It is all too eary to think of communication in terms of cause and effect, in terms of a massage that is send from its source to its destination and the impression or impact that results from its arrival. This view of the communication process has in the past distorted or nuilified a good deal of research on the effects of communication. It has persisted in spite of the appearance of a number of essays aned studies emphasizing the importance in communication of the recipient's own activity and of his needs and characteristics. This article proposes an examination of the effects of communication in terms of the needs of the individuals who are the tragets and the way in whcih communications fit into their efforts to improve their relationships with their environment.