Workplace Interactions

Abstract

This study examined 78 telephone conversations occurring naturally in the workplace between nine women recruitment consultants and female and male addressees, who were either high status (clients) or low status (employees). These conversations were analyzed for effects of status and gender of addressee on the participants'temporal conversational styles (number of interruptions and back-channel responses). The data show a significant interaction between status and gender on the number of attempted interruptions that the consultants made and show a highly significant effect for status on the number of the consultants' back-channel responses. Discussion highlights the importance for language and gender research of taking into account its situational context.