Final answer:
Deetz's principles of communication theory are representation and reflection, illustrating how media can shape reality and how people interpret messages.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Deetz, every general communication theory has two principles, which are representation and reflection. These principles are essential for understanding how communication shapes and is shaped by society. Representation refers to how media and communication present and depict reality, conveying a certain perspective or version of events. Reflection, on the other hand, concerns the way that individuals interpret and internalize these representations, thus creating their perceived reality.
Critical to this understanding is the concept of minimal effects theory, which suggests that media's influence is reduced when information is filtered through personal discussions and peer groups. Moreover, cultivation theory hypothesizes that media cultivates a person's worldview by presenting a consistent, albeit sometimes skewed, view of reality which becomes normalized through repetitive exposure. These ideas underscore the complex interplay between the content communicated (representation) and the understanding or change in perception by the receiver (reflection).