Links decoding ability to interpersonal cognitive complexity and to person-centered verbal adaptiveness. Finds females more likely than males to be higher in interpersonal cognitive complexity and person-centered verbal ability, and that the influence of sex washes out the relationship of nonverbal decoding ability and cognitive complexity with…

Investigates the relationship between the argumentativeness scale and judgments of its social desirability. Finds that when the variance in argumentativeness that can be attributed to social desirability is removed, the difference between the sexes diminishes. Analyzes sex differences in social desirability, and concludes that sex differences on…

Examines how to create organizational processes that allow communication professionals with a variety of expertise to support each other through coordination and integration. Studies eight of America's leading total quality management corporations, including AT&T, Federal Express, Saturn, and Xerox. Explores how various total quality…

Explores gossip's function as a social influence tool. Considers if gossip is untrustworthy, leading to relational demise, or whether gossip can lead to perceived liking, trust, and expertise. Indicates that for the undergraduate student subjects, both positive and negative gossip are perceived negatively for both friends and strangers. (SG)

Explains that Type I error is a risk undertaken whenever significance tests are conducted, and the chances of committing a Type I error increase as the number of significance tests increases. Notes that adjusting the alpha level because of the number of tests conducted in a given study has no principled basis, commits one to absurd beliefs and…

Tries to distinguish the key insights from some distortions by clarifying the goals of experiment-wise error control that D. O'Keefe correctly identifies as vague and open to misuse. Concludes that a better understanding of the goal of experiment-wise error correction erases many of these "absurdities," but the clarifications necessary…

Responds to Daniel O'Keefe's "Against Familywise Alpha Adjustment," where O'Keefe maintains that one should never attempt to control Type I error introduced when many statistical tests are conducted. Argues that alpha adjustment should be applied only in the narrowly circumscribed instance when the researcher wants to make a strong claim…

Responds to other articles in this colloquy. Notes that they propose that alpha adjustment can appropriately be mandated when the set of tests concerns the key claims of a single theory. Considers how consistent application of this reasoning commits one to bizarre beliefs and research practices--which suggests that this reasoning does not provide…

Finds that the way undergraduate students go about preparing their speeches is meaningfully associated with the quality of their presentation. Shows that public speaking anxiety is significantly related to how students prepare speeches, and that students with high levels of speech anxiety engage in a variety of preparation actions that may limit…

Finds that battered women rely significantly more than nonbattered women on two types of strategies: (1) submissive or indirect power strategies, such as ingratiation, promise, allurement, deceit; and (2) aggressive strategies, such as threats and warning. (SR)

Finds that highly satisfied couples engage in significantly more communication, particularly on certain topics (home life, sexual relationship, and vacations), than do less-satisfied couples. (SR)

Responds to an article in the same issue of this journal claiming that the Behavior Alteration Technique checklist suffers from an item desirability bias. Argues that the article's entire allegation rests on a faulty premise and on an indefensible research design which fails to test the contention. (SR)

Presents a rebuttal to P. Kearney and T. Plax's criticisms in this issue of this journal. Argues that careful analysis of the existing data shows that teachers do rely on "negative" or power assertive discipline in the classroom and that the heuristic processing account provides a sound explanation of the biased pattern observed in…

Explores superiors' evaluations of leadership skills of their managers to determine if sex differences exist. Rates middle and upper level male and female managers on "Benchmarks," a multirater feedback instrument. Detects no sex differences except that females rated higher in putting people at ease. (PA)

Introduces six articles comprising a symposium on dynamic social impact theory--a theory discussing the creation, maintenance, structuring, and alteration of attitude, beliefs, and belief systems; the dynamics of social influence; and the role of human ecology in the formation of belief and belief systems. Discusses theoretical premises and…