Conversation Analysis

Conversation Analysis

Conversation Analysis (CA) is a methodological approach to the study of social interaction, embracing both verbal and non-verbal conduct, in situations of everyday life. It is a branch of sociology that focuses on the ways in which participants in social interactions produce and interpret meaning.

History

Conversation Analysis emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, primarily through the work of sociologist Harvey Sacks, along with his colleagues Emanuel Schegloff and Gail Jefferson. Their pioneering work laid the foundation for CA as a distinct field of study within the social sciences.

Methodology

CA is characterized by its detailed examination of the sequential organization of talk-in-interaction. Researchers typically use audio or video recordings of naturalistic interactions, which are then transcribed using a specialized system developed by Jefferson. This transcription system captures not only the words spoken but also features such as intonation, pauses, and overlapping speech.

Key Concepts

• Turn-taking: The process by which speakers coordinate who speaks when during a conversation. CA examines how turns are allocated and how speakers manage the transition from one speaker to another.
• Adjacency pairs: A fundamental unit of conversation, consisting of two utterances produced by different speakers, where the first utterance prompts a specific type of response (e.g., question-answer, greeting-greeting).
• Repair: The mechanisms by which speakers address problems in speaking, hearing, or understanding during conversation. Repair can be initiated by the speaker of the problematic utterance or by another participant.

Applications

Conversation Analysis has been applied in various fields, including:

• Linguistics: To understand the structure and function of language in use.
• Psychology: To explore how social interactions influence cognitive processes.
• Communication Studies: To analyze media interactions, such as interviews and broadcasts.
• Healthcare: To improve doctor-patient communication and enhance clinical practice.

Criticisms

While CA has been influential, it has also faced criticism. Some argue that its focus on micro-level interactions overlooks broader social structures and power dynamics. Others question the generalizability of findings from specific interactions to wider contexts.

Further Reading

• Sacks, H., Schegloff, E. A., & Jefferson, G. (1974). "A simplest systematics for the organization of turn-taking for conversation." Language, 50(4), 696-735.
• Heritage, J. (1984). Garfinkel and Ethnomethodology. Cambridge: Polity Press.

External Links

• International Society for Conversation Analysis
• Emanuel Schegloff's Homepage