Graduate Program

Communication Studies

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Semester of Degree Completion

2007

Thesis Director

Shirley Bell

Thesis Committee Member

Mark Borzi

Thesis Committee Member

Shane Miller

Abstract

As Floyd and Morman (1999) argue, "there are few male-male relationships that may be more socially significant than that between father and son"(p. 310). This study is an introduction to the exploration of topic in father-young son interaction. Using the method of conversation analysis we have identified how three father-young son groups initiate topic in actual everyday conversation. Both fathers and sons used aspects of the physical environment and social activities as resources for topic initiation. In addition, one father used other-focused questions to initiate topics with his young sons. In the examination of the practices used by the fathers and young sons to develop topic within the interactions, several practices were identified. The father who used other-focused questions to initiate topic with his young sons continued to use other-focused questions to develop topic. The second father-young son developed topic within a "play frame" (Norrick, 1994), joking back and forth with each other. The third father employed challenges to negotiate topic with his young son. By analyzing the interactions turn by turn it was also noted that, at times the father and young sons were working to negotiate the topics in different directions, demonstrating how topic negotiation can be problematic.

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