Title
Behavior matching in multimodal communication is synchronized.
Abstract
A variety of theoretical frameworks predict the resemblance of behaviors between two people engaged in communication, in the form of coordination, mimicry, or alignment. However, little is known about the time course of the behavior matching, even though there is evidence that dyads synchronize oscillatory motions (e.g., postural sway). This study examined the temporal structure of nonoscillatory actionslanguage, facial, and gestural behaviorsproduced during a route communication task. The focus was the temporal relationship between matching behaviors in the interlocutors (e.g., facial behavior in one interlocutor vs. the same facial behavior in the other interlocutor). Cross-recurrence analysis revealed that within each category tested (language, facial, gestural), interlocutors synchronized matching behaviors, at temporal lags short enough to provide imitation of one interlocutor by the other, from one conversational turn to the next. Both social and cognitive variables predicted the degree of temporal organization. These findings suggest that the temporal structure of matching behaviors provides low-level and low-cost resources for human interaction.
Year
DOI
Venue
2012
10.1111/j.1551-6709.2012.01269.x
COGNITIVE SCIENCE
Keywords
Field
DocType
Behavior matching,Synchronization,Mimicry,Alignment,Coordination,Multimodal communication,Face-to-face conversation,Entrainment
Social psychology,Synchronization,Interpersonal communication,Communication,Balance (ability),Psychology,Cognitive psychology,Nonverbal communication,Facial expression,Imitation,Cognition,Mimicry
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
36
8.0
0364-0213
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
37
2.45
11
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Max M. Louwerse115827.54
Rick Dale2373.80
Ellen G Bard39716.22
Patrick Jeuniaux4476.22