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Measuring interruption: Syntactic and contextual methods of coding conversation

Publication ,  Journal Article
Okamoto, DG; Rashotfe, LS; Smith-Lovin, L
Published in: Social Psychology Quarterly
January 1, 2002

In this paper we focus on a long-standing debate surrounding the measurement of interruptions in conversational behavior. This debate has implications for conversational analysts interested in turn-taking structures, researchers interested in close relationships who interpret them as an exercise of power, and group processes researchers studying status-organizing structures. We explore two different measurements of interruptions: (1) a syntactic measurement that operationalizes an interruption as simultaneous talk initiated more than two syllables from the end of a current speaker's sentence, and (2) a more contextual measurement that takes into account situational factors such as the current speaker's intentions and the content of what both speakers say when judging whether a speech act is an interruption. We coded transcripts from 86 task group discussions using West and Zimmerman's (1983) syntactic criteria and Murray's (1985) context-sensitive method for identifying interruptions. Factor analyses found a one-factor solution, an indication that both measurements capture the same underlying construct. Confirmatory factor analyses identified more subtle variations, however, suggesting that gender and subcultural differences affect how coders construe interruptions.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Social Psychology Quarterly

DOI

ISSN

0190-2725

Publication Date

January 1, 2002

Volume

65

Issue

1

Start / End Page

38 / 55

Related Subject Headings

  • Sociology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1608 Sociology
 

Citation

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Okamoto, D. G., Rashotfe, L. S., & Smith-Lovin, L. (2002). Measuring interruption: Syntactic and contextual methods of coding conversation. Social Psychology Quarterly, 65(1), 38–55. https://doi.org/10.2307/3090167
Okamoto, D. G., L. S. Rashotfe, and L. Smith-Lovin. “Measuring interruption: Syntactic and contextual methods of coding conversation.” Social Psychology Quarterly 65, no. 1 (January 1, 2002): 38–55. https://doi.org/10.2307/3090167.
Okamoto DG, Rashotfe LS, Smith-Lovin L. Measuring interruption: Syntactic and contextual methods of coding conversation. Social Psychology Quarterly. 2002 Jan 1;65(1):38–55.
Okamoto, D. G., et al. “Measuring interruption: Syntactic and contextual methods of coding conversation.” Social Psychology Quarterly, vol. 65, no. 1, Jan. 2002, pp. 38–55. Scopus, doi:10.2307/3090167.
Okamoto DG, Rashotfe LS, Smith-Lovin L. Measuring interruption: Syntactic and contextual methods of coding conversation. Social Psychology Quarterly. 2002 Jan 1;65(1):38–55.
Journal cover image

Published In

Social Psychology Quarterly

DOI

ISSN

0190-2725

Publication Date

January 1, 2002

Volume

65

Issue

1

Start / End Page

38 / 55

Related Subject Headings

  • Sociology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 4410 Sociology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
  • 1608 Sociology