Transcript Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM)

Coordinated Management of
Meaning (CMM)
Joanne Collins, Simon Shattock and
Rukiya Jemmott
Outline
• Definition of CMM
• Introduction to the hierarchy and Daisy
models.
• Use of CMM theory to analyse and
understand conversations
Definition
• CMM is a communication theory
• Its foundation is located within the social
constructionist paradigm
• Its focus is on interpersonal communication
• CMM has now developed into what its founders
consider a “practical theory,” a theory which
aims to help make life better for real people in
the real world.
• In this theory we are understood as ‘moral
beings’
Conversations
• When we enter conversation with ‘other’ we
manage the question “what should I do?” not
“what do I know?”
• What we do is based on the idea of ‘moral
logic’. How we think we should act? As well as
a number of contextual factors. E.g. are we in
a social context, work context, with family,
with enemies, etc…
Daisy model
• Formerly called atomic model is a tool to help
the individual visually work with and think
about the multiple ‘selves’ in a moment that is
influencing us.
• Example me and migration
Exercise 15-20 mins
Turn to your partner and describe how you
would introduce yourself in different contexts:
• At home
• At work
• Abroad
• To a stranger
• What are the differences that emerge? What
are the consistencies? What do you notice
Basics for conversations
• What is the relationship between actors?
• What are the identities being claimed and
accorded?
• What rules or conventions are each of the
participants drawing on?
• What is the episode being made?
• What actions are being performed?
• What discourses give legitimacy to our actions?
(moral logic, what we call on to say we are
entitled)
Example
• My client and her absent father in a recent
meeting. Requested a meeting with me and
her father following a period of his absence
from her life.
• Came with a list of questions for him
• Made him write down all he did wrong.
How People Tell Their Stories
1. Every act of speech exists in four contexts:
2. An episode is a communication routine that has boundaries and rules
(e.g. phone-call home cause you’re running late, flowers to say you’re
sorry, cleaning when you’re happy, not wanting to go home cause
you’re in trouble!)
3. A relationship between persons-in conversation suggests how speech
might be interpreted
4. Self-Identity
5. Culture describes webs of shared meanings and values.
6. Communication is mutually influencing. Both parties affect and are
affected by the other. Contexts co-evolve as people speak. Reality is
created “in the space between” as people speak
Moral Logic
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Entitlements – what do you have a right to
Obligations – what should you do
Prohibition – what you are not allowed to do
Legitimations – what are you allowed
Critique
1.Core ideas difficult to pin down
2.Lack of consistency in use of terms
3.Can be enlightening, also perplexing
4.CMM focuses on communication in the formation
of shared social realities. What else influences our
social realities?
Referral
• Role play – 20 mins
• Needing 6 people
• Following role play in teams you need to identify
the highest context marker for the conversation
as it evolves (from the hierarchy model)
• What is your hypothesis about the family?
• What are you curious about and ?
• What would you want to speak with the family
about if you could?
Closing thoughts on CMM
• What do you think about the model?
• What appeals to you?
• What puts you off?
• How might you use it?