Effective Reaction to Verbal Aggression and Provocation: Business Q&A Sessions Case Study

The following thesis pertains to the fields of linguistics and sociopsychology. It examines the phenomena of verbal aggression and interpersonal provocation in the sphere of business communications. The paper also discusses communicative strategies and tactics to react to provocation and their effectiveness. The first part of the research is aimed at analyzing how the concepts are defined in research literature so as to construct a theoretical framework for the notions. Therefore, the research focuses on the identification of the basic constituents regarding the concepts of verbal aggression and provocation. In the empirical part of the thesis the cases of business Q&A sessions are analyzed. Case study research (CSR) is a central method of the study. The framework for analysis of the cases is based on the theoretical framework and practical guides. The results of the case study analysis are used to devise a practical communicative model comprising effective strategies that can be used to react to verbal aggression and provocation. As the model constitutes a tool and presupposes using the skills that a speaker already possesses, the researcher also suggested the structure of a training session which aim is to give business professionals understanding of the phenomena and practical exercises to learn how to react to provocation. The results of the study include the theoretical framework for the concepts of verbal aggression and provocation comprising definitions, types, theories, dichotomies, and linguistic and psychological perspectives on the phenomena; the demonstration of the case study analysis results; the practical communicative model to react to verbal aggression and provocation; and the structure of a training session for business professionals. Keywords: verbal aggression, provocation, communicative behaviour, interpersonal communication, business discourse, training session