public opinion, propaganda, and persuasion early in the 20th century and especially during World War II. Both strands had a decidedly pragmatic bent: The five canons of rhetoric—invention, organization, style, delivery, and memory—were designed to help a speaker better prepare for and argue a position in the court, the assembly, or at a ceremonial event. Social scientists had a similarly pragmatic concern in understanding the functions and possibilities for communication in advertising, media, and technology as well as in face-to-face contexts.

Communication theory, then, followed from the pragmatic concerns about the study of communication. At first, communication scholars turned to existing disciplines for theories—not surprising since virtually every discipline concerned with the human being must study communication to some degree. The recognition of social sciences as legitimate disciplines after World War II gave even more credence to the contributions of psychology and sociology for understanding human communicative behavior. European scholars began to influence communication theory in the United States after World War II as well; heavily influenced by Marxist theories, European scholars from a variety of disciplines have been responsible for the introduction of critical–cultural theories and methods into the study of communication.

Gradually, however, separate communication departments began to form. At first often referred to as departments of speech communication to reflect both the rhetorical and social scientific roots, most departments today are simply called departments of communication or communication studies. In contrast to scholars in related disciplines who tend to consider communication a secondary process for transmitting information about the world, communication scholars see communication as the organizing principle of human social life: Communication constructs the social world rather than simply providing the means for describing that world.

Of course, theories of communication are not distinctive to the Western tradition and the United States. Virtually every culture has been concerned with the nature and functions of communication, and communication scholars are beginning to integrate theories from a variety of countries and cultures. Feminist scholars have sought to describe ways feminine worldviews might foster different modes of communication since the 1970s. Afrocentric and Asiacentric communication are perhaps the best articulated bodies of work to date that describe the communication assumptions and practices of African Americans and Asians, respectively. Increasingly, then, communication scholars are seeking to understand similarities and differences across cultures and to articulate more nuanced theories to reflect these more comprehensive understandings of how communication works.

Although the communication field now has the legitimacy and coherence that comes from disciplinary status, it remains a continually evolving and changing discipline. This collection will offer the student of communication a sense of the history, development, and current status of the discipline with an emphasis on the theories that comprise it. We hope readers in communication will engage these theories in a spirit of ongoing inquiry that is crucial to the continued development of the field. And we hope those in related fields will gain a better understanding of what the communication discipline is all about.

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