COMMUNICATION EFFECTS AND FUNCTIONS

The study of communication effects and functions is fundamental to understanding how mass communication influences audiences and society at large. Chapter 12 of Stephen W. Littlejohn’s Theories of Human Communication (1983), titled “The Mediated Context: Theories of Mass Communication,” provides a detailed exploration of how mass communication functions and its effects on audiences. Littlejohn's work, alongside contributions from other scholars, helps frame the discourse around media influence, agendasetting, and the uses and gratifications of media consumption.