A Goals-Plans-Action Theory of Communication: Ravi and Joe Battle over Cleaning the Apartment

Sample

Why do people say what they say? The answer given by Goals-Plans-Action Theory is that usually individuals craft messages that they believe will help them to achieve whatever they are trying to accomplish. Goals-Plans-Action (GPA) is a theory of message production that has its roots in the study of interpersonal influence. But, the principles around which the theory is built are general ones that can be used to understand many different forms of communication. This chapter begins by examining the most basic features of the theory, then moves on to a close inspection of the concepts and processes that define it, and culminates in a case intended to illustrate how Goals-Plans-Action Theory can shed light on human interaction.