A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Survey Inquiry on Jürgen Habermas’s Theory of Communicative Action

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  In Poster Session: A Cultural-Historical Activity Theory Survey Inquiry on Jürgen Habermas’s Theory of Communicative Action

Abstract

My goal in this paper is, first, to answer the critics who have attacked the Habermasian model as too abstract by adding an empirical element to the theory of communicative action. I have interviewed 40 respondents to discover whether they utilize a theory of communicative action or a theory of strategic action in their daily lives.
Second, my goal in this paper is to clarify this point of confusion in the model of Habermas, and to include instrumental action as its own category separate from strategic action. Third, using this repaired model, I conduct a survey to determine whether strategic action or communicative action is more predominant in my sample.

Author

• Cynthia Cohen, University at Buffalo - SUNY