The literature reporting research on message distortion in organizations is reviewed in this paper. Topics covered include: definitions of distortion/fidelity; measures of message display; measures of message interpretation; categories of distortion/fidelity derived from laboratory research; definitions of distortion/fidelity in naturalistic…

To discover the kinds of conflict encountered by hospital nursing staff members, nurses from several hospitals were asked to report the types of conflict they anticipated meeting during a work week. The answers were categorized into eight loci of conflict topics: (1) physician-nurse conflict, (2) uncooperative working norms, (3)…

Defining "idols of communication" as widely-held ideas that obstruct progress in the development of interpersonal communication theory, this paper identifies three principles deserving of the title. The identified principles are: (1) the idol of coorientation, the belief that mutual understandings are the essential grounds for the coordination of…

Considers possible dysfunctions of supportive communication in the workplace and proposes a research agenda to investigate these dysfunctions at the micro and macro levels of analysis. (RS)

This paper proposes the use of interaction process analysis to study negotiation behaviors. Following a review of current literature in the field, the paper presents a theoretical framework for the analysis of both labor/management and social negotiation processes. Central to the framework described are two systems of activities that together…

Reports two experiments designed to further understanding of the effects of systematic desensitization (SD) training on college students and presents experimental test results indicating that students in SD do not differ significantly from those who choose not to join SD. (MH)

The paradox of the diffusion of innovations research is that in its efforts to find ways and means of breaking the communication constraint in Third World countries, it has generated many bottlenecks that cumulatively constitute the major constraint: lack of an efficient system for delivering adequate and reliable information, knowledge, and…

This paper reviews the existing body of research on the relationship between communication apprehension (CA) and nonverbal behavior. The strengths and limitations of three different approaches are considered. Contextual approaches are studies of CA and nonverbal behavior in which the primary focus is on communicative context (public speaking,…

The goals of this study were to replicate the findings produced in a previous conversation simulation study, to examine the conditions whereby persons attribute blame, and to extend the methodology employed in simulation game study. Conversations were simulated by a two-person game in which subjects (46 undergraduate students) were provided a deck…

In a conference focusing on issues in research methods, family theory, and family therapy as they relate to family communication and on future research needs, this document consists of papers presented by the 12 participants. Specific titles and speakers were as follows: "Kinship Relationships," by Mary Anne Fitzpatrick; "Research Potentials in…

Each of the three sections of this book highlights a basic concept in communication research that needs more attention, and includes individual articles that review or apply new methods for the study of social communication. The first part deals with organizational analysis and field studies, and reminds its readers that mass communication is not…

During the past 15 years, most studies dealing with communication and conflict in organizational settings have used a bargaining context while integrating assumptions from game theory, information processing, developmental approaches, and systems theory into their research designs. These studies also reflect four communication topic areas,…

A case study used focus groups to examine employee attitudes and concerns. Subjects, about 60 employees and managers of a major university teaching hospital in the southeast, were formed into 4 focus groups to discuss their attitudes. Employees hoped that management would use the information gathered to improve the communication environment and…

A study was conducted to determine the perceptions of staff members in the psychiatric treatment division of a residential mental health center regarding the internal communication situation among division employees. The study, which combined organizational communication and basic communication research perspectives, was based both on an…

This paper presents the initial findings from an ethnographic case study, focusing on the mixed-method research strategy used in the MacArthur Comprehensive Child Development Project Follow-up Study. The aim of the study was to expand the understanding of children's developmental trajectories as they traverse the elementary school years.…