Understanding Dialogue

Linguistic interaction between two people is the fundamental form of communication, yet almost all research in language use focuses on isolated speakers and listeners. In this innovative work, Garrod and Pickering extend the scope of psycholinguistics beyond individuals by introducing communication as a social activity. Drawing on psychological, linguistic, philosophical and sociological research, they expand their theory that alignment across individuals is the basis of communication, through the model of a 'shared workspace account'. In this workspace, interlocutors are actors who jointly manipulate and control the interaction and develop similar representations of both language and social context, in order to achieve communicative success. The book also explores dialogue within groups, technologies, as well as the role of culture more generally. Providing a new understanding of cognitive representation, this trailblazing work will be highly influential in the fields of linguistics, psychology and cognitive linguistics.

“'What could be easier than having a conversation with another person? But behind this apparent ease hides a complex world of cognitive and social mechanisms. Presenting state-of-the-art research, Pickering and Garrod give the reader a guided tour of the science of dialogue, explaining convincingly why dialogue is humankind's most remarkable achievement. This book is a milestone in our understanding of dialogue that will influence the field for decades.' Robert Hartsuiker, Professor of Psychology, Ghent University”

'This book is both timely and important. The consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic have changed conditions for communication in multiple ways, from interactions behind face masks to dialogues via Skype and Zoom.' Peter Hagoort, Neurobiology of Language Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics

Martin Pickering is Professor of the Psychology of Language and Communication at the University of Edinburgh. He served as editor of the Journal of Memory and Language, was recipient of the Experimental Psychology Society mid-career award, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Simon Garrod is Professor of Cognitive Psychology at the University of Glasgow. He was awarded the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award by the Society for Text and Discourse. Between 1989 and 1999 he was also Deputy Director of the ESRC Human Communication Research Centre. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

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