Perceived Speech Conditions and Disagreement of Everyday Talk: A Proceduralist Perspective of Citizen Deliberation

Abstract

Motivated by the theoretical debate on whether everyday talk qualifies as part of the deliberative system, this study employed 2 middle-range concepts, perceived speech conditions and disagreement, to theorize the deliberativeness of everyday talk based on a proceduralist perspective. Perceived disagreement is incorporated into the definition of deliberation as a starting point of the procedure. Three dimensions of perceived speech conditions, including free proposal, symmetrical opportunity, and fair treatment, are conceptualized as the procedural treatments deliberation offers. Using a hybrid political system as the context, an empirical examination illustrates how the 2 concepts can help delineate the perceptions of deliberative from nondeliberative everyday talk, as well as how the deliberative dimension in everyday speech can facilitate political efficacy. © 2014 International Communication Association.