Proposes that construct differentiation moderates the effects of perspective on causal judgments. Finds that construct differentiation was positively associated with intrapersonal variability in ratings of causal judgments across three perspectives and positively associated with actor/observer differences when taking the perspective of message…

Finds that participants sought target and situation information either before or after devising plans to reach one of two social goals (requesting a date or ingratiating themselves to roommates). Finds also that the greater the diversity of person and situation information sought before planning the more elaborate the plans were likely to be. (RS)

Performs factor analysis of editorial criteria reported in earlier studies of cognitive editing of arguments. Finds and discusses three main categories: effectiveness, person-centered issues, and discourse competence. Conceives of these dimensions and criteria as interactional objectives, representing the multiple goals people have during…

Examines the structure of the discipline of communication using the frequency of joint memberships in the International Communication Association's divisions and interest groups. Finds that the structure is more complex than previously suggested by bibliometric research. (SR)

Examines college students' reaction to two separate argument situations involving religious or nonreligious issues. Finds a two-way interaction between argumentativeness and religious orientation on willingness to argue, argumentativeness main effects on willingness to argue and value expectancy, and religious orientation main effects on all three…

Investigates Total Quality Control (TQC) as a companywide, pivotal, and unifying philosophy for quality production and human interaction in Japanese organizations. Stresses the central role of communication processes. Challenges business communication scholars to incorporate TQC as a macro framework in dissections of the quality movement within…

Examines authenticity in the study of communication by tracing its treatment by recent social theory, particularly Critical Theory. Suggests that the search for the authentic has been a historically grounded intellectual concern. Concludes by acknowledging the need of Critical Theory to address the challenges of postmodern thought and the…

Presents a general mathematical model of the diffusion of innovations that incorporates mass media and interpersonal influence. Suggests that policymakers can use diffusion models to evaluate the effectiveness of media versus interpersonal campaigns, make comparisons between subgroups, and evaluate the effect of a policy. (RS)

Notes that methods for teaching intercultural communication skills are frequently based on identifying norms of communication in different cultures. Creates a parallel distributed processing (PDP) model, which is used to demonstrate the inadequacy of this normative approach to training. Discusses implications for the conduct of intercultural…

Examines whether medium is an important factor in arousal of curiosity about morbid events. Finds that television news reports did not evoke more curiosity about morbid events than did print or still photo accounts. (SR)

Finds that a majority of communication scholars surveyed would use an electronic journal to publish research reports and that most viewed publishing as a way to communicate about their work rather than as a means for advancement. (SR)

A study examines the effect of a brief but intense antipollution message, compared to a control message, on verbal commitment and on three forms of immediate behavioral commitment of college student volunteers (n=104). Exposure to the antipollution message produced significantly more verbal commitment and financial donations but not more time…

Investigates the sets of values held by public relations employees in Saudi Arabia. Finds that the educational background of public relations practitioners and the number of public relations employees in an organization are both factors in predicting these values. Finds also that the direction these factors indicate is opposite from what U.S.…

Finds that (1) inoculation promotes resistance to smoking onset, but only among adolescents of low self-esteem, precisely those most at risk to smoking initiation in the first place; (2) among this group inoculation contributed to a greater chance of overtly resisting smoking, less positive attitudes toward smoking, and subsequently to less…

Responds to an article in the same issue regarding research methods for conversational cognition. Argues for a noncognitive view of rational models in communication research. Sets out an analysis of the kinds of claims made by rational models of message design. Discusses the implications of this analysis for studies of the cognitive processes…