> [!NOTE] CMM > ### **CMM: A Brief Overview** https://cmminstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/65_CMM-BriefOverview.2018.pdf **Arthur Jensen & Robyn Penman** #### **What is CMM?** CMM, or the _Coordinated Management of Meaning_, was first developed by Barnett Pearce and Vernon Cronen in the 1970s and formally presented in _Communication, Action, and Meaning: The Creation of Social Realities_ (1980). Over time, the theory has evolved, notably through Pearce’s _Communication and the Human Condition_ (1989) and _Making Social Worlds_ (2007). CMM is recognised not only as a significant [[Communication]] theory but also as a _practical_ one, offering tools for improving social interaction. Pearce described it as both an orientation—a communication perspective—and a set of practices designed to enhance the quality of social life. The theory rests on three interrelated aspects: a perspective, a set of practices, and the goal of fostering a better social world. --- ### **A Perspective: Looking at Communication** Unlike traditional models that look _through_ communication to study messages or effects, CMM looks _at_ communication itself—the dynamic process that shapes social reality. Rather than asking, “What is communication for?” CMM asks, “What is going on here?” This shift reframes communication from an act of message transmission to a way of _living_—a continual process through which meaning, relationships, and realities are co-created. --- ### **We Construct Our Social Worlds in Communication** CMM begins with the premise that social worlds are built through everyday communication—conversation, argument, storytelling, ritual, and digital exchange alike. Pearce famously said, “We live in communication” as fish live in water. Communication is thus the medium of our humanity, forming the basis of our relationships and sense of self. Modern research in interpersonal neurobiology supports this view: our communicative patterns help shape neural pathways and emotional development. --- ### **Communication is Fundamentally Relational** All communication presupposes an _other_. Meaning arises not from isolated statements but through interaction—what CMM calls _joint action_. In coordinating with others, we co-create meaning and social order. This interdependence is what gives the theory its name: _the coordinated management of meaning_. --- ### **Communication as Constitutive and Consequential** Traditional models treat communication as representational—a means of conveying pre-existing ideas. CMM views it as _constitutive_: a creative force through which we bring ideas, relationships, and identities into being. Because communication shapes social reality, it is _consequential_. What we say and do in relation to others literally “makes things happen” in the social world. --- ### **Managing Meaning: Coordination, Coherence, and Mystery** CMM holds that communication involves managing meanings through coordination with others. We create coherence via stories that help us make sense of events, yet meaning is never complete—there is always _mystery_, reminding us of the limits of understanding and the value of curiosity. --- ### **A Set of Practices: What’s Going On Here?** CMM offers tools for examining how meaning and action are coordinated within multiple, shifting contexts—personal, relational, cultural, or institutional. These contexts form _hierarchies of meaning_, which influence and are influenced by each interaction. Stories we tell about ourselves and others—what CMM calls _stories told_ and _stories lived_—often differ. To account for the complexity of these “storied lives,” CMM introduces the **LUUUUTT model**, highlighting not just lived and told stories but also the _untold, unheard, unknown,_ and _untellable_. Awareness of these unspoken narratives fosters patience, empathy, and deeper listening. --- ### **Logical Force and Patterns of Interaction** CMM describes four kinds of _logical force_ that guide communication: - **Prefigurative** – responding to what has just happened - **Contextual** – acting according to situational expectations - **Practical** – pursuing desired outcomes - **Implicative** – shaping future contexts through present action Recognising these forces helps us understand conversational patterns, especially _unwanted repetitive patterns (URPs)_—the cyclical misunderstandings that sustain conflict. Reflecting on such exchanges allows us to identify and transform them through _metacommunication_—talking about our communication itself. --- ### **The Goal: Creating Better Social Worlds** CMM emphasises a moral question at the heart of communication: _“What should I do to make this better?”_ By becoming mindful of our patterns and contexts, we can design communication that enhances mutual understanding and enriches relationships. **Dialogue**, in CMM terms, is the highest form of joint action—where participants remain open, curious, and willing to be changed by one another. When dialogue replaces debate, we “get the pattern right,” and better stories—and better worlds—emerge. --- Would you like me to make a slightly _shorter_ version still (for instance, one that would fit a short pamphlet or introductory handout)? `Concepts:` `Knowledge Base:`