A theory of goal-oriented communication - DSpace@MIT
dspace.mit.edu
MIT researchers reframe all communication as a goal-pursuit tool — and this changes everything about how we model why humans talk, persuade, and cooperate.
Goal-Oriented CommunicationSpeech Act TheoryInformation TheoryRational Choice Theory
Theory Briefing
- MIT's new framework treats communication not as an end, but as an instrument humans wield to achieve specific goals.
- The theory generalizes across contexts — from negotiation to coordination — unifying fragmented models of human interaction under one lens.
- By centering intent and outcome, the model challenges classical information-transfer theories like Shannon's, which ignore the 'why' behind messages.