Due to its efficacy shown in early research with children, imagined contact has often been proposed as a school prejudice-reduction intervention. Nevertheless, some of the more recent studies have not been able to replicate the expected effects. This review presents the first systematic examination of the effect of imagined contact interventions…

The literature is reviewed on sibling relationships involving a child who is handicapped. An analysis of interaction patterns for nonhandicapped children is also provided. Factors contributing to a sibling's adjustment include family size, socioeconomic status, and characteristics of the child who is handicapped. Potential instructional roles of…

The purposes of this book are to offer the outlines of a reciprocal-interactionist view of communication and education, to show some of its applications and implications, and to stimulate questions for exploration of the subject. Topics discussed in the seven chapters of the book are (1) the nature of interactions, (2) communication in reciprocal…

Providing a systematic investigation of the dimensional nature of relationships, this paper focuses primarily upon the control dimension of interpersonal relationships. After establishing a conceptual foundation of the control dimension, the paper next enumerates the verbal and nonverbal indicants of control in regard to their manipulative…

Demonstrates that there are different types of interaction in English-as-a-second-language classroom discourse, including "negotiating" and "non-negotiating" interaction which is similar to that in social exchanges in which meaning is negotiated between the interlocuters. (Author/CB)

The search for syntactical rules which govern nonverbal communication and cues in humans has often been considered a problem separate from determining semantic rules. Departing from such a traditional approach was accomplished by employing the meaning of various nonverbal channels to study their interrelationship. It was proposed that the…

Reviewed literature on the influence of a speaker's expressive behavior on the behavioral response of another person in adult-adult and infant-adult dyads. Mutual influence in expressive behaviors was demonstrated to be a pervasive feature of social interaction found across a variety of behaviors and across developmental time. (Author/DB)

Argues that the study of discourse and the larger context of social interaction requires explicit reference to a broader organizational setting and aspects of cultural beliefs often ignored by students of discourse, conversational analysis, and paralinguistic and nonverbal activities. (FL)

Uses current research and theory to frame the peer interactions of "Emily Dickinson," a 16-year-old with oral-language problems and social isolation. Classroom-based assessment revealed an interaction pattern in which Emily used her strong literacy interests and skills to initiate and mediate social interaction with peers, including another gifted…

This working paper examines the theories of Fred Fiedler concerning the effectiveness of different leadership styles in different situations. Discussed first are the distinctions that Fiedler makes between what he terms relationship-motivated leaders and task-motivated leaders. The next section comprises an explanation of Fiedler's view of…

Focusing on the cognitive style known as Field-Dependence-Independence (FDI), this literature review includes: (1) an examination of how one can better understand interpersonal behavior in the human relations training setting; (2) how to develop hypotheses about the relationships that might make for successful or unsuccessful matches between…

This study examined the interactional social behaviors of six elementary grade children with specific language impairment. Data reviewed included teacher ratings of social skills and child self-perceptions of loneliness and peer contacts. Children also were observed during interactional tasks including access, negotiation, and cooperative work.…

Currently researchers are reexamining the validity of viewing alcoholics outside of their most important social unit: the family. However, a review of the current research shows little directly addressing how communication patterns influence and possibly sustain alcoholic behavior within the family setting. One study suggests that alcoholism and…

Recent studies have investigated the transition of relationships from a more intimate to a less intimate state--the depenetration process. Various phases of interpersonal conflict in the dissolution of marital dyads have been described, and factors indicating that a marriage might be "in trouble" have been identified. Processes that are…

Observational studies of marital interaction have become increasingly popular in recent years, resulting from trends in family research including a movement towards the measurement of behavior rather than attitudes. In fact, there is now a proliferation of coding systems, but no "user's guide" for the researcher. This paper overviews the…