In my research, I gravitate to communication (particularly conversational) challenges people face in ordinary (and no-so-ordinary) situations. I examine talk in ways that shape who we are and how we regard others. I have examined the talk in various situations such as crisis negotiation, 911 emergency telephone calls, psychic readings, doctor/patient relationships, and friends talking about their daily problems. For years, I have focused on the telephone negotiations between the FBI and a religious group known as the Branch Davidians that took place outside of Waco, TX in the Spring of 1993.
Research Interests
- ways people talk in everyday situations that shape who they are and how they regard others, situations when such talk is challenging for the interactants
