Griffin adaptive structuration_theory_fernando_ilharco (1)

Adaptive Structuration – Scott Poole
This theory last appeared in the 7th Edition

The following document is an
archived chapter with end notes
from a previous edition of
A First Look at Communication Theory
by Em Griffin, the leading college text in the
field of communication theory
(all editions published by McGraw-Hill).

The theory is no longer covered in a full chapter of the current edition.
This document is posted on the resource website for the text
www.afirstlook.com

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(Note that some cartoons reproduced in the textbook
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CHAPTER 18 Socio-cultural traditio n

Cyberne tic trad ition

Adaptive Structuration
Theory
of Marshall Scott Poole

Imagine that you are a third-year communication major who signed up late for
a required course in communication theory. Since you missed the first class and
haven't seen the syllabus, you aren't sure what to expect. When you walk into
the room, you're surprised to find out that there are only 12 students in the class,
no course syllabus, and no instructor present. When the other students start to
talk about tests and papers, the scope of assignments, and the breadth and depth
of coverage, the guy sitting next to you fills you in. The prof has made this an
experimental section and has given students the responsibility to structure the
course before he returns to class.
In the discussion that follows it becomes apparent that there are at least a
few parameters or rules. The class will meet from noon till 2 P.M. every Tuesday
and Thursday for the entire term. The instructor has adopted a text that intro
duces over 30 communication theories, and he will be there from the third week
on to serve as a resource. No matter how final grades are assigned, they should
reflect what individuals have really learned- nobody gets an automatic A. Other
than those givens, class members have two weeks to decide which theories to
cover, how to use the scheduled class time, what course projects to assign, and
how students should be evaluated. Essentially, the group is free to shape the course
any way it wants.
After an hour, you seriously consider dropping the course. Josh, the prof's
teaching assistant, and Paige, a sophomore transfer student, are totally monopo
lizing the discussion. Everything Josh is for, Paige is against, and vice versa.
Michelle's only contribution is to insist that she doesn't want to take part in a
group project. Mike, a varsity linebacker, and Karla, a campus beauty, chat about
plans for Saturday night while ignoring the rest of the discussion. A few other
students offer tentative suggestions, but Megan looks confused and Pete puts his
head on the desk and snoozes.
You decide to stick it out but ask yourself, Will the group stay this way for the
entire semester, or will it change? You worry that this specific mix of individual
motivations and personalities makes more of the same a foregone conclusion.

235

236 GROUP AND PUBLIC COMMUNICATION

And even though the prof has labeled the class format "experimental," you also
wonder, Are we really free to create whatever we want or are the results inevitable,
given the academic setting?
The first question raises the issue of group stability versus group change. The
second question revisits the dilemma presented in Chapter I- members' freely
chosen actions versus their behavior determined by existing social structures.
These are the two group-related questions that University of Illinois communica
tion professor Scott Poole seeks to answer with adaptive structuration theory.
When asked to state the core idea of his theory, Poole offers this synopsis:
Members in groups are creating the group as they act within it. ... A lot of times
people in groups build up structures or arrangements that are very uncomfortable
for them, but they don't realize that they're doing it. The point of structuration
theory is to make them aware of the rules and resources that they're using so that
they can have more control over what they do in groupS.1

The implication of Poole's claim is that you and other class members are just
as responsible for Josh and Paige's domination of class discussion as they are.
Will things change? Only if you and the others make it happen. Are all of you
free to change the way you're reacting? Only to the extent that you are aware of
what you're doing.
At first glance these answers may seem simplistic. But they are derived from
an understanding of structuration, a concept that is quite sophisticated. Poole
adopted the idea only after a decade of empirical research convinced him that
no single model of group development adequately explains what takes place in
decision-making groups. Let's see what he found.

PHASING OUT THE PHASE MODEL
For much of the twentieth century, small-group researchers thought they had
spotted a universal pattern of communication that all groups use when they
make a decision. These scholars generally agreed that there was a good fit
between the following single-sequence model and the actual phases that groups
go through as the members reach agreement: 2
Orientation-efforts are unfocused because group goals are unclear; rela
tionships are uncertain; members need more information.
Conflict- factions disagree on how to approach the problem and argue
against other viewpoints; members justify their own positions.
Coalescence-tensions are reduced through peaceful negotiation; members
allow others to "save face" by adopting solutions acceptable to all.
Development-the group concentrates on ways to implement a single solu
tion; members are involved and excited.
Integration-the group focuses on tension-free solidarity rather than the
task; members reward each other for cohesive efforts.
If the phase model is right, your communication theory group is now in the
conflict stage, but it will sooner or later shift to a more cooperative pattern.
Despite widespread acceptance of this one-size-fits-all phase model of group
decision making, Poole wasn't convinced. Beginning with his dissertation research

CHA PTER 18: ADAPTIVE STRUCTURATION THEORY 237

in 1980 and extending throughout that decade, he sought to find out if and when
ongoing groups actually conform to the single-sequence model when making
tough decisions on important issues. Poole tracked 47 specific decisions made by
29 different groups in natural settings- real people making real decisions. 3
Early in his research, Poole discovered that only a quarter of the groups actually
followed the discussion pattern laid out in the single-sequence model. But just as
Hirokawa and Gouran offer their functional perspective as a preferred procedure
for task groups to adopt (see Chapter 17), Poole was still hopeful that the five phases
offered a blueprint for reaching high-quality decisions. He wrote that "the unitary
sequence provides a logically ideal format for decision making and it may well be
the simplest effective path a decision-making group could follow.,,4
Yet the longer Poole examined the complexity of group decision making, the
less optimistic he became that any theory or model would be able to predict a
specific sequence of action. By the end of the decade, he was disenchanted with
the scientific quest to discover a fixed pattern of group behavior. He became
convinced that group dynamics are far too complicated to be reduced to a few
propositions or a predictable chain of events. He also grew uncomfortable with
the phase model's objectivist assumption that group and task structures dictate
the way a decision is made. In effect, the model claims that communication has
no significant impact on the process or the outcome; group members are just
along for a five-stage ride.
Social structures Poole continued to think that group members are affected by social structures
Rules and resources of a such as group composition, communication networks, status hierarchies, task
group; characteristi cs requirements, group norms, and peer pressure. But he no longer saw these struc
such as composition,
tures as determining how the group reached a decision or what that decision
norms, communication
networks, status hierar
might be. He was convinced that what people say and do makes a difference.
chies, task requirements, Given this commitment, Poole and two other communication scholars, Robert
and peer pressure. McPhee (Arizona State University) and David Seibold (University of California,
Santa Barbara), became intrigued by the work of British sociologist Anthony
Giddens. Giddens suggests that people in society are active agents in the sense
that they are "able to act otherwise" and have the capacity "to make a differ
ence."s McPhee went on to apply Giddens' core ideas in an organizational con
text, while Seibold used them to analyze the structure of arguments. But in
Giddens' macrotheory of societal structuration, Poole saw insights that could be
adapted and applied to the microlevel of small-group activity.

STRUCTURATION ACCORDING TO GIDDENS

Currently the director of the London School of Economics, Anthony Giddens was
the chief intellectual adviser to former British prime minister Tony Blair. Colleagues
call him "the most important English social philosopher of our time.,,6 Giddens
openly admits that structuration "is an unlovely term at best,,,7 yet he believes that
no other word adequately captures the process of social structures shaping peo
pie's actions while at the same time being shaped by their actions. Specifically, st
Structuration ructuration refers to "the production and reproduction of the social systems
The production and re through members' use of rules and resources in interaction."s
production of socia I sys By using the word interaction, as opposed to the more passive term behavior,
tems through group
Giddens signals his belief that people are relatively free to act as they will. They
members' use of rules and
resources in interaction.
aren't merely pawns in the game of life or unsuspecting dupes controlled by
unseen forces they can't resist. He says that every social actor knows a lot about

238 GROUP AND PUBLIC COMMUNfCATfON

the way society works, and when asked, these competent social agents can
explain most of what they do. 9
Giddens uses the phrase rules and resources interchangeably with the term
structures. Rules are implicit formulas for action, recipes for how to "get on" in
life.lO They are guides for participants on how to play the game. Resources refers
to all the relevant personal traits, abilities, knowledge, and possessions people
bring to an interaction. Resources are almost always in short supply and tend to
be unequally distributed within a society. Because rules and resources (struc
tures) are constantly changing, structuration is a fluid process.
Production of social systems is a process akin to the "creation of social realities"
in CMM (see Chapter 6), although Giddens refers to sweeping changes across
an entire society, not just among persons-in-conversation. Production happens
when people use rules and resources in interaction. So does reproduction. Repro
duction occurs whenever actions reinforce features of systems already in place,
and thus maintain the status quo.
Poole applies and extends these key concepts of structuration within small
groups, but a brief example of societal structuration may help you picture the kind
of large-scale process that Giddens imagines. The sexual revolution that began in
the 1960s illustrates how the widespread adoption of new rules and resources dra
matically transformed patterns of physical intimacy. Through faithful use (a rule)
of "the Pill" (a resource) prior to sexual intercourse (an interaction), women increased
their control over their own bodies (production). The change in contraception m eant
that men worried less about unwanted pregnancy, thus reinforcing (nonbiological
reproduction) the sexual double standard that it is men's role to push for greater
sexual intimacy and women's responsibility to say when to stop (a rule) .
Giddens' concept of structuration is the core idea that spawned adaptive struc
turation theory. Poole calls his theory adaptive structuration because he observes
members of task groups intentionally adapting rules and resources in order to
accomplish their decision-making goals. H is "adaptive" label also seems appropri
ate because, along with his then University of Minnesota colleague Gerry DeSanctis,
he's tailored Giddens' macrosociological principles to the microworld of small
groups. When applied to group interaction, structuration obviously describes a
process more intricate than the five-phase model presented earlier in the chapter.
That's fine with Poole. He believes that the "value of a theory of group decision
making hinges on how well it addresses the complexities of interaction." 11
In the rest of the chapter I'll continue to use the example of an experimental
communication theory course to illustrate key elements of adaptive structuration
theory. Although this example is hypothetical, every part of the case study is
drawn from actual class experience. Since Poole recommends ethnography as one
of the ways to explore structuration, I'll write you into the picture and ask you
to think of yourself as a participant observer in the events that I describeY I'll
follow the same interaction, rules and resources, production and reproduction order
that I used to parse Giddens' concept of structuration.

INTERACTION: CONCE RNS O F MORALITY, COMM UN ICATION, AND POWER
Group structuration is the result of action, and so whenever members interact,
they have an impact on the group. If the rules and resources of the group change,
it's because members do something that changes them. But Poole makes it clear

CHAPTER 18: ADA PTIVE ST RUCTURATlON THE ORY 239

that action doesn't always alter rules and resources. "If the structure of the group
stays the same, it is because members are acting in such a way that the same
structure is created and maintained with every act." l3 That seems to describe the
entire two hours of the first class you attended.
The next class is different. Right from the start, class members interact with
each other on how to design the course. Even Pete wakes up to the realization
that he has a stake in what's decided and voices a depth-over-breadth rationale
for concentrating on fewer theories-perhaps only a dozen. Michelle piggybacks
on his idea, suggesting that each student become an expert on a different theory.
Andrew w elcomes the chance to specialize in one area-on the condition that he
can pick a theory of new media that will intersect with his double major of com
Interaction munication and computer science. This surge of interaction supports Poole's opti
Intention al acts of group mistic assumption that group members are "skilled and knowledgeable actors
members who are aw are who reflexively monitor their activities as they navigate a continuous flow of
of what th ey are doing. intentionality." 14
Skilled and knowledgeable actors don't always agree, however. Paige
expresses concern that people will select only theories that are familiar or within
their comfort zone. She thinks everyone should discuss theories that question
unjust corporate control of the media and propose ways in which poor people
could have a voice. Mike wants Pete to explain what he means by studying
theory in depth . If he's referring to practical application, fine. If he means wading
through primary sources, no way. Reminding the class of his special status as
the professor's TA, Josh claims that the prof won't let the group concentrate on
only a dozen theories while ignoring the other 20 that are in the book. Note that
these class members raised issues of morality, communication, and power-issues
that Poole and Giddens agree are fundamental in any social interaction. Poole
writes that these three elements are mixed together in every group action. He
says that it's "hard to use moral norms without considering their interpreta
tion-a matter of m eaning- and how they are 'made to count'-a matter of
power."lS
Megan, always a sensitive observer of the human scene, notices that Lauren
seems hesitant to speak. By specifically asking for her opinion, Megan tries to
create a space for Lauren to be heard. In a soft voice, Lauren wishes there could
be a midrange compromise on the breadth/ d epth issue. After class you overhear
her thanking Megan for caring what she thinks. No doubt Megan's intentions
were good, but in subsequent classes you observe that Lauren is even quieter.
This confirms Poole's structuration research, which suggests that advocacy can
sometimes hurt rather than help a reticent member of the group.16 Megan's
encouragement may simply reinforce Lauren's tendency to wait for an invitation
before speaking up. Even actions that are well-thought-out have unanticipated
consequences.
The class experience I've described so far highlights two key points of adap
tive structuration theory. First, communication in small task-groups makes a dif
ference. We might know the structure of a group, the nature of its task, and even
the history and personality of each member. But it is impossible to predict what
decisions the group will make without hearing what's been said. Communication
matters.
Second, adaptive structuration theory has a "critical edge.,,17 Recall that
critical theories strive to reveal unfair social practices and free p eople from
oppressive systems (see Chapter 4). By highlighting the way in which undemocratic


group processes can be altered, Poole hopes to empower people who are now
treated as second-class citizens.

THE USE AND ABUS E OF RULES AND RESOURCES
Poole refers to small-group rules as "prorsositions that indicate how something
ought to be done or what is good or bad." 8 Although rarely put into words, these
Rules rules contain the collective practical wisdom that members have gleaned on how
Propositions that indicate best to reach the group goal. The resources that individuals bring to the task are
how things ought to be "materials, possessions, or attributes that can be used to influence or control the
done or what is good or
actions of the group or its members.,,19 As a research strategy, Poole selects a few
bad; recipes for actions.
structures that appear to be pivotal and then examines them in greater d epth.
Personal relationships quickly emerge as a resource for the class discussion.
Megan and Lauren's growing friendship and Mike and Karla's romantic close
ness seem to add impact to their words. You find that when any of them say
something in class, you tend to assume that they speak for their partner as well.
Resources But it is Andrew who possesses the most effective relational resource. In contrast
Materials, possessions, or to the computer geek stereotype, he's a genuinely warm guy whom everyone
attributes that can be likes. When the two of you took the same interpersonal course, he turned out to
used to i nfl uence or con
be the most competent face-to-face communicator in the class. When Andrew
trol the actions of the
group or its members.
speaks, others listen, and vice versa.
Topic expertise is often another key resource in group decision making.
Although none of you have any training in education methods or curriculum
development, some students start the course with more knowledge about com
munication theories than others do. Because he's performed months of library
and Internet research for the instructor you've yet to meet, Josh has inside knowl
edge of the type of theory that this prof would value. Josh presents these insights
in a self-confident manner; thus, his insights carry more weight in the discussion.
Sta tus structures are almost always important in group structuration.
Some of you know that Michelle carries a 4.0 GPA and is a m ember of
Lambda Pi Eta, the national communication honor society. She's a loner who
doesn't say much in class, so you imagine that she must be impatient with the
value the group places on relationships rather than intellectual resources. After
all, she might reason, I'm in this class to learn communication theory, not to join a
social club. Her likely frustration highlights Poole's claim that group structures
can constrain members from acting freely. And if Michelle doesn't bring her
knowledge and intelligence to bear on designing the course, it ceases to be a
resource for the group. Conversely, one who makes the effort to understand and
use these structures-as Josh does-can become an effective player.
A group's rules and resources are often borrowed from parent organizations
Appropriation or from the larger culture. Poole calls this process appropriation. Given that stu
Adopting a rule or re dents in your class come from a variety of backgrounds and have experienced
source from another different leadership styles, Poole wouldn't be surprised if the rules you appropri
group or the larger
ate for making decisions don't square with standard parliamentary procedure.
cu lture.
As it turns out, he anticipates how your class reaches a decision on the depth/
breadth issue when he writes, "Different groups may appropriate the political
norm of majority rule in a variety of ways. One group may regard the rule as a
last resort, to be used only if consensus cannot be attained.. . .,,20
Consensus is the only decision path acceptable to most students in your
group. You personally feel that way because it's a seminar type of course and you

CHAPTER 18: ADAPTIVE STRUCTURATION THEORY 241

don't want to ride roughshod over one or two people and then see them be bit
ter for the rest of the term. But Pete and Megan want a formal vote so that
everyone is on record as supporting the decision. The group ends up appropriat
ing both structures! When Josh, Paige, and Andrew coalesce around a compro
mise plan of reading the entire book yet concentrating class time on just 12
theories, no vote is taken until all doubts and hesitations are worked through.
With some fine-tuning, the class crafts a plan that all 12 of you can embrace, and
then Josh calls for a unanimous vote-a ritual to seal your mutual commitment.

RESEARCHING THE USE OF RULES AND RESOURCES
Working with DeSanctis, Poole has spent the bulk of his structuration research
exploring how groups use computerized group decision support systems (GDSS)
high-tech media that have the potential to improve meetings and help make
better decisions. Since new media scholars find adaptive structuration theory
Group decision support helpful in understanding the interface between computers and users, perhaps
systems (GDSS) this is the theory that Andrew is looking for. I won't attempt to explain the
Media technology de hardware and software of computer-assisted meetings, but structures built into
signed to promote demo
the system are designed to promote democratic decision making. These struc
cratic decision making
by displaying all ideas
tures include features such as equal opportunity to participate, one vote per
anonymously. person, and anonymous idea generation and balloting so that every member
feels safe to participate.
Just as we refer to the "spirit of the law," Poole and DeSanctis call the values
behind the system the "spirit of the technology." They explain that "spirit is the
principle of coherence that holds a set of rules and resources together.,,21 In
Poole's terms, a faithful appropriation of the technology is one that is consistent
with the spirit of the resource. For example, suppose your experimental com
Faithful appropriation munication theory class met in a GDSS-equipped lab on campus to make final
Using a rule or resource decisions about the course. A faithful appropriation of these rules and resources
as it was originally would be to use the system in a way that gives Lauren a real voice in the discus
intended.
sion while making it hard for Josh to dominate it.
Although your classroom isn't GDSS-equipped, it has a built-in computer
with video projection capacity, so most of you use PowerPoint technology when
you present the results of your research. Pete's report on constructivism turns
out to be a real media event (see Chapter 8). Backgrounds change, words tumble
into place, text dissolves, clip art scrolls. The sight and sound of exploding fire
works punctuate Pete's announcement that he found a journal article by Delia
that the textbook doesn't mention. And when he suggests that his high RCQ
score certifies him as cognitively complex, a picture of the Mona Lisa smiles. The
class laughs throughout and applauds wildly when it's over.
Poole notes that group members sometimes appropriate rules or resources
in ways that thwart their intended use. He calls this an ironic appropriation
because it goes against the spirit of the structure. This seems to be the case with
Ironic appropriation Pete's use of PowerPoint. By projecting over a hundred slides in a lO-minute
Using a rul e or resource presentation, he uses it to dazzle rather than clarify. His most vivid slides
ina way that thwarts its underscore his reactions to the theory rather than creating a deeper under
original purpose.
standing of cognitive complexity, goal-based message plans, or person-centered
messages. In the discussion that follows, Pete admits with a wry smile, "The
develofers of PowerPoint would probably be shocked at how I used the sys
tem.,,2 Poole doesn't think all adaptations of technology or other rules and

242 GROUP AND PUBUC COMMUNTCATION

resources ought to be faithful. Ironic appropriation can be an impetus to creativ
ity that doesn't necessarily take away from task accomplishment. But he's a
strong believer in being able to identify when and how this type of structuration
takes place.

PRODUCTION OF CHANCE, REPRODUCTION OF STABILITY
So far my description of adaptive structuration theory has focused on group
process-members' use of rules and resources in interaction. Poole is also inter
ested in group product-that which is produced and reproduced through the
interaction.

Crafting the Decision
Decision-making groups produce decisions. After everyone in your group agrees
that you'll focus on 12 theories, you also decide that the student who selects a
given theory should be the one to write a quiz that probes whether class mem
bers understand it. The instructor will grade the quizzes, but students write the
questions. As for the other 20 theories, the prof can assess how well you under
stand them by reading your application logs-ongoing journals of ways you
might use these theoretical principles in everyday life. Group members quickly
reach these decisions after Mike reminds them that the instructor has a reputa
tion for writing nitpicky tests.
If Poole was aware of what you decided and how you reached that decision,
Production
he would point out that the end product was both produced and reproduced. By
The use of rules and re
deciding to focus on a dozen self-selected theories and empowering students to
sources to create a new
write the quizzes, you produced change-a break from normal class procedure.
structure; change.

Since the prof can no longer ask specific questions about minor details, you can
Reproduction now focus your study on learning the basic thrust of each theory. On the other
The use of ru les and re hand, by adopting the familiar educational structures of tests and student jour
sources to reinforce nals, you reproduce stability. When it comes to grading, your course will resem
structu res a Iready in
ble other classes on campus.
place.

Duality of Structure
Poole would be even more curious to know the effect of the structuration process
on the rules and resources of the group. Poole believes that Giddens' duality of
structure concept is the key to discovering that impact. Duality of structure refers
to the idea that rules and resources are both the medium and the outcome of
interaction. 23 In terms of group decision making, this means that the decision
Duality of structure not only is affected by the structures of the group but at the same time has
The idea that rules and an effect upon the same rules and resources. This is crucial to Poole because it
resources are both the helps explain why groups are sometimes stable and predictable- as the single
means and the ends of
sequence model of group development suggests-yet why they are often chang
group interaction.
ing and unpredictable. According to Poole, it depends on how group members
appropriate rules and resources:
Both stability and change are products of the same process. Structures are stable if
actors appropriate them in a consistent way, reproducing them in similar form over
time. Structures may also change, either incrementally or radically through struc
turation. 24

CHA PTER 18: ADAPTlVE STRUCTURATlON THEORY 243

The book contains a Oilbert cartoon here.

Permission to reproduce the cartoon was

granted for the original publication only and

does not include reproduction in the online archive.

Stability. You can't know from a few class meetings whether the rules
and resources you've used so far w ill be employed the same way in the fut u re.
My guess is that consensus seekin g among studen ts and a relative indepen
d ence vis-a-vis the im: tru ctor w ill continue to be enacted and b e group norms
even after he rejoins the class. You've already developed a sense of camara
derie, but it w ill survive only if spokespeople like Josh and Meg an confidently
instruct your instructor on the decisions you've made, and th e rest of you back
them up. Because structures exist only when they are put in to practice-a
u se-it-or-Iose-i t structurational principle-a united front can reproduce the
group' s rules and resources. Members' continual use of the same rules and
resources can form layers of solidified group structures m uch like sedimented
rock.
Change. Reproduction does n ot necessarily mean replication . Even when
a group appears stable, the rules and resources that members use can change
gradually over time through the process Poole calls in terpenetration of struc
tures. Since any group action d raws upon multiple rules a nd res ources, Poole's
p hra se helps us picture how one structure might affect (or infect) the other.
I nterpenetration of Think again of the w ay your class incorporates voting into a consensus struc
structures tu re. If n o one ever casts a negative vote because agreement h as already been
Unnoticed chan ge over reached , the consensus structure h as m ediated the meanin g of the voting
tim e as reprodu ced struc
structure.
tures affect each oth er.
Although your class was able to create a w ay for voting and consensus to
coexist, Poole notes that there are times w hen group structures are in direct
contradiction, each underm ining the other. This may be the case with the pro
fessor 's knowledge of communication theory and the students' sense of auton
omy. In his brief ap pearance on the first day of class, the prof relinquished his
authority to structure the course but expressed h is desire to serve as a resource
for the group. Yet w hen he returns, you may find yourselves hesitant to ask
questions. You w ant to tap h is w ea lth of knowledge but fear falling back into
the dependency of the traditional teacher-s tud ent relationship. If you don't
d raw on his knowledge, he will cease to be a resource for the group. Rules and
resources survive and thrive only as group members actively put them in
p lay.


HOW SHOULD WE THEN LIVE-IN A GROUP?
Browsing through a bookstore recently, I spotted the intriguing title How Should
We Then Live? The question goes way beyond the scope of this chapter, but a
scaled-down version seems appropriate. The core claim of adaptive structuration
theory is that groups create themselves, yet members don't always realize they
are crafting and reinforcing the tools that do the work. 25 If Poole is right, how
should we then live our lives with others in a task group that makes decisions?
The answer is implicit in the hierarchy below:
Some people make things happen.
Some people watch things happen.
Some people have things happen to them.
Some people don't even know things are happening.
Step up from a passive role to having an active voice within your group!
Poole is hopeful that a knowledge of how rules and resources work will
equip low-power members to become agents of change within their groups: "If
actors are unaware of a factor or do not understand how it operates, then it is
likely to be a strong influence. To the extent that members are aware of a factor,
they can use it or even change it.,,26 Are you a group member with little or no
say in the decisions made by others? Poole would encourage you to alter what
you do and say in little ways. Small moves won't threaten high-power members
who tend to resist change. Yet if you are consistent and persistent, these small
changes can shift the direction of the group and your role in itY How shall we
live our lives in groups? Aware, free, as active agents of change who make things
happen. That's the critical edge of adaptive structuration theory.

CRITIQUE: TIED TO GIDDENS-FOR BETTER OR WORSE
Along with symbolic convergence theory and the functional perspective (see
Chapters 3 and 17), adaptive structuration theory is one of the three leading
theories of group communication. 28 That's because Poole makes a serious attempt
to deal with the dilemmas of change versus stability, and free will versus deter
minism in the context of group decision making. In essence, he asks, What hap
pens when an irresistible force (freely chosen human action) meets an immovable object
(group structures that are no respecters of persons)? Structuration is his answer- a
resolution that privileges human choice and accounts for both stability and
change. Poole's assessment of his theory's strength is similar:
The advantage of this theory is that it mediates the seeming dichotomy between
action and structure that is inherent in much group research. It gives an account of
how group members produce and maintain social structures, which acknowledges
creativity and self-reflexivity.29

The high standing of Poole's theory within the communication discipline is also
enhanced by its grounding in Giddens' concept of structuration. For the academic
community, this close tie provides the kind of scholarly clout that other theorists
get by claiming Aristotle, Darwin, Freud, or Marx as an intellectual ancestor.
Surprisingly, Poole's indebtedness to Giddens has not resulted in a group theory
that's blatantly critical of oppressive structures. Poole does try to raise consciousness
of unseen power dynamics that affect group discussion, and he encourages members

CHA PTER 18: ADAPTIVE STRLTCTLTRATION THEORY 245

to act assertively. But this soft critical edge seems tame for a theory so deeply rooted
in the ideas of Giddens, a leading figure in the critical tradition.
Ken Chase, a colleague at Wheaton, puts much of the responsibility on Gid
dens. Chase claims that the mark of a good critical theorist is that he or she
"avoids separating ethical responsibility from theory construction and, accord
ingly, provides theory with an internal standard for moral argument.,,30 Although
structuration theory takes communication seriously and claims that morality is
an issue in all interactions, Giddens doesn't provide a moral compass that indi
cates a clear ethical direction. Other critical theorists featured later in the book
offer critiques grounded in the ethical assumptions of their theories (see Chapters
20, 26, 34, 35). They leave no doubt about what kinds of communication they are
for, and what they're against.
Poole's faithful adaptation of Giddens' ideas and terminology has another
drawback. The complexity of Giddens' thinking overwhelms most readers, and
his ideas are couched in a prose style that even his admirers describe as dense,
thick, unforgiving, and impenetrable. Poole's writing is much more accessible, yet
Giddens' heaviness still comes through. Ironically, Poole reports that Giddens
doesn't recognize his ideas when they're applied in a microanalysis of small
group structuration. Apparently, the British sociologist pictures sedimented
structures being built across an entire society over decades, rather than layers of
rules and resources forming within a group after a few meetings.
Poole acknowledges that structuration is a tough concept to grasp and apply.
He critiques all group communication theories- his own included- for often
failing to capture the imagination of students and practitioners:
We have not intrigued, puzzled, or spoken to most people's condition. I fear we
have overemphasized technique and propositional soundness at the expense of cre
ativity. Creativity and a certain element of playfulness are just as important as
sound theory construction. 31

Adaptive structuration theory may not be playful, but it holds out the satisfying
promise that every group member can be a player in the process of what the group
creates. Some readers might wish that Poole had never abandoned the simple five
step path of group decision making. That route is certainly less complex than the
sedimented, rock-strewn landscape of structuration that Poole describes. Yet it makes
no sense to stick with a simplistic theory when the actual dynamics of group life have
proved to be quite complicated and rather unpredictable, probably because people
are that way. Poole has therefore chosen to craft a theory of commensurate complex
ity. I for one would prefer he tell it like it is rather than try to dumb it down.

QUESTIONS TO SHARPEN YOUR FOCUS
1. Poole refers to group communication as action rather than behavior. How does
his choice of words reflect a rejection of the phase or single-sequence model of group
decision making?
2. Poole and Giddens regard duality of structure as the key to understanding struc
turation. How does the Dilbert cartoon on page 243 illustrate this crucial concept?
3. Suppose you've been elected by communication majors to represent student
opinion to department faculty. In what way is your role both a rule and a resource?
How could you produce and / or reproduce student influence?

246 GROUP AND PUBLIC COMMUN ICATION

4. Why do you or don't you consider adaptive structuration theory to be a sepa
rate theory from Giddens' structuration theory? Should both names appear in the
chapter heading? (Poole and Giddens?) (Giddens and Poole?)

CONVERSATIONS In my conversation with Scott Poole, the author of adaptive structuration theory
admits that it's a hard theory to grasp. Yet in this seven-minute segment, Poole
makes the difficult notion of structuration come alive. He is clear, concise, and
vivid as he gently corrects my naive imagery of the duality of structure. He also
illustrates rules and resources by referring to status hierarchies and the process
of voting, which are typical group structures. Poole then clarifies the way in
which his theory has a critical edge. If you got bogged down in the jargon of
structuration, you'll be grateful for this interview.
View this seglnent online at
www.mhhe.com.griffin7 or
w ww.afirstlook.com.

A SECON D LOOK Recommended resource: Marshall Scott Poole, "Group Communication and the Struc
turing Process," in Small Group Communication: Theory & Practice, 8 th ed., Robert Cathcart,
Randy Hirokawa, Larry Samovar, and Linda Henman (eds.), Roxbury, Los Angeles, 2003,
pp.48- 56.
Expanded treatment: Marshall Scott Poole, David Seibold, and Robert McPhee, "The Struc
turation of Group Decisions," in Communication and Group Decision Making, 2nd ed., Randy
Hirokawa and Marshall Scott Poole (eds.), Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, 1996, pp. 114-146.
Initial statement: Marshall Scott Poole, David Seibold, and Robert McPhee, "Group
Decision-Making as a Structurational Process," Quarterly Journal of Speech, Vol. 71, 1985,
pp. 74-102.
Giddens' theory of structuration: Anthony Giddens, The Constitution of Society: Outline of
the Theory of Structuration, University of California, Berkeley, 1984, pp. 281-284,373- 377.
Profile of Giddens: Robert Boynton, "The Two Tonys," The New Yorker, October 6, 1997,
pp.66-74.
GDSS research: Marshall Scott Poole and Gerardine DeSanctis, "Micro level Structura
tion in Computer-Supported Group Decision Making," Human Communication Research,
Vol. 19, 1992, pp. 5- 49.
Faithful appropriation of GDSS: Moez Limayem, Probir Banerjee, and Louis Ma, "Impact
of GDSS: Opening the Black Box," Decision Support Systems, Vol. 42, 2006, pp. 945-957.
Structuration in organizations: Robert McPhee, "Formal Structure and Organizational
Communication," in Organizational Communication: Traditional Themes and New Directions,
Robert McPhee and Phillip Tompkins (eds.), Sage, Beverly Hills, CA, 1985, pp. 149-178.
Rules for decision making: Sunwolf and David Seibold, "Jurors' Intuitive Rules for
Deliberation: A Structurational Approach to Communication in Jury Decision Making,"
Communication Monographs, Vol. 65, 1998, pp. 282-307.
Self-critique: Marshall Scott Poole, "Do We Have Any Theories of Group Communica
tion?" Communication Studies, Vol. 41, 1990, pp. 237- 247.
State-of-the-art critique: Bryan Seyfarth, "Structuration Theory in Small Group Com
munication: A Review and Agenda for Future Research," in Communication Yearbook 23,
Michael Roloff (ed.), Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, 2000, pp. 341-380.

E-l0 ENDNOTES

10 Randy Hirokawa, "Functional Approaches to the Study of IL, 1991, pp. 241-272. (Like all interpreters of Habermas,
Group Discussion," Small Group Research, Vol. 25, 1994, Foss, Foss, and Trapp refer to his dense writing style. For
p.546. that reason, all citations in this ethical reflection are from
11 Randy Hirokawa and Poppy McLeod, "Communication, secondary sources. For an overview of Habermas' think
Decision Development, and Decision Quality in Small ing, see Jane Braaten, Habennas's Critical Theory of Society,
Groups: An Integration of Two Approaches," paper pre State University of New York, Albany, 1991. For a primary
sented at the annual meeting of the Speech Communica source, see Jiirgen Habermas, "Discourse Ethics: Notes on
tion Association, Miami, November 18-21, 1993. a Program of Philosophical Justification," Shierry Weber
12 Marc Orlitzky and Randy Hirokawa, "To Err Is Human, to Nicholsen and Christian Lenhardt (trans.), in Communica
Correct for It Divine: A Meta -Analysis of the Functional tive Ethics Controversy, Seyla Benhabib and Fred Dallmayr
Theory of Group Decision-Making Effectiveness," paper (eds.), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1990, pp. 60- 110.
presented at the annual meeting of the National Commu 31 Theodore Glasser, "Communicative Ethics and the Aim of
nication Association, Chicago, November 19-23, 1997. Accountability in Journalism," Social Responsibility: Busi
13 Andrea B. Hollingshead, Gwen Wittenbaum, et aI., "A ness, Journalism, Law, Medicine, Vol. 21, Louis Hodges (ed.),
Look at Groups from the Functional Perspective," in Theo Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA, 1995, pp.
ries of Small Groups: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Marshall 41-42.
Scott Poole and Andrea B. Hollingshead (eds.), Sage, Lon 32 Ibid., p. 49.
don, 2005, pp. 21- 62. 33 John Cragan and David Wright, "Small Group Communi
14 See, for example, J. Richard Hackman, "Work Teams in cation Research of the 1980s: A Synthesis and Critique,"
Organizations: An Orienting Framework," in Groups That Communication Studies, Vol. 41, 1990, pp. 212-236.
Work (and Those That Don't), J. Richard Hackman (ed.), 34 Cynthia Stohl and Michael Holmes, "A Functional Per
Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 1990, pp. 1- 14. spective for Bona Fide Groups," in Communication Yearbook
15 Ivan Steiner, Group Process and Productivity, Academic 16, Stanley Deetz (ed.), Sage, Newbury Park, CA, 1993,
Press, New York, 1972, p. 9. p.601.
16 Randy Hirokawa, "Avoiding Camels," p. 8. 35 See John Cragan and David Wright, "The Functional The
17 Dennis Gouran and Randy Hirokawa, "Counteractive ory of Small Group Decision-Making: A Replication,"
Functions of Communication in Effective Group Decision Journal of Social Behavior and Personality, Vol. 7, 1992 (Spe
Making," in Randy Hirokawa and Marshall Scott Poole cial Issue). Reprinted in John Cragan and David Wright
(eds.), Communication and Group Decision-Making, Sage, (eds.), Theory and Research in Small Group Communication,
Beverly Hills, CA, 1986, p. 82. Burgess, 1993, pp. 87- 95.
18 Randy Hirokawa, "Group Communication and Problem 36 B. Aubrey Fisher, "Decision Emergence: Phases in Group
Solving Effectiveness I: A Critical Review of Inconsisten t Decision Making," Speech Monographs, Vol. 37, 1970, pp.
Findings," Communication Quarterly, Vol. 30, 1982, p. 139. 53-66.
19 Cited in Randy Hirokawa, "Researching the Role of Com 37 B. Aubrey Fisher, Small Group Decision Making, 2nd ed., Mc
munication in Group Decision-Making: A Functional The Graw-Hill, New York, 1980, p. 149.
ory Perspective," paper presented at the annual meeting 38 Dennis Gouran, "Reflections on the Type of Question as a
of the Central States Communication Association, Chi Determinant of the Form of Interaction in Decision-Mak
cago, April 11-14, 1991, p. 19. ing and Problem-Solving Discussions," Communication
20 Randy Hirokawa, "From the Tiny Pond to the Big Ocean: Quarterly, Vol. 53, 2003, pp. 111- 125.
Studying Communication and Group Decision-Making
Effectiveness from a Functional Perspective," 1999 B. Au
Chapter 18: Adaptive Structuration Theory
brey Fisher Memorial Lecture, Department of Communi
cation, University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Marshall Scott Poole, "Adaptive Structuration Theory,"
21 Randy Hirokawa, "Group Communication and Decision Conversations with Communication Theorists (video), Em
Making Performance: A Continued Test of the Functional Griffin (ed.), McGraw-Hill, New York, 2000. The order of
Perspective," Human Communication Research, Vol. 14, the second and third sentences is inverted.
1988, p. 512. 2 Marshall Scott Poole, "Decision Development in Small
22 Hirokawa, "From the Tiny Pond to the Big Ocean," p. 6. Groups I: A Comparison of Two Models," Communication
23 Ibid. Monographs, Vol. 48, 1981, p. 4.
24 Hirokawa, "Understanding the Relationship." 3 Marshall Scott Poole and Jonelle Roth, "Decision Develop
25 Hirokawa, "From the Tiny Pond to the Big Ocean," p. 11. ment in Small Groups IV: A Typology of Group Decision
26 Gouran, Hirokawa, Julian, and Leatham, pp. 574-579. Paths," Human Communication Research, Vol. 15, 1989, pp.
27 Robert Craig, "Treatments of Reflective Thought in John 323-356.
Dewey and Hans-Georg Gadamer," paper presented at 4 Poole, "Decision Development in Small Groups 1," p. 4.
the 1994 Convention of the International Communication 5 Anthony Giddens, The Constitution of Society: Outline of the
Association, Sydney, Australia, July 11-15, 1994. Theory of Structuration, University of California, Berkeley,
28 John Dewey. How We Think, H eath, New York, 1910. 1984, p. 14.
29 My analysis of Habermas' discourse ethics has been 6 Robert Boynton, "The Two Tonys: Why Is the Prime Min
greatly informed by Theodore Glasser and James Ettema, ister So Interested in What Anthony Giddens Thinks?" The
"Ethics and Eloquence in Journalism: A Study of the De New Yorker, October 6, 1997, p. 67.
mands of Press Accountability," presented to the Media 7 Giddens, Constitution of Society, p. xvi.
Ethics Division of the Association for Education in Jour 8 Marshall Scott Poole, "Group Communication and the
nalism and Mass Communication, Miami Beach, FL, Au Structuring Process," in Small Group Communication, 7th ed.,
gust 2002. Robert Cathcart, Larry Samovar, and Linda Henman (eds.),
30 Sonja Foss, Karen Foss, and Robert Trapp, Contemporary Brown & Benchmark, Madison, WI, 1996, p. 87. Definition
Perspectives on Rhetoric, Waveland Press, Prospect Heights, based on Anthony Giddens, Central Problems in Social The

ENDNOTES E-11

ory: Action, Structure and Contradiction in Social Analysis, articles and Nick Trujillo's scholarship has taken a critical
University of California, Berkeley, 1979, pp. 64- 76. turn, I refer in the text of this chapter only to Pacanowsky. For
9 Giddens, Central Problems, p. 5; Constitution of Society, p. 6. critical ethnography, see Nick Trujillo, "Interpreting Novem
10 Giddens, Constitution of Society, pp. 19- 22. ber 22: A Critical Ethnography of an Assassination Site,"
11 Marshall Scott Poole, David Seibold, and Robert McPhee, Quarterly Journal of Speech, Vol. 79, 1993, pp. 447--466.)
"The Structuration of Group Decisions," in Communication 3 Michael Pacanowsky and Nick O'Donnell-Trujillo, "Com
and Group Decision Making, 2nd ed., Sage, Thousand Oaks, munication and Organizational Cultures," Western Journal
CA, 1996, p. 115. of Speech Communication, Vol. 46, 1982, p. 121.
12 For an example of an ethnographic study of structuration, 4 Pacanowsky and O'Donnell-Trujillo, "Organizational
see Lisa A. Howard and Patricia Geist, "Ideological Posi Communication," p. 146.
tioning in Organizational Change: The Dialectic of Control 5 Ibid., p. 131.
in a Merging Organization," Communication Monograph s, 6 Pacanowsky and O'Donnell-Trujillo, "Communication
Vol. 62, 1995, pp. 110-131. and Organizational Cultures," p. 116.
13 Poole, "Group Communication," p. 86. 7 Clifford Geertz, "Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cock
14 Poole, Seibold, and McPhee, "Structuration of Group De fight," in Myth, Symbol, and Culture, Norton, New York,
cisions," p. 119. 1971, p. 29.
15 Marshall Scott Poole, David Seibold, and Robert McPhee, 8 Geertz, "Thick Description," p. 5.
"Group Decision-Making as a Structurational Process," 9 Gareth Morgan, Images of Organization, Sage, Newbury
Quarterly Journal of Speech, Vol. 71, 1985, p. 79. Park, CA, 1986, pp. 130- 131.
16 Poole, "Group Communication," p. 90. 10 Clifford Geertz, A Life of Learning (ACLS Occasional Paper
17 Poole, Seibold, and McPhee, "Structuration of Group No. 45), American Council of Learned Societies, New
Decisions," p. 141. York, 1999, p. 14.
18 Poole, "Group Communication," p. 87. 11 Pacanowsky and O'Donnell-Trujillo, "Communication
19 Ibid. and Organizational Cultures," p. 127.
20 Poole, Seibold, and McPhee, "Structuration of Group 12 Michael Pacanowsky, "Communication in the Empowering
Decisions," p. 122. Organization," in Communication Yearbook 11, James Ander
21 Marshall Scott Poole and Gerardine DeSanctis, "Understand son (ed.), Sage, Newbury Park, CA, 1988, pp. 357, 362-364;
ing the Use of Group Decision Support Systems: The Theory for an update on the culture of W. L. Gore & Associates two
of Adaptive Structuration," in Organization and Communica decades later, see Alan Deutschman, "The Fabric of Creativ
tion Technology, Sage, Newbury Park, CA, 1990, p. 179. ity," Fast Company, December 2004, pp. 54-62.
22 Wynne W. Chin, Abhijit Gopal, and W. David Salisbury, 13 Ibid., p. 357.
"Advancing the Theory of Adaptive Structuration: The De 14 Ibid., p. 358.
velopment of a Scale to Measure Faithfulness of Appropria 15 Ibid., pp. 366-368.
tion," Information Systems Research, Vol. 8, 1997, pp. 342-367. 16 [bid., p. 123.
23 Giddens, Central Problems, p. 71. 17 Michael Pacanowsky, "Slouching Towards Chicago,"
24 Marshall Scott Poole and Gerardine DeSanctis, "Micro Quarterly Journal of Speech, Vol. 74, 1988, p. 454.
level Structuration in Computer-Supported Group Deci 18 Bryan Taylor and Nick Trujillo, "Qualitative Research
sion Making," Human Communication Research, Vol. 19, Methods," in The New Handbook of Organizational Cormnu
1992, p. 7. nication, Fredric Jablin and Linda L. Putnam (eds.), Sage,
25 Marshall Scott Poole, "Do We Have Any Theories of Group Thousand Oaks, CA, 2001, pp. 161-194
Communication?" Communication Studies, Vol. 41, 1990, 19 Geertz, "Deep Play," pp. 5, 26.
p.243. 20 Pacanowsky and O'Donnell-Trujillo, "Organizational
26 Poole, Seibold, and McPhee, "Structuration of Group De Communication," p. 137.
cisions," p. 120. 21 Linda Smircich, "Concepts of Culture and Organizational
27 Poole, "Group Communication," p. 94. Analysis," Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 28, 1983,
28 John Cragan and David Wright, "Small Group Communi pp. 339-358.
cation Research of the 1980s: A Synthesis and Critique," 22 Taylor and Trujillo, p. 169.
Communication Studies, Vol. 41, 1990, pp. 212-236. 23 T. M. Luhrmann, 'The Touch of the ReaV' London Times
29 Poole, "Do We Have Any Theories of Group Communica Literary Supplement, January 12,2001, p. 3.
tion?" p. 240.
30 Kenneth Chase, "A Spiritual and Critical Revision of Chapter 20: Critical Theory of Communication in
Structuration Theory," Journal of Communication and Reli Organizations
gion, Vol. 16, No.1, 1993, p. 8.
31 Poole, "Do We Have Any Theories of Group Communica
1 Erin Brockovich, Universal, 2000.
2 Stanley Deetz, Transforming Communication, Transforming
tion?" p. 246.
Business: Building Responsive and Responsible Workplaces,
Hampton, Cresskill, NJ, 1995, p. 33.
Chapter 19: Cultural Approach to Organizations
3 Stanley Deetz, Democracy in an Age of Corporate Colonization:
Clifford Geertz, "Thick Description: Toward an Interpre Developments in Communication and the Politics of Everyday
tive Theory of Culture," in The Interpretation of Cultures, Life, State University of New York, Albany, 1992, p. 349.
Basic Books, New York, 1973, p. 5. 4 Time Maga zine, February 5,1996, p. 45.

2 Michael Pacanowsky and Nick O'Dollilell-Trujillo, "Organi 5 Deetz, Democracy, p. 43.

zational Communication as Cultural Performance," Commu 6 Deetz, Transforming Communication, p. 68.

nication Monographs, Vol. 50, 1983, p. 129. (Pacanowsky's 7 Deetz, Democracy, p. 129.

early work was co-authored with Nick O'Donnell-Trujillo 8 Deetz, Transforming Communication, p. 4.

from the communication department at Southern Methodist 9 Stanley Deetz, "Future of the Discipline: The Challenges,

University. Because Pacanowsky was the lead author in these the Research, and the Social Contribution," in Communica

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