Rapley1996

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Rapley1996
BibType ARTICLE
Key Rapley1996
Author(s) Mark Rapley, Charles Antaki
Title A conversation analysis of the acquiescence of people with learning disabilities
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Conversation Analysis, Acquiescence, Learning Disabilities, Disabilities
Publisher
Year 1996
Language
City
Month
Journal Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology
Volume 6
Number 3
Pages 371–391
URL Link
DOI 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1298(199608)6:3<207::AID-CASP370>3.0.CO;2-T
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

Contrary to received wisdom, ‘acquiescence bias’ in the responses of people with learning disabilities to questioning is not a simple phenomenon, and certainly not one to be laid at the door solely of people with learning disabilities themselves. Rather, it is probably an artefact of the conversational organization of interviews as tests. Analysis of Quality of Life assessment interviews show, we argue, that there is probably no uniform ‘acquiescent’ motivation which accounts for all inconsistencies and agreements that might be produced under such circumstances. Rather, the interview's logic produces a range of pseudo‐acquiescent responses in the face of interviewers reformulations, and their pursuit of plausible and acceptable answers. There is also evidence of ‘anti‐acquiescence’, in which respondents resist pressure to change their answers. We conclude that the traditional notion of submissive, willing‐to‐please acquiescence is probably unsustainable on current evidence, and ought to be replaced by a more respectful account of the linguistic and interpersonal competence of people with learning disabilities.

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