ASSIGNMENT: AN OVERVIEW OF COMMUNICATION

THEORIES, SOCIAL MOBILIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT

COMMUNICATION MODELS.

INTRODUCTION
The growth and development of people is the highest calling of
leadership- Harvey S. Firestone
Development is pivotal to achieve sustainable growth in all
endeavors. For effective human sustainable development to
occur in our society especially in developing nations of which
Nigeria is also part of, there is need for in-depth understanding of
theories of communication for behavioural change and
development. This is important in order to develop effective
message design that will bring about positive change in peoples
behaviour. Hence, development expert, communication expert,
health workers and communicators needs a good grasp of
communication theories for social mobilization and development.

OVERVIEW OF COMMUNICATION THEORIES, SOCIAL

MOBILIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT
COMMUNICATION MODELS
What is a theory: It is an abstract simplification of a
phenomenon. A theory must be a predictive tool for research,
must be comprehensive enough so as to explain phenomenon
and above all theories allow the health educators and information
officer build necessary abstractions from behaviour, attitude and
individual differences. On the other hand, communication models
are small representation of the communication process. Samples
of communication models as treated in this chapter include:

1. Harold Lasswell Model: He simply put the process of

communication in a simple word model- WHO? > SAYS WHAT
> IN WHICH CHANNEL > TO WHOM > WITH WHAT EFFECT?
He later modified the model.
2. Wilbur Schramm AND Charles Osgood Model of
communication
According to these scholars, communication is an ongoing
and reciprocal process where all participants are attempting
to either encode or decode message. There is no clear cut
source or receiver.
3. Shannon AND Weaver Model of Communication
They presented the mathematical information model i.e
SOURCE, MESSAGE,TRANSMITTER, CHANNEL AND
DESTINATION.
DIFFFUSION OF INNOVATION AND MESSAGE DESIGN
FOR SOCIAL MOBILIZATION
The summary of this is that development must begin from
top and move downward (Rogers). Also, development must
have a foundation and therefore, must begin from bottom
and gradually moves up so as to have a multiplier effects
(Learner). In essence, for modification of attitude and
behaviour, an effective communication mechanism must be
present and articulated before there can be any useful
mobilization. This mechanism is what is called message
design.
MESSAGE DESIGN
For any message to be effective and accepted, cultural
diversities must be acknowledge and taken into
consideration. The message designer must also be a credible
person because the resultant behaviour of the potential
audience can be either adoption of the message or rejection.
The message can be adapted to the prevailing sociopolitical, cultural economic and traditional conditions of the
people.

RELEVANT THEORIES IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND

BEHAVIOUR
1. The hypodermic needle theory
2. Individual differences theory
3. The selectivity theory
4. The acceptance theory
5. The rejection theory
6. The avoidance theory
7. Aggressive cues theory
8. Observational learning theory
9. Reinforcement theory
10. Cultivation theory
11. The agenda setting theory
12. The gatekeeper theory
13. The uses and gratification theory

CONCLUSION
There will be no effective behvioural change and development
without health educators and information officers understanding
the theoretical framework of communication for development and
social mobilization. Hence, theories may be abstract but they
provide the framework or guide to assist for the achievement of
strategic goals in behavioural change of attitude in health
communication, social mobilization and development.