The relationship between perceived understanding and self‐disclosure in the sibling relationship

This study investigated the relationship between self‐disclosure and perceived understanding in the sibling relationship. Participants (N = 227.) completed a questionnaire based on their communication with their siblings. Participants reported on their self‐disclosure(intentionality, amount, positiveness, depth, and honesty) and their feelings of being understood by their siblings. The results showed that self‐disclosure was positively related to perceived understanding. This was especially true for the relationship between honesty of self‐disclosure and perceived understanding. Analyses involving sex of the individuals in the sibling dyad showed several differences. For men, besides honesty, the only other significant results were intentionality of self‐disclosure for brothers communicating with their sisters and positiveness of self‐disclosure for brothers communicating with their brothers. In contrast, intentionality, amount, positiveness, and honesty of self‐disclosure were all significantly related for women communicating with their brothers and their sisters.     

Elucidating influences on superior‐subordinate communication: Attributional confidence and organizational control expectancies

The purpose of this study was to examine how differences in organizational control expectancies affect superior‐subordinate interaction and relational certainty. Employees (N = 280) from several organizations completed measures of perceived control, attributional confidence, and superior‐subordinate interaction. Results indicated significant relationships between subordinates ‘ work locus of control orientation with relational certainty and superior‐subordinate relationship quality. A large effect was observed between subordinates ‘ report of relational certainty with supervisor and supervisor leadership style.     

An investigation of the relationship between cognitive complexity and listener‐adapted communication

This study investigated the hypothesis that dyads composed of two cognitively complex individuals would be more successful at a communication task than would dyads composed of two individuals who are both noncomplex. Another hypothesis was that mixed dyads (one person complex, one noncomplex) would be more effective than noncomplex dyads but not as effective as complex dyads. The data supported the hypotheses. When both members of a dyad were complex or when the complex member of a mixed dyad was the person giving directions, the directions were more effective than when both members are noncomplex or when the noncomplex member of a mixed dyad was giving directions.     

The relationship between student pre‐performance concerns and evaluation apprehension

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between student pre‐performance concerns, student evaluation apprehension, and receiving a grade for a speech. It was hypothesized that in the public speaking course, (a) a positive relationship would exist between student pre‐performance concerns and student evaluation and (b) students who believed their speech was being evaluated for a grade would report a greater amount of pre‐performance concerns than students who believed their speech was not being evaluated for a grade. Both hypotheses were supported. Results are discussed in light of what instructors might do in the classroom to reduce students' pre‐performance concerns.     

The relationship between computer‐mediated communication and communication related anxieties

This study examines how communication related anxieties are related to individuals' use of computer mediated communication (CMC). 225 respondents were given the PRCA‐24, WAT, and RAT tests. They were also given a measure of computer anxiety. Respondents were then asked to indicate the extent to which they used e‐mail, interactive messaging, or web browsers. The results indicate that there is no relationship between communication anxieties and CMC use. Computer anxiety appears to be the main predictor of e‐mail, chat, and web use.     

Organizational newcomers: Temporary and regular employees,same‐sex and mixed‐sex superior‐subordinate dyads,supervisor influence techniques,subordinates communication satisfaction,and leader‐member exchange

This study examined the relationship between newly hired employees’ characteristics (i.e., temporary vs. regular employee, superior‐subordinate gender‐dyad combinations), supervisors initial tactics of influence, subordinate communication satisfaction, and quality of leader‐member exchange. Results from 148 (71 temporary) new hires indicated (a) employee characteristics were not significantly related to the leader‐member exchange, (b) supervisors initial use of prosocial influence tactics were significantly and positively related to the quality of leader‐member exchange, and (c) subordinates’ satisfaction with communication was significantly and positively related to the quality of leader‐member exchange.     

Task role ambiguity and conflict in supervisor‐subordinate relationships

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of hierarchical communication distortion on the task role perceptions of subordinates working in the context of a goal setting program. The study used empirical data collected from junior officers, managers, staff employees (N=32) and their executive supervisors (N=15) in one division of a national insurance company. This sample formed 32 supervisor‐subordinate dyads which were classified as “high” or “low” in hierarchical communication distortion. Subordinates in “high” distortion dyads experienced more role stress in terms of conflict and ambiguity than did subordinates in “low” distortion dyads.     

Aggressive communication in the coach‐athlete relationship

This study concerned how coaches’ efforts to solicit better performance from athletes related to male athletes’ perceptions of their coaches’ communication and to athletes’ self‐reports of satisfaction and performance. Data were collected from 192 former male high‐school athletes. Results indicated that when male athletes perceived that their coaches used more aggressive tactics athletes evaluated their coaches communication unfavorably and that when male athletes evaluated their coaches’ communication unfavorably they reported less satisfaction with their coaches, less team success in terms of win‐loss percentage, and less sportsmanship.     

Interpersonal construct differentiation,attitudinal confidence,and the attitude‐behavior relationship

Subjects differing in interpersonal construct differentiation completed a measure of religious attitude, a measure of attitudinal confidence, and a 20‐item religious behavior self‐report inventory. High‐confidence subjects exhibited greater attitude‐behavior consistency (r = .69) than did low‐confidence subjects (r = .51). Despite high power (N = 313), high‐ and low‐differentiation subjects did not differ significantly (r = .61 and .66, respectively), indicating that the role of differentiation as a direct mediator of non‐interpersonal attitude‐behavior consistency is a comparatively small one. But the influence of attitudinal confidence on attitude‐behavior consistency was larger for low‐differentiation subjects (r = .75 for high confidence, .51 for low) than for high‐differentiation subjects (r = .68 for high confidence, .50 for low), suggesting that interpersonal construct system development may indirectly influence the relationship of non‐interpersonal attitudes and behaviors.     

Grandparents and grandchildren: The relationship between self‐ disclosure and solidarity in an intergenerational relationship

Past research has found a linear relationship between dimensions of self‐reported self‐disclosure and solidarity when a “target” individual is identified. The present study sought to further investigate the relationship between dimensions of self‐disclosure and perceived interpersonal solidarity within an intergenerational relationship, and specifically, the grandparent‐grandchild dyad. Results supported a significant and positive relationship between the dimensions of intent, depth, honesty, and solidarity for grandparents; amount, depth, honesty, and solidarity for grandchildren. Implications of these results are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.     

A cross‐cultural test of the association between temperament and communication apprehension

The research reported in his study was a cross‐cultural test of the communibiological model of communication apprehension as temperamental expression. The study was designed to replicate the findings reported by Beatty, McCroskey, and Heisel (1998) in the U.S. and Japan. In this study participants from Japan and the U.S. completed measures of communication apprehension, neurotitism, and extroversion. The results indicated that, for both Japanese and U.S. college students, scores on the measure of communication apprehension were significantly correlated with measures of neuroticism and extroversion. Multiple regression analyses indicated that both neuroticism and extroversion predicted unique variance in communication in both cultures and that the multiple correlations for the two cultures did not differ significantly. It was concluded that the replication was successful and that temperament scores are substantially predictive of communication apprehension across the cultures tested.     

The relationship between physicians’ use of power stategies and type a orientation in physician‐patient communication

Employing a two sample design, this study examined the relationship between physicians’ use of Behavior Alteration Techniques (BATs) and physicians’ type‐A orientation. Patient and physician respondents reported selection of antisocial BATs was a significant predictor of type‐A physicians.     

The broadcasting employee: A report from the APBE‐NAB employment study

The following report is one of a series based on People in Broadcasting, the initial report of a research study conducted jointly by the Association for Professional Broadcasting Education and the National Association of Broadcasters. An introductory article appeared in the Spring 1962 issue, one on “Broadcasting Management” was published in the Summer 1962, and one on “Problems in Finding Qualified Employees” appeared in the Winter 1962–63 issue of the Journal of Broadcasting.     

The association between immediacy and socio‐communicative style

The very strong association of immediacy with positive instructional outcomes has led some to question whether teacher immediacy amounts to anything more than being responsive with students. The present study demonstrates that a measure of teacher immediacy is strongly associated with the Socio‐Communicative Style of the teacher—both the assertiveness and the responsiveness components. It is concluded that it is theoretically justified to teach pre‐service or in‐service teachers to engage in immediate behaviors as means of increasing their communication competence and probably teaching effectiveness. The impact of immediacy observed in the classroom environment is seen as likely to be generalizable to other communication contexts.     

The impact of a communication intervention on work‐unit productivity and employee satisfaction

This study investigated the impact of a 10‐week program, designed to communicate job‐specific and general company information, on levels of worker satisfaction and work‐unit productivity. Data were collected from assembly line workers in a large health care industrial plant. Differences between scores on a general satisfaction measure administered before and after the program were observed suggesting that attitudes about the organization did improve after the program. When compared with a control period, work‐unit productivity also improved after the program. Implications of these findings for future organizational communication research were discussed.     

The former broadcast employee: A report from the APBE‐NAB employment study

Today, when most Americans get most of their news from the broadcast media, we tend to forget just how recent a development this has been. Broadcast journalism is far from celebrating its 50th anniversary as a major source of news, since it did not develop until the mid‐1930s. The early relationships between the older print media and the newer medium of radio were not friendly, and the fledgling broadcast journalists needed considerable diplomatic skill in dealing with the wire services and their own employers, as well as pastepot and scissors to deal with the day's events. The story of how broadcast journalism became strong enough to cover so effectively the stories of World War II is inexorably tied to the “war” between promoters and detractors of news broadcasting during the 1930s.

George Lott. has studied at William and Mary and Michigan State University, where he is working on a Ph.D. in speech. He presently is assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and Speech at the College of William and Mary.     

Building relationships between organizations and publics: Examining the linkage between organization‐public relationships,evaluations of satisfaction,and behavioral intent

Many public relations practitioners have not incorporated relationship management theory into the practice of public relations because the quantitative and qualitative benefits derived from effective relationship management have been, more often than not, inferred rather than demonstrated. The current investigation was designed to measure respondents’ perceptions of their relationship with an organization and determine the ways in which organization‐public relationships were linked to evaluations of satisfaction and behavioral intent. The results showed that organization‐public relationships indeed were related to respondent satisfaction evaluations and behavioral intent, suggesting that organizations should attend carefully and strategically to the management of organization‐public relationships. Implications of these findings were presented, and limitations to the current investigation discussed.     

Making the “minority” voice heard: Critical communication pedagogy and dissent

ABSTRACT

Courses: Intercultural Communication, Argumentation and Advocacy, Communication and Education

Objectives: This activity is designed to help students to problem-pose and think critically about policies/laws that influence education. Students will be exposed to U.S. policy and will be able to articulate a critical dissent of such documents.     

Negative relational events and event responses across relationship‐type: Examining and comparing the impact of conflict strategy‐use on intimacy in same‐sex friendships,opposite‐sex friendships and romantic relationships

This study examined negative events and conflict response in individuals’ “closest”; relationships. Sillars’ (1980a,b) typology of conflict responses (avoidance, distributive, integrative) with roommates was applied to individuals ‘ closest relationships. Individuals reported romantic partners, same‐ or opposite‐sex friends as their “closest”; relationship. Results indicated that negative events varied by relationship‐type and that individuals in romantic relationships felt closer to their partner than those in same‐ or opposite‐sex friendships. Participants in this study reported using integrative strategies most across relationship‐type in response to conflict. Individuals using integrative strategies reported significantly higher current relational intimacy than those who used avoidance or distributive strategies. Discussion and implications follow.     

An investigation of the relationship between scientists’ mobility to/from China and their research performance

A large number of overseas elites were brought back to China by the policy in the past decade. However, name disambiguation defied investigations on the relationship between their mobility and research performance. By taking advantage of the ORCID website and applying causal inference strategies, we investigated 2489 China-connected scientists’ academic performance in the Web of Science database in terms of their job mobility, including 1388 scientists who moved to China the treatment group, and 1101 scientists with a possibility to move to China the control group. The results show that first, scientists moving to China have a new growth pattern where both their productivity and the rates of being corresponding authors in publications grew more rapidly than before; however, they made fewer contributions to the four top journals, Nature, Science, Cell, and PNAS. Second, the research performance of the scientists is affected by the time of mobility towards China, the countries from which they moved, and the disciplines of their publications. Last, China now maintains symmetrical inflow-outflow patterns with most countries, especially developed countries in Europe and North America, with only a few exceptions (e.g., Pakistan).