Finds that, although the number of times men and women were shown in photographs in business communication textbooks was balanced, the physical appearance and role portrayals perpetuated traditional stereotypes of men and women in the workplace. (SR)

Finds an inverse relationship between student perceptions of teacher misbehaviors and (1) teacher assertiveness, (2) teacher responsiveness, (3) positive affect for the teacher, and (4) positive affect for the course material. Shows that instructor type (graduate assistant versus professor) was not related to perceptions of teacher misbehaviors.…

Many have tried to define the concept of visual literacy (VL), but so far there is no consensus. Reviews the literature to develop a definition of VL and explores the parameters of VL, the movement and its aims, its educational significance, and the potential benefits of teaching VL. (PEN)

Identifies entry-level employment trends in technology, interpersonal, and basic communication job skills over time using classified newspaper advertisements from standard metropolitan statistical areas in the United States. These skills were selected from a set of workplace know-hows listed in two editions of a U.S. Department of Labor report,…

Examines relationships between ethnic background and emergent cultural competencies in friendships in the United States. Finds that Latinos emphasized relational support, Asian Americans emphasized a caring, positive exchange of ideas, African Americans emphasized respect and acceptance, and Anglo Americans emphasized recognizing the needs of the…

Analyzes five presidential campaign films. Reveals the utilization of the "feminine" style in these films and suggests that social constructions of masculinity work hegemonically in two ways: candidates are associated with traditionally patriarchal institutions; the films offer a portrayal of women that marginalizes their status in the…

Presents the results of an investigation about the effect of question order randomization on the psychometric properties of two frequently used oral and written apprehension instruments: McCroskey's oral communication apprehension scale and Daly and Miller's writing apprehension scale. Shows that the measurement properties of these instruments…

Discusses how Wilbur Schramm's "Soviet" communist model and J. Herbert Altschull's "Marxist" approach have been widely used as general theoretical frameworks to examine press systems in the Marxist world in general and China in particular. Argues that neither of the two models is sufficient in conceptualizing the Chinese case…

Finds that prosocial messages directed at African American youth overlook the social contexts that shape the receiver's perception and interpretation of messages in urban youth culture. Suggests that the design of these messages incorrectly assumes that the linear communication style used by mainstream culture will persuade an audience that…

Investigates the impact of the omission of scholarly communication journals from Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and Arts and Humanities Citation Index (AHCI) on citation-based appraisals of communication literature. Argues that accurate citation analysis will not be possible until SSCI and AHCI include omitted journals; and that an…

Finds that a significant relationship exists between teachers' use of affinity-seeking strategies and student perceptions of classroom climate. Shows that 19 of the 25 strategies were correlated with classroom climate, and that communication teachers regularly used 19 of the 25 strategies. (SR)

Finds that male characters outnumbered female characters by a ratio of 2:1, but that female characters enjoyed far greater representation in cartoons produced in Japan than in cartoons produced in the United States and Great Britain. Shows that characters conformed to gender-related stereotypes, with males being more aggressive, rough, sloppy, and…

Finds that instructors of the basic public speaking course are treating students with communication apprehension (CA) during regular class time by concentrating on a skills training approach to teach the necessary speaking skills; creating a supportive and positive classroom environment; recognizing students' CA as normal; and using teaching…

Finds no relationship between undergraduate students' self-evaluations as interpersonal communicators, public speakers, or listeners and their observed ability to perform in these three communication areas. Argues that observed performance data are more valid than self-report data, and advises caution in drawing conclusions when using self-report…

Proposes two theories which constitute an interactive and dynamical system from which public opinion may emerge and become organized: (1) a dynamic theory of cognitive impact specifying processes for resolving inconsistency within an individual's attitudinal structure; and (2) a cognitive-social theory of the structural organization of attitudes…