Delineates a metatheoretic rationale for a biologically based theory of verbal aggressiveness. Integrates neurobiological principles into the concept of verbal aggressiveness. Presents a working model, and addresses the implications of this theoretical position. (SR)

Explores the erroneous assumptions underlying Burleson's criticism of Beatty and Payne and examines in context the evidence selected by Burleson to support his criticism. (NKA)

Uses dispositional and situational versions of novelty, conspicuousness, subordinate status, and a measure of public speaking apprehension to predict state anxiety in response to a public speaking task. Finds that a model consisting of trait versions of novelty, conspicuousness, and subordinate status significantly predicts public speaking state…

Examines the impact of communication apprehension on avoidance, withdrawal, and anxiety in communication contexts in two separate studies. Concludes that those who are communication apprehensive avoid public speaking and that apprehensive responses to public speaking can be predicted from participant's communication apprehension level. (SRT)

Examines data from two public speaking performances to examine the stability of speakers' perceptions of situational factors and the relationship of those factors to communication apprehension and state anxiety. Finds that degree of attention functions as a situational perception, whereas novelty, subordinate status, conspicuousness, and…

Measures heart rates of both anxious and nonanxious speakers under both high- and low-intensity conditions. Finds that heart rates of anxious speakers were significantly higher than those of nonanxious speakers when both performed under low-intensity conditions but that heart rates were not different for anxious and nonanxious speakers when…

Finds that adult males' perceptions of criticism and sarcasm from their fathers significantly and independently contributed to males' perceived confirmation from their fathers. Shows that a causal model using these three variables to predict females' reports of males' relational communication accounted for a significant percentage of variance in…

Contributes to scholarship on family communication, finding that fathers' perceptions of the appropriateness and effectiveness of tactics with oppositional sons was largely a function of their level of trait verbal aggressiveness, which was (1) negatively related to perceptions of appropriateness and effectiveness of supportive tactics, and (2)…

Contends that communication apprehension represents individuals' expression of inborn, biological functioning, antecedent to social experience and therefore independent of social learning processes. Presents a temperament-based conceptualization of communication apprehension; integrates neurologically-based temperament functions into three…

Compares demand for speech preparation skills and trait public speaking apprehension as predictors of state anxiety experienced immediately before a graded classroom performance. Finds that public speaking apprehension significantly predicted anticipatory anxiety, while no significant effect was observed for planning skills. Examines findings…

Hypothesized that a significant positive correlation exists between cognitive backlog, or unassimilated material, and receiver apprehension. Results confirmed the hypothesis. (PD)

Notes that "variance accounted for"--calculated by squaring one of the various measures of association--is the most common estimate of experimental effect or strength of association reported in communication studies. Focuses on the basic principles and arguments underlying the use of unsquared measures of association, and the…

Examines consensus as a function of group members' decision rule orientations. Finds that for groups that interacted verbally, consensus was more likely between groups composed of members with matching (rather than differing) rule orientations. Discusses implications for group consensus and the decision rule orientation construct. (MM)

Examines the choice-making processes of students engaged in the selection of speech introduction strategies. Finds that the frequency of students making decision-making errors was a positive function of public speaking apprehension. (MS)

Tested, in two separate studies, the assumption that listening comprehension is dependent, in part, upon an individual's level of cognitive complexity. Found that high-complex individuals comprehend more listening material than do their cognitively simpler counterparts. Lends support to an information processing conceptualization of listening. (PD)