Introduction The internet has spurred a revolution in the communications field. Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) has introduced new communication methods such as social networking sites, e-mail, blogs, and text messaging. People are communicating now in ways that would have never been thought of just 30 years ago. The rapid developments in new communication mediums makes it essential for the communications discipline to be at the forefront of new research and discoveries. Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) is a tried and true communication theory that posits that people will adapt their language to others in a certain context (Ayoko, Härtel, Callen, 2002; Gasiorek, 2013). CAT is interdisciplinary in nature and has been researched across disciplines including communication, sociolinguistics, social psychology, and sociology (Dragojevic, Gasiorek, Giles, 2016). Researchers have found that people accommodate their language in particular social interactions to reach certain goals (). Goals can vary from wanting to set …show more content…
CAT addresses these accommodations and can be broadly defined as a theory that “seeks to explain and predict such communicative adjustments, and model how others in an interaction perceive, evaluate, and respond to them” (Dragojevic et al., 2014, p. 1). It is important to note that CAT does not only address the changes that are made in an interaction but also examines how people react to the changes. The theory posits that people enter an interaction with specific intergroup goals (Ayoko, et al., 2002; Gasiorek, 2013). Gasiorek (2013) stated that according to theory “each participant comes to an interaction with an initial orientation towards their speaker and the encounter, based on speakers’ interpersonal and intergroup histories, as well as social norms and values”
People in today’s world rely too heavily on the convenience of new communication technologies including emails, texting, and social media. Whilst the importance of these mediums and the way to which they have transformed modern communication cannot be denied, the importance of face-to-face communication and the benefits it provides must not be negated. Communication is a key element of human nature and ‘we communicate for many many reasons, these can be simplified down to three; to persuade, to inform, and to express. (Harper 2014)’ Technology aids the efficiency and frequency to which information is shared but can diminish the three main purposes of communication; to inform, express and persuade, decreasing it's quality. This essay will discuss the benefits and the detriments that have arisen from the introduction and use of technology in regards to the three main purposes of communication.
Communication, as a social behaviour, is shaped differently for every individual based on their social and cultural experiences. People possess varying linguistic preferences from directness to word choice that make it hard to accurately decipher what another may be trying to convey. Through her studies, Tannen has observed that boys and girls may develop different linguistic styles, as children generally interact with others of the same sex. Her research has shown that “girls tend to learn conversational rituals that focus on the rapport dimension of relationships whereas boys tend to learn rituals that focus on the status dimension” (1995, p.140).
Communication competence is the ability to achieve ones goals in manner that is personally acceptable and, ideally acceptable to others. (Adler, 2013) Communication competence is the ability to choose a communication behavior that is both appropriate and effective for a given situation. Interpersonal competency permits one to accomplish their communication goals without initiating the other party to lose face. In order to communicate properly and ideally you must first learn what the best way to address any situation and how it will be most accepted. Are you a competent communicator?
This theory highlights beneath aspirations and consequences of the possible occurrence when two respondents change their styles of communication. Theorists under this theory contests that during communication, people adjust or accommodate their speaking style to one another. This is mostly done through convergence or divergence. People with stronger racial or ethnic groups highlight their identity through divergence. In case of social approval mostly by the powerless individuals, convergence is their most adopted communication mode. I need to bring to your attention that this theory does not imply that you are powerless, but rather it is praise in disguise. Considering that you and your best friend come from different countries, it only means that you come from a more humbled ethnic and racial background. This should however not discourage you to part ways, after all the best of friends do not share everything, but they understand and acknowledge their differences and that is what makes the friendship unique. Having known your best friend’s background, you need to understand her whenever she makes certain remarks. You should not take her remarks personal since you know her better and you know that she only has your best interest at heart (Cicciarelli, 3).
(2011) is the role of a speaker’s attitude towards the interlocutor. There are numerous examples in linguistics of participants being adamant or prideful about their social identity and language use (Pappas, 2008; Llamas et al., 2009); as accommodation acts to highlight shared identity or designate contrast, perhaps attitude towards interlocutors is the greater influence towards accommodation. Yu et al. (2013) found that participants who like a model speaker imitate them more. Likewise, Babel (2010) found that participants who held a positive implicit bias towards a model speaker showed a greater degree of convergence. Yet, implicit bias had a negative effect as well, wherein participants accommodated less towards a speaker they felt negatively towards. The negative attitude in this case concerned in- and out-group sentiments, but similar results have been found for racial bias as well (Babel,
Language primarily is a system of communication (Fellowes and Oakley, 2014. p. 16). It is a “socially shared code” meaning it is custom to a certain group of humans and the language is understood by all in the group (Suri, n.d.). At all stages of life, language is an expressive tool that humans’ use as a vehicle to express ones’ self, ideas and thoughts (Kilgour, 1999). When language is learnt, certain notions about what is appropriate depending on different context is learnt (Emmitt, Zbaracki, Komesaroff & Pollock, 2010. p. 73). These notions are reflective of M. Halliday’s language register, language is diverse and is representative of context of interaction, who the communication is between and the communitive purpose as well as the mode of communication [oral or written] (Fellowes and Oakley, 2014. p. 19 & 20). Variety of vernacular is a diverse language barrier that may affect a person at any stage of life; refers to our everyday language and slang that is different to another group or region (Casano, n.d.). An example would be, this language would be appropriate for friends and close family but a different variety of vernacular would be used amoung work
Due to the statistics matching the historical evidence, Howard Giles’ theory of Communication Accommodation (CAT) can be applied. CAT aims to examine the manipulation of communication during interpersonal interaction (Parcha, 2014). Applying this to our study, individuals of a state would converge to their preferred sport to avoid being associated with the out-group. Williams (1999) defines convergence as “when people make their speech and communication patterns more like that of their” conversational
Adaptability, which is the way we change our behaviors to be appropriate for different interpersonal situations, has six factors: social experience, social composure, social confirmation, appropriate disclosure, articulation, and wit (Canary, Cody, & Manusov, 2008, p. 506). Social experience is the idea that we have participated in social interactions before, and because of this we are able to develop communication skills on our own that teach us how to interact in certain situations. This is pretty standard for most people, including myself. Although with every conversation I have I learn something more about communicating and how to be a good communicator, I would suggest that I have had enough social interaction in my life to at lea...
during the late 20th century, mankind hit an unprecedented surge of technological advancement and innovation. From the 1980s onward, our level of technology- especially communication-based technologies- increased exponentially year by year, giving us inventions (and their subsequent additions) such as the mobile cell phone, the Internet, email, instant message and social media platforms. In fact, the advent of the Internet and social media has created a smaller, wired world wherein an individual can communicate with someone from across the world in the blink of an eye.
This theory has been subject to many articles and studies in the communication and social departments. Indeed, studying this theory can help us understanding human relations in interpersonal communication. Each of us has been one day confronted to uncertainty, whereas in initial encounters, or moving to a new a new place, or beginning a new work.
Communication is an ongoing process in which individuals exchange messages whose meanings are influenced by the history of the relationship and the experiences of the participants. (Adler, p.384) Communication depends on relationships between the people who are communicating, and on common basics between them. Problems in communications between people may arise due to differences in cultures, perceptions, values, and expectations from life.
The two processes that are involved in every interaction are assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation means gaining some knowledge and making it fit in with what you already know. This is a necessity in order to develop our cognitive structures. This is a process that everyone encounters even though they may not be aware of when it is happening. Our perceptions of things are enhanced when something of the outside world is assimilated or added into our internal world. Accommodation is the changing of one’s structure of thought. During this process, the gaining of new knowledge fails to co-exist with what we already know. Therefore, we must accommodate or adjust our previous way of thinking to maintain stability. These two processes interact to form a state of equilibrium.
One basic context of communication is interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication can be defined as “the ongoing, ever- ch...
In recent years, technology has become the most used and preferred way of communicating, extending across many platforms. All of these programs, such as e-mail, instant messaging, social networking websites in conjunction with text messaging and the ability to access all of these entities on the go, have come into fruition based on the immense and widely found growth made in technological advancements that have occurred in our society. With this, a massive change has developed in regards to referencing how we as humans engage in communication. We have now shifted into a society that relies heavily on the existence of digital communication, whether it be through the means of a mobile device (text messaging) or the Internet (Facebook, Twitter,
Interaction is a significant part of our daily lives. Oral communication with others is inevitable, and therefore it is crucial for us to acquire the skills to do so correctly. Aside from simply stating words or expressing ideas, oral communication serves various purposes. Oral communication allows an individual to express emotions, ideas, and feelings; it gives people the ability to empower, inspire, and motivate those who listen; and it allows people to share knowledge and traditions, as well as build their self-esteem. Oral communication is also useful in leading us to new discoveries, ideas, cultures, and perspectives (O’Neill). Thus, oral communication serves several different purposes in daily life; yet each of these purposes are connected to an even larger purpose. According to the textbook Communication: Making Connections, “Effective communication is critical to living successfully in today’s soc...