Can humans simulate being other humans?

Speaker: Professor Elizabeth Stokoe (Loughborough)

How authentic are the conversational actions done by simulated clients, including ‘mystery shoppers’, in service and other organizations, when compared to real users? I will explain my work in conversation analysis, examining datasets from different institutional settings, including service encounters and police interviews. This research is located in a growing literature that examines the authenticity of role-played or simulated encounters by comparing them to the actual conversations they seek to mimic. I will discuss the implications of the findings for simulated client methodology, communication training and guidance, and the rise of ‘conversational’ computer-augmented interaction.