Structuration Theory

Structuration theory (ST) is a social theory used by communication studies scholars to explain connections between situated interactions and social structures of meaning, norms, and power. Most commonly associated with sociologist Anthony Giddens, structuration theory was proposed and elaborated to reconcile conceptual differences in social research between those who focus solely on macro-processes, such as institutional power, and those who focus solely on micro-processes, such as situated interactions. ST views macro-processes and micro-processes as inextricably linked through ongoing, recursive social practice. ST is a broad theoretical perspective rather than a theory with a concrete set of testable propositions and its own methodological assumptions. As such, it has been used in studies across a variety of communication contexts, [Page 1688]including organizations, technology-mediated communication, small groups, and families. Because of its widespread use in the communication discipline, it is important to understand methodological choices for conducting structuration studies of communication.

This entry describes three broad methodological choices for conducting ST-based communication research. One method is to decide whether the focus of the study will be on institutions or on actions. To be clear, the purpose of ST is to recognize that institutions and actions are not separable in reality. However, no study can analyze absolutely everything. Accordingly, although an ST researcher will need to study action in an institutional analysis and, on the other hand, will need to study institutions in a study of action, each approach necessitates giving primary attention to one or the other. For either methodological choice, the emphasis of an ST study is on the recursive pattern between action and structure, which is called the duality of structure.

This entry begins with an overview of qualitative approaches, the methodology most widely used for structuration studies. Quantitative approaches are also described, with examples of how quantitative methodologies might be employed for ST-based analyses. Finally, mixed-methods approaches are discussed with examples of how combining qualitative and quantitative methods in one study may be used for ST-based projects.