The rhetoric of the final four months of Hitler's Reich is examined, including arguments that Germany could still win the war based on moral and logical grounds, and later appeals based on source credibility, historical analogy, and terror. (JF)

Reviews research concerning the role played by variations in the timing of communicator identification as one aspect of the effect that communicator credibility has on persuasive communication. Claims that variations in the timing of the identification of the source of a persuasive communication can produce substantial differences in persuasive…

Contends that rhetoric of apologia constitutes a discrete genre and suggests that the needs that motivate apologetic speaking are inner-directed, social or personal and tend to shape the speech itself. (MH)

Studies the effects of evidence in persuasive communication and suggests that the nature of the communication topic may be significantly related to evidence effectiveness and the attitude change process. (MH)

The dramaturgical dimensions of the "theater of fact" as found in two anti-war plays, "Discourse on Viet Nam" by Peter Weiss and "Xa: A Vietnam Primer" by the ProVisional Theatre are examined. In these plays the author finds that Vietnamese history becomes rhetorical testament in arguments against United States…

This study tested whether children like commercials they believe or believe commercials they like. Results indicated a moderate correlation between the perceived attractiveness and the credibility of the commercials. (CH)

Speakers' prespeech perceptions were elicited with reference to expected credibility, the consequences of delivering the speech, speech topic preferences, and message strategy intentions. Relationships are hypothesized among prespeech perceptions and trait and state speech anxiety. (JF)

Studies the impact of children's verbal style, age, and sex on social perception and concludes that dialect functions as an important cue in the judgment of others and results in linguistic stereotyping early in children's social development. (MH)

Discusses two studies which indicate that student audiences rated speeches of their peers significantly higher if they thought that the speakers had completed a course in public speaking. (MH)

Examines three dimensions of credibility from a multivariate listener perspective and concludes that dynamism is the most important variable with trustworthiness second and competency third. (MH)

Results of an experiment manipulating violations of distancing expectations and physical attractiveness indicate that both may be sources of distraction. Offers modest support for the prediction that attractive individuals engaging in violations of expectations will serve as positive sources of distraction, leading to greater susceptibility to…

Examines the role of satire in immunizing receivers to counterarguments and concludes that attitude changes effected in low ego involved subjects are not maintained when influenced by counterarguments. (MH)