In the field of communication studies the preeminent forms of explanation of human behavior have been the social and psychological, but biological origins may be as important to understanding human communication as are social origins. Communication research suggests a biological basis for certain patterns of adult interaction. Although these…

A model intended to overcome the cultural relativism of determining what is an ethical act draws an analogy to environmental studies. Beginning with the concepts of "telos" (final purpose) and "archai" (priority), the notion of an ecosystem of ethics avoids limitation to a particular historical definition of good. Since the…

A study examined the effectiveness of a method designed to increase active patient involvement in the health care context. Subjects, 38 patients visiting a three-physician dermatology practice one randomly selected morning, were asked to fill out a survey at the end of their visit. Half of the subjects were asked to read a "communication…

This paper advances a relational approach to interpersonal power or social control. Drawing from the work of the Palo Alto group and further elaborations on this work made by S. R. Strong and C. D. Claiborn (1982), the paper outlines the coactive features of interpersonal control and stresses the relevance of these insights for the teaching of…

To examine methodological issues of managerial gender communication, a study conducted a meta-analysis of the primary research of managerial gender communication. The study addressed the following four issues: (1) the inconsistent findings in managerial gender communication research; (2) the potential influence of male and female stereotypes on…

A study examined the types and amounts of information expectant mothers need during their pregnancy, as well as their satisfaction with their physicians. Seventy women who had given birth within the previous 4 years completed a questionnaire eliciting information they received during pregnancy, their satisfaction with their physician, and…

Arguing that the issue of organizational decision making and bureaucratic responsibility in the use of technologies with potential for creating social harm should concern everyone, this paper explores the ethical issues raised by organizational decisions concerning the launch of the space shuttle "Challenger." The paper first describes a…

In predicting why one person may label behavior "sexual harassment" while others may be less inclined to interpret communication as harassing, four variables appear: the immediacy of the communication, employment in a field dominated by or balanced with members of the opposite sex, information about anti-harassment guidelines, and prior…

Noting the diversity in the nature and format of individual events in debate tournaments, a study surveyed the reactions of individual events coaches and students to the events offered at tournaments, the descriptions, and the time limits. Thirty-one coaches and 71 students from colleges and universities in the eastern United States responded to a…

Critical approaches to the study of society and organizations tend to favor theories and models that stress the complexity and multiplicity of social factors and processes and the relations between them. In conceptualizing the relationship between social structure and human agency, critical theorists have attempted to walk a fine line between…

In the past, rhetorical criticism relied heavily on an Aristotelian approach; critics judged a speech by how well it fulfilled the speaker's purpose and persuasion was the accepted goal of rhetoric. Political and academic forces have brought about a methodological perspectivism or pluralism of rhetorical theory, and in turn, caused a shift from…

A study was conducted to (1) describe the male/female participation and success in regional and national forensic individual events tournament competition, and (2) identify areas of gender-based inequity from these data. Letters requesting 1984-85 tournament results were sent to 44 individual events tournament directors, of which 20 were…

In this essay, Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory (which seeks to explain how individuals try to reconcile holding two inconsistent beliefs at the same time) is used to explore the nature of expectancy effects and what possible roles they play in the thinking of the radical right. The paper first defines expectancy effects and explains how…

Although professionalism has been an important concept to American journalists for over a century, no consensus exists regarding what concepts like profession, professionalism, and professionalization mean. Three basic traditions have dominated the sociological literature on professionalism: (1) the phenomenological approach, which advocates…

A study explored the applicability of emotion theory as a paradigm for explaining the effect of speaker delivery upon credibility and listener comprehension. Subjects were 60 undergraduate students from a large southeastern university. One group of subjects heard a speaker deliver an informative speech with varied delivery. A second group of…