hard · SAT Reading & Writing
A team of linguists studied 'phonetic convergence' in pairs of strangers. They measured how similar the participants' vowel sounds became after a 20-minute conversation. In pairs where the speakers reported high levels of mutual liking, vowel similarity increased by 22 percent. In pairs with neutral reports, similarity increased by 5 percent. In pairs with reported mutual dislike, vowel similarity decreased by 12 percent. The researchers concluded that phonetic convergence is not merely a cognitive reflex but is a socially motivated behavior used to signal affiliation or distance.
Which choice most effectively uses data from the study to support the researchers' conclusion?
- The neutral pairs showed a 5 percent increase in similarity, which suggests that a small amount of convergence happens in almost every conversation.
- Speakers who liked each other became 22 percent more similar in pronunciation, while those who disliked each other became 12 percent less similar.
- Vowel similarity was highest in the pairs that reported mutual liking, demonstrating that positive social interactions lead to better communication.
- The study found that strangers naturally tend to mimic each other's speech patterns as a way to avoid conflict during a first meeting.
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