“That's just a basic teen‐age rule”;: Girls’ linguistic strategies for managing the menstrual communication taboo

Powerful social taboos dictate that menstruation should not be discussed socially. Adolescent girls, however, frequently feel a need to talk about menstruation and to share information about it, but they are usually embarrassed to talk about menstruation. Their efforts to avoid and prevent this embarrassment while meeting their communication needs have led them to develop creative linguistic strategies such as slang terms, circumlocutions, pronouns, and euphemistic deixs. Based on extended interviews with adolescent girls (ages 12–16), this article discloses how these communication strategies allow girls to maintain norms of menstrual concealment as they simultaneously violate taboos against menstrual communication.     

Re-presenting Sport: How Instant Replay and Perceived Violence Impact Enjoyment of Mediated Sports

Several long-standing theories intersect in discussing the impact of community characteristics and of the mass media. The structural pluralism model popularized by Tichenor and his colleagues says that social structure influences how mass media operate in communities because they respond to how power is distributed in the social system, whereas the linear model says that the increasing size of a community's population leads to more social differentiation and diversity and corresponding increases in subcultures with their own beliefs, customs, and behaviors. Recently, there has been a concern about how changes in society have led to a decline in organizational activity and the network of relationships and trust that constitute “social capital.” This article examines the impact of population and diversity (using census data) on individuals’ media use, interpersonal discussion and civic engagement (measured in a national survey), and the relationship among these variables. Analysis of a structural model provides evidence that the “linear hypothesis” can be combined with structural pluralism, with size—measured by population—impacting diversity, which influences the relationships that people have with their community. Concurrently, social categories influence people's communication patterns and community relationships, and communication impacts civic engagement.     

Elite Interaction

While a good deal of research has examined the uses of Twitter in journalism, comparably few research projects employ comparative research designs in order to provide new insights. The present study details Twitter use by public service broadcasters (PSBs) during recent national elections in Norway and Sweden. Utilizing quantitative analysis of social media content in tandem with qualitative interviews with key PSB journalists, the main results indicate that while the PSB organizations—the Norwegian NRK and the Swedish SVT—are both frequently contacted by “regular” citizens on Twitter, they seem to prefer to retweet and interact with journalists, politicians or other “elite” users. Compared with the interviews performed, the study uncovers an interesting tension as journalists often talk about the need to engage with “regular” users—a practice that is arguably in line with PSB regulations, but that is seldom adhered to in the contexts studied here.     

(4) Royal Scientific Society Course in Librarianship

The author supports the opinion that full benefit may be derived from the technological potential on condition that serious attention is given to the social, political and ethical aspects, which are often barriers to the free and multi-directional access to information, especially in developing countries. Causes of these barriers — “disarticulations” within a society — are listed and their importance in developing countries emphasized. Possible different communication structures in a society and their effects are examined. The author concludes that the traditional, principle of free flow of information is not sufficient in the advancing information society; there is a need for a, principle which deals more specifically with the “activation”, “mediation”, and “networking” of the needs and opinions at the different levels of society.     

“Disarticulations” in the Information Society: Barriers to the Universal Access to Information Highways in Developing Countries

The author supports the opinion that full benefit may be derived from the technological potential on condition that serious attention is given to the social, political and ethical aspects, which are often barriers to the free and multi-directional access to information, especially in developing countries. Causes of these barriers — “disarticulations” within a society — are listed and their importance in developing countries emphasized. Possible different communication structures in a society and their effects are examined. The author concludes that the traditional, principle of free flow of information is not sufficient in the advancing information society; there is a need for a, principle which deals more specifically with the “activation”, “mediation”, and “networking” of the needs and opinions at the different levels of society.     

Parents' Communication Skills and Adolescents' Salivary α-Amylase and Cortisol Response Patterns

The primary goal of this study was to examine patterns or groupings of adolescents’ hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) (measured through cortisol) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) (measured through salivary alpha amylase or sAA) responses as a function of their parents’ communication skills. A related goal was to decipher whether adolescents who demonstrate different patterns of physiological reactivity vary in their personal and relational health. The sample consisted of 118 parent–adolescent dyads who were asked to talk about something stressful related to the parents’ relationship. The results revealed that adolescents’ perceptions of their parent's communication skills predicted the likelihood that the adolescents would overreact, show no reaction, or down regulate in response to such a discussion, but only for sAA. All of the communication skills in question—social support, communication competence, feeling caught between the parents’ conflict, and inappropriate disclosures—supported the hypothesis that adolescents with parents who they think are more communicatively skilled are better able to recover from a stressful interaction than adolescents whose parents are less skilled. Adolescents who were considered “overreactors” in sAA also had more negative health indices, somewhat lower psychological well-being, and poorer quality relationships with their parents.     

Negotiating Understanding in “Intercultural Moments” in Immigrant Family Interactions

This article aims to advance an interactionally sensitive, emic view of intercultural communication by exploring the organization of “intercultural moments” in conversation—moments during which cultural and linguistic differences between people become exposed. Field video recordings of ordinary face-to-face interactions in Russian–American immigrant families are analyzed using the methodology of conversation analysis. The article focuses on sequences in which participants deal with actual or anticipated understanding problems and examines how participants' assumptions about their asymmetric cultural and linguistic expertise are revealed in their actions. Some interactional payoffs in adopting the role of a cultural expert vis-à-vis a novice are described to show how an ostensible non-understanding is both a participants' problem to be solved and a resource for social action.     

人权视角下的图书馆读者权利保护

图书馆读者权利与人的权利有共通之处。因此,从人权角度出发,图书馆读者权利应在社会和历史的范畴之内提出,且可分为实有权利、应有权利和法定权利。为实现图书馆读者权利的"三权统一",可以在以下几方面加强工作:图书馆立法、管理制度、图书馆协会及学会、图书馆规章制度、图书馆教育职能和图书馆读者。     

The Evolving Journalistic Roles on Social Media: Exploring “Engagement” as Relationship-Building between Journalists and Citizens

ABSTRACT

Scholarly and pragmatic definitions of the term “engagement” vary drastically. This article attempts to capture the nuances of the term by exploring journalists’ roles on social media where “engagement” is supposed to be particularly prevalent. Using in-depth interviews, we gauge the attitudes of traditional political journalists as well as those who think of themselves as “engagement specialists” about their responsibilities in interactive spaces. In addition, we analyze what kinds of engagement are happening in these spaces, and how citizens’ expectations are being articulated, in terms of journalist-audience relationship—an organic resultant of engagement. We found that journalists are taking on new kinds of roles in social spaces—often in the name of “engagement”—but that work is not always particularly interactive with citizens; rather, content is engaged with. In contrast, citizens look to journalists to play a number of roles that range from civic guide to therapist. Thus, relationship building happens sporadically. Furthermore, engagement level is dependent on the platform and its affordances. This research offers a continuum of social media engagement conceived as relationship building that can reconcile the disparities in how we define engagement, and suggests newsrooms appreciate the nuances via a series of recommendations.     

Disentangling User Samples: A Supervised Machine Learning Approach to Proxy-population Mismatch in Twitter Research

ABSTRACT

This study addresses the issue of sampling biases in social media data-driven communication research. The authors demonstrate how supervised machine learning could reduce Twitter sampling bias induced from “proxy-population mismatch”. Particularly, this study used the Random Forest (RF) classifier to disentangle tweet samples representative of general publics’ activities from non-general—or institutional—activities. By applying RF classifier models to Twitter data sets relevant to four news events and a randomly pooled dataset, the study finds systematic differences between general user samples and institutional user samples in their messaging patterns. This article calls for disentangling Twitter user samples when ordinary user behaviors are the focus of research. It also builds on the development of machine learning modeling in the context of communication research.     

Building Collections through Purchase Suggestions in Academic Libraries

Abstract

This research studies the fields contained in “Suggest a Purchase” forms from 100 university libraries, focusing on the data they can provide to subject specialists to make decisions about collection development. The research will consider whether the content of “Suggest a Purchase” forms may be used to aid subject specialists and collection development librarians to make decisions concerning the purchasing of books and other materials. Statistical evidence gathered through the “Suggest a Purchase” forms is analyzed to justify the relevancy of specific fields. The research examines whether patron-initiated purchases may offer data concerning collection gaps and trends in users’ needs. The paper concludes with recommendations for best practices in the design and content of patron suggestion forms.     

“Shock” meets “community service”: J.C. Corcoran at KMOX

KMOX‐AM in St. Louis hired J.C. Corcoran to try to update its sound. Corcoran and KMOX represented two contrasting styles in talk radio— “shock”; and “community service.”; These styles can be seen as reflecting two visions of America—a modernist vision of civic discourse and public participation, and a postmodernist vision in which distinctions have blurred between the public and private spheres and between news and entertainment. The authors qualitatively examine the talk on a program hosted by a “shock jock”; on a respected news‐talk radio station.     

Rethinking “Difficult” Conversations in Communication Instruction From an Intercultural Lens: Pedagogical Strategies for “SWAP-ping” the Communication Classroom

Intercultural communication offers both theoretical and pedagogical implications for communication instruction. As such, we interweave theories and concepts of intercultural communication and instructional communication in (re)thinking “difficult,” “sensitive,” or “uncomfortable” classroom conversations that involve privilege, power, and intersecting cultural identities (e.g., racism). In juxtaposing these areas side by side, we first interrogate why intercultural and instructional communication scholars have neglected what the other takes as central: pedagogy and diversity. In particular, we ask: Why are certain conversations deemed “difficult” in the mainstream communication classroom? To whom are they difficult conversations? Why might these conversations feel “uncomfortable or risky”? Second, we crystalize how intercultural communication makes strides toward feeling/thinking/understanding difficult conversations in ways that promote social justice by proposing a pedagogy of “SWAP-ping” the communication classroom.     

Taku Manawa/My Human Rights,a Case Study in Partnership: Waikato Museum Working with the Human Rights Commission

Abstract Under the Human Rights Act, the Human Rights Commission is responsible for education and advocacy about human rights in New Zealand. In order to reach more people and ensure human rights education is ongoing, the commission initiated a human rights community development approach, creating the Taku Manawa (My Human Rights) program. Representatives from key community organizations were selected for a regional pilot program. These representatives were then trained in the knowledge and ability needed to undertake human rights advocacy and implement this advocacy in their communities. This paper explains how the Waikato Museum was first identified as a key community organization or a “human rights museum.” Exploring the relationship with the Human Rights Commission and leaders from local and national community organizations, this paper also examines how Taku Manawa has encouraged positive social change and greater awareness of human rights issues through the Waikato Museum’s community events, public programming, and exhibition planning.     

Integrating Theoretical Traditions in Media Effects: Using Third-Person Effects to Link Agenda-Setting and Cultivation

In an earlier period of mass communication research, scholars were more adventuresome in advancing “new” theories and less hesitant to “create” theory. The 1970s, in particular, bore witness to the emergence of several such theories—from the knowledge gap and agenda-setting to cultivation. Scholars have generated substantial literatures elaborating work in these and other traditions. Those contributions are now sufficiently robust that it is time to direct some of our energies toward synthesizing theories. This article nominates third-person perception as a candidate for such integration. Several prominent theories of media effects in the mass communication literature are selected to illustrate how the theories can or have been integrated. Results from three surveys provided evidence that the theories of third-person perception, agenda-setting and cultivation can be interrelated. The proposition examined here can serve as a model for further integration of other media theories. This integration attempt harkened back to the times when theory building in media effects was more common and perhaps more optimistic about explaining processes of influence.     

Triadic exchange as design practice

Contemporary “dyadic” perspectives on symbolic and material exchange emphasize reception or consumption in place of longstanding concentration on transmission or production. Analysis of the dyadic model reveals its limitations and suggests a triadic approach to specify how the resource environment—the integrative “field”—of exchange provides material‐symbolic support for creative action. The historical example of the Hawthorne Studies, in organizational communication, and the contemporary effort of hardware and software designers to derive user‐based approaches to computer‐mediated communication illustrate how (a) consumption‐production; (b) textual; and (c) ritual models can usefully inform (d) a participatory design approach that expands comprehension of the dynamics of triadic exchange.     

Seeking Out and Avoiding the News Media: Young Adults’ Proposed Strategies for Obtaining Current Events Information

This study takes a closer look at the role the news media plays in how young adults inform themselves in the high-choice media age. In-depth interview data with 21 young adults from varying socioeconomic backgrounds were used to identify the strategies they had for locating current events information. During the interviews, the young adult participants responded to six hypothetical “vignettes” by articulating the steps that they would take to find information about current events. Findings revealed two strategy patterns that interviewees voiced—one set of strategies directly involved use of the news media, and another set avoided the news media in favor of functional information alternatives. Common among all the interviewees, however, was the need for information skepticism when navigating the contemporary media environment. Implications for social inequality and news media literacy are discussed.     

病毒如何介入社会交往关系?

人与病毒的关系通过身体呈现,这使得病毒以“媒介”的方式在人与人之间实现连接、触发与转变。病毒所包含的“毁灭”与“创造”的两面性介入社会交往关系之中,当人传人风险出现时,社会关系的紧张度便立马升级,社会支持成为稀缺资源,而在病毒阻隔社会连接的状态下,来自不同社会群体的行动成为抵御社会溃败的免疫力所在。戴着口罩出门的人们则成了流动的隔离者,既让口罩作为病毒的隔离物,延伸为防范的媒介,同时又使其转化为“年货”“紧俏物质”,成为资源配置、关系连接的媒介。在意识到与病毒共同进化的真相后,人类只有把自己纳入自然、生物、物的关系中考量,才能真正面向自由而和谐的交往关系。这或许会使传播研究的想象空间进一步拓展,延伸到传播的生物多样性基础。     

“You Lie!” Identity,Paper, and the Materiality of Information

This article uses the problems associated with citizenship verification in U.S. government health insurance programs to argue that paper needs to be analyzed as a media technology. To examine paper as a media technology is to ask, “How does paper work?” and “What are the rules and habits that enable paper to be used in paperwork?” To consider paper as a media technology, this article makes 2 arguments. First, it argues that there is a set of skills and knowledge associated with paper documents that need to be recognized as a distinct form of literacy. Second, this article argues that the relation between paper and identity is an argument about the materiality of information. In focusing on how paper facilitates the materialization of information, this case study illustrates how distinct practices of use create specific relationships between technology and information that give information a distinct functional presence.     

Communication processes: Role,place, content

The concepts “information,” “communication,” “act of communication,” “communication process,” and “communication model” are considered, as well as their interrelations, properties and patterns. Classical communication models are discussed, as well as modern models describing relevant modern social phenomena and processes. A conclusion is drawn about the influence of communication process on individuals and society. The role of language in the human mode of life and expression of ideas is emphasized.