36:070
COMMUNICATION THEORY IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Professor Randy Hirokawa
FUNCTIONAL THEORY
I. INTRODUCTION
A. As originally proposed by Talcott Parsons, FT is a general
theory designed to account for the existence of repetitive practices and events
in everyday life.
Ex: Weddings? Funerals? Parades? Birthday parties?
II. MAJOR CONCEPTS OF FUNCTIONAL THEORY
A. Function
1. Function as the purpose of a communicative act (that
which an act seeks to accomplish is its function)
Ex: The function of a question is to obtain information.
2. Function as the consequence of a communicative act (that
which results from an act is its function)
Ex: A joke "functions" to bring about tension release.
B. Manifest vs. Latent Function
1. Manifest function is the objective consequence of an
act which is intended and recognized by the participants in the system.
2. Latent function is the unintended and unrecognized
objective consequence of an act.
C. Functional Requisite -- that which must be
accomplished by the members of a relationship or group in order to insure
the effective functioning of the system.
1. Adaptation -- adjusting to changes in the environment and relationship/group.
2. Instrumental control -- manipulation
of aspects of the environment and relationship/group necessary for goal
achievement.
3. Expression --
management of interpersonal tensions and conflicts among relationship/group
members.
4. Integration -- creation of shared attitudes,
values, and beliefs.
III. MAJOR PRINCIPLES OF FUNCTIONAL THEORY
A. Principle of functional potential -- all communicative acts have potential functions in a relationship/group.
B. Principle of multi-functionality
-- any communicative act can function in more than one way)
C. Principle of contextual functionality -- the function(s) of a given communicative act is dependent on the
context in which it occurs.
D. Principle of functional alternatives -- the same function can be performed by different communicative acts.
IV. SUMMARY OF FUNCTIONAL THEORY
A. All social systems (groups, couples, organizations) are
characterized by functional requisites.
B. The performance of functional requisites is essential
for the success / survival of the social system.
C. Functional requisites are performed by participants through communicative
interaction with others within the social system, as well as outside of it.
D. Communicative acts which perform functional requisites
are reproduced by participants as needed.
E. The reproduction of communicative acts designed to perform
functional requisites manifest themselves in emerging patterns of commmunication.
E. Emerging patterns of communication eventually become regularized (institutionalized)
forms of communication in the social system.
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SE/Summer Syllabus
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