Norman Markel, PhD, earned his doctorate in psychology from the University of Chicago and is currently professor emeritus at the University of Florida, where he taught in the departments of communication studies, linguistics, anthropology, and psychology. Author of "The Five Vital Signs of Conversation", "Semiotic Psychology: Speech as an Index of Attitudes and Emotions", and "Psycholinguistics: An Introduction to Speech and Personality", he has also written many research articles whose references can be found online at www.psychologyofconversation.com.