Universals and cultural variation in turn-taking in conversation

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences • Vol/Iss. 106(26) • National Academy of Sciences • Washington, D.C • Published In • Pages: 10587-10592 •
By Stivers, Tanya, Enfield, Nicholas J., Brown, Penelope, Englert, Christina, Hayashi, Makoto, Heinemann, Trine, Hoymann, Gertie, Rossano, Federico, De Ruiter, Jan Peter, Yoon, Kyung-Eun, Levinson, Stephen C.

Abstract

In order to investigate cross-cultural variation in systems of conversational turn-taking (who speaks and when), the researchers analyze the association of various contextual, verbal, and non-verbal factors with mean response time. Despite some variation in response time between languages, each of the explanatory variables is found to have significant impact on response time independent of language. A further test on subjective perception of ideal response time suggests that although similar factors act on response patterns cross-culturally (in support of a 'universal systems' theory), speakers are hypersensitive to even minor cultural variations in response time.
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: jack.dunnington