Identifies five features of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial that may account for its deep universal appeal. Suggests the memorial's effectiveness may recommend it as a model for contemporary anti-war rhetoric. (MS)

Examines the potential of the inoculation message strategy to deflect the persuasiveness of comparative advertisements. Indicates modest potential for inoculation, confirming that inoculation pretreatments confer resistance to a comparative ad's influence on consumer attitudes, especially on behalf of high-involving products. (SR)

Indicates that undergraduate students' argumentativeness interacted to affect the number of arguments generated and the type of resolution reached: specifically, "high argumentatives" with "low argumentative" partners generated a significantly greater number of arguments, and were significantly more successful in gaining…

Presents basic research on the concept of rhetorical coherence, analyzing an actual welfare interview emersed in controversy. Suggests a pentad of criteria necessary for the achievement of rhetorical coherence. (SR)

Investigates the effects of verbal aggressiveness and argumentativeness on two quantitative dimensions of compliance-gaining message use, persistence and diversity. Finds that, among college students, argumentativeness is positively related to strategic diversity, and that verbal aggressiveness and argumentativeness interact to effect persistence.…

Explores how topics of arguments relate to argumentativeness among college students. Finds that individuals reported greater frequency of advocacy than refutative behavior during arguments and that high argumentatives engaged in more advocacy and refutation than moderates or lows. Suggests implications to the interactionist approach to the study…

Examines Senator George McGovern's speech, "Sources of Our Strength," delivered at Wheaton College, Illinois in 1972 and contends that this address reveals the motivation underlying his bid for the Presidency. (MH)

Offers evidence that brain hemispheres process information differently, and that semantics influence hemispheric processing. Suggests directions for research on message style, source perception, and threat perception. (MS)

States that John F. Kennedy, in his 1960 speech to Houston ministers, convinced many voters that, as a Catholic president, he would act independently of the Catholic Church in matters such as federal aid to schools, human reproduction, and religious tolerance. Analyzes arguments he used to distance himself from the Vatican and align himself with…

Articulates a theoretical framework for understanding the fundamental functions of political advertising (acclaiming, attacking, defending) which occur on the twin grounds of policy considerations and character. Applies this theory of political discourse to presidential general election television spots from 1980-1996, finding that Democrats and…

Argues that the development of a rhetorical theory for social movements is a lost cause. Examines two questions: (1) how movements differ from other forms of collective behavior, and (2) whether these differences create rhetorical differences. (PD)

Explores the diverse forms and motives of the conversational frame in public address. Argues that, by framing their remarks and transactions with their listeners as conversational, orators may attempt to reconstruct or seem to reconstruct speaker-audience relationships and to position themselves and their audiences within networks of reciprocal…

Describes a study using the accentuation theory to predict differential effects of heckling on speaker credibility and attitude change, depending on whether the audience identifies with the heckler or the speaker. (JMF)

Enhances the grammatical and formal features of drama through the application of Kenneth Burke's "principle of perfection" and nine "indexes of dramatic intensity" to study the tragic-symbol preaching of Rev. Jerry Falwell. Finds that Falwell's televised discourses represent remarkably "perfected" and strong dramas.…

Develops a typology of persuasive attack strategies. Identifies two key components of persuasive attack: responsibility and offensiveness. Describes several strategies for intensifying each of these elements. Applies this analysis to "Dateline NBC"'s allegations that Wal-Mart's "Buy American" campaign was deceptive. Concludes…