Tests the hypothesis that listener-adapted communication (LAC) is positively related to extroversion and that this relationship is independent of differentiation. Finds that the hypothesis was supported and that differentiation did not have the strong effect on LAC reported in past research. (SR)

Examines elementary and secondary teachers' affinity-seeking strategies, things they do to get students to like them and their subject matter. Finds that personal and subject affinity-seeking efforts differ; teachers are less confident about the latter; and that strategies are drawn from a narrow range of affinity-seeking options. (SR)

Surveys job satisfaction of journalists and public relations personnel in the San Francisco Bay Area. Finds public relations personnel significantly more satisfied with both their jobs and profession. Concludes that the relatively lower levels of job satisfaction for journalists are largely a result of lack of autonomy. (SR)

Uses the 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear plant accident to illustrate the communication problems embedded in a crisis. Describes the reactions created by the stress related to crisis. Suggests business communication strategies for improving communication to the public. (SR)

Analyses qat sessions (small-group social gatherings centered on the use of a mild, euphoric stimulant, qat) in North Yemen. Explores their communicative form and function. (SR)

Reviews the properties and consequences of the Principle of Contrast. It is argued that this principle accounts for the acquisition of irregular forms in morphology and that it plays a crucial role in the acquisition of allomorphy. (62 references) (GLR)

Discusses the trend in academic debate on policy questions toward a wide acceptance of counterplans, encouraging combinations of proposals which appear at face value able to coexist but upon deeper analysis are incompatible. Argues in opposition to this trend by applying concepts from general systems theory to competition. (KEH)

Proposes an alternative method of employee evaluation by concentrating on appraisal instrument dimension. Compares those dimensions with organization members' constructs for productive behavior. Finds that, to the extent that the constructs and dimensions are similar, the system will be more effective in evaluating productive behavior. (MG)

Examines industrial and organizational factors in the development of the superhero comic book industry. Discusses three major industrial influences on content: children as the primary market, company ownership, and production costs. Compares current trends with the 1950s and 1960s, and argues that the medium presently is a vehicle for cultural…

Explores the communication implications of women's marital-name choices by examining actual accounts women give about their names. Suggests that name choices provide important clues to women's identities, signifying different theories available to women for viewing the relationship among self, husband and family, and the institution of marriage.…

Investigates a strategy for giving an opinion by first soliciting another party's opinion and then producing one's own report in a way that takes the other's into account. Concludes that the strategy of using a perspective-display sequence is pertinent to situations where cautiousness in giving reports and opinions seems warranted. (MS)

Examines the conversational organization of shared laughter. Finds that in 70 percent of two-party cases the current speaker initiates shared laughter, but that in more than 70 percent of multi-party cases examined, someone other than the current speaker initiates shared laughter. (MS)

Summarizes research in perception dealing with error detection as it pertains to proofreading skills in communication. Focuses on several causes for the lack of perceptual proficiency in error detection, including feature redundancy, context, and phonological encoding. Notes that these causes may interrelate to form a Gestalt response to error…

Examines the development and historical inaccuracies of the "magic bullet" interpretation of American propaganda studies, which asserts that propaganda critics between the world wars treated messages as "magic bullets" directly and powerfully infused into passive receivers. Considers why this misconception of the progressive…

Examines the institution of health from the communication perspective. Discusses the new emphasis on preventing illness through individuals'"proper" behavior. Advocates a communication-based approach to values in health care: a person-centered value base including both reason and emotion, contrary to the principle-based, rational mode of…