Evolutionary Psychology: A Framework for Strategic Communication Research

Abstract

Evolutionary psychology suggests that the human mind consists of evolved cognitive mechanisms that developed through evolution by means of natural selection. These mechanisms evolved to solve long standing problems in the human ancestral environment. Cooperation in small foraging tribal communities of hunters and gatherers, and its use to gain reproductive advantages, was one of the problems the human mind has adapted to. Thus, this article argues that adopting evolutionary psychology as a framework for strategic communication research can improve understanding of why strategic communication exists in human societies and how it works. The idea of the modularity of mind suggests that separate modules inside the mind evolved during our evolutionary history to solve ancestral challenges. Some of these modules embody human fundamental motives, which can by triggered by strategic communication. By tapping into fundamental motives such as the longing for status, affiliation, and kin-care, strategic communication is able to exploit ancestral stimuli in today's information society. Thus, a research program based on evolutionary psychology could be a valuable contribution to the field's growing body of knowledge. Recently, Nothhaft called for a consilient synthesis in the field of strategic communication, i.e., "to reconnect strategic communication research to the rapidly progressing and highly relevant hybrid disciplines such as cognitive science and evolutionary psychology"

Strategic Communication: Defining the Field and its Contribution to Research and Practice

“…Several authors have proposed alternative approaches to research the field. Only a minority argue explicitly for concentrating on a specific perspective and more rigor (Nothhaft, 2016;Seiffert-Brockmann, 2018). Most researchers tend to broaden the view and-ultimately-use strategic communication as an umbrella term for any communication by any actor to serve the interests of any constituency.…”

Between tragedy, romance, comedy and satire: narratives of axiological progress in public relations

“…Particularly in recent years, these efforts get complemented and partly overlaid by epistemological efforts to reinvent the discipline as an applied science that focuses on developing positivist research designs and methods to detect and predict causes and effects of behavioral change (e.g. Grunig, 2018;Nothhaft, 2016;Nothhaft et al, 2018;Seiffert-Brockmann, 2018;Zerfass et al, 2018) often directly inspired by recent reflections on disciplinary maturation and consilience in the natural sciences (Shneider, 2009;Wilson, 1998).…”

“…Broom et al, 2013;Grunig and Grunig, 2008;Tench et al, 2017;Zerfass et al, 2018) equally adhere to this combined narrative by starting with a diagnosis of an inferior status quo, metonymical grounded in empirical evidence from management surveys and behavior-based causal models. They then metaphorically introduce new competencies and skills from other disciplinesgeneral leadership and management skills on the one hand, advanced methodological skills from cognitive and behavioral science on the other (Grunig, 2018;Nothhaft, 2016;Seiffert-Brockmann, 2018)as key sources to unfold a heroic narrative of practical professionalization and academic maturation, which will ultimately allow PR to transcend the current state.…”

Strategic Communication: Reflections on an Elusive Concept

“…In retrospect, many out-of-character decisions are probably best explained by acute or chronic stress. Reviewing the effects of stress on the frontal cortex, Robert Sapolsky concludes that "stressed people often make hideously bad decisions, marinated in emotion" (2017( , KL 1053( -1054. Nowadays, of course, stress is in danger of becoming a meaningless explanation because it is applied to almost every situation.…”

“…For example, neuroscience delivers results of practical importance, but also has been helped by the fact that it contains societally relevant and inspirational elements. Cognitive neuroscientists have addressed the traditionally philosophical question of free will, for example, and are offering advice on the reform of the criminal justice system (see Sapolsky, 2017, Chapter 16 for a controversial example).…”