Aggressive and Affiliative Humor: Relationships to Aspects of Intercultural Communication

The security theory of humor was utilized to examine two types of humor (affiliative and aggressive) in relation to intercultural communication. Participants (N?=?241) completed a survey containing measures of humor (humor orientation, humor aggressiveness) and intercultural communication (intercultural communication apprehension, ethnocentrism, emulation, intercultural willingness to communicate). Humor orientation was negatively related to intercultural communication apprehension. Humor aggressiveness was positively related to ethnocentrism and negatively associated with emulation. Implications for the theory and intercultural communication are discussed.     

《通信原理》在计算机专业中的教学探索

针对计算机专业学生在"通信原理"课程学习过程中存在的问题,结合"通信原理"课程教学实践,论文从该课程理论教学、实验教学、考核方式、课程网站四个方面出发提出了"通信原理"课程的改革措施,为计算机专业的学生量身定做课程学习方法。     

Research degrees in Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Why so few doctoral students?

A ‘knowledge society’ relies on a workforce with high-level skills in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Continuing development of ICT will arise partly from research undertaken by doctoral graduates. However, compared to other cognate disciplines, ICT has relatively few students taking up doctoral studies. This article explores some of the perceived barriers to undertaking doctoral studies in ICT in three Australian universities. Current students were surveyed regarding their post-course intentions relating to employment and further study, and the resulting data was analysed in terms of type of university attended, gender, nationality and first-in-family status. Overall, the perceived barriers to doing a research degree were related to the financial implications of such study and a limited understanding of what research in ICT involves. The following recommendations are made to universities and higher education policy-makers: that universities ensure that students have accurate information about the financial costs of doctoral studies; that students be provided with authentic undergraduate research experiences; and that pathways be developed to facilitate a smooth return to research degrees after periods of working in industry.     

Communication Apprehension and Imagined Interactions

Communication apprehension (CA) is associated with fear of anticipated communication. Yet, imagined interactions (IIs) can help reduce fear of communication in which individuals use mental imagery before and after to prepare and review communication. A series of regression analyses in which characteristics of IIs were the independent variables was used to predict overall CA, as well as in four different contexts. The regression analysis indicated that CA could be predicted by the II characteristic of discrepancy across multiple contexts. The II catharsis function was predictive in one context. Results are discussed in terms of cognitive modification as a therapeutic technique for treating CA.     

网络媒体环境下图书口碑的嬗变及营销应对

互联网既给图书口碑传播提供广泛、丰富的传播渠道,也给图书口碑营销带来冲击与挑战。文章在论述网络环境下图书口碑传播嬗变的基础上,提出构建图书网络口碑营销伦理、基于“用户视角”激发读者再传播意愿、监测与评估口碑营销效果等对策。     

从“沟通”谈思想政治教育

思想政治教育既是一个教育过程,又是一个沟通过程。对大学生思想政治教育能否取得实效,关键在于沟通的实效,而在沟通中掌握了思想政治教育有效沟通的平等原则、尊重差异原则、适时引导原则和正确的技巧和方法,就能达到事半功倍的效果。     

Organizational Citizenship Behavior,Organizational Communication,and Burnout: The Buffering Role of Perceived Organizational Support and Psychological Contracts

This study investigated the communicative role of perceived organizational support and psychological contracts in fulfilling exchange relationships and buffering burnout in employees contributing extra role time organizational citizenship behaviors (ERT-OCB). The lens of social information processing positioned burnout as a job attitude subject to the influence of the organization’s communication environment that informs employees as to the value they and their extra role time contributions hold with the organization. Participants (N = d461), high school teachers coaching debate teams from 46 states, completed questionnaires. Findings showed that both organizational support and psychological contract fulfillment buffered the positive relationship between ERT-OCB and burnout.     

Modeling the Structure of Collective Action1 This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0352517. The authors are equal contributors to this article.

We propose an improved theoretical approach to the rich variety of collective action now present in public life. Toward this end, we advance a conception of collective action as communicative in nature, and offer a two-dimensional model of collective action space, comprising dimensions for (a) the mode of interpersonal interaction and (b) the mode of engagement that shapes interaction. We illustrate the perspective by describing the location of a variety of contemporary collective action groups within it and by an explication of the space that reveals its utility for making sense of modern collective action efforts. Specifically, we apply the collective action space to illustrate the changing presence of collective action groups over time, deviations in collective action groups through changes in size, shape, and location, and variations in the experiences and motivations of people engaged in collective action efforts. Finally, we show how our communicative approach to collective action can integrate the insights of several theoretical traditions, including collective action theory, social capital theory, and aspects of organization theory.     

论国家对外传播的通道及其利用

国家对外传播的通道包括官方外交通道和非官方外交通道。非官方外交通道又包括公众外交通道和民间外交通道。本文在论述上述几种传播通道的基础上,结合西藏-奥运风波中的中西舆论对决——西方国家打出几张牌(官方通道的政府牌、国会牌;民间通道的媒体牌、智库牌、NGO牌、民意牌);而中国只有一张政府牌——这一案例,分析了中西方国家对外传播通道利用的优劣。指出,一个国家如果拥有最多的传播渠道,那么,它对如何解释问题拥有更大的影响力。亦即,有效的国家对外传播,应置于多渠道传输框架之下,即由政府(及议会)、政党和多元化的民间团体(智库、NGO、新闻媒体)共同担当传播通道。     

Cowboys,Angels, and Demons: American Exceptionalism and the Frontier Myth in the CW's Supernatural

The CW network series Supernatural (2005–) draws its text from the horror and fantasy genres as well as religious mythology. Concurrently, it transmits a core “American” mythos. As its protagonists keep watch along a supernatural frontier and eradicate threats to the American way of life, this program both reinforces and alters aspects of the frontier myth and the myth of American exceptionalism by depicting its main characters as representations of America writ large whose mission has grown from an appointment by God to being equals to God. In this manner, Supernatural forwards a new American exceptionalism through the notion that America is exceptional because it is not just divinely appointed by God, but is divine itself.