Interpersonal Communication Motives as a Predictor of Early and Middle Adulthood Siblings' Use of Relational Maintenance Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to examine whether early and middle adulthood siblings' use of relational maintenance behaviors (i.e., positivity, openness, assurances, networks, tasks) is predicted, after controlling for relational closeness, by their interpersonal communication motives (i.e., affection, inclusion, control, pleasure, relaxation, escape). Participants were 122 individuals who reported on their relationship with a sibling. Results indicated that for the positivity relational maintenance behavior, psychological closeness, the affection motive, and the control motive were significant contributors; for the openness, assurances, and tasks relational maintenance behaviors, psychological closeness and the affection motive were significant contributors; and for the networks relational maintenance behavior, psychological closeness was a significant contributor.     

Men and Women Holding Hands Revisited: Effects of Mutual Engagement and Hand Dominance on Attributions of Cross-Sex Handholding

In line with the social meaning orientation to nonverbal behavior, the current study conceptualized handholding as a multidimensional nonverbal cue with the potential to signal relational meaning to outside observers. Results support the hypotheses that individuals attribute varied levels of intimacy to a cross-sex couple based on the mutual engagement of handholding type and the distance between elbows. In addition, the results corroborate observational studies claiming that hand dominance serves to signal relational power distribution. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for our knowledge of handholding as a form of nonverbal communication as well as their implications for the broader theoretical question of how relational meaning is signaled by nonverbal behavior.     

Readability and Basic Course Hybrid Textbooks in Human Communication: A Disparity of Reading Difficulty

Parents play a pivotal role in the gender development and sex-typing of children. It is important to discover whether gender role communication differences exist based on the sex of the child or parent. The present study aimed to discover differences in gender role messages communicated between mother-daughter, mother-son, father-daughter, and father-son dyads. Participants (n = 630) completed a modified version of Bem's Sex Role Inventory. Two key results were discovered: mothers communicate significantly more feminine messages to children, regardless of child sex; and the modified BSRI identifies respondents as weak vs. strong gender identity rather than masculine, feminine, androgynous, or undifferentiated.     

Shyness and self‐reported competence

This investigation examined levels of shyness on competence. Results indicated that shy individuals, as compared to not‐shy individuals, were less competent. Perceptual differences were found on articulation, social composure, social confirmation, social experience, wit, overall conversational performance, expressiveness, and interaction management. Based on findings, conclusions were drawn and future research suggestions were discussed.     

A study of Australian and Singaporean perceptions of source credibility

This study investigated the difference between Singaporean and Australian perceptions of source credibility. The data suggested that whereas the Australians employed the main factors of expertise and trust, the Singaporeans employed one factor to cover these two dimensions that seemed to be a combination of expertise and trust.     

Argumentativeness: Japanese and American tendencies to approach and avoid conflict

The Japanese allegedly are disinclined to argue. This study supports that allegation. Japanese university students were compared to American students using the Infante/ Rancer Argumentativeness Scale. The scale measures tendencies to approach arguments and to avoid them. Additionally it indicates the general argumentativeness trait of respondents. The Japanese were significantly less inclined to approach argument situations and had a significantly weaker argumentativeness trait than the Americans. No significant difference appeared for avoiding arguments.     

The Minimization of Public Health Risks in Newspapers after Hurricane Katrina

During natural disasters, mass media facilitate the timely provision of accurate information about health risks to the public. This study informs our understanding of such public health discourse, utilizing a content-analysis of 235 newspaper articles in four major metropolitan newspapers published in the five weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in August 2005. These data reveal that a small and diminishing number of articles included public health information over time, detailed the hurricane impact on affected communities, and used reliable health sources. The implications for future research from a public health and media relations perspective are discussed.     

Self-Perceived Communication Competence in Iranian Culture

Understanding of how different cultures value intercultural communication and communication competence is of considerable importance (Dilbeck, McCroskey, Richmond, & McCroskey, 2009 Dilbeck , K. E. , McCroskey , J. C. , Richmond , V. P. , & McCroskey , L. L. ( 2009 ). Self-percieved communication competence in the Thai culture . Journal of Intercultural Communication Research , 38 , 1 – 7 .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]). This research aims to investigate Iranian culture values related to self-perceived communication competence, which is reported to be a strong predictor of willingness to communicate (McCroskey & Richmond, 1990 McCroskey , J. C. , & Richmond , V. P. ( 1990 ). Willingness to communicate: Differing cultural perspectives . Southern Communication Journal , 56 , 72 – 77 .[Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]). The Self-Perceived Communication Competence (SPCC) instrument was used to measure the communication competence self-perceptions of more than 700 Iranian university students regarding various contexts and with various receivers. Results indicate that participants feel more competent communicating in dyads and group context and with friend and acquaintance receivers, while less competent when talking with strangers or in public and meetings.     

Should I Stay or Go?: Student Identity Gaps,Feelings, and Intent to Leave

This study examined gaps between students’ personal, enacted, relational, and communal identities. The particular interest was students’ intentions to leave the university as a function of their identity gaps, self-esteem, communication satisfaction, motivation, and general affect. Participants (N = 209 undergraduate students) completed self-report measures while reflecting on their communication with others at the university (e.g., faculty, staff, and peers). Results of path analysis models indicated that personal-communal identity gaps are predictive of students’ communication satisfaction, motivation, general affect, and their intentions to leave the university. This predictive ability is enhanced by the presence of personal-relational gaps.     

Reporting Risk: Perceptions of Fear and Risk from Health News Coverage

Using actual news coverage of an environmental risk, this experimental study examined whether providing unrelated risk comparisons and information about other sources of the same risk influenced readers' reactions to the coverage. The study suggests stories that provide information on other sources of a contaminant may do little to reduce risk perceptions; however, providing information about the magnitude of the risk at hand relative to other risks had several communication benefits. Both comparisons lead readers to feel more informed about the risk and, thus, better able to make decisions than those who did not see the comparisons. Media implications are discussed.