Measuring prosodic alignment in cooperative task-based conversations

In this paper, we investigate prosodic alignment in task-based conversations. We use the HCRC Map Task Corpus and investigate how familiarity affects prosodic alignment and how task success is related to prosodic alignment. A variety of existing alignment measures is used and applied to our data. In particular, a windowed cross-correlation procedure, that has been used previously in visual behavior research, is applied to prosodic features. In addition, we address the issue of how to separate genuine observed alignment from alignment that is a result from random coincidental behavior. Using these measures, we find some indications of prosodic convergence and synchrony in the map task conversations. Alignment tendencies are strongest for intensity, and familiarity seems to play a role in convergence. Finally, weak evidence was found for a correlation between prosodic alignment measures and task success.