SCHOLASTICA BIWOTT
CPR/2026/13
THE PRAGMATIC PERSPECTIVE OF COMMUNICATION
The pragmatic perspective focuses on the systems of behavior within the communication that is
taking place.
The pragmatic perspective emphasizes that there are sequences of events that happen that are
ordered without rules or laws.
It also focuses on the patterns of interaction, rather than the intent, cultural context,
understanding, needs and desires.
This perspective resembles a game.
Communication consists of a system of interlocking, interdependent behaviors that become
patterned over time and this perspective looks at the series of actions and behaviors where
communication is taking place.
Being like a game one must know and understand the series of actions and reactions that lead up
to the current situation as well as how to anticipate and make the next move.
In a given situation, one takes a type of action then depending on the person’s action the other
responds in a particular way, the person responds to the other, and this cycle tends to repeat.
Therefore one must understand how interactions work and how to communicate in those
reactions hence one must understand the structure of the game and how it works.
Communication is like a game in terms of how people become interdependent as each person is
affected by the other within the interaction through each other’s actions.
As a result of continuous interactions, people then work out the rules as people find out which
actions and moves work and does not work for them, what works and does not work for the
other, which works for neither or for both; thus people can “get something out of playing”,
whether the payoffs are winning or losing.
However, communication is not like a game, as there are individual differences through
personality and cultural background that plays a role in communication.
Communication often requires many different ways of interpreting the actions taking place. the