In communication theory, accommodation refers to which of the following behaviours in interaction?

Introduction / Context:
This question refers to the concept of accommodation in communication studies, especially within Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT). This theory explains how people adjust their speech, tone, and behaviour in social interactions. To answer correctly, you must understand that accommodation can involve moving closer to or farther away from another person communication style, not only moving towards them.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on communicative behaviour, not on physical accommodation like housing.
• Accommodation in CAT includes both convergence (moving towards another speech style) and divergence (moving away from it).
• Option A mentions movement towards or away from others by changing communicative behaviour.
• Option B mentions only movement towards another, ignoring the possibility of divergence.
• Options C and D add extra ideas about sacrifice or helping that are not central to the technical definition.

Concept / Approach:
Communication Accommodation Theory argues that speakers adjust their style of communication to manage social distance. When they want solidarity, they may converge by making their speech more similar. When they want to emphasise difference or maintain distance, they may diverge by making their speech less similar. Both directions are forms of accommodation. Therefore, the most accurate definition among the choices is option A, which clearly includes movement towards or away from others through changes in communicative behaviour.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key phrase in the question: accommodation refers to, in the context of communicative behaviour.Step 2: Recall from Communication Accommodation Theory that accommodation includes convergence and divergence in style, accent, rate of speech, and other features.Step 3: Examine option A, which explicitly states movement towards or away from others by changing your communicative behaviour. This matches both convergence and divergence.Step 4: Examine option B, which only mentions movement towards another. This covers convergence but ignores divergence, so it is incomplete.Step 5: Examine options C and D, which introduce additional ideas about going out of your way to help or giving up something important. These ideas fit more with everyday notions of accommodation, not with the technical theory. Thus, option A is the best match.

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks discussing Communication Accommodation Theory usually define it along the lines of how and why people converge or diverge in their communicative behaviour to manage social relationships. For example, a speaker may slow down and simplify language to accommodate a non-native speaker (convergence) or may emphasise a strong regional accent to mark difference (divergence). In both cases, the speaker is accommodating in the sense of actively adjusting communication style relative to the interlocutor. This supports option A, which is broad enough to include both directions of change.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B captures only convergence and therefore gives an incomplete picture. Option C focuses on helping or relating, which may be a motive for convergence but does not define the concept technically. Option D talks about giving up something important, which belongs more to discussions of compromise in relationships or negotiation, not to the definition of communicative accommodation in theory. As a result, these options are less accurate than option A in a communication studies context.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes interpret accommodation in a purely everyday sense, thinking only of being helpful or making sacrifices. While that everyday meaning is related, Communication Accommodation Theory is more precise and neutral: it covers both adapting to get closer and adapting to create distance. To avoid confusion, always look for definitions that include both towards and away movements when you see the term accommodation in a communication-theory question.

Final Answer:
In communication theory, accommodation refers to Movement towards or away from others by changing your communicative behaviour, so option A is correct.