Towards Conceptual Convergence: An Examination of Interpersonal Adaptation

Abstract Interpersonal adaptation, or modifying one's behaviors to adjust to a communication partner, is fundamental to social interaction. Numerous concepts have been advanced to explain adaptation, such as accommodation, mimicry, and synchrony. This article reviews the prominent theories of adaptation in communication and psychology in view of understanding the nature of adaptive processes and of achieving conceptual clarity. A set of criteria is developed and used to distinguish between adaptive processes. The analysis shows that communication theories tend to view adaptation as strategic and driven by relational goals, while psychological theories focus on its unconscious and goal-independent aspects. Communication theories emphasize the interpretation of adaptive behaviors, while psychological theories do not. This review identifies theoretical gaps and suggests avenues for integration across disciplinary foci. Keywords: Chameleon EffectCommunication AccommodationInteractional SynchronyInterpersonal AdaptationLinguistic Style MatchingMimicry Acknowledgments The author is grateful to the Hamel Family Foundation for financial support and to Ashley Downs for her valuable comments on this manuscript. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the International Communication Association (ICA) Convention, Interpersonal Communication division, Singapore, June 22–26, 2010. Notes *Reciprocity can have positive or negative consequences depending on the match between the sender's and receiver's interaction position. **Might be decoded at a non-conscious level. Additional informationNotes on contributorsCatalina L. Toma Catalina L. Toma (Ph.D., Cornell University, 2010) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.