THE GENERIC STRUCTURE POTENTIAL OF AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION’S TRANSACTIONAL CONVERSATIONS

Abstract

This article explores the application of Halliday and Hasan’s Generic Structure Potential (GSP) framework. By analyzing 20 conversations through qualitative and quantitative methods, the study identifies the American Psychological Association’s transactional conversations following linearity with obligatory elements consisting of “initiating”, “presenting the topic", “main discussion”, “conclusion" and “call to action" which are complemented by optional elements such as  “guest greeting", “specific concerns”, “theoretical implications”, and so on. These elements follow a logical sequence and allow for some iteration in the main discussion or serve to make the content comprehensible and engaging for any audience who are concerned about psychology topics, regardless of their prior knowledge of psychology. Analysis reveals the following overall GSP of the American Psychological Association’s transactional conversations: 

[<INT^PT>^(GG)]^[<MD>^{SC^PF^CS}^(ES^PA^MI^TI^FO)^↻]^[<CON>^<CA>]