To Ask or Not to Ask: Is That a Question?

Constrained rationality: Situational influences on information acquisition plans and tactics

“…However, as suggested above, such creative planning can occur only when extensive cognitive resources are available for planning purposes. In effect, cognitive resource limitations act as a global constraint-a notion consistent with the role of efficiency as a meta-goal in planning (Wilensky, 1983) and in conversation (Berger & Kellermann, 1983Kellermann & Berger, 1984). It is unlikely that resources adequate for substantial creative planning are available during most strategic interaction due to the many cognitive demands made on interactants.…”

“…The conversational task of acquiring sensitive social information was selected for this study because it requires interactants to balance competing instrumental and interpersonal objectives (Berger & Kellermann, 1983Cegala, 1981;Kellermann & Berger, 1984). It is a face-threatening action (FTA) (Brown & Levinson, 1978) and the kind of non-routine task likely to require sophisticated planning (Berger, 1988a).…”

“…The tactic coding system is reflective of previous work on information acquisition tactics (Berger & Kellermann, 1983;Cegala, 1981;Kellermann & Berger, 1984) and used directness/indirectness as a primary classification criterion. Tactic codes were associated with a weighting system that awarded points for indirectness, with initial tactics weighted more heavily than secondary tactics.…”

Translating scholarship into practice: Communication studies reflecting the value of theory‐based research to everyday life

“…URT's coding procedures help to identify three levels of social information (demographic data, personal beliefs, and attributing reasons to explain another's behavior) and the tactics used to avoid giving social information (topic-changing, asking questions yourself, and nonverbal disinterest). Berger and Kellermann (1983) and Kellermann and Berger (1984) conducted two URT studies from a common data base of interactants. In the 1983 study, judges 95 JACR MAY 1999 coded videotaped conversations for amount of information-seeking, degree of social appropriateness, and the efficiency with which the persons met their information-seeking goal.…”

Relationships of continuing uncertainty and state‐receiver apprehension to information‐seeking and predictions in dyadic interactions

“…Interactive strategies involve three primary processes: question-asking, disclosure, and relaxation of the target (Berger & Kellerman, 1983). Kellerman and Berger (1984) found that individuals seeking information used more positive or encouraging nonverbal behaviors than those not concerned with seeking information.…”