Investigated reliability and dimensionality of Bales's Interpersonal Rating Forms (IRF) using volunteer subjects (N=266) enrolled in undergraduate communications course. Results documented shortcomings of IRF as a measuring instrument finding the subscales neither reliable nor dimensionally structured; only 2 of 18 items in each subscale are…

Indicates a periodic structure in the distribution of between-turn silences in two-party conversation, a finding that is inconsistent with current stochastic or signaling models, which view social interaction as an exchange of stimuli and responses. Finds that social interaction is fundamentally a collaborative activity. (JD)

Presents S. Jackson's and S. Jacobs' theory of conversational argument and demonstrates flaws in the representational validity of their research from the perspective of face-to-face interaction. Describes characteristics of a "paradigm case" of interactional argument that extends Jackson's and Jacobs' ideas about argumentation in…

Study participants applied for vocational services at various agencies. Process summaries and interaction logs yielded themes including, among others (1) power and status implications in the helping interaction, (2) ritual role delineation, (3) the apathetic norm, and (4) options of the helper to supersede the focus of helping. (Author/CH)

In a second follow-up study of sibling interaction, 24 pairs of same-sex siblings and 24 pairs of mixed-sex siblings were observed in their homes 18 months after the first follow-up and 3 years after the initial observations. The patterning of interaction was similar to that observed earlier. (Author/DR)

Examines difficulties associated with the use of conversational features in the analysis of mother-infant vocalization episodes. Observations of six mother-infant dyads revealed difficulties involving (1) pooling of data; (2) the unit of analysis; and (3) selection of appropriate "expected" values for dyadic parameters used in tests of…

Explored the relationship between verbal interaction in supervision and perceptions the counselor trainee (N=20) formed about the supervisor on several interpersonal/influence characteristics. Significant relationships were found between some categories of verbal behavior and one or more perceived supervisor characteristics, indicating a moderate…

Describes the interactions of 1five mothers inexperienced with deaf people and a deaf five-year-old, a hearing two-year-old and a hearing four and one-half-year-old. The women had fewer successful initiations and shorter interactions with deaf children. Modifications in their communication, especially in relation to "motherese," were…

Review of the literature suggests that hair color influences the quality of interpersonal interactions. Results of a factorially designed study show that while women helped confederates equally regardless of their gender, men helped women more than they helped men. Hair color of confederates was not shown to affect helping behavior. (Author/ABB)

The author feels how he handles a potential problem in his group counseling session when a new member "freaks out." (HMV)

Relates speech communication and employment interviewing by applying a developmental theory of interpersonal communication to the initial job interview. Provides a self-validation model that is analogous to interpersonal perception theory. (Author)

Investigates the pattern of clients' precounseling expectancies, whether these differ for male and female clients, and the relationship between clients' expected content emphasis and the actual emphasis during counseling sessions. (Author)

Author provided an essay on the use of the Flanders Interaction Analysis in clinical supervision; in it, he stressed that interaction analysis is not an end but simply a tool to be utilized by supervisors for assisting in the instructional improvement process. (Author/RK)

Lends support to the idea that the nature of the communication topic may be significantly related to evidence effectiveness and perhaps to the process of attitude change employed by the receivers. (MH)