Interruptions in Conversation: Understanding Different Conversational Styles

This article discusses the interruptions in conversation and how different conversational styles affect the perception of interruption. It also explores the gender bias in conversation styles.

Running Head: Getting To We
Getting To We

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Getting To We
This article refers to the interruptions which are generated by men or women while they are in
any of the conversation. It feels very unpleasant when a person is interrupted or cut down while
he or she is speaking. Katherine Hilton from Stanford who is a doctoral candidate in linguistics
claimed that “What public perceives as interruption differs across various speakers and acts of
speech”. Everyone has a different perception of how a conversation would be called as pleasant.
There was a test done by making 5,000 English Speakers listen to the audio clips and then
answer the questions as to whether the speakers were friendly or engaged or listening or
interrupting (Shashkevich, 2018).
She found out that all people had conversational styles which were different from each other. She
found out two different dissimilar groups: one with high intensity and the other with low
intensity. High intensity one’s were usually uncomfortable with scenarios of silence in the
conversations whereas low intensity was just vice versa.
It was also found out that the conversation styles are usually gender bias. For example: Women
tend to be seen more pessimistic than men if they interrupt. It was also found out that most of the
people lie in between these two conversational styles.
In the favor of this discussion and research given by Katherine, I agree with her on the view of
interruptions which are done in the middle of the conversation. Connecting with the people and
communicating with them starts with the consideration that other people also will have their own
opinions and perceptions (Finkelstein, 2011). But sometimes when people interrupt, they can be
a little irritating and can ruin the conversation. It is said that Women have less patience as
compared to men as that is why women tend to be more interrupting while in any conversation.
A few times, people could be irritating and at the same time, they are unaware of being irritating
in between groups of people talking. In case if people know that they do not intent to interrupt,
they might become more tolerable but then they might not be accepted everywhere (Ehrenfeld,
2017). Also, I agree with the argument that there are low intensity and high intensity speakers.
There are people who always find peace in any of the conversation and then there are people
who will put chaos in any smooth conversation too. Hence, they ate divided in to Low and High
Intensity speakers (Wang & Humes, 2010).

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Getting To We
References
Ehrenfeld, T. (2017). How to Deal With People Who Interrupt. Retrieved June 19, 2018, from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/open-gently/201709/how-deal-people-who-
interrupt
Finkelstein, M. G. (2011). Marion's Workplace Communication Tips. Retrieved June 19, 2018,
from http://www.marionspeaks.com/_blog/Marions_Communication_Tips/post/
WHY_PEOPLE_INTERRUPT/
Shashkevich, A. (2018). Stanford researcher examines how people perceive interruptions in
conversation. Retrieved June 19, 2018, from
https://news.stanford.edu/2018/05/02/exploring-interruption-conversation/
Wang, X., & Humes, L. E. (2010). Factors influencing recognition of interrupted speech.
Acoustical Society of America , 128.