Perceptions Of Conversations Research Articles

Second language anxiety in conversation and its relationship with speakers’ perceptions of the interaction and their social networks

AbstractSecond language (L2) researchers have long acknowledged the role of language anxiety in communication processes, such that learners with greater language anxiety tend to be less willing to engage in communication. However, little research has explored links between L2 speakers’ perceptions of conversation and dynamic measures of anxiety. Therefore, this study measured 60 L2 English speakers’ galvanic skin response (a physiological index of anxiety) during conversation. After the conversation, speakers evaluated themselves and their partner in terms of speech fluency and comprehensibility, engagement, and anxiety, and responded to trait-anxiety and social network questionnaires. Correlational analyses explored relationships between speakers’ trait-anxiety, social network characteristics, self- and peer-perceptions and five levels of physiological response during conversation. Findings revealed that high arousal during interaction was related to speakers’ negative self-perceptions of speech fluency and negative perceptions of their partner’s engagement. Implications are discussed regarding state-anxiety as triggered by partner- or task-specific experiences.

Communicating about Parental Cancer with Minor Children: Necessity, Burden, and Issues from a Parent's Perspective

In addition to coping with their own stresses, parents of minor children with cancer face the difficult task of communicating the diagnosis and its effects to their children. The aim of this study is to examine parents' perceptions of conversations with their children and to identify key topics for psychosocial support. Using a questionnaire, N=82 cancer patients with N=162 minor children were asked about their experiences when talking to their children about the disease. Communication about the disease was perceived as necessary by most parents. This was especially the case for older children. With 143 out of 162 children (88.3%), the conversation was held. Of the 82 parents interviewed, 16.5% felt no burden as a result of the talks, 15.2% reported a very high burden. The feeling of not being able to protect the children was perceived as particularly stressful. Most parents consider communication with the children to be important and seek it. However, many find this difficult, e. g. because they actually want to protect their children. Additional stress can be caused by questions from the children to which the parents cannot give an answer. Psychosocial support can be helpful here. Experiences discussed by parents can help other parents in similar situations.

Perceptions of public mobile phone conversations and conversationalists

This research examined perceptions of public mobile phone conversations and conversationalists. Participants viewed a staged video of a public conversation and later rated their perceptions of the conversation and target speaker. Two variables were manipulated: whether the conversation took place over a mobile phone or was face-to-face, and whether participants could hear both sides or only one side of the conversation. In general, participants rated the one side mobile phone conversation as more noticeable, intrusive, and annoying than the other conditions. Additionally, the target speaker in this condition was less well-liked than the speaker in the other conditions. Perceptions of the target’s extraversion varied as a function of whether the conversation occurred on a mobile phone or not. Overall, the results suggest the existence of negative views toward mobile phones and exposure to one side of a conversation.

Converting the Spirit Spouse: The Violent Transformation of the Pentecostal Female Body in Maputo, Mozambique

This article discusses the forceful transformation of the female body in Brazilian Pentecostalism in urban Mozambique and argues for an understanding of Pentecostal conversion as embodying spiritual warfare. Presenting the case of avenging spirits, such as the spirit spouse, it explores how spirits interfere in women's new socio-economic positions and intimate relationships. Pentecostal women learn to stay in control of their body under guidance of the Holy Spirit and a ‘violent’ war against the spirit spouse unfolds. The prevalence of ‘violence’ implies that we should critically question a perception of conversion as bringing healing and harmony.

Cancer nurses narrating after conversations with cancer outpatients: how do nurses’ roles and patients’ perspectives appear in the nurses’ narratives?

The aim of this study was to contribute to knowledge of nursing practice in the cancer care field by exploring cancer nurses' perceptions of conversations with cancer outpatients. Current practice at cancer outpatient clinics in Norway is that nurses have planned conversations with patients and relatives as a follow-up after patient-physician conversations about assessment and medical treatment. Little is known about nurses' experiences of conversations in the ambulatory context. This study reports the experiences of initial patient-nurse consultations. Data were collected in 2006-2007. A qualitative phenomenological hermeneutic study was performed. A purposive sample of 12 cancer nurses was selected for qualitative interviews where nurses were narrating about conversation experiences. Significance and meaning of conversation experiences were analysed within a hermeneutic perspective, inspired by Ricoeur. Anonymity and voluntary participation procedures were followed. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics of the region. There were plots of nurses experiencing conversations as hard work, routine work or artistry. The nurses' conceptualizations of their roles as an information provider, or patient-centred caring role were rooted in rules of the nursing community or in humanistic caring ethics. Differences of nurses' perceptions and experiences of conversations are explained by different attitudes and role appreciations. Cancer nurses' role appreciation and meaning horizons are guiding their perceptions of patient-nurse communication. Feeling free to act in interplay with patients' voices, the patients' perspectives become foreground. There is an educational challenge here in terms of developing methods to help nurses to discover how their mental work and meaning horizons guide conversational practice.

“Speaking for” behaviours in spouses of people with aphasia: A descriptive study of six couples in an interview situation

Background: People with aphasia and their spouses frequently meet professionals to discuss health‐related issues. In this situation, which is often in an interview form, various strategies may be employed by spouses to facilitate communication. One of these strategies is “speaking for” the person with aphasia.Aims: (1) To identify the presence of “speaking for” behaviour, to measure the frequency of the spouses' “speaking for” and “rapid speaking for” behaviours, and to describe what preceded and followed these behaviours for all participating couples. (2) To describe each individual couple's patterns of “speaking for” in relationship to the members' perceptions of conversations before and after the onset of aphasia.Methods & Procedures: Six couples were studied in an interactive situation. Both the spouse with aphasia and the non‐aphasic spouse took turns being asked questions in a systematic way. Each member also participated individually in a semi‐structured interview aiming to obtain information on perceptions of communication before and since the aphasia.Outcomes & Results: Analysis of three‐way conversations revealed that all of the spouses without aphasia in this study used some “speaking for” behaviours. However, there was great variability in the frequency of the behaviours within couples. For some couples, “speaking for” the person with aphasia may reduce that person's ability or willingness to participate in conversations. The findings from the semi‐structured interviews suggest that “speaking for” a person with aphasia may be an integral behaviour for some couples that is consistent with pre‐stroke interaction patterns.Conclusions: It is important to consider the “speaking for” behaviour, the impact of this behaviour, and the pre‐stroke interaction pattern when helping couples adjust to the consequences of aphasia.

Intergenerational communication across cultures: young people's perceptions of conversations with family elders, non-family elders and same-age peers.

Young adults from three Western (Canada, U.S.A., and New Zealand) and three East Asian (The Philippines, South Korea and Japan) nations completed a questionnaire regarding their perceptions of interactions with family elders, non-family elders, and same-age peers. Results showed that East Asians perceived family elders to be as accommodating as same-age peers, whereas Westerners perceived family elders as more accommodating than their same-age peers. Participants in both cultural blocks indicated an obligation to be most deferential towards non-family elders, followed by family elders, followed by same-age peers. Whereas both groups perceived interactions with same-age peers more positively than with the two older groups, the Western group perceived the older age groups more positively than did East Asians. Intergenerational communication is reportedly be more problematic than intragenerational communication and, consistent with previous findings, this pattern is more evident in East Asian nations on some variables.

“Girls don't talk about garages!”: Perceptions of conversation in same‐ and cross‐sex friendships

AbstractThis investigation examined respondents’perceptions of differences in the conversational behavior of same‐sex friends and cross‐sex friends. Respondents read brief transcripts of conversations from which all obvious gender identifiers had been removed and then were asked to indicate whether the conversations were between male friends, female friends, or cross‐sex friends and to specify what features of the conversations had led them to their judgment. Respondents were better than expected by chance at accurately distinguishing the cone and by far the most common feature that respondents used in making their discriminations was the topic being discussed. However, other important discriminating features included the use of profanity and certain slang terms and expressions, the occurrence of dysfluencies, how certain topics were discussed the presence of gossip, the tone of the discussion, the openness of the Conversation, and how much the conversants seemed to know about what they were discussing. Based on the respondents’observations, a number of propositions were then formulated representing beliefs that many individuals apparently hold in their relational schemata about conversational behavior in same‐sex and cross friendships.

Adolescent Girls' Perceptions of Conversations with Mothers and Friends

Early adolescent and middle adolescent girls (N = 56) had discussions with their mothers or close friends. They then listened to sections of their taped conversations and rated themselves and their partners on scales of anxiety, dominance, involvement, andfriendliness. Objective listeners also rated the same conversations. Results indicated that conversations withfniends were rated by girls and outside listeners as more involved and friendly than were conversations with mothers. Girls and their fiends were rated as equally anxious and friendly by both groups of raters, but girls were rated as more anxious and less friendly than their mothers. Early adolescents' conversations with mothers andfriends were rated as equallyfriendly, but middle adolescents'conversations with friends were rated as more friendly than conversations with mothers.

International Business and Training: Preparing for the Global Economy

globe is no longer divided by artificial and arbitrary geographic boundaries; it is becoming one economic and political marketplace. As nations' economies become more interdependent and as electronic communication media become more and more available; this process will continue to accelerate. In order for companies to attain and maintain a proper stance in this international marketplace and to function effectively in diverse and multiple cultures simultaneously, business leaders must incorporate training in intercultural communication as a foundation for and prior to their business dealings in international marketplace. Harris and Moran (1991) declare: Too many corporate and government leaders are operating upon 'old pictures' of cosmos and human nature, including nature of work, worker, and management process itself. Executives in transnational enterprises should join common struggle for a world cultural rebirth, and assist in conjuring up new visions that will energize or motivate human family. (p. 5) Culture and Communication Victor (1992) continues call for improved intercultural communication when he suggests, The nuances of international business - defined as any business conducted across national borders - are different from those of solely domestic business. fundamental principles of domestic business apply abroad but with added complexities (p. 245). Carbaugh (1990) points out, Two problems that are basic to cultural practice and theory of communication [are] . . . shared identity [and] . . . common meaning and meanings (p. xv). Chick (1990), in writing about intercultural communication reminds us, the competencies that ensure effective intercultural communication are so complex, covert, and context bound that they cannot be taught as a body of knowledge in any straightforward way . . . however, effective intercultural communication can be learned (p. 255). These ideas highlight importance of successful intercultural communication transactions to corporate leaders as they prepare their employees and business strategies to compete in global economy (Naisbitt & Aburdene, 1990; Frederick, 1993). Perceptions of conversations between people speaking a language - whether in person or in media - are common experiences for all of us. We react positively, negatively, or neutrally as we reflect on these situations. Our positive reaction might include statements such as, That's impressive or wish I knew what they were saying. A more negative reaction to same situation might be: should be speaking English, they're in America now or That's rude. A neutral reaction includes people who don't care one way or other. They might believe that America is a melting pot of many cultures and it's not unusual to hear people speaking a different language. For some Americans, neutral reaction seems fair; for others, especially those who are ethnocentric, negative reaction is more common. No one, regardless of culture, likes to feel like an outsider to a conversation. Yet, it is not uncommon to feel like an outsider in our own country when conversations are not in English or when they are in English but are filled with jargon or technical language. In these situations, lack of understanding language, and/or culture, can foster a foreign feeling. When we enter a country, we may not only have to learn a language, we are also entering a different culture. To communicate competently and fit in it is equally important for us to understand characteristics of culture as well as language. Victor (1992), in assessing importance of intercultural communication and potential for growth of American business in international marketplace, states: Increase in international trade far exceeds either gross domestic product [in United States] or industrial production in any single major industrialized country. …