Allocation of speech in conversation

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Communication Studies

Background:

• The matching law describes response allocation based on reinforcement rates.
• Conger and Killeen (1974) demonstrated matching in conversational speech and gaze.
• Replication and extension of this phenomenon are crucial for understanding conversational dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To replicate and extend Conger and Killeen's findings on conversational matching.
• To investigate the influence of confederate approval schedules on participant speech and gaze allocation.
• To determine whether reinforcement or induction drives conversational matching/antimatching.

Main Methods:

• Nine German speakers participated in two 90-minute sessions.
• Confederates provided approval on variable-interval schedules, sometimes contingent on gaze.
• Measures included relative duration and rate of speech and gaze, compared to confederate approval and talk rates.

Main Results:

• Participant response allocation did not systematically relate to confederate approval rates, failing to replicate Conger and Killeen.
• Strongest relations were to confederate talk rates, showing inverse matching (talking more to less talkative partners).
• Gaze allocation also showed an inverse relation to confederate talk; contingency of approval on gaze had no effect.

Conclusions:

• Conversational matching or antimatching may be driven by induction rather than direct reinforcement.
• Participant behavior in conversations is more sensitive to the overall talk rate of partners than to specific approval signals.
• The findings challenge the direct application of the matching law to conversational speech and gaze allocation based solely on reinforcement schedules.