The Effects of Communication Accommodation on Hispanic Immigrants’ Willingness to Cooperate With U.S. Police

Abstract

Communication accommodation theory (CAT) focuses on the communicative adjustments (accommodations) people make when interacting with others, as well as the causes and consequences of those adjustments. Research shows that these accommodations play a powerful role in shaping interpersonal and intergroup relations. One domain in which research has found these accommodations to be especially meaningful is in the relationships between police and the public. Based on theory and research on CAT, we examine the role of communication accommodation in shaping immigrants’ willingness to cooperate with police using data from a national survey of immigrants in the United States. Our findings are useful for understanding how immigrants view U.S. police, as well as the role of communication accommodation in shaping those views.