As personality traits can influence important social outcomes, the current research investigated whether the Big-Five had predictive influences on communication competences of active-empathic listening (AEL) and assertiveness. A sample of 245 adults of various ages completed the self-report scales. Both Agreeableness and Openness uniquely…

This study examined whether college students' communication avoidance and socio-communicative orientation were related to perceptions of instructors' immediacy, socio-communication style, satisfaction with instructors and learning. Students high in communication apprehension and/or less immediate perceived their instructors as less immediate and…

Assessed self-reported compliance, anger, and sympathy among subjects identified as dependent (N=26) or overcontrolled hostility (N=25), who read accounts of four different request styles. Dependent and overcontrolled subjects were not more compliant; however, females responded to the assertive request with more anger and less sympathy than did…

A study examined some of the questions that have been raised regarding D. A. Infante and A. S. Rancer's (1982) Argumentativeness Scale. Specifically, the wording of the scale was examined. Operating under the principle that the use of the process word "arguing" and the product word "argument," as well as mention of issues or…

Mentally retarded adults (N=180) were asked 30 yes/no questions, to determine if their acquiescence is explained by indiscriminant yea-saying in response to the yes/no question format or due to subjects submitting to the influence of the interviewer. After selected questions, the interviewer either nodded his head "yes" or shook his head…

Black and White undergraduate students responded to audiotaped and written stimulus situations, assessing the aggressive, assertive, and nonassertive qualities of the role plays or descriptions: Blacks were found to view certain aspects of Black assertive responding as more aggressive than did Whites. The need for attention to Black-White…

Explores the hypothesis that parenting practices of abusive mothers are characterized by (1) greater use of power-assertive strategies, (2) less flexible behavior with respect to child compliance attempts, (3) more inconsistent use of parenting techniques, and (4) diminished affective quality. (HOD)

Earlier research investigating the relationship between physical attractiveness and assertiveness found that physically attractive females were more assertive than other females. To investigate this relationship further and to broaden the scope of the study, 69 students were videotaped in groups of five to ten while responding to open-ended…

This study was conducted to compare the social style of Japanese and Americans. Participants included 241 Japanese students from Otsuma Women's University and Nihon University (Tokyo, Japan) and 252 American students from West Virginia University (United States). Each completed the Richmond-McCroskey Assertiveness-Responsiveness Measure (which…

Interpersonal communication can be viewed in terms of an aggressive-nonaggressive continuum. Past research has often focused on nonaggressive forms of interpersonal communication, such as understanding how people get to know one another, how trust and intimacy develop, and the role of self-disclosure in relationship development. However,…

Reports on a study of the relationships between assertiveness and cooperativeness dimensions of conflict styles among 202 graduate business students. Finds that preferences for assertiveness are reflected in both strategic and tactical use of behaviors. Also finds cooperativeness is associated with last-choice behaviors. (CFR)

A study sought to determine whether gender-related differences in communication style emerge developmentally. The study focused on assertive, egalitarian, and supportive communication styles rather than using the traditional dichotomous approach, which categorizes styles as feminine or masculine. Gender differences in self-identified communication…

This document is a 2-volume set of instructional materials for a 90-hour leadership development program for vocational educators that places special emphasis on underrepresented groups in vocational education. The two volumes of materials (here combined) are organized into three major sections as follows: introduction to the leadership development…