Language is not to be considered neutral for it works to establish privileged interpretations of reality that assume the illusion of a shared and natural reality. This study examined how consultants specializing in multicultural organizational interventions construct a particular meaning of "diversity" in their responses to a…

Intercollegiate forensics has been shown to provide extensive added value to its participants regardless of whether the student stresses debate, individual events, or both. Of the individual event genres, only the limited preparation events have not been distinguished by their content goals. Most textbooks consider impromptu and extemporaneous…

This paper is directed at performing arts managers interested in developing marketing techniques in order to expand the audiences for their performances. The paper outlines a model of the process by which an individual progresses from lack of interest in the performing arts to active participation and interest. The model that describes this…

Although psychologists, sociologists, family scientists and communication experts are making important contributions to the study of personal relationships, discussion of the gender differences that often create barriers to intimacy, and how these differences are reflected in the communication process, is notably absent from much of this work.…

DACUM, an acronym for Developing A Curriculum, is a standardized curriculum development process used primarily in community colleges across the United States. DACUM results provide a valid national database that can: (1) further justify the study of speech communication in most academic curricula; and (2) help define the nature of the basic speech…

A study measured students' emotional response to teacher behaviors based upon the theory of implicit communication. Subjects, 281 undergraduate student volunteers of preexisting, intact introductory communication courses at a southwestern university, completed questionnaires. As in previous research, teacher use of affinity-seeking behaviors…

A study investigated the vocal intensity of interviewers and the gender of interviewees to test a speech accommodation theory of behavioral reactions to speech style, while simultaneously determining whether previous research is corroborated in the context of the employment interview. Multiple discriminant analysis of 34 interviews (13 males and…

This paper reviews the literature in self-disclosure and gender differences and offers some validity comments regarding the operationalization of the intimacy concept. Self-disclosure research offers two conclusions in regards to gender differences in communication. First, there is no definite indication that females self-disclose more than males.…

Jesse Delia's essay "Communication Research: A History" (1987) avoids defining "communication research" as subject phenomena, methodology, or a progressive stock of positive propositions. In this way, his essay accommodates in a generous, comprehending, and constructive way a wide array of approaches, disparate interests and…

A study tested the notion that falling in love causes changes in love styles, relational message interpretations, and personality characteristics such as self-monitoring. Subjects, 209 undergraduate communication students, completed measures of love styles, self-monitoring, and relational message interpretations. In addition, participants…

A study examined the likelihood of using compliance-gaining strategies when engaging in safe-sex situations. A sample of 110 college students from a large midwestern university completed a 16-item questionnaire that utilized G. Marwell and D. Schmitt's compliance-gaining typology. Results indicate that female college students were significantly…

A study examined grades on speech assignments in a college public speaking course as a function of students' preferred learning strategies and expressed learning motives. Subjects, 112 undergraduate students enrolled in the basic public speaking course, had their levels of communication apprehension and motives for learning measured early in the…

A study examined the variables that influence the use of electronic mail. The Uses and Gratifications perspective was employed to determine the antecedent factors that motivate individuals to engage in electronic mail communication. Subjects, 105 students enrolled in graduate-level courses at a small midwestern university and 252 individuals who…

Some language features are described that could account for feelings of people from different cultures not being on the same "wave length" when they communicate with each other in business negotiations. Candlin's explanatory approach involving a "top-down, bottom-up" methodology is used. It views language as being indeterminate…

A study explored the affective impact of interpersonal influence messages. Thirty-nine students enrolled in an undergraduate communication course listened to a tape-recording of 15 directives and rated each directive on explicitness or dominance. Results indicated that the set of stimuli tapped nearly the full range of both continua, and that the…