Proposes a distinction between: (1) social interactional rules as those governing social behavior within social structural contexts and (2) sociolinguistic roles governing the use of resources of spoken and written language within sets of social structural constraints. Also distinguishes between system-specific rules and rules which may be common…

The Levels of Verbal Intimacy Technique (LOVIT) is an instrument for the analysis of verbal statements along a continuum from most intimate to least intimate. It enables an observer to place all verbal statements in one of 10 categories along this intimacy continuum. The technique has been used in research. (Author)

The role of a group facilitator implies observation of the group's interaction and intervention based on these observations within the group. This paper discusses the need for a facilitator to operate from a theoretical frame of reference in group settings that also provides a systematic method of observation. The author discusses category systems…

A total of 79 college students participated in an investigation designed to clarify the function of conversational closings. Multidimensional scaling was used to derive a three-dimensional representation of the semantic meaning conveyed by 20 frequently used conversational closings. Regression analyses of the scaling solution suggested that the…

A sample of 43 boys and 43 girls (aged 32 to 63 months) was observed during interactions with a 13-month-old infant in a structured situation in a day care center. Attendance in an area surrounding an empty playpen, and behaviors in that area, were recorded on four preliminary days to adapt children to observers and measure baseline behavior; on…

Examines the verbal and nonverbal behavior patterns associated with two speech styles, one formal and the other informal, among factory workers. Available from: Mouton Publishers, Box 482, the Hague, Netherlands. (AM)

Examines age differences in social interaction. Subjects range in age from five to 20. Results indicate female groups develop towards adult interpersonal behavior styles earlier than male groups. (Author)

Research supported in part by U.S.P.H.S. General Research Support grant 1-501-FR-5432-04, Graduate Psychiatry Training grant 3-TI-MH 5557-17-81; and by Children's Bureau Handicapped Child Research grant 11-4637.

The papers in this collection were initially presented in two successive conferences that dealt with the collection, use, and reporting of spoken language for educational research. The ten papers deal with the method and procedures used in studying talk in a school situation; an analysis of the interaction between the researcher and a group of…

The purpose of this study was to see if a social learning method for training verbal social skills might influence the social effectiveness of third grade children with low peer acceptance. Children were trained in three verbal skills: asking questions of peers; leading peers (e.g., offering useful suggestions or directions); and, offering…

Some of the specific uses, outcomes, and statistical results obtained with the Social Interaction and Creativity in Communication System (SICCS) of observation are described. Particular attention is given to the different purposes to which the SICCS has been directed, including the coding units, categories, length and frequency of observation, the…

Lying and interpersonal manipulation seem to be in the communicational and behavioral repertory of all people, yet little scientific data are known about these phenomena. Deception and Machiavellianism in interpersonal verbal and nonverbal communication can be observed through content and interaction analysis as manifest in visible and audible…