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Interactional Complexity and Communication
Author(s) -
RICCI CARLO,
SELVINIPALAZZOLI MARA
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
family process
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.011
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1545-5300
pISSN - 0014-7370
DOI - 10.1111/j.1545-5300.1984.00169.x
Subject(s) - interpersonal communication , temporality , psychology , territoriality , observer (physics) , social psychology , cognitive psychology , computer science , communication , epistemology , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics
This paper draws attention to an over‐simplification that we believe has been frequently made in the analysis of interpersonal communication. This happens when one uses interpersonal communication models that do not match the interactional complexity of the system under observation. The aim of the paper is to present some conceptual parameters (Territoriality, Temporality, Duality) of an N‐adic model of communication in the effort to match the interactional complexity of the N‐person games. In other words, if we accept the so‐called “systems” approach, we need communication models that allow us to observe different levels of interactional complexity. The observer (the therapist) may decide on which level to take up his or her stance with reference to the particular case at hand and the goals in studying it.