This dissertation has been 69 15 951 microfilmed exactly as received ' RANDOLPH, Harland LeRoy, 1929- THE COûî&îüNîCATîON ECOLOGY OF CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1969 Speech University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan ^ HARLAND LeROY RANDOLPH 1969 © _ ------------------------------------------------ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED THE COMMUNICATION ECOLOGY OF CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Harland Randolph, B.A., M.A. ****** The Ohio State University 1969 Approved by Adviser Department of Speech ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to thank Mrs. Christina Randolph, Dr. Paul A. Carmack and P ro f. F ranklin H. Knower fo r th e ir assistance and encouragement. i i VITA 1954 B.S. Education, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1935-1957 Troop Information Officer, United States Air Force 1958-1960 Graduate Assistant and Instructor Department of Speech, The Ohio State University M.A., Speech, The Ohio State University 1960-1963 Director of Communication and Program Development, Board for Fundamental Education, Indianapolis, Indiana 1963-1965 President, Randolph and Associates, Chicago, Illinois 1965 C oordinator, Communication S k ills D ivision Job Corps Center, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 1965-1966 Assistant to Vice President and General Manager, Melpar, Inc., Washington Air Brake Corporation, Washington, D.C. 1966-1967 Deputy Director, Office of Equal Health Opportunity, Public Health Seirvice, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Washington, D.C. 1967 - Vice P resid en t, Planning and Development, Federal City College, Washington, D.C. PUBLICATIONS "Intergroup Communications." Today's Speech. Nov. 1960 "Debating in India." Speech Teacher. Fall, 1962. i i i "The Northern Student Movement." The Educational Record. Fall, 1964. Leadership Development. (Text and Handbooks), Kappa Alpha P s i, 1966. Technical Objectives and Plans. Training Corporation of America, 1966. "The Speech Therapist's Role in Poverty Communities." Catholic University Forum. 1969. FIELDS OF STUDY Rhetoric and Public Speaking. Professor Paul Carmack. General Speech. Professor Franklin H. Knower. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKN01ÆEDGEKENTS...................................................................................... i i VITA..................................................................................................................i i i LIST OF TABLES...................................................... v i LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.......................................................................... v ii Chapter 1. PURPOSE, PERSPECTIVE AND PROCEDURES.................................. 1 I I. EXISTING THEORETICAL FRAMES........................................................24 I II . THE COmJNICATION ECOLOGY......................................................... 152 IV. IMPLICATIONS AND APPLICATIONS OF THE COMMUNICATION ECOLOGY .......................................................• . ..............................254 BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................................... 287 LIST OF TABLES Ikble Page 1. Patterns of Coimunication . .................. ...............................270 VI LIST OF ILLUSIRATIONS Figare Page 1. Subsystems of the Coimunication Ecology.................................................166 2. Subsystem Internal Processes and Systems ...................................... 163 3. Intra-Conmunication Ecology Networks...................................................... 170 4. Coimunication Ecology Processes and I'feclanisms...................................172 5. Coimunication Ecology Aspects and Clmucteristics ....... 174 6. Inter-Coimunication Ecology Explicit Contact B ands................... 176 7. Inter-Coimunication Ecology Implicit Contact Band....................... 178 8. Inter-Coimunication Ecology . 180 9. hbdel of Coimunicative Patterns . 269 10. Four Conditions of Inter group Interaction...................................... 280 v u CHAPTER I PURPOSE, PERSPECTIVE AND PROCEDURE Introduction A vast number of research efforts have been conducted to find ways of resolving human conflict, but intrapersonal, interpersonal and group conflict continue to compromise a significant portion of all human interaction. There is a need to continue the study of conflict situations and human behavior both because of the escalation of con­ flict into violence and because of the continued existence of condi­ tions—such as the population explosion or the philosophical displace­ ment resulting from modem technology—that are likely to increase the probabilities of conflict. Various aspects of human behavior in conflict situations have been studied under the rubrics of culture, communication, group behavior or conflict. Although studies in one of these areas often include references to concepts derived from study in the other areas, the approach most frequently used is to consider communications, conflict, culture, and group behavior as separate entities. This confinement of study to separate areas results from our compartment­ alized view of human behavior—often along disciplinary lines--and at the same time enhances the continuation of fragmented views of human behavior. Â major thesis of this study is that aspects of human behavior that have been investigated under the rubrics of culture, conflict, communications, or group behavior can be organized into one conceptual scheme, and that such a conceptual scheme can be used to (1) analyze human behavior more effectively than the fragmented approaches permit, and (2) plan for more effective human functioning in conflict situations. A centré question in the study is: How can the action of cultural groups, the energy of conflict, and the instrumental effects of communications be organized into systems which stimulate societal development? Although the objectives of the study, social development and conflict handling, are related to social utilitarian purposes, the study will be conducted in a manner consistent with the standards of effective research in the development of general systems. Bonner has dealt with the apparent dilemma between social utility purposes and standards of research. He suggests that although studies concerned with reduction of intergroup hostilities are often criticized as being based on social utility purposes, the goal is objective description rather than formulation of ethical premises or advocacy. He writes: This criticism Tôt social utilitj^ can be met by pointing out that our interest is not, however, in the advocacy of plans of action but in an objective description of the psychological nature of the resolution of intergroup ten­ s io n s .! If people are engaged in activities to reduce hostilities or conflict, Williams observes, the social scientist has a "social raison d'etre for scientific study directed toward testing the 2 results of various means used in these attempts." The present study does not advocate a plan of action, and it does not proceed on the basis of an ethical premise. It does seek to describe a conceptual scheme which explains human behavior in conflict situations, and it does analyze patterns of behavior to determine the relative effects of various theories used to achieve conflict resolution. Purposes This investigation is conducted in an effort to add to and organize knowledge about human behavior in conflict situations, to contribute to the development of a specific model, to identify a series of propositions for research, and to assist social planners in human b eh av io ral management. These purposes w ill be achieved by: (1) analyzing relevant literature, studies and experiences in the areas of culture, groups, communication and conflict, (2) developing a conceptual scheme which organizes relevant theories into one system, and (3) applying the conceptual scheme to cultural groups in conflict situations in order to understand patterns of human behavior. More s p e c ific a lly , these purposes c o n sist of: 1. A review of the literature to determine the concepts and constructs that should be considered in developing a comprehensive, conceptual scheme, i.e., a general system.—This review is not an attempt to develop a topology of factors considered in studies relating to communications, conflict, culture, groups, and natural resources. The specific focus of this review is on the range of concepts or constructs that scholars and researchers consider central and mandatory in the various fields. They will be used in defining the functions and characteristics of each of the components (communications, conflict, cultural groups, and natural resources) in the general system. 2. Development and explanation of a conceptual scheme called the Communication Ecology.—The core concepts, or observations about the functions and characteristics of human behavior, derived from the works of researchers and scholars, w ill be organized into a general system type of model. In this system, the components (con­ flict, cultural groups, communications and resources) w ill be considered as co-equal entities which have specialized functions and roles within the overall system. The system is developed in terms of the nucleus of the various fields rather than in terms of their boundaries. 3. Application of the conceptual scheme to the analysis of conflict situations.—In