Standardized interviewing (SI) and conversational interviewing are two approaches to collect survey data that differ in how interviewers address respondent confusion. This article examines interviewer-respondent interactions that occur during these two techniques, focusing on requests for and provisions of clarification. The data derive from an…

This paper (1) discusses methodological issues in the study of interaction; (2) describes a statistical approach to data analysis that derives the amount of interaction empirically from separate and independent observations of simultaneously occurring behaviors of mother-child dyads; and (3) discusses the application of this technique to the…

This paper presents a new mathematical approach, fuzzy mathematics, for defining, classifying, and analyzing concepts within communications. Fuzzy mathematics is based on the premise that real world phenomena contain characteristics that overlap any artifically created category system or classification rules. Therefore, set membership is…

This paper presents arguments for greater use of sophisticated research strategies and statistical analyses of data in dealing with the real-life complexity of social interaction. Three possible procedures are proposed and illustrated in a study of interactions between mothers and their 8- to 18-month-old children. The first strategy is to…

Johnson-Neyman, Potthoff, and Erlander and Gustavsson techniques for obtaining confidence regions for the difference between regression surfaces are compared. (DG)

Describes a method for determining the effects of sex (or any other dichotomous characteristic) from the individual correlated behavioral responses observed in dyadic interactional situations. (Author/MP)

This study refutes the Elashoff and Snow (1970) critique of "Pygmalion in the Classroom," a study by Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) on the effect of favorable teacher expectance on pupil achievement. Among the theses considered erroneous are: (1) That there is a wide variation in apparent results when different methods of data analysis…

Suggests that dominance can be defined as asymmetry in predictability in social variables of importance, and bidirectionality as symmetrical predictability. Procedures which address the concepts of cyclicity within a person and synchronicity between people and which assess asymmetry and symmetry in social interaction are discussed. (Author/RH)

This project investigated the probabilistic interactional structure of counseling interviews conducted by two groups of counselors of differing levels of cognitive complexity, and the consistency of that structure within each group across sequences of two interviews. Analysis of the counselor-client interaction patterns between the two groups of…

Communication skills are important for children with developmental disabilities to be functional and independent in their own lives. This study examined influences of different types of listener feedback or breakdowns on repair behaviors of nonverbal children with disabilities during semi-structured opportunities at snack time. Three preschool…

The uses of various research designs in educational research are discussed. Research methodologies such as social anthropology, path analysis, classroom observation, historiography, interaction analysis, and statistical analysis are described. The educational settings in which each of them would be an effective research tool are illustrated. (JD)

The purposes of this book include the following: (1) to help students in acquiring knowledge and skills needed to design and conduct experimental research, (2) to acquaint potential researchers with the various methods and instruments that are available, and (3) to suggest new areas of research. These purposes are discussed in the three parts of…

Some of the distinguishing features associated with behavioral prevention methodology are discussed. Behaviorists for Social Action have already implicitly identified target populations for preventive interventions, and the two distinct populations which have been identified can form the focus of preventive endeavors. The dissimilar populations…