Towards Conceptual Convergence: An Examination of Interpersonal Adaptation

摘要

Interpersonal adaptation, or modifying one’s behaviors to adjust to a communicationrnpartner, is fundamental to social interaction. Numerous concepts have been advancedrnto explain adaptation, such as accommodation, mimicry, and synchrony. This articlernreviews the prominent theories of adaptation in communication and psychology in viewrnof understanding the nature of adaptive processes and of achieving conceptual clarity.rnA set of criteria is developed and used to distinguish between adaptive processes. Thernanalysis shows that communication theories tend to view adaptation as strategic andrndriven by relational goals, while psychological theories focus on its unconscious andrngoal-independent aspects. Communication theories emphasize the interpretation ofrnadaptive behaviors, while psychological theories do not. This review identifies theoreticalrngaps and suggests avenues for integration across disciplinary foci.