Communication Accommodation Theory

Communication Accommodation Theory ( CAT ) is an intergroup theory of interpersonal communication. CAT has sparked a great deal of research over the past five decades, with parallel and intersecting traditions of experimental, survey, and discourse‐based research examining the dynamics of communication, along with its antecedents and consequences, in a plethora of contexts. This article describes the major tenets of the theory and their connection to language and social interaction, as well as canvassing research (particularly qualitative work) framed by CAT . The article is constructed with a view to the future and further development of the theory.