The study of emotional processes in communication: I. Measuring emotionalization in everyday face-to-face communicative interaction

Author(s): Altorfer, A., Foppa, K., Jossen, S., Zimmermann, H.

Journal/Book: Behav Res Method Instrum Comp. 2000; 32: 1710 Fortview Rd, Austin, TX 78704, USA. Psychonomic Soc Inc. 33-46.

Abstract: The drawbacks of traditional research into emotional processes have led us to develop a set of methodologies for investigating them in everyday face-to-face communication. The conceptual basis of these procedures is a model of the eliciting conditions of emotional processes as well as a conceptualization of the emotional processes themselves. On the basis of the assumption of conversation as a rule-governed process, one can describe its default temporal, formal, and functional features, for which we use the MAS EDIT and SEQ programs, and the minimal model of communicative exchange, respectively. Violations of these default rules can be identified as unexpected/temporally unpredictable events eliciting emotionalization. The nature of emotionalization is determined by the psychological principle of ''standard and deviation.'' Its investigation under natural conditions requires the following: A noninvasive method of data acquisition (including procedures for rejecting faulty or missing values), measurement (high-resolution recording of physiological, psychomotor, and vocal variables), and the (nonstatistical) construction of an inventory or ''relevant effects'' (contrastive and template analysis). Finally, we depict three routes of investigating time courses of activation changes as dependent and independent variables and as a target of modification and reflection.

Note: Article Kasermann ML, Univ Bern, Inst Psychiat, Dept Psychiat Neurophysiol, Bolligenstr 111, CH-3000 Bern, SWITZERLAND

Keyword(s): AUTONOMIC ACTIVITY; PHYSIOLOGY; BEHAVIOR; LINKING; STRESS; CONVERSATION; PREDICTORS; TEXT; AGE

Zurück | Weiter