Initiating activity shifts through use of appraisal forms as material objects during performance appraisal interviews
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Piia Mikkola
Abstract
This study shows how participants of performance appraisal interviews use appraisal forms as material objects in initiations of activity shifts. Participants negotiate their willingness to proceed from one interview item to another by gazing at, pointing toward and manipulating the forms. This study contributes to earlier studies of written documents as material objects in interaction, by showing, firstly, how written documents can be used in a step-by-step embodied negotiation; secondly, how orientation to material objects makes it possible for participants to conduct two activities at the same time; and thirdly, how the document’s role as the agenda of an encounter is consequential for the activity. The data of this study consist of six video-recorded appraisal interviews from a Finnish public organisation.
Abstract
This study shows how participants of performance appraisal interviews use appraisal forms as material objects in initiations of activity shifts. Participants negotiate their willingness to proceed from one interview item to another by gazing at, pointing toward and manipulating the forms. This study contributes to earlier studies of written documents as material objects in interaction, by showing, firstly, how written documents can be used in a step-by-step embodied negotiation; secondly, how orientation to material objects makes it possible for participants to conduct two activities at the same time; and thirdly, how the document’s role as the agenda of an encounter is consequential for the activity. The data of this study consist of six video-recorded appraisal interviews from a Finnish public organisation.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
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Introduction
- On the interactional ecology of objects 3
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Part A. Objects as situated resources
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Organising and sequencing
- The order of ordering 31
- Initiating activity shifts through use of appraisal forms as material objects during performance appraisal interviews 57
- “I’ll just see what you had before” 79
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Participating and involving
- Objects as tools for talk 101
- Photo sharing as a joint activity between an aphasic speaker and others 125
- Organising the soundscape 145
- Cultivating objects in interaction 169
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Part B. Objects as practical accomplishments
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Shaping and creating
- Cooking instructions and the shaping of things in the kitchen 199
- To follow the materials 227
- Having a ball 249
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Experiencing and identifying
- Establishing joint orientation towards commercial objects in a self-service store 271
- Artworks as touchable objects 295
- Incidental and essential objects in interaction 319
- Envisioning the plan in interaction 339
- Instructed objects 357
-
Epilogue
- Trajectories of the object in interaction 381
- Person index 389
- Subject index 391
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Acknowledgements vii
-
Introduction
- On the interactional ecology of objects 3
-
Part A. Objects as situated resources
-
Organising and sequencing
- The order of ordering 31
- Initiating activity shifts through use of appraisal forms as material objects during performance appraisal interviews 57
- “I’ll just see what you had before” 79
-
Participating and involving
- Objects as tools for talk 101
- Photo sharing as a joint activity between an aphasic speaker and others 125
- Organising the soundscape 145
- Cultivating objects in interaction 169
-
Part B. Objects as practical accomplishments
-
Shaping and creating
- Cooking instructions and the shaping of things in the kitchen 199
- To follow the materials 227
- Having a ball 249
-
Experiencing and identifying
- Establishing joint orientation towards commercial objects in a self-service store 271
- Artworks as touchable objects 295
- Incidental and essential objects in interaction 319
- Envisioning the plan in interaction 339
- Instructed objects 357
-
Epilogue
- Trajectories of the object in interaction 381
- Person index 389
- Subject index 391
