Table 2.
Interactional Synchrony Ratings
| Rating | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Movement Synchrony | Simultaneous Movement1 | Degree to which partners engage in simultaneous movement; quantity and/or degree of movement that appears to begin or end at the same moment. For example, if a mother begins to turn her head at the precise moment that a child lifts an arm, it is an instance of simultaneous movement. (1–9 scale) |
| Tempo Similarity1 | Degree to which partners have similar tempos of behavior or seem to be “marching to the beat of the same drummer.” Assume that all people have built-in tempos or speeds at which their behavior is set (much like the tempo an orchestra follows at a concert). Assess the degree to which these two tempos or speeds are similar between the two people. (1–9 scale) | |
| Coordination/Smoothness1 | Degree to which the partners’ flows of behaviors are coordinated and smooth, intertwine, or mesh evenly and smoothly. Assume you are viewing a choreographed dance rather than a social interaction. How coordinated and smooth do the movements appear across partners? (1–9 scale) | |
| Posture Congruence1 | Degree to which partners match one another’s postures and bodily behaviors. Note that this rating focuses less on synchronized movements over time, and more on similarity between static postures and behaviors. Consider posture similarities across all parts of the body (e.g., arms, legs, trunks). (1–9 scale) | |
| Verbal Synchrony | Conversational Equality2 | Extent to which partners are equal participants in exchanging verbal information; degree to which both partners initiate conversational topics and respond to the conversation of their partner. High scores indicate that there is an equal participation on the part of both partners in the conversation. Low scores indicate that one partner maintains conversational dominance. Note that this rating should focus exclusively on the dyadic quality of verbal communication, based on the content of the statements. It is not meant to tap a broader range of non-verbal and verbal exchanges like many of the other codes. (1–5 scale) |
| Silence/Pause3 | The presence of tense or uncomfortable gaps and pauses in the ongoing conversation between the two partners. Do not simply code the absence of verbal interaction between members of a dyad. To be coded here, one or more partners must display evidence of tension or discomfort. Duration of silence, as well as the context of the interaction, are indicators of intensity. (1–9 scale) |