Whether you realize it or not, your conversation style is communicating a message of either hierarchy or solidarity. Why does this matter? Because our interpersonal communication influences the relationships that make up our society-and when a sense of commonality is lacking, we are "all" negatively impacted.

Establishing face-to-face conversation as a type of social superstructure, "A Socialist View of Interpersonal Communication" pinpoints five vital characteristics that express these opposing social views: address, self-disclosure, seating, eye contact, and touch. Author and...