Question

Dr. Smith is upset that Mrs. Hernandez isn't taking her blood pressure medicine as prescribed. Initially, he tried to be nice and speak to her in layman's terms. Now, he speaks to her in an authoritative tone, using medical jargon to describe the perils of not taking the medicine. In the context of Communication Accommodation Theory, which of the following accommodation strategies does Dr. Smith employ? A Convergence B Divergence C Face-saving

Answer 1

Answer: B. Divergence.

Explanation:

Communication accommodation theory reflects on people´s inclination to adapt their behavior during an interaction to manage social differences. People adjust their communication to obtain support and create a positive image in front of others.

Convergence refers to people adapting to the other person’s communication styles to lessen the social differences, whereas divergence shows an individual that emphasizes those differences, like in this example.