In some ways, the communication discipline is relatively “young.” On one hand, the social scientific approach started well after psychology and sociology, for example. On the OTHER hand, the idea of communication as Rhetoric dates back to ancient greece and rome and peeps like Aristotle, Plato, and Cicero.

OG Theories in Communication Research

(of the more social scientific variety)

OG Theories¹.².

1. Shannon-Weaver Model (1948): Often referred to as the mother of all communication models, this model introduces the concept of noise and emphasizes the importance of encoding and decoding messages. Initially published by Claude Shannon in 1948 and further developed with Warren Weaver in 1949.
2. Lasswell’s Model (1948): Introduced by Harold Lasswell in 1948. This model focuses on the process of communication and is summarized by the phrase “Who says what in which channel to whom with what effect?”.
3. Social Exchange Theory (1958): This theory posits that relationships are maintained through a cost-benefit analysis, where individuals seek to maximize rewards and minimize costs in their interactions.
4. Attachment Theory (1969): Originally developed by John Bowlby and later expanded by Mary Ainsworth, this theory explores how early attachment experiences with caregivers influence communication patterns and relationship behaviors in adulthood.
5. Cultivation Theory (1969): Introduced by George Gerbner in the 1960s, with significant publications in 1969. Proposed by George Gerbner, this theory examines the long-term effects of television on viewers’ perceptions of reality.
6. Communication Accommodation Theory (1971): Howard Giles’ theory examines how individuals adjust their communication styles to others, either to converge and become more similar or to diverge and emphasize differences.
7. Agenda-Setting Theory (1972): Formally developed by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw in 1972, based on their study during the 1968 presidential election. This theory suggests that the media doesn’t tell us what to think, but rather what to think about, by highlighting certain issues.
8. Uses and Gratifications Theory (1970s): Although the concept surfaced in the 1940s, it was primarily developed by Jay Blumler and Elihu Katz in the 1970s.  This theory explores why and how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy specific needs.
9. Social Penetration Theory (1973): This theory, developed by Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor, explains how relational closeness develops through self-disclosure, moving from superficial to more intimate levels of communication.
10. Uncertainty Reduction Theory (1975): Proposed by Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese, this theory suggests that people communicate to reduce uncertainty about each other, especially in initial interactions.
11. Politeness Theory (1970’s; 1978): Proposed by Penelope Brown and Stephen Levinson, this theory explains how individuals use strategies to maintain their own and others’ “face” or public self-image during interactions.