Communication Accommodation Theory

Communication adaptation possible action ( hombre) states that muckle adjust their communication to opposites ascribable to various cerebrates fitk for listeners approving, maintain positive sociable identity operator and wanting to achieve communication efficiency. According to Giles, population compel their linguistic communicati iodines and deportments much to the concourse they found attracted to and who put on much similar beliefs and emplacements with them. Giles suggested that hatful enjoyment perception and evalution in conversations, which means people observe and view message before they decide how to act in a conversation.to a greater extentover, people who has a lower favorable status is a great deal to a greater extent in entirely probability to take to and guided by people who ar from higher social status. deal also perform their demeanors according to norms and appropriateness, where they try to reach the expectations of behaviors in conv ersations. CAT suggests several ways when people adapt during conversations gathernce, crooknce and over registration. tribe may adjust themselves in order to highlight similar behaviors to new(prenominal)s or distinguish themselves from other(a)s.Convergence is a strategy utilise to adapt a nonhers behaviors. Usually people converge toward stereotypes. Divergence is utilize to emphasize differences mingled with communicators. It is a way to maintain ones social identity and reason status. Over fitting means to overdo in regulating to others even playacting from untroubled intentions. What Giles suggested in the system is more than only conveying us the reason we accommodate or Not accommodate to others in conversations. tribe office these tactics in order to maintain their social identities and statuses.It is curiously important to minorities, whom ar always expected to adjust to the mainstream. This surmisal cause them realize what they have been doing unconscio usly and what created unjustice in troupe. Another phenomenon that the theory has suggested is that people some(prenominal)times over-accommodate in order to fit in a assembly. People try to be someone who they are not even partly similar. Learning this theory might allow them to realize it might not be a good idea to overly adjust.Communication accommodation theory guess Theory of Communication Accommodation Keenness severalize university Melinda Sykes Communication Accommodation Theory 2 Introduction Verbal behavior is an active lifestyle that individuals use to convey messages. This are of communication involves a multitude of approaches, both In a behavioral sense solely also a social psychological approach. Our behavior alters our environment with or with come to the fore our permission. Therefore, saving is an integral part of the communication accommodation theory because pitch. Illume. whole step and many others s said to cause a shift in ones behavior. In 1987, Gile s & Wingman explained communication accommodation as a theory that examines rudimentary motivations and consequences of shifts In oral behavior. This theory attempts to explain why people accommodate or adjust to anothers speech and the need to gain commendation or maintain social identity with whom they are speaking with. The theory assumptions are that perceptions of anothers speech help Individuals to evaluate and behave towards that person.The object of this paper Is to dissertate the development of the theory by reviewing research tested and or extending the theory. More Importantly, the paper impart develop an overall evaluation of the theory strengths, helplessness and heuristic potential. Both speech convergence and partnce, they magnify the movement toward or away from the speech style of the other. And determine that it is ultimately motivated by an assumption some the others speech (Giles, Mullah, Abroad, & Johnson, 1987).These strategies give great reference an d apprehension of the accommodation principle in communication. Communication Accommodation Theory 3 Convergence and discrepancy are strategies that give light on the reasons why individuals adapt to one anothers speech rate. Convergence indicates that individuals adapt to each other by slowing down or speeding up speech rate, lengthening or shortening pauses and utterances, and utilise certain forms of politeness, tag questions and verbal intensifiers in their speech (Infants, Rancher, & woman, 2003).Divergence refers to the way verbalisers accentuate song and linguistic differences to underscore social differences between speakers (Infants, Rancher, & Woman, 2003). Though the strategies differ linguistically they are the similar in creation. They are unconnected in the sense the strength of a single response may be, and usually is a function of more than one variable and a single variable usually affects more than one response (B. F. Skinner, 1957). Street and Giles choose d that divergence is generally used when others are appendages of undesirable groups or checker distasteful attitudes (1982). Ultimately, we converge with others in interaction if they are powerful and we want to be like them. We diverge from others in interaction if it is important for us to highlight a complexify and distinct identity (Miller, 2005). Over time, researchers have examined the area of grammatical gender and communication. The research has leadership to an understanding that individuals clanify according to gender orientation rather than biologic sex (Virginia Wheelers, 1984). The research uncovered that feminine and un variediated individuals were more conform to than masculine.The research runs along the same parallel that feminine language is viewed as more considerate cooperative, helpful and submissive (Stewart, Stewart, Cooper, & Friendly, 1996). This issue is heuristic in the sense is has brought almost the research of sound play. Communication Accommoda tion Theory 4 Bambini B. tongueifies, author and scientist researched sound play and described it as vocal/verbal activity of a single speaker, more importantly used between young children and mothers (Ochs & Sheffield, 1983).In these exchanges, children pay attention to the phonological shape of one anothers utterances and repeat or modify slightly a sequence of sounds tumefy(p) produced. The study has been reported in a number of different cultures. Speech convergence is expressed during sound play. The approval of the mother or the childs enrolment gains satisfaction for one another. These results suggest that similarity in speech and touch influence perceptions of a relationship and gains overall approval. The study observed the use of sound play, convergence and divergence in the workplace as well.The order was simple observation through the use of office cameras and role play. The purpose was to observe the amount of times the three strategies mentioned above were used a nd by what gender. The results of the study results of women studying convergence almost in all cases that presented themselves. Their speech in terms of pitch, volume and tone were all demonstrations that ran insistent with the implied hypotheses. The women showed signs of beingness more considerate, understanding and submissive.Their tone and volume were reported to be lower and seemed more empathetic to whom they were speaking with. piece the men seemed very reconciled with their regular speaking tones in the midst of adversity or effortless conversation. More actions of divergence were shown by the male participants. Communication Accommodation Theory 5 Instances were numerous on the part of correcting others verbal expressions and used more capacious Jargon in the workplace. Research has found that stereotypes continue to show the relevance and authenticity of the convergence and divergence strategies.For example, blind persons report individuals who distribute with them tend to shout or exaggerate behaviors unrelated to their ability to see. Nurses use baby blab out to the institutionalized elderly, regardless of the individuals capabilities (Infants, Rancher, & Woman, 2003). Another example would be the tendency of individuals to yell or express exaggerated movements to persons who ignorenot hear. Research has been evaluated with gender playing a role in speech convergence and divergence. family as given norms that inhibit the expectancy of speech from women and men.Even womens speech exhibits marked differences compared to the speech of men, provided that women use more polite expressions and seem to adopt threadbare forms, while the latter tend to exercise their right to do as they see fit (Miller, 2005). Society norms have provided the benefit of men using divergence and women more coarsely using convergence to gain approval for satisfaction. As Robin Alaska once said, women collude in their own subordination by the way they speak. Spe ech divergence in the use of metaphors in literature, in that the message used in his kind of form is kind only to those who are conversant with the code.In this way, members of certain groups or communities can hold up walls. On one hand, exclude the ones who cannot penetrate the mind of the speaker or the writer, but on the other, help cultivate intimacy and a sense of community. Communication Accommodation Theory 6 Communication accommodation theory is a very practical and easy to understand concept. For the reason, we all have experienced the convergence and divergence experience. Either, we were the initiator or the responder. The theory instances its opportunity to be tested and observed to gain further extensive research.With test having been conducted and both positive and negative feedback reported, both are good for a theory. It shows legitimacy that the theory is Just that but it also shows some relevance and true findings for the theory. This being said it makes the th eory heuristic. Further research, observations, examen and extensions can be produced from this theory. In addition, the theory meets the scientific standards of explanation of the result, pair off objectives of scientific knowledge (Griffin, 1991, p. 34). It maintains a simplistic concept and is easy to understand.Having a theory that is testable and leaves room for growth and further expansion puts it in the kin of credible, substantial theories. A weakness in the communication accommodation theory is that it leaves many questions unanswered. Questions such as the long term changes in behavior and where to draw the line of empathy and the theory are where the theory can be unclear (Infants, Rancher & Hammock, 2005). In order for individuals to understand the difference between the accommodation theory and empathy, they would have to eave the same definition and perception of what empathy is.Communication Accommodation TheoryCAT- American recital X In this paper, I exit use CA T (Communication Accommodation Theory) to explain how convergence, divergence, and intergroup contact are garnishd at heart the film American History X. Convergence in CAT refers to the accommodativeness, the motion concerned with how we both reduce and magnify communication differences between people in interaction. Talking about convergence, people tend to enhance interpersonal similarities and reduce uncertainties. The effect of converging towards or approximately to another can increase liking and enable him or her to be seen more satisfactory and credible.It includes switching to the others language or dialect, or anticipate the same level of the others interruptions, speech rate, posture and so forth. When engaging conversation, if the individuals or in-group identity is viewed more than the out-group identity, there will be convergence and higher communication relational satisfaction. In the film American History X, there are several examples help to illustrate the conce pt of convergence Firstly, the attitude and the way of thinking towards Derek are influence by his father who is being murdered and killed by two stark people during his duty as a firefighter.In one of the flashbacks in the film, Dereks family gather around at the dinner table, Derek mentions his black teachers, Bob Sweeney, who depute the class to read a book which is written by an African American author. Dereks father criticism the book because he is personally having dissatisfaction about his job with two black people got approved to his team. He explains the facts of how the black people in their society and neibourhood would threaten their life and verbally assume Derek is supporting his point of view. All these influences Derek after(prenominal) his father died.He starts to believe that the problems of the society is all race related. Started from that point, Derek strongly stereotypes his ethnic identity because of his fathers prejudices towards the minorities in his s ociety and the reason for his fathers death. His convergence combine with stereotyping leads to over accommodation which is viewed as dis admireful to his whole family both verbally and nonverbally. Second example of convergence is another flashback in the movie. Derek along with his comrade Daniel and girlfriend Stacey gathered a large group of white racialism gangs in the parking lot.Derek was having a speech to the whole group about the new immigration and unfairness about the distribution on the resources towards whites and other value-systems. After the speech, they destroyed a market which the owner is an Asian. They almost bust everything in the store and beaten up the people inside. The whole actions show that the group of white gangs is hard to show their strong social power to those who has lower power in the society. Besides, the group of white gangs tends to converge to place their common ethnic and social identities.In another flashback scene, when Derek was in th e prison, he tested to find the group who has the similarity with him base on the tattoo on his body. He lay down and worked out in the area where the others ethic captives were staying and he threaten them away. Finally he found the group and he is one of the in-group members. Here Derek tends to converge as he wants to gain approval by a group of people with similarity in the prison. He also wants to develop a walk-to(prenominal) relationship with the other members in his in-group that he didnt meet before.After three years, Derek perplexs released from the prison. Daniels appearance changes to a younger version of Derek, with shaved headed and tattoo. Derek seems to be frustrated about the tattoo on Daniels arm as he thought it would be a bad idea for Daniel to follow his steps and conduct intricate all those racism stuffs. But Daniel says I thought you would like it Daniel tends to converge to gain approval and trust from his comrade, he tends to develop a closer relatio nship with him as long as he thought they are sharing the common social identities.Divergence in CAT refers to non-accommodativeness, to magnify the communicatory differences. Divergence occurs when individuals desire to represent their in-group identity above others desire. It serves as a distinction to preserve dialect or vocabulary. Members of different ethnic groups often accentuate their identities by diverging from one another both verbally and nonverbally. Divergence can be particularly intense if people note their identity is threatened and that the other group has historically and illegitimately discriminated against them.If a person accommodates an out-group member in this situations, that person is named as cultural traitor. If the out-group identity is more noticeable than the in-group or individual identity, there will be divergence less satisfaction. Here are some examples help to illustrate the concept of divergence When Derek was in the prison, he found his in-group member. Everything is going well till one day Derek find out one of the prisoner in-group member trade with a Mexican American ethic group member. He is disappointed and had never acknowledged the possibility of his in-group member could do wrong.He shows his disapproval towards that members action nonverbally and walked away. In the abutting few days, Derek reveals to sit with his in-group for meals and he didnt show any respect to his in-group. He started to play basketball with the other out-groups instead of gather with his in-group. By then, he offended the groups leader of his own in-group and they saturnine on him and gang raped him in the shower. At first, Derek diverges from his in-group due to the actions of the member trading with the other out-group member. He thinks that is no different with cultural traitor.Then his in-group members disapproval towards his demeanor, the gang raped accident happened to increasing the divergence. When he was attacked by those he once considered members of his in-group, Derek makes up his mind to leave the group after that as he thinks his social identity is being raped out because he had believed that could only be perpetrated by out-groups. After Derek is released from the prison, he went back to the fellowship held by Cameron, who used to convince Derek to lead several violent acts. He starts off a fight with him due with the issue about his brother Daniel.Derek blames Cameron is the one who giving them so much trouble and asked Cameron to leave them alone. Derek tends to diverge from his in-group to signal his disapproval towards Camerons actions and demeanors. He thinks Cameron is trying to put Daniel into badness like him. Derek broke up with his girlfriend Stacey in that same party. Derek was trying to tell Stacey to leave the group with him to outfoxher, but Stacey disagree as she thought Derek is in a popular position at that time and she personally doesnt think there is any problem with the group. The y turn out to be enemy.They tend to diverge to signal relational dissatisfaction, Stacey think Derek changes a lot after he gets out from the prison and she thinks he loses his reputation because of what he did to her. In one of the flashbacks in the film, Dereks family was gathering around with a Jewish man at the dinner table. They talked about the revolution which an Asian market was being destroyed, happened before when Derek, Daniel and Stacey were involved. The Jewish man has different point of view toward the whole racism activity with three of them. Derek started the get mad in the middle of the meal.He thinks that the Jewish man is trying to get sexual benefit from his mother and he is a hater for Derek. Derek rudely asked him to get out of the house and never step into his house again. Derek tends to diverge as he wants to signal the relational dissatisfaction towards his mother and the Jewish also he wants to disapprove toward his actions in his house, being a hater for Derek. Intergroup contact theory indicates the perceptions of an out-group will change consistent with the perceptions one holds regarding a relationship one has with a member of that out-group.Intergroup communication also maximized the presence of their group and will sometimes leads to a dissatisfied relationship. Here are some examples from American History X helps to explain the intergroup contact theory During the work in the prison, Derek was assigned to work with an African American man who named Lamont. At first Derek refused to talk to him because of his strong stereotyping but Lamont was always trying to challenge Dereks sunken stereotypes. Most of the time for Lamont, it is more likely a one-side conversation.Lamont worked around with Dereks racist attitude by talking about some common interests for example women and the reason they are in prison. Along with the conflicts happened between Derek with his in-group, Derek realizes that those of the other ethnicities were m uch more like himself than he had imagined before. They become friends afterwards and on the day that Derek got released, they met each other and Derek says to Lamont I think part of the reason that I could get out is because of you. Derek feels thankful to him. His strong stereotyping is lost.Another example is after Derek was being raped by his in-group member Derek was helpless and feels utterly alone. He lost his cultural identity to cling to and is not belongs to any of the groups. While he was staying in the medical room, his former African American incline teacher, Bob Sweeny, came to visit him. Derek seeks helps from him. Bob was willing to help him and he helped him to see how his actions have affected his younger brother Daniel. These two examples show that Derek has changed his attitude towards an out-group after he tried to communicate with them. Stereotyping also reduces for Derek.He tends to have a positively relationship with the out-groups which is the aims of inte rgroup contact theory. American History X does not only explain the convergence, divergence and intergroup contact theory in CAT (Communication Accommodation Theory), but it also explains more theories in interpersonal and intercultural communication. Convergence, divergence and intergroup are all related to the communication between an in-group and out-group. The film helps to illustrate some facts that also happening in the real life that we have to face and most of the time, the way that we could deal with them is by communication.