Political cartoons as rhetorical form: A taxonomy of graphic discourse

This essay is a taxonomic study of the available means of graphic persuasion as manifested in the art of political cartooning. The authors argue that the neo‐classical canons of rhetoric, slightly modified, provide an adequate superstructure for the production and criticism of graphic discourse. It is further argued that the specific techniques which grow out of the application of the canons reveal significant differences between the means of persuasion available to the graphic artist and those available to the oral persuader. These differences of technique arise from the nature of the medium and force a reconceptualization of the canons of memory and delivery as applied to non‐oratorical forms in general and graphic persuasion in particular.     

Effects of communication environment,immediacy, and communication apprehension on cognitive and affective learning

This study explores relationships among immediacy, communication apprehension, and learning outcomes between two class formats: mixed-size sections (i.e., large-lecture/break-out sections) versus self-contained sections. The results indicated that students' cognitive learning outcomes were slightly greater in the mixed-size sections versus self-contained sections. In addition, affective learning decreased for all students from the first day of class, though it decreased slightly more for students in the large-lecture/break-out sections. When the teacher was perceived as highly immediate, however, there was no difference in affective learning due to format.     

The Influence of James C. McCroskey’s Research in South Korea

In honor and remembrance of Dr. James C. McCroskey, this article looks at McCroskey’s influence in Korean academic fields. We find that McCroskey’s scholarly articles and books were increasingly cited from 2001 to 2016 and that his work has been cited in Korean journals across diverse fields. In addition to the communication and education fields, McCroskey was cited also in the fields of science and medicine in South Korea. The findings document the international and interdisciplinary impact of McCroskey’s scholarship.     

Willingness to Communicate in Intercultural Interactions between Chinese and Americans

This study investigated the differences in willingness to communicate (WTC) between Americans and Chinese living in China and the United States, and the factors affecting WTC between these two nationalities. A battery of questionnaires was administered to 47 American and 54 Chinese college students in China, and 51 American and 42 Chinese college students in the US. Overall Americans were found to be more willing to communicate with Chinese than were Chinese with Americans. Participants living abroad reported higher levels of WTC than those living in their home country. Among Chinese, WTC was positively related to self-perceived communication competence, language competence, immersion time and motivation being positively correlated and negatively associated with CA. Similar results were obtained from Americans, except that immersion time and language competence were not related to WTC.     

Acculturation and Communication Traits: A study of Cross-Cultural Adaptation among Chinese in America

This study investigated the relationships between acculturation and communication traits. One hundred and seventy-five Chinese across from the United States participated in this study. Participants received a battery of questionnaires in the mail, including the measures of communication apprehension, willingness to communicate, communication competence, argumentativeness, general disclosiveness and cultural identity. Results indicated that as proportion of life in America increased, Chinese identified more with American culture; in turn, they became less fearful, more willing and competent in communication. Their self-disclosure also became less frequent and intimate, but more positive, with longer time living in America. These findings suggest that culture shapes communication traits through exposure to and identification with the host culture to some extent.     

A Conditional Process Analysis of the Teacher Confirmation–Student Learning Relationship

Students enter college with varying degrees of academic self-efficacy, which influences how they respond to effective teaching behaviors. Teacher confirmation is one behavior that has received increased attention because it is thought to indirectly enhance students’ learning by reducing their receiver apprehension in the classroom. Findings from 208 college students supported the hypothesized indirect effects between teacher confirmation and students’ perceived learning through reduced receiver apprehension, but conditional process analyses revealed these indirect effects were moderated by students’ academic self-efficacy. These findings suggest the effectiveness of teacher confirmation behaviors varies among students, with those who lack academic self-efficacy deriving fewer of the intended educational benefits.     

The Relationships Among Perfectionism,Communication Apprehension,and Temperament

This study investigated the relationships among perfectionism, communication apprehension (CA), and temperament. Perfectionism is a multidimensional construct that includes an adaptive factor (i.e., having high standards for oneself) and a maladaptive factor (i.e., being unable to feel accomplishment in reaching excessively high standards; Flett & Hewitt, 2002 Flett , G. L. , & Hewitt , P. L. ( 2002 ). Perfectionism and maladjustment: An overview of theoretical, definitional, and treatment issues . In G. L. Flett , & P. L. Hewitt (Eds.), Perfectionism: Theory, research, and treatment (pp. 5 – 32 ). Washington , D.C. : American Psychological Association .[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). Results revealed a negative relationship between adaptive perfectionism and CA, and a positive relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and CA. Furthermore, adaptive perfectionism was found to be positively related to extraversion and negatively related to neuroticism and psychoticism, whereas maladaptive perfectionism was found to be positively related to neuroticism and negatively related to extraversion.     

Family Communication Patterns and Cognitive Processing: Conversation and Conformity Orientations as Predictors of Informational Reception Apprehension

This study examined the unique and combined associations among family communication patterns (i.e., conversation and conformity orientations) and young adult children's informational reception apprehension (IRA; i.e., listening anxiety and intellectual inflexibility). Participants included 592 young adult children from first-marriage and postdivorce families. Results indicated that family conversation orientations are inversely associated with listening anxiety and intellectual inflexibility, whereas conformity orientations are positively associated with both traits. Furthermore, an interaction effect between conversation and conformity orientations emerged, such that high-conformity orientations moderate (or reduce) the inverse association between family conversation orientations and young adults' listening anxiety. Among the more important implications in this study is the finding that family communication patterns have a small but meaningful association with individuals' information-processing skills.     

The Influence of Communication Apprehension on Superiors' Propensity for and Practice of Participative Decision Making

This investigation examined if traitlike communication apprehension (CA) serves as a significant predictor of superiors' propensity for and practice of participative decision making (PDM)—that is, involving others in decision-making processes. A total of 219 superiors recruited from a variety of organizations served as participants in this study. Results revealed that traitlike CA is a significant determinant of variation in superiors' inclination for, as well as their actual practice of, PDM. These findings suggest that superiors with lower CA possess favorable perceptions of PDM and are more inclined to involve others in decision-making processes than their colleagues with higher CA. Conversely, results suggest that superiors with higher CA typically possess less favorable perceptions of PDM and are less likely to involve others when making decisions. Theoretical and practical implications underpinning these results are explored. Future research directions are also proposed.     

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.