Theories and Secondary Research

Part One
Review the list of Social, Cultural, and Communication Theories
Based on the descriptions, select three theories that might apply to what you wrote about in Project #1, and then three that apply to what you wrote about in Project #2. (The don’t all have to be completely different).
Next, use a simple Google search to gain deeper understanding of each theory.
Then, write two 250-word mini-essays: one in which you discuss how the theories fit Project #1; and the other doing the same thing for Project #2. (Note: if you did not complete one of these projects, write 500 words on one.)
( Here is the list.)
What follows is a list of common social, cultural, and communication theories. The list is not for memorizing, but rather for reference. These theories stem from and govern a wide range of disciplines, including anthropology, psychology, literature, media, sociology, economics, and more. A simple Google search on any of these theories will provide a useful definition and examples. Note: these theories don’t all operate in a vacuum; many of them are interrelated and combined.
Those in red type are most likely to be encountered in undergraduate classes.
Archetypal Theory (Carl Jung): Idea that texts contain recurring myths, images, and symbols, common across cultures
Capital (Theories of…) (Pierre Bourdieu):
Cultural Capital: the cultural understanding one has gathered
Political Capital: the political resources one has gathered
Social Capital: the social resources one has gathered
Collective Memory: the shared memories, knowledge, and information about a period or event
Community Types (Etienne Wenger)
Community of Practice: group that shares a common passion for what they do
Community of Interest (Affinity Groups): a group that shares a common interest
Critical Race Theory: examination of race; applied to various disciplines, including law, economics, and art
Cultural Dimensions Theory or “Hoftsede’s Cultures” (Geert Hofstede): How culture affects values and behavior; used as a framework for cross-cultural understanding
Educational Theories
Cognitive Theory of Learning (Jean Piaget): Emphasis on how people think, to understand how they learn
Behaviorist Theory: Behavior is influenced by environment and external factors
Constructivism: Learning is an active, social process
Connectivism: Learning occurs when connected to students’ interests
Multiple Intelligences (Howard Gardner): People have different learning styles
Functionalism: the viewpoint that society is a complex system of integrated parts, working together
Gender Studies: the examination of “gender,” as presented in art, literature, and film
Feminist Theory: Examination of gender inequality
Queer Theory: Examination of homosexuality and common misunderstandings of sexuality
Group Development or “Tuckman’s Stages” (Bruce Tuckman): groups and teams develop through phases
Hierarchy of Needs (Abraham Maslow): a framework for understanding what motivates people
Identity Formation
Personality Types (Myers-Briggs): People fall into sixteen basic types, based on four categories (ENFJ, ISTJ, etc)
Stages of Development (Erik Erikson): framework that people’s identities and needs change over time
Social Identity Theory: idea that people gain a strong sense of self through group membership
Cultural Identity: one’s identity is closely aligned with culture
Marxist Theory: Examination of class structure in society, art, and literature
Media Theories
Effects Theory: examination of the effect of media on people
Uses and Gratifications Theory: examination of why people seek out specific forms of media
Reception Theory: Examination of the how an individual receives messages
Interpellation (Althusser): the process by which we encounter a culture’s or ideology’s values and internalize them
Hot Media / Cool Media (Marshall McLuhan): A distinction of media types, based on level of audience participation
Participatory Culture / Convergence Culture (Henry Jenkins): The idea that more poeple are participating in media production (YouTube. TikTok) while also navigating between old and new media types (the skateboarding “Dream” TikTok is an example).
New Historicism (Historicism): Theory that texts are a byproduct of the time in which they were produced.
Niche Theories
Politeness Theory: exploration of how and why people are polite
Theories of Risk: study of why people partake in risky behavior
Thing Theory: idea that objects gain agency and importance when they are used differently than designed
Tourism Theory (part of Leisure Studies): study of how and why people travel
Organizational Culture: the study of the values and norms of an organization, particularly a corporation
Semiotics: the study of symbols
Structuralism: idea that human behavior is best understood through structures and a system of relationships
Symbolic Interactionism (George Herbert Meade): a framework for understanding how people create and communicate through symbolism and
Technology Theories
Activity Theory: study of how people act with technology
Social Construction of Technology: idea that technologies come to exist based on social forces
Structuration Theory and Technology: the relationship between technology and society
Technostress: the idea that use of technology creates stress and anxiety
Future Shock: theory that continuous technological change leads to social upheaval
Technological Determinism: the belief that a society’s use of technology determines its development
Triangular theory of love (Sternberg): theory that love can be categorized based on levels of intimacy, passion, and commitment.
Part Two
For this part of the assignment, you will first want to read the following pages, to familiarize yourself with research processes:
Secondary Research: Overview
Secondary Research: Procedures
APA Style for Documentation
Next, read the Wikipedia page about Donald Glover.
The page notes that Glover appeared in The Martian in 2015. Your job is to conduct secondary research, through one of the Buxton databases, to locate further information on Glover’s role in this film. Find quotes from him or about him. Theoretically, you’d be using this information to provide further details on this Wikipedia page.
Your assignment has two parts:
1. Write a brief 150 words about Glover’s role in The Martian. Use at least two sources for this information and cite them using proper APA style.
2. Write 150 words chronicling your process for finding this information. What did you do? How did you do it? What was easy? What was difficult?

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