法蘭克福學派有著"批判理論"這一根深蒂固的標簽,而其在歷史上漫長的"經驗研究"卻被完全遮蔽了。從20世紀30年代開始,法蘭克福大學社會研究所就把經驗研究作為重要的任務,并逐漸發展出較為成熟的理論和方法。20世紀40年代,法蘭克福大學社會研究所通過"反猶主義"研究,深入探討了傳播媒介、傳播內容、受眾心理等眾多問題。二戰后,他們重返德國并做了大量的輿論和市場研究項目,但隱蔽在各種研究中與傳播相關的內容,始終沒有引起人們足夠的關注。因此,重新梳理法蘭克福學派的經驗性傳播研究,不僅有助于消解該學派單一的"批判"標簽,而且能夠再現"批判理論"與"經驗研究"兩種不同范式之間的橋梁。

The label of critical theory has been attached to the Frankfurt school since it came into existence. It sempirical study also has a long history,though it has been completely obscured. Empirical study was treated as an important mission by the Frankfurt Society Institute since the 1930 s and gradually developed into a relatively mature theory and methodology. In the 1940 s,communication media,communication contents,audience psychology,as well as other issues had been deeply discussed by the Frankfurt Society Institute through the study of Antisemitism. Although they went back to Germany to do a large number of research projects on public opinions and markets after the Second World War,because results related to communication were hidden in different studies,they did not attract much attention. By combing the empirical communication study of the Frankfurt school,one can not only resolve the single Critical myth,but also rebuild the bridge between patterns of critical theory and empirical theory.