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conversations, realised through active commitment to them during the
course of the conversation, creates its own social bonding and feeling
of well-being for all participants (Byrnes 1996, pp-201-202).
The reward for putting ones ego on the line is thus a ratification of
solidaric bonds and a subsequent feeling of self-worth.
Thus, interactional style in both US-English and German was posited as
fulfilling the same function, albeit requiring a different orientation on the part of
participants to topic development, and one's own self and face concerns, and
the selves proffered by and face concerns of fellow-conversationalists.
Byrnes's comments on the returns for the ego by engaging in
conversational activity have also been corroborated by scholars such as Friday
(1994). In focusing on differences between US-English and German
conversational style between business managers, Friday identified the
motivational basis for engaging in conversation as being the desired image of
self that both US and German speakers sought to claim. Reflecting the
comments by Byrne, Friday noted salient differences in terms of the images of
self sought by US-English and German business managers respectively, ones
which apparently guided conversational ists in their conversational contributions
and general orientation to talk. Specifically, Friday noted that:
Further,
The American's need to be liked is a primary aspect of his or her motivation to
co-operate or not to co-operate with colleagues [whereas] The German
counterpart to the American need to be liked is the need to establish one's
credibility and position ... (Friday 1994,276).
The American character with its need ... to be liked avoids argumenturn ad
hominem. Any attack on the person will indicate disrespect and promote a
feeling of dislike for the other ... In contrast, the German manager, with his
personal investment in his position and a need to be credible to maintain his or
her position, may strike with vigor and enthusiasm at the others error. (ibid.,
280).
Thus, positive social images - the US desire to be 'liked' and the
German desire to be seen as 'credible' - directly informed conversational
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