Communication Accommodation Theory ( Cat ) - 1715 Words

Consider a black person, or any other minority, who enters a room for an interview in hopes of earning a position within an aerospace company at an entry level position. Sitting across from him or her could be three white employees: possibly one from human resources, another was the area supervisor, and lastly the teams’ lead in the area looking to hire. Consider the applicant a black man who grew up in Southern Georgia; however, he then sat at a table in Norther California seeking employment. Understanding the difference in culture and region, the panel of interviewers diverge the conversational tone to accommodate the applicant. According to Ayoko, Hà ¤rtel, and Callan (2002), â€Å"Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) examines the†¦show more content†¦Establishing this as a Group Support System (GSS) tool can enhance the outcome of a meeting; therefore, utilizing a break from the monotony of routine day to day meetings and open up the conversation during a lu ncheon to tackle one particularly difficult problem, will avoid the dreaded groupthink scenario. Communication can run dry from one day to the next or one task to the next; consequently, employees will start to treat each other as objects and fall into Buber’s â€Å"I-It Communication† void. Philosopher Martin Buber established this first level theory to identify the tendency humanity has towards acknowledging each other (Wood, 2015). Treating coworkers as objects will not allow them to communicate effectively; regrettably, this is common in the service industry where waiters and waitresses are dehumanized and often expected to serve the needs of a customer. Furthermore, in the workplace where employees must comingle effectively they must treat each other as more than objects. Social Perception The social perception of racial equality is still a topic of debate today; however, it is in stark contrast to the perception forty years ago. In fact, the media still portrays many situations where black people are discriminated against and are not treated equally. Sadly, one often misinterpreted notion hasShow MoreRelatedEssay about Communication Accomodation Theory1953 Words   |  8 PagesThe Communication Accommodation Theory states when people interact they alter their speech to fit in or accommodate for other. CAT describes the psychological, social, and linguistic behaviors that people exhibit when communicating with each other (Coupland, Coupland, Giles, Henwood, 1988). Each individual has his or her own personality and motivation when involved in a conversation, this attribute are reflected in how the individual speaks, listens and then responds to the other person involvedRead MoreSocial Communicative Skills For A Group Of Autistic Adolescents2414 Words   |  10 Pag esCAT: An Introduction Imagine what it would be like to try to teach social-communicative skills to a group of autistic teenagers who can often be uncooperative and stubborn, lack appropriate verbal and nonverbal communication, and have cognitive impairments that limit their ability to process information. As a twenty-year-old female college student, studying communication, I volunteered to be a peer buddy and a facilitator for a small group of teenage boys and girls, in a social skills training groupRead MoreCommunication Accommodation Theory- American History X1780 Words   |  8 PagesCAT- American History X In this paper, I will use CAT (Communication Accommodation Theory) to explain how convergence, divergence, and intergroup contact are illustrated within the film American History X. Convergence in CAT refers to the accommodativeness, the process 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 convergingRead MoreThe Application Of Communication Theories1509 Words   |  7 PagesThe Application of Communication Theories When it comes to international students on Western Kentucky University’s campus, ignorance is the best word to describe my prior knowledge concerning them. Taking it a step further, this term can extend to my awareness about race in general on campus. However, I am pleased to say that I am now somewhat more knowledgeable concerning the diversity at WKU. This is due to my recent participation in the Race Intergroup Dialogue Discussions over the past few monthsRead MoreVerbal And Nonverbal Communication And Communication941 Words   |  4 Pageswith the way humans say thing. For example, if someone is feeling mad, they might be more harsh when they say things rather than more careful wording when someone is feeling sympathetic for someone else. 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Groupthink typicallyRead MoreVygotsky And Vygotsky Theories Of Learning1257 Words   |  6 PagesTheories of learning In this essay, I will compare and contrast jean Piaget and lev Vygotsky theories of learning. First, I will discuss Piaget followed by Vygotsky then I will compare and contrast both theorists. Jean Piaget was a Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher, he is known for his contribution to a theory of cognitive development. Piaget became interested in the reasons why children gave the wrong answers to questions that required logical thinking. He believed that these incorrectRead MoreThe Theory Of Cognitive Psychology928 Words   |  4 Pages including information processes, memory and communication. This new direction received the name of cognitive psychology. One of the pioneers, who established this path in psychology science, was Swiss biologist, Jean Piaget. Piaget’s discoveries and principles have made a significant contribution in expansion of cognitive psychology ideas. His research and concepts that were based on kids learning and progressing helped him to form his famous theory of four developmental stages, which later foundRead MorePiaget And Vygotsky And Theories Of Child Development2299 Words   |  10 Pagescomes to the subject of education and child development there are many different philosophers who each had their own theories, about the subject. This paper will focus on Piaget and Vygotsky and their theories of child development and how they are similar and/or different. It will also discuss how the role of cultural context in child development is presented in each of their theories of child development. Piaget believed that children are active in constructing their development and their understandingRead MoreThe Communication Accommodation Theory Through Convergence, Divergence, Social Identity, And Initial Orientation2339 Words   |  10 PagesThis paper is going to show insight and inside knowledge of the communication accommodation theory through convergence, divergence, social identity, and initial orientation. Throughout this paper, evidence will be shown through these four different elements and four studies on how they play an enormous role within communication behavior. Research that I have conducted show studies that have tested and analyzed how participants in each test use these four elements when speaking with a foreigner. I