Communicating Care: Poetry, dance, and the science of difficult clinical conversations

Uncover the science behind everyday communication through contemporary dance, musical composition and poetry, along with clips of real conversations, and talks from communication scientists.

Did you know small changes to communication patterns can… stop an argument in its tracks, support people to follow recommendations, and even have life-saving consequences?

The world around us is often buzzing with ‘talk’, including spoken language, sign language, body language and all those things humans do to communicate with each other. But how does ‘talk’ really work? You might think talking is random or unpredictable but, actually, there are very clear mechanics that govern how and when you talk, and what effect your talk will have. When you understand those mechanics you can see that even small changes to talk can make a big difference.

Good communication is crucial to good healthcare. But, when sensitive or difficult topics arise, communication can break down. Experiences of poor communication can mean people avoid seeking healthcare, and lead to missed diagnoses, or misunderstandings about health risks.

Oxford’s researchers in clinical communication and health behaviours have analysed hundreds of real conversations to understand the hidden mechanics of how talk works, from clinical settings to everyday life. They have teamed up with artists to translate these mechanisms into dance, composition, and poetry.

‘Communicating Care’ is available to watch online - where will language lead you?

Dr Claire Cockroft 

Grace Copeland (Somerville College, poet)

Amy Roberts (Somerville College, dancer and choreographer)

Matt Pope (Christchurch College, composer)

Halley Rose Meslin (Keble College, dancer)

Ada Liebenau (Reuben College, dancer)