Essay - Metacommunication in Gregory Bates' 'A Theory of Play and Fantasy,'...

Metacommunication

In Gregory Bates' "A theory of play and fantasy," he emphasized the importance of the concept "metacommunication" in studying interactions and their meanings between or among communicat*****s within a specific social context. Bates explicated in his essay how metacommunication occurs in an interaction, which he identified and termed as "*****." He defined metacommunication ***** "exchanging of signals which would carry t***** message 'this is play'," which meant that it is the understanding of meanings implic***** within each communication act or play. In effect, metacommunication is present when ***** communicators are able to understand the meaning ***** a ***** or communication ***** in a particular social context. Inability to distinguish the true ***** of this communication act—that is, failure to achieve *****ing and generate the meaning ***** the play—means that meta***** is absent and was not achieved by the communicators.

Metacommunication is vital because it allows observers ***** ***** participating in a communic*****tion act ***** the kind of play or ***** taking place. Observers can only understand whe*****r communicat*****s are arguing or joking ***** if they ***** aware ***** the context or situation from which ***** inter*****ion took place. If an argument ensued as a result of a misunderstanding ***** a communicat*****'s joke, then clearly, there had been a lack of metacommunication between them: the recipient of the joke clearly ***** it from an altogether different context, offending the other communicator, ********** eliciting feelings of *****ger from him/her. What this example illustrates is that it is important for communicators and observers to identify the "rules" or the communication styles of ***** communica*****r in *****der to determine whether they are still joking or embarking towards a heated argument due to a misunderst*****ing.

Utilizing B*****tes' discussion on *****, ***** concept is better explained ***** illustrated in the context of sharing dirty jokes. Dirty jokes are often considered in the society as taboo and expressed only ***** private; if these dirty jokes are ever expressed in the public, it would be in the f*****m of a comedy show or sitcom. Never*****less, society is generally ***** tolerant to the habit ***** sharing ***** jokes. In fact, in order to be 'successfully' expressed and shared, ***** it in private or public venues, dirty ***** must be 'metacommunicated.' This means that the communicator who shares the ***** joke ***** be ***** of ***** current situation and the kind ***** people (communicators) who would ***** the *****s of the dirty joke.

The presence of metacommunication is manifested when the deliverer of the dirty ***** had successfully shared it to his/her audience and ***** ***** duly given a favor***** response (signs of receptiveness such as laughter or sharing ***** an***** ***** joke from ********** communicator). Moreover, dirty ********** will only be tolerated when a joke was shared if the communicator is aware that the '*****' of joke s/he will be ***** is acceptable or within ***** standards ***** acceptability of his/her audience. Succeeding dirty jokes would ***** be acceptable if the first one had been received favorably. This