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Consensual Rules in Interpersonal Communication: A Reply to Cushman and Whiting

Consensual Rules in Interpersonal Communication: A Reply to Cushman and Whiting Abstract Cushman and Whiting's analysis of rules represents an important movement from monadic to dyadic concepts in explaining patterns of communication behavior. However, several criticisms of their article are warranted. First, implications of such an orientation for research are inadequately discussed. Second, sociolinguistics is an unmentioned discipline also studying rules. Third, Cushman and Whiting's concept of communication behavior is too limited. Drawing from semiotics and “behavior exchange,” rules regulating costs and rewards accruing to the communicators from the relationship are shown to be an important part in communication. A search for rules involving meaning will be confounded by concurrent operation of rules involving hedonic outcomes. Fourth, complex patterns of interpersonal communication require the concept of hierarchially ordered contracts, consisting of a few fundamental rules, several sets of rules governing interaction in specific situations, and switching cues used to move from one subset to another. Simply identifying rules is not adequate to describe or explain communication in contracts. References Austin , J. L. ( 1965 ) How to do Things with Words . New York : Oxford University Press . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Baker , E. E. ( 1972 ) “ Implications and Explications ,” The Journal of Communication . 22 : 317 – 319 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS WorldCat Carson , R. C. ( 1969 ) Interaction Concepts of Personality . Chicago : Aldine . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Cushman , D. and G. C. Whiting ( 1972 ) “ An Approach to Communication Theory: Toward Consensus on Rules ,” The Journal of Communication . 22 : 217 – 238 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS WorldCat Ervin-Tripp , S. M. ( 1969 ) “ Sociolinguistics ,” 91 – 165 in L. Berkowitz, (ed.) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology . New York : Academic Press . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS Google Scholar Google Preview WorldCat COPAC Fiedler , F. E. ( 1971 ) “ Validation and Extension of the Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness: A Review of Empirical Findings ,” Psychological Bulletin , 76 : 128 – 148 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat Gergen , K. J. ( 1969 ) The Psychology of Behavior Exchange . Reading , Massachusetts : Addison-Wesley . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Gumperz , J. J. and D. Hymes, eds. ( 1972 ) Directions in Sociolinguistics: The Ethnography of Communication . New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Homans , G. ( 1961 ) Social Behavior . New York : Harcourt, Brace and World . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Morris , C. ( 1964 ) Signification and Significance . Cambridge : M.I.T. Press . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Parry , J. ( 1967 ) The Psychology of Human Communication . London : University of London Press . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Shapiro , S. B. ( 1968 ) “ Some Aspects of a Theory of Interpersonal Contracts ,” Psychological Reports . 22 : 171 – 183 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat Thibaut , J. and H. H. Kelley ( 1959 ) The Social Psychology of Groups . New York : Wiley . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Watzlawick , P. , J. Beavin and D. Jackson ( 1967 ) Pragmatics of Human Communication . New York : Norton . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC This content is only available as a PDF. © 1973 International Communication Association http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Communication Oxford University Press

Consensual Rules in Interpersonal Communication: A Reply to Cushman and Whiting

Pearce, W., Barnett
Journal of Communication , Volume 23 (2) – Jun 1, 1973
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References (25)

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
© 1973 International Communication Association
ISSN
0021-9916
eISSN
1460-2466
DOI
10.1111/j.1460-2466.1973.tb00940.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Abstract Cushman and Whiting's analysis of rules represents an important movement from monadic to dyadic concepts in explaining patterns of communication behavior. However, several criticisms of their article are warranted. First, implications of such an orientation for research are inadequately discussed. Second, sociolinguistics is an unmentioned discipline also studying rules. Third, Cushman and Whiting's concept of communication behavior is too limited. Drawing from semiotics and “behavior exchange,” rules regulating costs and rewards accruing to the communicators from the relationship are shown to be an important part in communication. A search for rules involving meaning will be confounded by concurrent operation of rules involving hedonic outcomes. Fourth, complex patterns of interpersonal communication require the concept of hierarchially ordered contracts, consisting of a few fundamental rules, several sets of rules governing interaction in specific situations, and switching cues used to move from one subset to another. Simply identifying rules is not adequate to describe or explain communication in contracts. References Austin , J. L. ( 1965 ) How to do Things with Words . New York : Oxford University Press . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Baker , E. E. ( 1972 ) “ Implications and Explications ,” The Journal of Communication . 22 : 317 – 319 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS WorldCat Carson , R. C. ( 1969 ) Interaction Concepts of Personality . Chicago : Aldine . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Cushman , D. and G. C. Whiting ( 1972 ) “ An Approach to Communication Theory: Toward Consensus on Rules ,” The Journal of Communication . 22 : 217 – 238 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS WorldCat Ervin-Tripp , S. M. ( 1969 ) “ Sociolinguistics ,” 91 – 165 in L. Berkowitz, (ed.) Advances in Experimental Social Psychology . New York : Academic Press . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS Google Scholar Google Preview WorldCat COPAC Fiedler , F. E. ( 1971 ) “ Validation and Extension of the Contingency Model of Leadership Effectiveness: A Review of Empirical Findings ,” Psychological Bulletin , 76 : 128 – 148 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat Gergen , K. J. ( 1969 ) The Psychology of Behavior Exchange . Reading , Massachusetts : Addison-Wesley . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Gumperz , J. J. and D. Hymes, eds. ( 1972 ) Directions in Sociolinguistics: The Ethnography of Communication . New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Homans , G. ( 1961 ) Social Behavior . New York : Harcourt, Brace and World . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Morris , C. ( 1964 ) Signification and Significance . Cambridge : M.I.T. Press . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Parry , J. ( 1967 ) The Psychology of Human Communication . London : University of London Press . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Shapiro , S. B. ( 1968 ) “ Some Aspects of a Theory of Interpersonal Contracts ,” Psychological Reports . 22 : 171 – 183 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat Thibaut , J. and H. H. Kelley ( 1959 ) The Social Psychology of Groups . New York : Wiley . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC Watzlawick , P. , J. Beavin and D. Jackson ( 1967 ) Pragmatics of Human Communication . New York : Norton . Google Scholar Google Preview OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat COPAC This content is only available as a PDF. © 1973 International Communication Association

Journal

Journal of Communication – Oxford University Press

Published: Jun 1, 1973

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