Two investigations provide evidence that nonverbal cues (hand gestures) play a role as contextual cues in the retrieval of verbal messages in conversations. (PD)

Examined the use of compliance-gaining strategies among a group of environmentalists. Results indicated that prosocial strategies were used more often than anti-social strategies across all situations. (SRT)

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…

Argues that R. Trapp's reservations regarding the characterization of Jackson's and Jacobs' conversational argument are unfounded. Reports several studies that use procedures similar to those employed by Trapp to confirm Jackson's and Jacobs' theory. Discusses reservations about using subject generated judgments as an unproblematic standard for…

Provides evidence for rejecting Festinger's Substitute Locomotion Theory of organizational communication. Demonstrates a clear difference between formal and informal channels of upward communication. Indicates that high mobility individuals communicate significantly more with their supervisors than low mobility individuals and that males…

Surveys research exemplars of performance studies by tracing their epistemological claims and methodological assertions through discussions of text, event, performer, and audience. Claims a paradigmatic relationship between oral interpretation and performance studies. (JD)

Provides the rationale for a systematic study of regional patterns of communication in the United States. Conceptualizes regionalism, appraises regional influences on communication, and establishes their significance. Describes regional development of the U.S. and proposes a program of regional research on U.S. communication. Examines deficiencies…

Confirms the general hypothesis that: persons with relatively undifferentiated political construct systems exhibit substantial collinearity between attitudinal and normative components of the Fishbein-Ajzen behavioral-inventions model. (NKA)

Presents study in which transcripts of speeches were linguistically analyzed for gender-specific features. Shows that a combination of 20 features could account for 99% of between-gender variance, permitting 100% gender prediction accuracy. (MS)

Reports a study of the correlation of linguistic variation with the variables of gender and context specificity in Brazilian Portuguese. The study focused on differences found in the expression of a particular directive by adult middle-class male and female speakers of the Carioca dialect of Rio de Janeiro. (SED)

Examines how children's responses to questions about object terms varied across objects and the degree to which children specified common and conventional values for different object dimensions. (HOD)

Surveyed former collegiate debaters to obtain a profile of their education and present occupation and to find out (1) their perceptions of debate and the NDT and (2) their recommendations for coaches and students. Discusses implications of the findings for debate as an educational activity. (PD)

Results indicate that (1) subjects listening to instructional material while alone comprehend significantly more than those listening as an audience member and (2) a significant relationship exists between the number of strangers present and listening comprehension. This study may have implications for mass lecture courses. (PD)

Reviews organizational communication studies since 1955: (1) explores problems with the use of language in these studies; (2) reviews specifically the literature on organizational hierarchies; (3) discusses promising areas of emerging research, and (4) recommends ways research can be productively conducted and reported. Includes an extensive…

Reports the extent of self-actualization present within a sample of managers in several organizations. Also evaluates the interpersonal capability of managers to communicate with their subordinates. Reveals a positive relationship between self-actualization and interpersonal skills. (PD)