The author summarizes decades of research, providing readers with a master class on the topic, both inside and outside the laboratory. She helps one appreciate what understanding people takes when speaking face-to-face. Though written by an academic psychologist, the book is appropriate for people in all disciplines, both researchers and practitioners.
Janet Beavin Bavelas was a Professor of Psychology at the University of Victoria, Canada, from 1970 to 2005, when she became Professor Emerita, doing full-time research and writing on both basic and applied topics. She is the co-author of a seminal work, Pragmatics of Human Communication, with Paul Watzlawick and Don D. Jackson, and publishes journal articles and book chapters in several disciplines. Her honors include election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and of the International Communication Association.