Responds to an article in an earlier issue of this journal. Restates the topic as "Why are there so few theories of human communication?" Discusses why there is a lack of theories on the nature of human communication and offers suggestions intended to promote the development of such theories. (SR)

Responds critically to Beatty and Payne's data allegedly demonstrating that assessments of cognitive complexity are severely confounded by "loquacity." Argues that those researchers employed a flawed measure of loquacity and inappropriate data analytic procedures. Reports on two empirical studies in which alternative measures of…

Argues that selection procedures (subjects rate a list of preformulated message strategies) are much less sensitive than construction procedures (subjects construct their own message strategies) in compliance-gaining research, due to a type of social desirability bias known as the item desirability effect. (JAD)

Investigates how attributions of blame and control influenced evaluations by undergraduate students of comforting messages varying in level of person-centeredness. Finds messages low in person-centeredness were more appropriate with high-blame targets, whereas messages high in person-centeredness were more appropriate with low-blame targets;…

Presents a rebuttal to P. Kearney and T. Plax's criticisms in this issue of this journal. Argues that careful analysis of the existing data shows that teachers do rely on "negative" or power assertive discipline in the classroom and that the heuristic processing account provides a sound explanation of the biased pattern observed in…

Tests the perceived effectiveness of different messages responding to sexual harassment in the organizational environment. Finds that none of the messages were perceived as being particularly effective at stopping the harasser's offensive conduct. (MM)

Counters David R. Seibold, John E. Hunter, Franklin J. Boster's criticisms (same issue) of Burleson's et al. original article in "Human Communication Research" (v14, n4), "Item Desirability Effects in Compliance-Gaining Research: Seven Studies Documenting Artifacts." (MS)

Finds that similarity in communication values among heterosexual dating partners did not contribute to whether people dated one another, but did contribute to how satisfied they were with their dating relationship and how attracted they were to their partners. (SR)

Develops and assesses the validity of a self-report measure of sexual harassment proclivities in men. Demonstrates the validity of the scale by its moderate correlations with attitude measures relevant to sexual harassment, its nonsignificant correlation with the need to provide socially desirable responses, and by showing that potential victims…

Finds that the association between likelihood-of-use ratings and the perceived politeness of Behavior Alteration Techniques checklist items was significantly smaller in the experimental condition than the control condition; respondents in the experimental condition endorsed fewer polite items and more impolite items than those in the control…

Finds that college students were attracted to peers having similar social skill levels; pairs of friends had similar levels of communication skills related to the expression and management of emotional states; and pairs of friends having low levels of communication skills were just as satisfied with their relationships as were pairs of friends…

Strongly confirmed the hypothesis that groups employing an interacting decision procedure would produce better decisions than groups employing procedures that are either nominal (Delphi) or "staticized" (individual judgments statistically pooled). Provides clear and consistent support for the value of social interaction in small group…

Reviews the literature on role-taking and adaptive communication. Concludes that researchers should consider social cognition processes other than role-taking in exploring the connection between social perception and adaptive communication. (PD)

Reanalyzes data which suggests there may be gender differences in the relationship between academic performance and interaction with peers among college students. Shows that there are no such gender differences. Reports also a study assessing gender differences in relationships between academic performance and loneliness, communication skills, and…

Examines individual differences in the value college students place on communication skills by same-sex peers. Finds that affectively oriented skills such as ego support and comforting are rated as more important than nonaffectively oriented skills such as narrative and persuasive abilities. Suggests that persons differing in cognitive complexity…