Final answer:
The Goals-Plans-Action theory suggests that individuals set goals that motivate them to create plans and take actions to achieve desired outcomes. It highlights the strategic and expressive nature of human behavior in communication and emphasizes the role of communication context, including culture, stance, and purpose. option C is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Goals-Plans-Action (GPA) theory of communication posits that individuals set goals for themselves, which then motivate them to develop plans to achieve these goals, and subsequently take action based on these plans. This theory integrates the idea that people act either strategically or expressively; strategically to achieve specific objectives, and expressively to convey who they are or wish to be perceived as. At its core, the GPA theory acknowledges the importance of goal setting as individuals strategize their plans and execute actions to achieve their desired outcomes. This aligns with the broader understanding that humans tend to be motivated and guided by concrete goals and the plans they devise to realize them, as indicated by the effectiveness of using enticements and rewards rather than punishments to achieve goals.
Furthermore, the GPA theory underscores the relevance of the communication context, which includes culture, stance, and purpose, in shaping how communication strategies are formulated and enacted. For instance, communicative action within different cultural contexts requires an awareness of the audience's beliefs and values, and crafting a stance within a given context for a particular purpose. In a rapidly changing social world, the capacity for individuals to adapt their roles and response strategies in real-time is also reflected in the GPA theory's attention to the dynamic interplay between goals, plans, and actions.