Describes the development and testing of a new facial meaning sensitivity test designed to determine how specialized are the meanings that can be decoded from facial expressions. Demonstrates the use of the test to measure a receiver's current level of skill in decoding facial expressions. (JMF)

Compares story receipt and story sequencing variables of males and females in dyadic conversations. Significant differences exist in the amount of time spent as story recipients and with regard to two story sequencing devices--embedded repeat and marked repeat. No differences are noted in the number of sequential stories told. (JMF)

Reports on a study testing the assumption that communication apprehension is a stable trait not influenced by situational factors. Results indicate that communication apprehension scores are determined by situation, in this case anticipated speech performance, raising questions concerning the use of state-trait distinction in speech anxiety…

Language samples of college- and middle-aged respondents were analyzed to determine if the language use of college students is appropriate for generalizations to other elements of the population. (PD)

Sketches a key mechanism called "Substitute Vocabularies" whereby practitioners of democracies seek to reconcile contradictions between democratic political principle and repressive political action. Illustrates this by identifying the Richard Nixon administration's political principles regarding Native Americans as articulated in…

Shows that increased teacher immediacy was associated with increased affective learning across the four diverse cultures of Australia, Finland, Puerto Rico, and the United States. Indicates that, whether the norms in the culture favor high or low immediacy, if the teacher is comparatively more immediate, the student's affective learning is…

Compares discourse management strategies in face-to-face and computer-mediated interactions involving four decision-making tasks. Examines these issues in qualitative and quantitative analyses of data using an utterance-unit coding system to identify discourse functions. Finds that participants compensate for decreased efficiency by adopting…

Examines factors influencing language choice on the newsgroup soc.culture.punjab, a forum discussing the culture of the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. Finds that Punjabi is used only with interlocutors who are Punjabi community members. Accounts for limited usage in terms of intergenerational language shift, cultural ambivalence among…

Finds, among other things that a positive relationship exists between communication satisfaction and employees' organizational commitment and that school teachers were significantly more satisfied with communication practices and more committed to their organization than were employees of two other Guatemalan organizations (a hospital and a food…

Identifies and tests three epistemological categories (constructivists, proceduralists, and subjectivists) for differences in women's workplace perceptions and mentoring relationship. Finds significant differences in perceptions of self-efficacy, career opportunities, and effective mentoring roles and similarities that exist between mentor and…

Explores the concept of voice by turning to disclosure discourse about sexual abuse. Argues that sexually abused children are strategic and logical in the way they regulate access to this private information. Notes that the children locate their voice of logic in their selection of confidants. States that researchers can position themselves as…

Reviews linguistic structures in the annual reports of a machine tool manufacturer. Concludes that, as profits decreased and the news became more negative, linguistic structures (including verb structures, thematic structures, context and cohesion, and condensations) suggested a factual, "objective" situation caused by circumstances not…

Presents results of a study in which organizational communication received strong support as a predictor of job satisfaction and weak support as a moderator of the job performance-job satisfaction relationship. Shows that communication dimensions with the greatest support as predictors were accuracy of information, desire for interaction,…

Examines differences between Canadian and American cultures as manifested in direct marketing letters. Investigates aspects of Canadian culture, including tolerance for others, awareness of class distinctions, and concern for the collective over the individual. Compares direct mail letters sent to Canadians and to Americans, analyzing the use of…

Explores how "moral" issues interact with voters' core values. Finds that subjects' (military reservists, Reserve Officer Training Corps student members, and undergraduate students) interpretation of issues (as either ethical or material in nature) is strongly related to differences in the type of decision-making strategy used, even after…