Critiques the "Toughlove" story using perspectives suggested by dramatism and Walter R. Fischer's "narrative paradigm." Finds that the story had a compelling rhetorical impact on a parental support group. Indicates that stories can be created that affirm parents' self-worth and help them deal with their crises without leading…

Examines how account episodes are organized as a communicative practice. Finds that account episodes involve minimally a three-part sequence: problematic event, accounts, and evaluation. Indicates that accounts may be seen as a local solution to the problem based on a person's practical reasoning to prevent the loss of face. (JD)

If language research is to arrive at valid analyses of speech behavior, both observation and elicitation methods of data collection will have to be used as necessary complements to one another. The advantages and disadvantages of different research methods are discussed. (CB)

A study analyzed receiver's reactions to electronically mediated communications in a management development program. Concluded that loss of nonverbal feedback from a professor was compensated for by greater communication and cohesion among the students. (SRT)

Updates the 1979 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) benchmark survey of entitlement attitudes to which respondents in a national sample felt they were entitled to have 18 items--from crime-free communities to the right to use drugs for pleasure. The new survey reflects a heightened sense of well-being in 1984. (SRT)

Discusses a case study of the interaction between the New Christian Right, or Moral Majority, and its humanist opponents. Concludes that because the groups argue from incompatible premises, they cannot share a common moral framework within which to agree. Labels the rhetoric of the two groups reciprocated diatribe. (SRT)

Presents two studies that replicated and extended J. K. Burgoon and R. C. Koper's research by examining nonverbal behavior patterns, relational message interpretations, and credibility evaluations associated with communication reticence. Challenges the traditional view that reticence produces pronounced performance decrements and discusses…

Identifies the 20-item Classroom Apprehension Participation Scale as a highly reliable measure of class apprehension. Finds that the scale also provides additional information about behaviors of potential difficulty as well as several evaluative attitudes that make an impact on participation apprehension. (AEW)

Assessed the relationship of conversational involvement and loneliness among college students. Found that lonely participants in this study had lower rates of talkativeness, interruptions, and attention than the nonlonely; they were also perceived as less involved and less interpersonally attractive. (PD)

Investigates differences in the language learning environments of six twin pairs and 12 singleton toddlers (all firstborn) with special reference to pragamatic factors that might be expected to differ in dyadic and triadic interactive situations. (HOD)

Explores the role of language in peer interaction and play of deaf children, taking into consideration the effect of hearing status, familiarity, and experience in playing with deaf children. (HOD)

Suggests conditions or "cues" that provoke the process of second- guessing, and describes an experimental study confirming that interactants do second-guess when confronted with those cues. (MS)

Describes the compliance-resisting behaviors in selected communication by first-, fourth-, and tenth-grade students. Seeks to assess the development of ability to construct compliance-resisting strategies. (MS)

Investigates the hypothesis that letters to lower-status recipients would consist of a greater number of more familiar modes than letters to higher-status recipients and that letters to recipients of high solidarity with the writer would consist of a greater number of more familiar modes than letters to recipients of low solidarity with the…

Discusses four areas of research in health communication and how to make them more useful for the future. (VLC)