Discusses the probative potential of evidence in argument, and evaluates the importance of evidence in predicting belief change. Predicts adherence to argument claims and confirms the traditionally recognized importance of evidence to persuasion. (JMF)

Results indicate that individuals with relatively less developed (less differentiated) interpersonal construct systems can be expected to exhibit greater consistency between their attitudes about a person and their behavioral intentions toward that person than those with more developed interpersonal construct systems. (PD)

Stereotypes were found to both enhance and inhibit accuracy in citizen/government communication. (KS)

Reports a study of varied threats to attitudinal freedom and initial receiver attitude at four discrepancy intervals. Discusses the significance of the findings for the importance of the freedom to agree or disagree with a persuasive communication. (JMF)

Relational intimacy was studied for its influence on choice of interpersonal conflict strategies. Data were collected from 143 speech communication students who were randomly distributed among three groups representing different levels of intimacy (stranger, acquaintance, intimate) and were asked to imagine serious conflict with a person of the…

Discusses the construct validity of television viewing derived from four alternative conceptualizations of what it is in television which, when viewed, interacts with human behavior and attitudes. (JMF)

Refutes McGuire's analogy to inoculation theory used to predict resistance to beliefs that have not been attacked. An experimental test of effectiveness of different defenses over three belief levels is discussed. (JMF)

Presents a conceptualization that there is a strong relationship between the personality characteristic of communication apprehension and a set of theoretically relevant behaviors. Predicts an empirical distinction between apprehension and attitude, and compares three self-report measures of apprehension. (JMF)

After 177 college students in 49 groups participated in group tasks, their perceptions of those groups and individuals in the groups were analyzed for gender differences. In the discriminant analysis of the three interpretable factors for perception of groups (group cohesiveness, power, and personality), gender was a predictor of an individual's…

An experiment was devised to apply role theory to the prediction of communication behavior by observing dominance behavior as a function of gender and attitudes toward sex role stereotypes. Task type was used as an exploratory variable. The hypothesized interaction of gender and sex role attitudes did not occur, and the hypothesis that men would…

Summarizes recent research examining the effectiveness and acceptability of teleconferencing as compared with face-to-face communication. Experiments have measured behavior as well as attitudes. (JMF)

A model of the generation of initial trusting attitudes toward groups by individuals who were not members of those groups was developed from the literature on interpersonal trust. The model proposed that perceptions of situational threat would be preconditions to the saliency of trust as a concept. Given that trust was a salient concept, the model…