This paper presented the cumulative knowledge that the authors gained about the "sleeper effect" during a series of 5 experiments. The "sleeper effect" is the improved effects of communication over time -- after one has a chance to "sleep on it." From their experiments, the authors conclude that, at best, the "sleeper effect" is statistically an…

The purpose of this paper is to outline some application of the Markov Process to the study of state and state changes. The essence of this mathematical concept consists of the analysis of sequences of infant responses in interaction with its environment. Categories can be defined which reflect the joint occurrence of an infant's behavior (or…

The practice of criticism of speech communication is advocated, defined, and developed on societal and practical, functional grounds. Although the author concludes that there are few direct societal benefits from criticism of speeches, he does find extensive research writings that center on analysis of rhetorical phenomena, primarily public…

Communication interactions between a child (2 to 5 years of age) and the language users around him were studied by means of a descriptive model which employs interrogation as the index of audit speech patterns. It was hypothesized that adult demands would correlate with a child's language response capability and would constitute a useful index of…

This study designed an instrument which would illuminate that atmosphere which is most favorable to the creative process. Analysis of classroom verbal interaction was executed from tape recordings of 44 science sessions, representing 11 fifth grade science classes from five widely separated and diversified schools in the Houston area. A 42-item…

The listener-oriented presupposition is defined as a covert proposition related in some way to the listener and associated with a given utterance which the speaker must believe to be true if that utterance is to be judged functional by the listener. It is proposed that listener-oriented presuppositions fall into the following three classes: class…

The purpose of this article is to bring together the work of Jurgen Ruesch, Gregory Bateson, Paul Watzlawick, and Jay Haley in order to reveal their combined contribution to a systemic understanding of communicative behavior. Emphasis is upon the interactional and circular pattern of human communication, rather than on the linear, or cause/effect,…

This investigation utilized a recent concept developed by researchers and theoreticians studying nonverbal behavior--the contextual framework. Instruments of demonstrated reliability were employed to record simultaneous verbal and nonverbal data within the selected contextual framework of student-initiated questions. Data was collected at the…

This study used a referent communication task to examine children's ability to appraise or evaluate the quality of communication performance. The results indicated that younger children were less accurate appraisers of performance as well as less accurate communicators than older children. (JMB)

To assess the influence of counselor philosophy and client type on the range of counselor trainee verbal behavior, the Philosophies of Human Nature Scale was administered to 34 counseling students who subsequently interviewed role-played clients. Results indicate client type only, not counselor's philosophy, influenced the range of trainee verbal…

We live in a linguistically-deprived environment, in which the ability to distinguish reality from illusion is vital to survival.

Describes the use of videotape equipment in taping student oral reports to aid the student in acquiring better speech skills. (MLH)

In this study, the relationship between the expletives "bitch" and "bastard" is examined in terms of sex role stereotypes. The sex role implications of traits ascribed by male and female college students to each word are reported and discussed. (Author/WI)

Recent research within the framework of existential sociolinguistics is reviewed, and its implications for the interpretative processes of reading are discussed. It is argued that comprehension through language is based largely on the role that the assumptions of the speaker and the social expectations of the hearer play in symbolic interaction.…

Examines the question of how adults define "expression" and whether "communication" can be taught. (AM)