The Role of Gaze in the Initiation of Conversation

Videotapes of 80 pairs of unacquainted undergraduates in a laboratory waiting room showed that the initiation of conversation was described by violations of Goffman's rule of civil inattention. Almost all subjects gave an initial look, but when this look was not given, conversation was unlikely...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Social Psychology 1978-09, Vol.41 (3), p.269-271
Main Author: Cary, Mark S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Conversation
Magnetic storage
Research Notes
Social psychology
Visual fixation
Waiting rooms
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Summary:Videotapes of 80 pairs of unacquainted undergraduates in a laboratory waiting room showed that the initiation of conversation was described by violations of Goffman's rule of civil inattention. Almost all subjects gave an initial look, but when this look was not given, conversation was unlikely. An additional mutual look made conversation likely and decreased the incidence of no talking.
ISSN:0147-829X
0190-2725
1939-8999
DOI:10.2307/3033565