Interaction involvement: A cognitive dimension of communicative competence

A perspective is presented on communicative competence that is based on Erving Goffman's model of face‐to‐face society. The concept o£ interaction involvement is then explicated in relation to the model as a fundamentally important cognitive dimension of communicative competence. Data from two studies are reported to support the validity of the interaction involvement concept and its operational definition. The results are interpreted as being useful for future basic research on communicative competence as well as applications in classroom and other instructional settings.