Interactional styles used by Christopher Gardner in movie The Pursuit of Happyness

Interactional styles refer to the distinctive ways individuals communicate and interact with others, shaped by factors such as cultural background, gender, social roles, and personal preferences, influencing both verbal and non-verbal communication behaviors in various social and professional contexts. In this study, the writer focuses on a scene in the movie 'The Pursuit of Happyness' wherein Christopher Gardner often communicates with his co-workers. This study examines how Christopher Gardner negotiates during his interaction with his clients. The writer seeks to find out what kinds of communication styles Christopher Gardner uses. The study uses Holmes' theory of interactional styles (2006) and employs a qualitative approach. The research results show that Christopher Gardner uses both feminine and masculine styles. On one hand, Christopher Gardner mainly uses a feminine style to show honesty and vulnerability about his struggles; on the other hand he uses a masculine style when answering technical questions to show he is capable and confident.

DANIEL NATHAN Samuel Gunawan (Advisor 1); Flora Debora (Examination Committee 1); Prof. Dra. Ester Harijanti Kuntjara, MA., Ph.D. (Examination Committee 2) Universitas Kristen Petra English Digital Theses Undergraduate Thesis A Critical Thesis A Critical Thesis No. 02012464/ING/2024; Daniel Nathan (A11200016) COMMUNICATION; SOCIOLINGUISTICS

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