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Generalization in Process Theories of Communication

Communication is a process and should be explained as such. Process theories differ from traditional variance theories in that they focus on explaining how a process unfolds over time as a series of events, such as a sequence of stages or a dialectic. Process explanations are couched in terms of formal and final causality in addition to the efficient causality that is essential to variance-based explanations. As a result, the criteria governing generalization in process research differ from those that apply to variance research. This essay contrasts variance and process theories and research approaches and discusses generalization in process research, along with implications for communication scholarship.