What is Communication?

As a psychology major whose concentration relies heavily on the work of behavioral theorists and research, I think it almost impossible to not discuss B.F. Skinner's theory on the development and function of communication as he put forth in his famous book, "Verbal Behavior." Although it was rejected outrightly by Chomsky (1959) as "empty" and without "clear content", it proposed communication (or verbal behavior, as it was called in the book) as a learned behavior maintained by the delivery of reinforcement, eliciting stimuli, and punishment (Chomsky, 1959).

While it may be more difficult, clearly, to explain more complex communication in the simpler terms that Skinner used, I don't think it's impossible, and being a loyal Skinner follower myself, I think that the idea of communication and, likewise, mass communication can be explained as a function of learned behavior (although my definition will most likely not be a popular one.)

Communication as a behavior is maintained by positive outcomes that are deemed desirable by the person who elicits that behavior (reinforcement). Necessarily, communication must occur between one or two people, and the outcome that is deemed desirable varies greatly with what is said and what is desired in the act of communicating. (Saying "I want something" in order to get something vs. "It's raining" in order to let someone know about the weather) (Newman & Reeve, 2003).

Perhaps this same model can be applied to mass communication, albeit slightly more complicated. Everyone who participates in mass communication has an objective or something that motivates them-- to share information or to receive information. On both ends (the sending and receiving) a desired outcome is or should achieved and therefore maintains that communicative behavior. A journalist's writing is reinforced when his story is published, or a newscaster's reporting is reinforced when viewers tune in for the news. Someone who reads CNN.com is reinforced when the read the most up-to-date news, or find the story they're searching for. On the opposing side, negative events following a behavior (punishment) will weaken a behavior: A journalist makes decisions on what to share based on how information will be received or interpreted to maintain a reputation of integrity and solid reporting. Someone looking for news will not go to a poorly-run site because it doesn't deliver the reinforcement he's looking for.

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References

Chomsky, N. (1959). A review of B.F. Skinner's Verbal Behavior. In H. Geirrson & M. Losonsky, Readings in language and mind (pp.413-442). Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Publishers.

Newman, B., Reeve, K.F., Reeve, S.A., & Ryan, C.S. (2003). Behaviorspeak: A glossary of terms in Applied Behavioral Analysis. New York: Dove and Orca.