Wired for conversation

A psychologist whose research resulted in a new approach to communication training has been awarded a WIRED Innovation Fellowship for 2015.

Elizabeth Stokoe, Professor of Social Interaction in the Department of Social Sciences, is one of 14 Fellows to be selected by WIRED, a magazine and website offering news and reviews in future science, culture and technology, as part of its celebration of forward-thinking innovators who have the 'potential to make a significant impact on the world'.

Professor Stokoe's research uses conversation analysis to understand the organisation of communication in different interactional settings, including mediation, medicine and police interviewing. She has developed the Conversation Analytic Role-play Method (CARM) to provide a research-based alternative to more traditional methods for communication training. CARM uses audio and video recordings of real-time, actual encounters to identify conversational problems and roadblocks as well as effective practices for avoiding and resolving them.

Professor Stokoe said: 'It's amazing to find out that I'm one of the lucky recipients of this year's WIRED Innovation Fellowship, and I'm really excited to speak about the science behind effective communication at WIRED2015 in October in London. CARM has attracted numerous accolades and substantial public interest… it presents a challenge to traditional forms of communication training, as a process of turning our ordinary life conversations into something different to look at and learn from.'