Examines personal relevance in relation to the ability of 48 5- to 10-year-old children to describe others in terms of psychological characteristics. Results suggest that verbal inferencing skills of young children have been underestimated and that they may be more oriented toward affective goals than older children when anticipating interaction…

Evaluates the effects of presenting verbal models following the initiations or expressions of interest of 16 children aged 28 to 34 months on both production and comprehension abilities measures. Results suggest that the timing of exposure to language models plays a critical role in language acquisition. (RJC)

Examined two verbal process variables in counseling: accuracy and relevance of counselor recall statements. Undergraduates (N=64) rated videotaped counselor's performance. When recall comments were at high accuracy level, participants' perceptions of counselor were significantly more favorable than when comments were at low level. Different levels…

Examines communicative responses to the highly argumentative person. Finds that the adversary's use of verbal aggression provokes male subjects to be more verbally aggressive, but stimulates female subjects to be more argumentative. (RAE)

Introduces the Communication Enhancement Model, which promotes health in old age by stressing recognition of individualized cues, modification of communication to suit individual needs and situations, appropriate assessment of problems, and empowerment of both elders and providers. Discusses application of the model for two high-risk groups,…

Infantilization was investigated in a sample of elderly adults, both community residents (n=18) and residents of institutions (n=17). Community residents were more negative in their ratings of infantilizing speech content and intonation, and appeared particularly resentful of infantilizing speech intonation of the dimension of respect. (JPS)

Results of a study comparing 10-year-old girls' emotional experience (via verbal report) and emotional state (via nonverbal facial expressions) showed that there are modest associations between these factors and also between verbal and facial empathy scores. (ETB)

Examined responses of 6- to 7- and 9 to 10-year olds to adult-child conflict, compared them to responses to adult-adult conflict, and further examined responses in relation to verbal and physical expression of anger. Participants in the conflict, the form of anger, and the age and gender of the subject moderated some responses. (DR)

Surveys theoretical and practical issues associated with pictorial information retrieval. Concentrating on still and moving pictorial forms of the visual image, this paper focuses on indexing pictorial material and discusses four models of pictorial information retrieval corresponding with permutations of the verbal and visual modes for the…

Uses longitudinal data on language acquisition to examine children's language and sense of self and others. Referential analysis of children's discourse found that children do locate self and other in a spatio-temporal realm. Form-function analysis found that children's discourse about self was more varied in form and in semantic and pragmatic…

College students (n=141) rated 30 potentially comforting remarks which might be made to recently bereaved person, having been told that death was either natural and anticipated, natural and unanticipated, suicide, homicide, or accident. Six of 30 responses varied significantly in helpfulness ratings depending upon type of death. Least helpful…

In a study of 25 preschoolers, relations between peer acceptance and communication behaviors that contribute to cohesive discourse were examined. Results revealed that children's use of nondirected initiations and noncontingent responses may result from social acceptance. (GLR)

This study examined the use of dual communication boards for teaching appropriate communication responses to three deaf-blind high school students. Students were able to use the boards with 100% accuracy in three communication routines in both school and community environments. (Author/DB)

Surveyed administrators from 70 Florida nursing homes. Administrators reported 1,193 acts of verbal aggression and 13 acts of physical aggression directed at nursing home personnel by residents' family members over 6-month period. Dissatisfaction over how specific and overall care needs of residents were being met was most frequently cited as…

Some speculations, often based on mutually incompatible theories, are reviewed about how blindness can affect the development of language and meaning. Issues covered include preverbal and verbal behaviors, the concept of verbalism, and language as a compensator. (10 references) (Author/LB)