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Style and stability in mother conversational behaviour: a study of individual differences*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2008

Lynda Olsen-Fulero
Lynda Olsen-Fulero
Affiliation:
Antioch College
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Abstract

This paper explores differences in conversational style among mothers. Although previous research suggests that many aspects of mother speech to the child covary in a way which serves the underlying intention of the mother, it was unclear whether such clusters of conversational behaviour would prove useful in characterizing stylistic differences among mothers across time. An analysis of the functionally-coded speech of 11 mothers showed statistically significant variability among mothers, especially in those behaviours most closely associated with intention. Further, mothers showed stability in these behaviour patterns across two sessions. A typology of mother style, based on the intentions of mothers to direct or converse with their children, is suggested and illustrated by individual cases.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Child Language , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , October 1982 , pp. 543 - 564
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

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Footnotes

[*]

The portion of this paper concerning ratings of mother warmth is derived from an Honours thesis in progress by Ms Jill Conforti under the supervision of the author, and from a paper in progress by Conforti & Olsen-Fulero. I should like to acknowledge the assistance of Dr Solomon Olsen-Fulero and Dr Lawrence Kurdek. The author was formerly known as Lynda McDonald. Address for correspondence: Psychology, Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387.

References

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