What is a conversation?

A conversation is a dynamic, back-and-forth exchange of information, ideas, and feelings between two or more people. It's a collaborative process where participants not only express themselves but also actively listen and respond to each other. Here's a breakdown of its key aspects:

What are the main features of a conversation?

  • Turn-taking: Participants take turns speaking and listening, allowing for an exchange of ideas.
  • Reciprocity: A good conversation involves a give-and-take, where both parties contribute and respond to each other.
  • Shared understanding: The goal is to establish a mutual understanding of the topic being discussed.
  • Nonverbal communication: Body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice play a crucial role alongside spoken words.

Why is a conversation important?

  • Builds relationships: Conversations foster connection, empathy, and trust between individuals.
  • Shares information and ideas: It's a way to learn from each other, exchange knowledge, and brainstorm solutions.
  • Develops critical thinking: Conversations challenge our perspectives and allow us to see things from different angles.
  • Provides emotional support: Sharing feelings and experiences can be cathartic and strengthen bonds.

How is a conversation applied in practice?

  • Personal relationships: Conversations with friends, family, and romantic partners deepen connections.
  • Professional settings: Meetings, negotiations, and team discussions are essential for collaboration.
  • Learning and education: Conversations with teachers, peers, and experts facilitate knowledge acquisition.
  • Conflict resolution: Effective communication can help resolve disagreements and find common ground.

Practical example

  • Imagine two friends catching up over coffee. They actively listen to each other, ask follow-up questions, share personal stories relevant to the conversation, and respond with empathy. The conversation flows naturally, with a balanced exchange of ideas and emotions.

Critical comments

  • Feedback: Constructive criticism can help improve communication skills or offer different perspectives.
  • Disagreement: Healthy debate can challenge assumptions and lead to a deeper understanding of a topic.
  • Pointing out inconsistencies: Discrepancies in someone's words or actions can be addressed respectfully.
Access: 
Public

Image

Work for WorldSupporter

Image

JoHo can really use your help!  Check out the various student jobs here that match your studies, improve your competencies, strengthen your CV and contribute to a more tolerant world

Working for JoHo as a student in Leyden

Parttime werken voor JoHo

Comments, Compliments & Kudos:

Add new contribution

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.
Promotions
Image
The JoHo Insurances Foundation is specialized in insurances for travel, work, study, volunteer, internships an long stay abroad
Check the options on joho.org (international insurances) or go direct to JoHo's https://www.expatinsurances.org

 

Check how to use summaries on WorldSupporter.org

Online access to all summaries, study notes en practice exams

How and why would you use WorldSupporter.org for your summaries and study assistance?

  • For free use of many of the summaries and study aids provided or collected by your fellow students.
  • For free use of many of the lecture and study group notes, exam questions and practice questions.
  • For use of all exclusive summaries and study assistance for those who are member with JoHo WorldSupporter with online access
  • For compiling your own materials and contributions with relevant study help
  • For sharing and finding relevant and interesting summaries, documents, notes, blogs, tips, videos, discussions, activities, recipes, side jobs and more.

Using and finding summaries, study notes en practice exams on JoHo WorldSupporter

There are several ways to navigate the large amount of summaries, study notes en practice exams on JoHo WorldSupporter.

  1. Use the menu above every page to go to one of the main starting pages
    • Starting pages: for some fields of study and some university curricula editors have created (start) magazines where customised selections of summaries are put together to smoothen navigation. When you have found a magazine of your likings, add that page to your favorites so you can easily go to that starting point directly from your profile during future visits. Below you will find some start magazines per field of study
  2. Use the topics and taxonomy terms
    • The topics and taxonomy of the study and working fields gives you insight in the amount of summaries that are tagged by authors on specific subjects. This type of navigation can help find summaries that you could have missed when just using the search tools. Tags are organised per field of study and per study institution. Note: not all content is tagged thoroughly, so when this approach doesn't give the results you were looking for, please check the search tool as back up
  3. Check or follow your (study) organizations:
    • by checking or using your study organizations you are likely to discover all relevant study materials.
    • this option is only available trough partner organizations
  4. Check or follow authors or other WorldSupporters
    • by following individual users, authors  you are likely to discover more relevant study materials.
  5. Use the Search tools
    • 'Quick & Easy'- not very elegant but the fastest way to find a specific summary of a book or study assistance with a specific course or subject.
    • The search tool is also available at the bottom of most pages

Do you want to share your summaries with JoHo WorldSupporter and its visitors?

Quicklinks to fields of study for summaries and study assistance

Field of study

Check the related and most recent topics and summaries:
Activity abroad, study field of working area:
Access level of this page
  • Public
  • WorldSupporters only
  • JoHo members
  • Private
Statistics
622