Time: 4:30 - 6:00pm Venue: ArtsTwo 3.16
Can humans simulate being other humans? Conversation analytic insights into the (in)authenticity of talk
How authentic are the actions done by simulated clients, including ‘mystery shoppers’, in service and other organizations, when compared to real users? I will discuss my work in conversation analysis, examining datasets from different institutional settings, including service encounters and police interviews. This research is located in a growing literature that examines the authenticity of role-played or simulated encounters by comparing them to the actual conversations they seek to mimic. I will discuss the implications of the findings for simulated client methodology, communication training and guidance, and the rise of ‘conversational’ computer-augmented interaction.