Tagged: Networked Media

Reading 01 – Chris Argyris and Theories of Action.

Chris Argyris’ theories of action helped me realise and understand a little more about how we, as individuals, function, so to speak. When we go about our daily activities, we develop a plan in our mind, which is referred to as a ‘mental map’.  According to the ‘theories-in-use’, this map serves as a guide to how we do things. Argyris’ espoused theory of action claims that when we tell stories about our accomplishments, we tell the story according to how we would like others to view us. I found this highly interesting, as I have always been interested in the way the human mind works.

What I understand from governing variables is that these variables determine why we are conducting our course of action. It outlines our intended outcomes, and also shows how certain variables can have a tremendous impact on the outcome, no matter how small the change is. These variables are the dimensions in which you alter your point of view. It provides another method of solving your problem by looking at it from a different perspective.

Action strategies are the methods that we implement to achieve our desired outcome. These strategies are made to overcome obstacles or hurdles that we might encounter. It is the answer to the question,” How do we get our desired outcome?”

Consequences are the effect of our action strategies. It is the outcome of our actions, whether we achieve our intended result, or stumbled upon an unintended outcome.

A question that I would bring forth in the context of this reading is the manner in which the ‘espoused theory of action’ is conducted. Technically, we are summing up a desired outcome of what we intend it to be, and we convey this message towards others, thereby forming an identity for ourselves. After all, our actions determine our character. In that sense, I find that we sometimes exaggerate or maybe even make up theories when we provide an espoused response. If this theory were solid, would that mean that all humans have the tendency to lie or exaggerate? What is the purpose of us portraying ourselves in a different light? Are we genetically “programmed” to do so? After all, the human race has always been at the mercy of each other’s judgement. That is how we have come to function as a society. Certain acts are accepted by society, while others are not.