Contends that the contradictory research on conversational interruptions may be traced not only to definitional inconsistencies, but to the empirically tenuous concept of "interruption." Asserts that "onset" and "resolution" are more rigorous and describable procedures. (MS)

Analyzes a segment of conversation in which one participant repairs the broken-off utterance of another. Finds that utterance design and sequential placement play key roles in this accomplishment. Argues that context is an ongoing achievement of such practices of utterance design and sequential placement. (MS)

Advocates that health-care ethics should start with a knowledge of moral reality based on experience, with patterns of moral behavior expressed not in principles, but in models, images, stories, myths, and paradigms. Notes that this approach offers a rich potential for exchange and collaboration between ethical and communication theories. (SR)

Tests the perceived effectiveness of different messages responding to sexual harassment in the organizational environment. Finds that none of the messages were perceived as being particularly effective at stopping the harasser's offensive conduct. (MM)

Counters David R. Seibold, John E. Hunter, Franklin J. Boster's criticisms (same issue) of Burleson's et al. original article in "Human Communication Research" (v14, n4), "Item Desirability Effects in Compliance-Gaining Research: Seven Studies Documenting Artifacts." (MS)

Examines the relationship between communication apprehension and various aspects of the learning situation, including: general verbal activity score, year in school, course grade achieved, student rating of the instructor, and student major. Reports a relationship between the level of communication apprehension and students' chosen occupational…

Reviews the past five years of community ties research. Examines recent research for evidence of progress in resolving important conceptual issues, and discusses problems that still persist despite previous cautions. (RAE)

Examines managing floor time and topical focus as manifestations of interpersonal dominance in conversations. Finds that the longer a conversational partner talks, and the less related are his or her remarks, the more that partner is perceived to be in control. (SR)

Reports a field study of computer professionals' client relationships. Concludes that client-oriented interaction behaviors grounded in the interactional view provide substantial discrimination between high and low-performing professionals. (MS/JAD)

Uses "turning point" analysis to examine participants' accounts of change in the individual-organizational relationship. Compares results from this analysis with conceptualizations of socialization and identification. (MM)

Argues that the field of rhetoric is relevant to the study of two functions of communication (transmission and influence). Asserts that the rise of communications technology has again made the study of rhetoric possible and even socially necessary. (MS)

Examines the relationship between four types of communication (i.e., integrative, distributive, indirect, and avoidance) and 14 perceptions of problem situations. Finds that a relatively specific relationship exists between each type of communication and the set of perceptions for both personally experienced and undefined problem situations. (MS)

Reviews the growing body of literature on issue management and surveys the top 21 "Fortune" 500 industrial corporations of 1985. Offers a definition of issue management which may provide a common framework in which issue management may be correctly understood and recognized. (MS)

Focuses on the impact of the motives of participants in organizational romances, the illicitness of the relationship, and the power of the relational participants. Finds that only certain types of relationships showed associations with organizational effectiveness; illicitness was associated with negative outcomes in group work, not with…

Finds that, in situations involving conflict inherent in professional truth-telling/deception dilemmas, nurses' choices of a conflict management strategy are importantly influenced by characteristics of professional role, and organizational situation. (SR)