Notes on the myth of the four founders of Communication Field: things never seen before and thoughts never thought

Abstract

Although the field of communication only begin to be institutionalized from the actions of the pioneer Wilbur Schramm – who, in 1947, established the first program of postgraduate studies in the area – the first research in communication tends to be associated with the work of four authors, prior to institutionalization: Carl Hovland, Paul Lazarsfeld, Harold Lasswell and Kurt Lewin, considered the main precursors of communication field by Schramm. This article aims to situate the emergence and consequences of the “myth of the four founders” in shaping the history of the field.