K. Burke's (1945) pentad identifies five contributing factors in any communication event: agent, purpose, act, scene, and agency. Using the pentad as an organizational schema, this paper summarizes problems in methods used by behavioral researchers to study the deceptive communication event. The paper argues that fragmenting the communication act…

Expands an earlier model of personal space expectations and their violations by specifying primitive terms, constitutive definitions, and the propositional logic underlying the model. (MH)

Supports the hypothesis that interaction processes connected with the Valence Distribution Model mediated the effect of decision schemes on group decisions. Substantiates the assumptions that interaction is a crucial factor in group decision making. Although input conditions may also have an impact on decision outcomes, they are mediated by…

A 5-week study was conducted to examine the acquainting process--changes that occur as a relationship between two strangers develops. Fifty subjects were paired in same sex dyads and were asked to talk to one another once a week for half-hour periods. The unstructured conversations were tape-recorded and questionnaires were administered to the…

Evaluates the effectiveness of the practical syllogism as an alternative model of man for communication research by assessing the effects of the practical syllogism's action theory assumptions upon theoretical development, comparing the logics of the practical syllogism with the logics of human behavior, and evaluating these combined effects upon…

In response to an earlier symposium report, this journal presents six position papers dealing with the question, "What criteria should be used to judge the admissibility of evidence to support theoretical propositions regarding communication research?" The analyses and arguments include "The Research Process" by Wayne Brockriede, "The Reflexivity…

Explores the rationale for the creation of the rumor control center and identifies the few valuable models found in the literature. Examines the usefulness of the center as an additional channel of communication and considers the desirability of using such a mechanism. Suggests an approach to teaching rumor control. (JMF)

A comparative analysis of two decision making strategies was conducted. One strategy compared alternatives on their best attributes for "the best payoff," while the other strategy called for accepting the first alternative that achieved all minimum cutoff values for all attributes. The subjects, 211 college students, selected a mayoral preference…

This paper focuses on the challenge raised by the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic regarding the need to improve the effectiveness of health communication or education campaigns. The paper discusses the behaviors underlying health information processing and particularly what is called the "knowledge but not behavior-change…

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…