Communication Accommodation Theory

1. Communication Accommodation Theory
Find this theory on page 183 of "Theories of Human
Communication"

2. Howard Giles Communication Accommodation Theory
● Professor at University of California, Santa Barbara
● Works in Department of Communication, teaches Psychology and
Linguistics
● Former president of:
○ Internal Communication Association & International Association for the Study of
Language and and Social Psychology
● Writing and Editing includes:
○ Journal of Language and Social Psychology
○ Journal of Asian Pacific Communication
○ Human Communication Research
● Awards Include:
○ Spearman Award
○ President's Award
○ Mark L. Knapp Award

3. "I noticed that I was a "linguistic chameleon"; my
accent changed when going to soccer games, at
college, and coming back home. When in North
Wales, an entire pub switched from speaking English
to Welsh when they saw us walk in! The Theory was
an attempt to explain these compelling events
(which many others reported experiencing). While
CAT recognized in its formative years, it is only
recently that people are meowing loudly about it!"
-Howard Giles

4. What is Communication
Accommodation Theory?
"Explains how and why we adjust our
communication behaviors to the actions of
others" (p 183).

5. Giles noticed that people often match, or
"mimic", another person's behavior.
The example he gives in the text is nonverbal communication that
people are likely to mimic. Simply crossing arms is an 'addictive'
behavior where if one person is doing it, it's likely that others in the
conversation will do the same.
WHY?

6. Convergence Page 183
"Coming together"
This is the part of
accommodation when
people match each
other's behaviors.
What are some
communication
behaviors that
people converge?

7. Take A Look at the Top of Page 184
These communication
behaviors can
include, but are not
limited to:
● Accent
● Rate
● Loudness
● Vocabulary
● Grammar
● Voice
● Gestures
Can you think of
others?

8. Divergence Page 183
"Moving Apart"
This is when speakers
exaggerate their
communication
differences
When would a
person use
divergence?
Why?

9. Mutual vs Nonmutual
● When both
communications
come together;
they both either
converge or
diverge
● When
communicators do
the opposite,
where one person
converges and the
other diverges.
When would communication be mutual?
Nonmutual? Is one more effective than the
other?

10. Partial vs Complete
'Meeting in the middle'
● A quiet speaker raises
their voice a little bit.
'Going all the way'
● A quieter speaker matches
the volume of the other
speaker

11. Are We Aware?
● Do we notice when we are
accommodating our communication?
● Do we notice when others accommodate
theirs?
The text states that we are more likely to
notice divergence than we are convergence.
Do you agree?

12. Communicators typically converge
when they are looking for another
person's approval
Researchers have found:

13. When it's Successful...
Successful convergence can lead to:
● Communicators finding each other more attractive
● Find each other more predictable
● Find each other easier to understand
● Feel more involved
Communicators are more likely to respond receptively
when people make an effort to converge.
This goes back to...
Do we notice when we/others converge?

14. When it's Unsuccessful...
When this happens:
● Inaccurate
● Ill Will
● Mocking
● Inappropriate
● Assumptions &
Stereotypes
Stereotypes:
● Children
● Elderly
● Hearing aids
What else?

15. Personal Identity
If a person accommodates too much, it may
result is a loss of personal identity.
People may say things they don't really believe
or act like they are someone who they are not.
Is this intentional?

16. Maintaining Personal Identity
People may want to preserve what makes
them different as a communicator.
Rather than converging, they make an effort
to maintain their natural communication to
prevent losing it.
Do people receive this well?

17. For further discussion...
In my VoiceLink, I mentioned a song by Avril
Lavigne, titled "Complicated".
but you've
become
Somebody else
round everyone
else
You're watching
your back like
you can't relax
You're tryin' to
be cool you look
like a fool to me
I see the
way you're
acting like
you're
somebody
else gets
me
frustrated

18. Questions?

19. Sources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Giles
http://www.comm.ucsb.edu/sites/www.comm.ucsb.edu/files/imagecache/Directory_Standard/directory_photos/giles.jpg
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http://www.freelancecopywritersblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/business-men-arms-crossed.jpg
http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/17gx8ntsdrve8jpg/original.jpg
http://blog.deiricmccann.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/gesture.jpg
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http://relaxmissy.com/soloprenette/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/frustrated3.jpg
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