Giles

• Giles created accommodation theory which questions why we change our speech based on who we are talking to.
• Accommodation is the way people adjust their speech and communication style in face-to-face and other types of communication.
• Accommodation can happen due to the influence of social factors like gender, culture, ethnicity, native language, social and occupational status, and age.
• Giles suggested that communication happens on two levels: interpersonal and intergroup.
• Interpersonal communication is communication that is driven by our personalities. We communicate for ourselves and our interests.
• Intergroup communication is communication driven by our identities as members of a wider social group.
• Giles also said that there are two types of accommodation: convergence and divergence.
• Convergence is when individuals change their speech to sound more like others in the conversation.
• Divergence is when individuals emphasise a difference in communication style.
• Motivations for convergence can include:

  1. Seeking approval
  2. Showing respect
  3. Improve communication
• Motivations for divergence can include:

  1. To show belonging to a group
  2. To influence others' speech
  3. To shape others' feelings