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Communication accommodation theory (CAT) is a theory of communication developed by Howard Giles. This theory concerns "(1) the behavioral changes that people make to attune their communication to their partner, and (2) the extent to which people perceive their partner as appropriately attuning to them." This theory is concerned with the links between language, context, and identity. It focuses on both the intergroup and interpersonal factors that lead to accommodation, as well as the ways that power, macro and micro-context concerns affect communication behaviors.

"Communication accommodation theorists focus on the patterns of convergence and divergence of communication behaviors, particularly as they relate to people’s goals for social approval, communication efficiency, and identity". "Convergence" refers to strategies through which individuals adapt to each other's communicative behaviors to reduce these social differences. Meanwhile, "divergence" refers to the instances in which individuals accentuate the speech and non-verbal differences between themselves and their interlocutors. Sometimes when individuals try to engage in convergence they can also end up over-accommodating, and despite their good intentions their convergence can be seen as condescending.

SPEECH ACCOMMODATION

The communication accommodation theory was developed by Howard Giles, professor of Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The speech accommodation theory was developed to demonstrate all of the value of social psychological concepts to understanding the dynamics of speech. It sought to explain "... the motivations underlying certain shifts in people's speech styles during social encounters and some of the social consequences arising from them."Particularly, it focused on the cognitive and affective processes underlying individuals' convergence and divergence through speech. The communication accommodation theory has broadened this theory to include not only speech but also the "non-verbal and discursive dimensions of social interaction". CAT has also created a different perspective from other research in language and social interaction—and communication more generally—that focuses on either interpersonal or intergroup communication.

Divergence

Divergence is a linguistic strategy whereby a member of a speech community accentuates the linguistic differences between himself and his interlocutor. "Given that communication features are often core dimensions of what it is to be a member of a group, divergence can be regarded as a very important tactic of displaying a valued distinctiveness from the other." This helps to sustain a positive image of one's in-group and hence to strengthen one's social identity. Cases where there is a need for divergence are when professionals are with clients. In a 2001 study, doctors and patients discussed musculoskeletal disorders and it was observed that there were miscommunications that occurred because the participants chose to converge during the communication rather than to accentuate their position differences. Patients in the study felt more comfortable discussing their problems because they felt "positive about their doctor’s capacity to understand them". Communicating in a fashion to make speech different can also be interpreted as a sign of dislike towards a person or group. For example, "when you run into a disliked classmate from high school, your vocal pattern becomes more different from that classmate’s." This represents the act of divergence because you are purposely changing your speech to not sound like that person.

Intergenerational

Young-to-elderly language strategies

The first of these is characterized as over-accommodation due to physical or sensory handicaps, which happens when speakers talk to handicapped recipients, usually those with hearing impairment, and adapt their speech beyond the optimal level. This is also known as "Elderspeak", a form of baby talk in which a person addresses the elderly in a overly simple and sometimes patronizing way.

Case Study [ALL Chevalier]

From November of 2015 to April of 2016, a study was conducted to observe the communication between pharmacists and patients during medication counseling sessions. This was conducted in order to understand what is occurring during these exchanges. "Twelve pharmacists engaged four patients each for a total of 48 medication counselling interactions that took place". During each session, the pharmacists were recorded by one of the main researchers, another pharmacist with no ties to the other pharmacists. In each recording, the main researcher (referred to as BC) specifically searched for five strategies of CAT: approximation, interpretability, discourse management, emotional expression and interpersonal control.


 * "Approximation concerns how individuals adjust their speech patterns." Speech in approximation can converge or diverge from the patient, but is appropriately applied with convergence
 * "Interpretability strategies focus on each speaker's conversational competence". This means that the speaker communicates in a way to ensure the speaker understands the content of the message.
 * "Discourse management strategies involve conversation processes to promote conversation between interactants". This involves using nonverbal or verbal cues to signal a person to speak or change the subject accordingly.
 * Emotional expression demonstrates "empathy and reassurance".
 * "Interpersonal control focuses on the roles and power relations between speakers". This strategy of CAT establishes common ground between the speakers in a form of equality.

Upon conclusion of this study, it was shown that most of the pharmacists used the five CAT strategies during their social exchanges with the patients, however, the presentations of discourse varied by pharmacist.

Sources

This source is intended to add onto the intergenerational communications section. I plan to use this source to build on the topic.


 * Bates, James S., and Alan C. Taylor. "Grandparent–Grandchild Relationships." The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Family Studies, edited by Constance L. Shehan, Wiley, 1st edition, 2016. Credo Reference, http://db19.linccweb.org/login?url=http://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/wileyfamily/grandparent_grandchild_relationships/0?institutionId=6086. Accessed 06 Oct 2017.

This source is what I intend to add to the case studies section. It would grant a more modern take on CAT's use.
 * Chevalier, Bernadette A. M., et al. “Investigating Strategies Used by Hospital Pharmacists to Effectively Communicate with Patients during Medication Counselling.” Health Expectations, vol. 20, no. 5, 2017, pp. 1121–1132., doi:10.1111/hex.12558.

This source will officially connect CAT with SAT's convergence and divergence.
 * "Perspective Taking, Adaptation, and Coordination." 21st Century Communication: A Reference Handbook, edited by William F. Eadie, vol. 1, SAGE Publications, 2009, pp. 119-127. 21st Century Reference Series. Gale Virtual Reference Library, db19.linccweb.org/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GVRL&sw=w&u=lincclin_pbcc&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CCX3208100025&it=r&asid=5a33d2ebd75721c689330a6c094e1fce. Accessed 6 Oct. 2017.

This source is a modern take on CAT through an author and Howard Giles, the developer of the theory.
 * Gallois, Cindy, and Howard Giles. “Communication Accommodation Theory.” The International Encyclopedia of Language and Social Interaction, 2015, pp. 1–18., doi:10.1002/9781118611463.wbielsi066.

Santesso (2011) Communication Accommodation and Managing Musculoskeletal Disorders: Doctors' and Patients' Perspectives, Health Communication, 26:4, 379-388, DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2010.551583'''
 * '''Susan C. Baker, Cindy Gallois , S. Michelle Driedger & Nancy

???New Communication Accommodation Intro???(Removed and added sentences) DONE

Speech Accommodation Theory DONE

Divergence DONE

Intergenerational DONE