Relevance Theory in Communication: Cognitive and Communicative Principles
Relevance Theory in Communication
Cognitive Principle of Relevance
The human mind faces an overwhelming amount of information. To manage this, our cognitive systems prioritize the most relevant inputs and process them efficiently. This is known as the Cognitive Principle of Relevance: Human cognition tends to be geared to the maximization of relevance. This principle applies to all information we encounter, whether intentional or accidental.
For example, when someone speaks, we instinctively focus on information relevant to us, considering their words, expressions, gestures, and even pauses. We process this information in a context that maximizes its relevance.
Communicative Principle of Relevance
In intentional communication, we have higher expectations of relevance. This leads to the Communicative Principle of Relevance: Utterances (or other ostensive stimuli) create expectations of relevance.
While there might be multiple interpretations of an utterance, each with varying degrees of relevance, the communicator aims to meet the audience’s expectation of relevance.
Optimal Relevance
Sperber & Wilson introduced the concept of optimal relevance, which consists of two conditions:
- Condition (a): The utterance must be relevant enough to be worth processing, offering sufficient cognitive effects at a low processing cost. It should be more relevant than any other stimulus the audience could be processing.
- Condition (b): The utterance is the most relevant one compatible with the speaker’s abilities and preferences. Speakers strive for the highest relevance possible within their limitations.
Speakers may be unable or unwilling to produce the most relevant utterance due to factors like limited information or memory. However, they aim for maximum relevance to maintain the listener’s attention and convey their message effectively.
Communicative Principle of Relevance: A Summary
The Communicative Principle of Relevance can be summarized as: Every utterance creates a presumption of its own optimal relevance. This is not a rule to be followed, but rather a description of how communication inherently functions.
Unlike Gricean maxims, it’s not an instruction for speakers, but an observation of the natural expectation of relevance in communication.