Backchannel Across Cultures: A Review and Implications

Abstract

 Backchannel plays a crucial part that decides the success of a conversation in terms of rapport establishment between interactants and effective information transmission. Despite its universality, backchannel behavior varies to such a remarkable extent that numerous studies have been conducted to investigate it on divergent bases and in various aspects, such as (1) the relation between backchannel and behavioral development; (2) the differences in backchannel behavior between genders; (3) the differences in backchannel behavior among regional varieties of English-speaking community; and (4) the differences in backchannel behavior across cultures. This review prominently deals with the last two respects of research on backchannels to reflect better understanding in backchannels across cultures, thereby hopefully reducing biased perceptions based on listener responses while promoting bilinguals and multilinguals’ backchannel routines. Moreover, language pedagogical implications and recommendations for future research in the field are also demonstrated through the review.