A First Look At Communication Theory, 10e (Griffin)
Chapter 34 Communication Accommodation Theory
1) A strategy of adapting one’s communication behavior to become more similar to another
person is referred to as:
A) convergence.
B) divergence.
C) moderation.
D) simplification.
2) A communication strategy of accentuating the differences between oneself and another person
is called ________.
A) accommodation
B) discourse management
C) discrimination
D) divergence
3) When communicating, Daphne employs the strategy of persisting in her original
communication style regardless of the communication behavior of her listeners. In the context of
communication accommodation theory, this scenario best illustrates ________.
A) an extractive strategy
B) convergence
C) maintenance
D) an interactive strategy
4) According to Howard Giles, which of the following statements is true about the strategy of
over accommodation?
A) It shifts focus away from amplification and message simplification.
B) It has the effect of making recipients feel competent.
C) It is described as demeaning or patronizing talk.
D) It is similar to convergence.
5) According to communication accommodation theory (CAT) theorists, the main motivation for
convergence is:
A) anxiety management.
B) desire for social approval.
C) personal individualization.
D) relational development and intimacy.
6) In the context of initial orientation, predicting whether a person will focus on individual
identity or group identity is difficult, but the additive presence of five factors increases the odds
that a communicator will see a conversation as an intergroup encounter. Identify a true statement
about these factors.
A) High group-solidarity suggests a higher likelihood of focus on personal identity rather than on
social identity.
B) The more specific and negative the images people have of an out-group, the more likely they
are to think of the other in terms of personal identity.
C) The “we-centered” focus of collectivism emphasizes similarity and mutual concern within the
culture.
D) If there is a distressing history of interaction, both interactants will tend to ascribe that
outcome to the individual rather than to the individual’s social identity.
7) Giles draws from ________ to cast light on how people will interpret their conversational
partners’ convergent or divergent behavior.
A) attribution theory
B) cultural studies
C) social identity theory
D) speech accommodation theory
8) Overall, listeners who interpret convergence as a speaker’s desire to break down cultural
barriers react quite:
A) competently.
B) favorably.
C) hostilely.
D) relationally.
9) Which of the following criteria for a good theory is most problematic for CAT?
A) explanation of data
B) practical utility
C) prediction of the future
D) testable hypotheses
10) Giles has maintained a narrow scope since the inception of his communication
accommodation theory.
11) In the context of convergence, a way to bridge the generation gap can be discourse
management—the sensitive selection of topics to discuss.
12) Counter accommodation refers to direct, intentional, and even hostile ways of maximizing
social distance.
13) The elderly often increase the social distance between themselves and the young people
through the process of self-handicapping—a defensive, face-saving strategy that uses age as a
reason for not performing well.
14) According to Henri Tajfel and John Turner, if one of the interactants regards self or other as
a representative of a group of people, their communication will likely become convergent
because of their desire for approval.
15) According to Giles, desire for social approval and desire for shaping one’s personal identity
likely result in a communicator’s desire to diverge.
16) Listeners regard convergence as positive and divergence as negative.
17) Communication accommodation theory (CAT) scores high on relative simplicity.
18) While CAT aptly predicts the tensions of intergenerational communication, the theory has
limited practical utility.
19) Changing communication behavior in a way that reduces social distance is referred to as
________.
20) While convergence is moving closer to another person’s communication style, ________ is
strategically separating one’s self from another person.
21) For accommodation, what is ultimately important is not how a communicator converges or
diverges, but the ________.
22) Analyze the critiques of Giles’ theory. Which, in your opinion, is the most damaging? Which
is the least? Overall, how important is CAT to the discipline of communication?
23) Does CAT describe your experiences when you entered college or started your first paid job?
24) What key factors affect a person’s decision to converge or diverge when communicating with
another person?
25) Do you agree with Giles that upward convergers don’t get as much credit as when status is
relatively equal?
26) Based on the principles of CAT described by Griffin, what suggestions would you offer to a
person appearing for a job interview?
27) Discuss the degree to which Giles draws upon or compliments other communication theories.
Would you consider him a theoretical eclectic or maverick?
28) How might Giles define effective communication? How might other theorists in this book
approach this concept? Where do you stand on the issue?
29) How might a critical theorist such as Poole, Deetz, or Hall respond to CAT?
30) Beyond accommodating verbally, how might CAT principles extend to issues such as those
raised by Petronio’s CPM (Communication Privacy Management)?
31) Thinking back to Geertz and Pacanowsky’s cultural approach, how might one discover the
areas in need of accommodation?
32) Giles’ perception about intercultural accommodation is, in a sense, a story or a narrative
about the desire to belong, to fit in, and to be accepted. Thinking about Fisher’s narrative
paradigm, does he tell a good story?