Toward a field theory of communication

Field theory of communication is concerned with adaptive activity within the framework of purpose — a state of affairs and a goal-state. Two controls may be used: Feedforward starts a verbal pattern whose organization permits receivers to anticipate the form the whole pattern will take. Also required is a mechanism to indicate differences between present state and goal-state, and which alters controls on activity so as to reduce these differences — a decision-making continuum where controls rest only if difference signals are zero. Perception is the updating of the state of readiness to respond adaptively and is facilitated by the hierarchical nature of the preference structure of the organism. Relevance is measured by the degree of which incoming information updates the state of readiness for the activity. All of which is introductory to semantics and the use of formators by which to organize verbal experience and to transmit ideas as form, involving the uses and modes of language to advnace purpose — disciplines which have relevance to reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking. The four basic assumptions of field theory of communication are process, uniqueness, relatedness, and order. The scientist as a communicator in a field has no program other than a means-end hypothesis which moves toward a predetermined goal. Communication is structured change. The stability of the process is maintained by the use of formators (elements of the symbolic pattern) which are held together by a principle of organization. The semantic devices for maintenance of stability are feedforward and positive feedback. Flexibility is achieved by reduction of deviation between the goal state and the actual state by the use of negative feedback.