Communication · Executive Insight Brief · 499
Frequency does not equal skill
Behaviorally anchored ratings separate what happened in a conversation from global impressions of who is or is not a competent communicator.
Premise
The Conversational Skills Rating Scale (CSRS) moves interpersonal development from vague impressions to observable behavior. Brian H. Spitzberg and H. Thomas Hurt designed it to judge how competently specific verbal and nonverbal behaviors are used in an interaction, while retaining broader competence impressions as a comparison point. That architecture matters because frequency is not skill. More eye contact, more disclosure, more interruption, or more talk is not automatically better. Competence depends on whether behavior is effective and appropriate under the constraints of the conversation.
What the model is: Conversational Skills Rating Scale in Knowledge →
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- FamilyTool
- CategoryMeasurement & Assessment Instruments
- DomainConversation & Relationships
What these mean
Editorial orientation · Family
Tool
In this series, Tool names the editorial family primarily used to act on, examine, measure or organize communication. It includes instruments, methods, practices, protocols, codes and institutional arrangements. Membership does not certify effectiveness, portability or safe use in every setting.
Editorial orientation · Category
Measurement & Assessment Instruments
Produces measures, scores, profiles or assessments through defined items, observations or measurement rules. The entry identifies what is measured and the conditions governing interpretation.