The Functions of "mmm-hmm"-Utterances and Nodding in Conversations
24. apr 201517:15-18:45
Presentør
Carsta Simon | Høgskolen i Oslo og Akershus |
Abstract
According to communication theorists do so called “backchannels”, that is sounds such as “hmm” produced by a listener, lead to continuation of a speaker’s talk. Under what conditions does verbal feedback induce the speaker to talk longer, or shorter, or slower, or faster? I pursued this question in an experiment in which individual participants watched 13 one-minute videos and reported the video’s content to a confederate. The latter varied her rate of feedback while listening to the participant’s reports. The dependent variables, the duration (measured in seconds) and speed (measured in syllables uttered per minute) of the participants’ talk varied depending on rate of feedback and instruction. Participants were either instructed to report upon the videos as long as they felt comfortable or to finish reporting and to go on to the next video as soon as they got the impression “the other participant” has understood the main points discussed in the video. Individual analyses of 30 subjects’ duration and speed of talk showed that a high rate of verbal feedback induced longer and faster talking of the subjects when they are supposed to talk as long as they feel comfortable and that higher rates of feedback have the opposite effect (inducing shorter talk) when subjects are supposed to explain the video’s main points until the listener has understood them.