Communication, Communicative Proceis20 Meaning: Toward a Unified Theory

This paper attempts to dispel some of the prevailing ambiguity regarding related concepts of communication by suggesting: (1) a perspective for approaching the study of communicative process, and (2) a behavioral focus for the examination and classification of the process elements. The term “communication” is defined as the sharing of experience, observable as the extent to which the responses of a generator and perceiver are systematically correlated to a referent stimulus. “Communicative process” is described in relatively discreet terms as a unique class of intentful stimulus-response behavior, represented by the model GS+PR. “Meaning” is defined as a discriminative response to a stimulus, and provides the criterion for determining whether or not communication occurs in a given situation. The implication of the proposed system of inquiry is that any observably definable communicative event, regardless of its context or complexity, is potentially subject to systematic, verifiable analysis for purposes of critical investigation, empirical explanation, and useful prediction of behavior.