On conceptual and empirical treatments of feedback in human communication

This paper describes major discrepancies that exist between the empirical and theoretical treatments of feedback in human communication. Its purpose is to offer some conclusions with both descriptive and heuristic value for future development of an informed and useful theory of feedback in human communication. In the paper, feedback is discussed with reference to (1) the contribution of theoretical literature to the concept, (2) the contribution of empirical reports, (3) the relative consistency of theoretical and empirical treatments, and (4) conclusions about the role of the concept in the study of human communication.