Discusses particular tensions within the area of interpersonal communication theory and research surrounding the study of social and personal relationships. Argues that important issues have been ignored as scholars pursue a spurious conflict between communication science and communication hermeneutics. (SR)

Uses three quotations from Gregory Bateson to inform the author's comments on the discipline of communication. Argues that communication teachers and scholars must aim for a curriculum and a mode of study, research, and teaching that leads to means of recognizing, addressing, and responding to truly significant questions, rather than disciplinary,…

Discuses three developmental stages of the information society: the electrification of communication, beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century; converging technologies and awareness of information, beginning in the late middle twentieth century; and, beginning in the 1990s, the harmonization of information systems with each other.…

Advocates that communication scholars explore more deeply the work of Emile Durkheim. Explores Durkheim and communication studies, and Durkheimian contributions to communication theory, viewing every corner of social life as communicatively founded. (SR)

Surveys graduates of a radio-television/telecommunication program. Finds that income increases with work experience; those working outside the media earn the most; and males continue to outearn their female counterparts, when other factors are controlled for in the regression analysis. (SR)

Compares preferences of CEOs of small companies in southern Louisiana with those of the "Fortune" 500 chief human resources officers concerning resumes and application letters. Finds no significant difference. (RS)

Finds that (1) under certain conditions, females (uninvolved third-party observers) appear to be more sensitive to relational deception than males and report more negative attitudes and perceptions of the deceiver's character, competence, and sociability; and (2) the consequence for the target impacted both observer attitude toward the specific…

Investigates whether memory for positive and negative television messages differs in the amount of verbal and visual-spatial information recognized and recalled by television viewers, as a function of differential activation of the brain hemispheres elicited by emotional messages. Suggests that message valence may be related to the amount of…

Examines affective facial expression in conversation. Demonstrates that the accuracy of affect-identification for conversational facial expressions generally is no better than chance. Demonstrates that most conversational facial expressions, regardless of true source emotion or the affect signaled in isolation, tend to be interpreted according to…

Examines the impact of argumentativeness on cognitive responses and attitude change of undergraduate college students. Finds that argumentative individuals generate greater numbers of counterarguments and are more resistant to persuasion. Indicates that attitude change for the highly argumentative individual is a function of both positive and…

Surveys recent graduates of a large university to assess (1) the prevalence and rates with utilization of 44 communication/information technologies in their workplace; (2) their level of proficiency with those technologies; and (3) the graduates' assessment of the adequacy of preparation provided by the university concerning technological literacy…

Argues that there are two central reasons for concern about the adequacy of M. Allen's metanalysis of the research literature concerning the relative persuasive effectiveness of one-sided and two-sided messages: (1) the classification of the message types in a number of studies is questionable; and (2) the literature search underlying the review…

Responds to an analysis by D. O'Keefe (in the same issue of this journal) of a research study by the author. States that most of what O'Keefe suggests contains merit but that acceptance of the suggestions still generates a conclusion that two-sided refutational messages constitute the most persuasive form of message. (SR)

Addresses a recurring inconsistency in the epistemic interpretation of the Family Communication Patterns scales. Reviews the traditional linkage to coorientation and proposes a more direct interpretation. Results confirm that subjects associate the scales with underlying dimensions of conformity or control and openness or supportiveness. Provides…

Reviews research on differing communication strategies of men (instrumental/empowering) and women (affiliative/depowering) in professional settings. Examines important communication differences along these lines, offers theories that explain why those differences exist, and determines when differences are most likely to occur. (SR)