Explores whether telephone callers converge to structural and relational message aspects found in recorded answering machine messages. Finds that callers exhibited greater convergence to relational than to structural aspects, and that both female and male callers converged with levels of immediacy in answering machine messages. Outlines…

Investigates whether receiving verbally aggressive messages was more hurtful depending on the source of the message; whether trait verbal aggression is justified; and whether the perceived hurt of verbally aggressive messages is related to a tendency to be verbally aggressive. Finds that messages from friends caused more hurt than messages from…

Tests the degree to which adolescents and young adults felt caught between their parents as a mediator between divorce and children's avoidance and satisfaction with them. Reveals that divorce was largely associated with avoidance and satisfaction through children's feelings of being caught, which were a function of their parents' demand-withdraw…

Examines the ability of the theory of reasoned action to explain and predict adolescents' verbal (i.e., insulting) and physical (i.e., fighting) aggression, as well as behaviors that encourage aggression such as watching a fight or telling others about a fight that is going to happen. Reveals that attitudes and subjective norms predicted…

Examines the relationship between listening style preference and jurors' assignment of negligence and damages. Notes that 90 men and 84 women drawn from introductory communication courses viewed videotaped attorney presentations and the judge's instructions from an actual court case. Indicates that participants with a people-oriented listening…

Indicates that males do not understand that certain sexual resistance messages indicate resistance. Finds that resistance messages most often used by some women are the least understood by most men, suggesting that unwanted sexual escalation efforts might be minimized if men were to better understand women's resistance messages, and/or if women…

Argues that attributional bias research is applicable to foreign-language communication. Shows that communicating in a foreign language can lead to changes in perceptions of motivation, foreign-language ability, and familiarity with the subject being communicated. (SR)

Relates the history of the focus group as a research tool, explores its recent revival, and reappraises the method and its appropriateness for media and communications research. Argues that the focus group discussion should be regarded as a socially situated communication. Discusses the various relations this may bear toward different approaches…

Finds significant differences in only 4 categories of behaviors and competencies among the 26 assessed: high-performance leaders received higher scores on obtaining outside support and tolerating uncertainty, whereas average leaders scored higher in exhibiting personal and/or professional qualities and confronting inadequate performance. Explores…

Presents a theory of how individuals located in social space influence each other to create higher order patterns of cultural structure. Presents the theory as five propositions and six derivations, arguing that Dynamic Social Impact Theory accounts for four key features of culture: regional clustering, correlations among cultural elements,…

Investigates whether the locus of persuasion of the metaphor "A is B" lies in the valence of B, as widely assumed, or in the valence of the metaphor ground, what A and B share. Indicates that global affect toward B does not transfer onto A and that metaphorical persuasion is a distinct process meriting further investigation. (SR)

Presents a case study that outlines the growth and development of TECHWR-L, a listserv for professional technical communicators. Discusses some of the more controversial aspects of the list. Outlines how TECHWR-L, or some other focused forum, could prove an even more valuable resource for the profession. (RS)

Proposes interaction hypotheses involving the social, interpersonal, and intellectual responses of group members collaborating via computer-mediated communication. Finds that some conditions of computer-mediated communication used by geographically dispersed partners rendered effects systematically superior to those obtained in other mediated…

Presents a review and meta-analytic summary of existing studies of metaphor's persuasive effects. Indicates that metaphor appears to exert a small effect on perceptions of source dynamism, but shows no demonstrable impact on competence or character. Concludes that the superior organization explanation of metaphor's persuasive impact was most…

Investigates communication patterns and subsequent relational outcomes following romantic partners' deception for people with different attachment styles. Reveals that respondents (undergraduate students) with a secure attachment style were more likely to report talking about the issue, whereas anxious/ambivalents were more likely to report…