TALK-SILENCE SEQUENCES IN INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS I

Abstract

The literature relevant to talk and silence sequences in informal social conversations is reviewed in terms of individual consistency in talk and silence across and within conversations, the factors which can modify talk and silence consistencies, and the influence of partners’ talk and silence behaviors on the other's response. The review leads to the postulation of four models of talk-silence sequences of increasing complexity and decreasing parsimony. The Markov model describes within-conversation sequences; the Independent Decision (ID) model describes across-conversation sequences under the assumptions of perfect consistency and independence of action; the Incremental model relaxes the consistency assumption of the ID model; the Regulation model relaxes both assumptions of the ID model, incorporating the possibility of mutual influence between partners rather than independence.