New Directions For, and Panaceas Arising From, Communication Accommodation Theory

Communication accommodation theory (CAT) explains and predicts when, how, and why different people engage in conversational adjustments with others (or not), as well as recipients’ responses to them. CAT has been studied with many methods across numerous languages, cultures, groups, disciplines, and contexts as well as with non-human species. This, besides journal special issues, is the third book devoted to CAT advancements. A 2023 journal issue of Language Sciences commemorated the theory’s 50th anniversary. Yet since, a plethora of studies and theoretical refinements have exploded onto the scene. Herein, these include sojourning, AI, safety in industries, policing crowd protests, metacognition, and biological underpinnings of CAT, underscoring the timeliness of this volume. With new vistas, this volume enhances CAT’s status as, arguably, the most robust framework for understanding interpersonal and intergroup adjustments in communication across new technologies."Over 50 years of Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) research has profoundly advanced our understanding of human interaction, yet this volume shows there is much still to learn. Giles, Markowitz, David, and a stellar set of authors provide a rich review of the latest advances in CAT and set forth an exciting agenda for scholars committed to understanding the complexities of human interaction. An invaluable, highly recommended resource." –Mary Lee Hummert, Ph.D. Professor Emerita, University of Kansas."Serving as a must-read for both established and early career scholars interested in communication adaptation, the edited volume provides relevant overviews and important insight into the processes, contexts, and outcomes of accommodation. Chapters address important conceptual and theoretical questions that will no doubt advance future research and theorizing further solidifying the heuristic and applied value of communication accommodation theory."–Jordan Soliz, Ph.D. Professor and Leland J. and Dorothy H. Olson Chair in Arts and Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.