The theory is criticized for its complexity, with one point being that the meaning of 'accommodation' itself is slippery. What are the two different ways the term is sometimes used?
Explanation
This question, drawn from the critique, tests the reader's understanding of a specific terminological inconsistency within CAT, demonstrating the theory's complexity.
Other questions
In Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT), what is the term for adapting one's communication behavior to become more similar to someone else, often to gain their approval?
What does Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) identify as the main motivation for convergence?
According to Communication Accommodation Theory, what is the term for a communication strategy that accentuates the differences between oneself and another person?
What theory do Giles and other CAT theorists draw upon to explain communication behavior that occurs when people act as representatives of a group?
Within CAT, what is the concept of persisting in your original communication style regardless of the communication behavior of the other person?
What is the term for demeaning or patronizing talk, often characterized as 'baby talk', where excessive concern is paid to vocal clarity, message simplification, or repetition?
The chapter lists five factors that increase the odds that a communicator will see a conversation as an intergroup encounter. Which of the following is NOT one of those five factors?
According to CAT researchers, what defensive, face-saving strategy do the elderly often use that invokes age as a reason for not performing well?
In the context of CAT, what does the term 'initial orientation' refer to?
To what does the term 'social distance' refer in Communication Accommodation Theory?
In the Cincinnati study on police-citizen interactions, how many randomly selected video recordings from police cars were viewed by the research team?
According to the Cincinnati study, when did a police officer's communication tend to be judged as divergent?
The chapter refers to the work of Henri Tajfel and John Turner as foundational to CAT. Their theory is known as:
What does CAT suggest is the ultimate factor in how an interaction is evaluated?
How is 'counteraccommodation' defined within Communication Accommodation Theory?
What is the primary motivation for divergence, according to CAT and Social Identity Theory?
The chapter lists seven ways the elderly often talk that continually remind younger listeners of their age, according to researcher Jake Harwood. Which of the following is NOT on that list?
According to the chapter's critique, what is a primary weakness or complexity of Communication Accommodation Theory?
How does attribution theory contribute to CAT?
In intergenerational communication, CAT researchers found that which strategy is the norm rather than the exception, especially when the two people are not family members?
The chapter broadly defines 'elderly communicators' for the purpose of intergenerational research as those who are how old?
Which of the following is NOT given as an example of convergence?
In CAT, if an individual's 'social identity' is salient, their communication is most likely to become:
What does Giles suggest about the intentionality of convergence and divergence?
What is the potential downside or cost of convergence for the accommodating individual?
According to Giles, what is the 'upside' or benefit for a communicator who chooses a divergent strategy?
In the gap between objective and subjective accommodation, what might happen when a granddad uses phrases like 'really hep' to identify with his grandkids?
Which factor of attribution theory would be relevant if you attribute an elderly man's divergent behavior to him being hard of hearing?
What is a key difference between maintenance and divergence as forms of nonaccommodation?
When do young people typically characterize the elderly as closed-minded, out of touch, angry, and complaining according to CAT research?
According to the chapter, why is an I-centered focus of individualistic cultures described as being 'definitely oriented toward individual identity'?
A study on police officer deaths mentioned in the chapter found a rise of what percentage from 2015 to 2016?
Giles states that listeners generally regard convergence as positive and divergence as negative. How are converging speakers specifically viewed?
What does the term 'intergroup contact' mean in the context of Social Identity Theory and CAT?
Which of the five factors for initial orientation is exemplified by an oft-stated rule to 'respect your elders'?
CAT is described as having morphed from a theory of social psychology into a communication theory of enormous scope. What two theories were essential to its explanation of accommodation?
In the example of Lucile, the 70-year-old widow, why would Giles predict she would have an initial intergroup orientation when talking to the health official?
In the Cincinnati police-stop study, how were drivers who were courteous, apologetic, and showed respect rated?
What does CAT say about low-power individuals (e.g., immigrants) who converge upward toward high-power individuals (e.g., citizens)?
When the author discusses his experience in the Deep South, his sister's disdainful reaction, 'You sound ridiculous,' illustrates what concept from CAT?
According to Giles, what is accommodation to the in-group rather than to members of the out-group?
If you are in a social situation where you feel you need to be a 'good ambassador' for others like you, which identity is most salient?
What is the two-step, cause-and-effect relationship that seems justified when both parties are acting as unique individuals?
Giles realized that people do not converge toward the actual speech of a recipient, but rather toward what?
In the Cincinnati police study, which party's communication did NOT support the prediction of similar adjustments in mixed-race dyads?
What does Tajfel and Turner's motivational continuum picture on its two opposing ends?
A key tenet of CAT is that communication can be used to manage what?
In the critique of CAT, what is the problem with the theory becoming so complex that researchers must develop 'mini-theories' to suit their contexts?
If a young person, after a frustrating conversation with an older person, says 'Every other elder I’ve talked to has made me fear or want to avoid getting old,' this reflects which of the five factors influencing initial orientation?