Topic Management, Shared Knowledge, and Accommodation: A Study of Communication Adaptability

Ling, Chen; Cegala, Donald J.

doi:10.1207/s15327973rlsi2704_4

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…An important aspect of discourse management is how interactants manage communication breakdowns. For example, interactants may facilitate other interactants' contribution to the conversation by promoting conversation, offering speaking turns, using conversational repairs, or even choosing familiar and non-threatening topics Chen & Cegala, 1994). Participants with competitive goals are determined to out do each other.…”

Section: Cultural Heterogeneity and Communication Accommodation Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolving the Puzzle of Productive and Destructive Conflict in Culturally Heterogeneous Workgroups: A Communication Accommodation Theory Approach

Ayoko

Härtel

Callan

2002

International Journal of Conflict Management

112

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If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.This study presents an investigation of the communicative behaviors and strategies employed in the stimulation and management of productive and destructive conflict in culturally heterogeneous workgroups. Using communication accommodation theory (CAT), we argue that the type and course of conflict in culturally heterogeneous workgroups is impacted by the communicative behaviors and strategies employed by group members during interactions. Analysis of data from participant observations, non-participant observations, semi-structured interviews, and self-report questionnaires support CAT-based predictions and provide fresh insights into the triggers and management strategies associated with conflict in culturally heterogeneous workgroups. In particular, results indicated that the more groups used discourse management strategies, the more they experienced productive conflict. In addition, the use of explanation and checking of own and others' understanding was a major feature of productive conflict, while speech interruptions emerged as a strategy leading to potential destructive conflict. Groups where leaders emerged and assisted in reversing communication breakdowns were better able to manage their discourse, and achieved consensus on task processes. Contributions to the understanding of the triggers and the management of productive conflict in culturally heterogeneous workgroups are discussed.

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Section: Cultural Heterogeneity and Communication Accommodation Theorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Resolving the Puzzle of Productive and Destructive Conflict in Culturally Heterogeneous Workgroups: A Communication Accommodation Theory Approach

Ayoko

Härtel

Callan

2002

International Journal of Conflict Management

112

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“…Previous research has identified measurable communicative differences between intercultural and intracultural interactions that hint at differences in the planning process. For example, compared to those in intracultural interactions, participants in intercultural exchanges have been shown to ask fewer intimate questions (Lee & Boster, 1991), use more explicit references (Chen & Cegala, 1994), and focus on different conversational themes (Sudweeks, Gudykunst, Ting-Toomey, & Nishida, 1990). As plans vary in content, they may also vary in complexity and detail (Berger, in press).…”

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confidence: 99%

Planning Intercultural Interaction: Extending Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory

Miller

Samp²

2007

Communication Research Reports

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“…A second strand of research has examined international student populations at North American universities or American sojourners abroad (Chen 1992;Chen and Cegala 1994;Zimmerman 1995), linking CA positively to one's feelings of communicative competency, comfort at disclosing personal information, and social involvement. Overall, this previous work indicates that moderate-to-high self-reports of CA are associated with greater social participation; consequently, it would behoove language and intercultural educators to examine how language learners and members of a target language population report their self-perceptions of CA, thus providing insight into the dynamics of native/nonnative speaker interactions.…”

Section: Defining Adaptabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Language learner/native speaker interactions: exploring adaptability in intercultural encounters

Chamberlin-Quinlisk

2010

Intercultural Education

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Diversity and intercultural awareness initiatives are increasingly common at institutions of higher education in the USA. Although students recognize and appreciate the diversity of their surroundings, studies show that intercultural interactions at the social level are lacking. This study focuses on how English language learners, multilingual students, and monolingual students of English perceive themselves as able to adapt their communication styles to unfamiliar social encounters. Results of a survey on communicative adaptability (N = 1128) reveal both differences and similarities in communication styles among these three groups. Implications for intercultural education as well as language learning and teaching are discussed.

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Topic Management, Shared Knowledge, and Accommodation: A Study of Communication Adaptability

Cited by 13 publications

References 35 publications

Resolving the Puzzle of Productive and Destructive Conflict in Culturally Heterogeneous Workgroups: A Communication Accommodation Theory Approach

Resolving the Puzzle of Productive and Destructive Conflict in Culturally Heterogeneous Workgroups: A Communication Accommodation Theory Approach

Planning Intercultural Interaction: Extending Anxiety/Uncertainty Management Theory

Language learner/native speaker interactions: exploring adaptability in intercultural encounters

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