By offering principles and approaches that can be applied to a variety of situations, theory informs our practice as virtual reference providers in a number of ways. One theory that is especially relevant to virtual reference is Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT), which proposes that people will accommodate others in conversation based on interpersonal motives and perceived social location.

In this presentation, I will synthesize the research on CAT and virtual reference to share what CAT can offer practitioners in terms of communication strategies. Outcomes for participants will include being able to explain the basic principles of CAT and deciding if and where to explore it in their own work.

As studies on CAT have shown, how we position ourselves through language and relative to others affects perceptions, success, and rapport in interactions. Such positioning may involve converging or diverging in terms of everything from formality to word rates to punctuation use. While there are limits to how much this accommodation can be consciously versus unconsciously managed, considering whether and how to match communicative styles has the potential to increase perceived empathy, competence, and satisfaction within interactions. It is also important to consider the relevance of context: for example, increasing accommodation and style matching may be associated with either positive impressions or a lack of expertise, depending on the situation. Ultimately, the success of a reference interview depends partly on how language is used in the interaction, and so CAT offers one avenue for virtual reference providers to consider how they relate to those they talk with online.