Communication sociology
Communication sociology is a special sociology and a research topic in communication science and deals with social changes that are caused by communicative processes and vice versa.
Interaction versus communication
Social interaction is any type of reciprocal relationship between two or more individuals or two or more groups .
Interaction is not the same as communication . Communication is a special form of interaction. Here is information transmitted. A relationship is different from simple communication. In communication, information is transmitted via symbols . A symbol is a sign that represents a fact or an object.
Socialization & Communication
Relationships between people are created by people, and society (the totality of human relationships) shapes the individual. Communicative behavior is learned. Relationships between people are shaped by rules and skills. These rules and abilities have been shaped by social discourse since the emergence of our species .
In humans, compared to other species, the newborns are very strong and dependent on intensive care from adults for a very long time. There is great physiological and psychological dependence over many years . During this time, the individual is drawn into society until they have learned the skills and rules that enable them to be more independent or to take the place of an adult.
This process of learning the skills and rules of the respective society is called socialization in sociology . These skills and rules are passed on from adults to children through communication . In this way children learn to adapt to their primary social group . We learn in the family first. This is the primary socialization. In addition to and after the family, there are other situations in which children, young people and adults learn: in neighborhoods, groups of friends, depending on the level of development of society in separate institutions ( kindergarten , school, etc.), in vocational training , at work (professional socialization ), in voluntary work , etc. In each of these situations or groups there are different forms of communication and learning.
Research areas in the sociology of communication
Basic theoretical problems in socialization:
- What holds society together Is communication the link between people?
- What are the social differentiations in a society and do they arise from communication problems?
- How does communication change society? How does social change come about ?
- What enables social orientation and what enables social action ?