Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Twenty-Three Days: An Autoethnographic Account Of The Washington, D.C. Sniper Shootings, Chelsea Jordan Gutshall

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Our lives are often defined by the struggles we confront because in facing these trials we must reflect upon experiences and the power others have in shaping our reactions. The Washington, D.C. sniper shootings of October 2002 are one case of such terror. My own experiences with two shootings in my hometown and living extremely close to others serves as the background for this autoethnography, detailing what I and my family faced during that single month. The focus, however, is not the snipers but family communication and how parents help children cope during unimaginable crises. This autoethnography is divided into …

Broken Up But Not Broken: Satisfaction, Adjustment, And Communication In Post-Dissolutional Relationships, Stephanie Villella

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

The aim of this study was to examine adjustment, satisfaction, and the frequency of communication that occurs between ex-partners in post-dissolutional relationships. Participants (N = 239) were surveyed on their levels of satisfaction, adjustment to the break-up and communication with their most recent ex-romantic partner as a means to explore the process of redefining romantic relationships into platonic friendships. Results demonstrated that who initiated the break-up influenced levels of satisfaction and adjustment. Adjustment and frequency of communication were affected by whether ex-partners had moved on to a new romantic relationship. Differences were also observed between how males and females adjusted …

Making Verbal Pauses Taboo®: Gaming To Improve Communication, Abby M. Brooks, Andrew C. Tollison

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

This activity contributes to the improvement of communication skills through application and enjoyment. The manuscript describes how a class can be divided into teams to test student’s communicative abilities by playing the Milton Bradley game Taboo®. With “buzzing,” timing and friendly competition speakers face-off at attempts to have their teammates guess words or phrases like “bowling alley” without saying “pins,” “shoes,” “spare,” “balls” or “strike.” This lively skill-building activity has been found to be an effective way to challenge the speaker to process what they are saying, reduce the use of verbal pauses, and use nonverbal pauses more effectively. Up …

A Rationale For Incorporating Dystopian Literature Into Introductory Speaking Courses, James P. Dimock, Chad Kuyper, Peggy Dimock

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Since Aristotle, teachers of public speaking have argued that an understanding of the audience’s beliefs, values, and assumptions about the world are the key to effective, persuasive speaking. All too often, however, public speaking courses either avoid audience analysis or focus on superficial details of the audience demographics. This paper makes the argument that by reading and discussing novels, students can develop an appreciation of their classmates as audience members and that dystopian fiction is especially well-suited to developing speech ideas that connect public speaking with the world outside the classroom. Teaching suggestions and lesson plans are included.

Viewing Film From A Communication Perspective: Film As Public Relations, Product Placement, And Rhetorical Advocacy In The College Classroom, Robin Patric Clair, Rebekah L. Fox, Jennifer L. Bezek

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Academics approach film from multiple perspectives, including critical, literary, rhetorical, and managerial approaches. Furthermore, and outside of film studies courses, films are frequently used as a pedagogical tool. Their relevance in society as well as their valuable use in the classroom makes them an important and pragmatic medium deserving further attention. The ability of film to be used in a socio-political way may sustain, challenge or change the status quo, which supports studying film as well as teaching students about the power of film. The purpose of this article is to share the development of a course which points out …

Extraordinary Everyday Stories: Audio Resources For The Communication Instructor, David E. Engen

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Communication instructors often supplement course texts with artistic works such as feature films, short stories, and memoirs. A less common form of supplementary material is the audio documentary/story. The discussion below introduces several audio resources likely to help students deepen their understanding of communication in general and interpersonal and intercultural communication in particular. I also offer a few ideas to those instructors wishing to help students create their own small-scale audio productions.

Discovering Culture And Communication On The World Wide Web, Jin Xu

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Discussions of intercultural communication mostly center round the interaction of culture and communication concerning differences in values, beliefs, norms and communication styles. However, cultural differences also stem from different cognitive styles, which impact intercultural communication. This article describes an activity that introduces students to cultural cognition theory. Combining research on the Internet, small group interaction, and class discussion, this exercise encourages students to apply theory to practice, to explore cultural differences on the Internet, and to develop their critical thinking skills. It also develops their awareness and skills needed to be mindful of the nuances of cultural differences. The exercise …

Infusing Critical Thinking Into Communication Courses, James P. Dimock, Kristen P. Treinen, Daniel Cronn-Mills, Robert S. Jersak

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

The importance of critical thinking is generally recognized by educators and during the past 20 years numerous initiatives have been taken to improve critical thinking. Although research demonstrates courses in communication study can have a positive impact on critical thinking skills, we argue that instruction in critical thinking can be more explicitly covered in basic communication courses. This article details our efforts to infuse critical thinking into an entrylevel communication course and outlines a guide to help communication teachers integrate critical thinking into their courses.

The Influence Of Setting On Supreme Court Religious Expression Decisions, Joseph J. Hemmer Jr.

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

The First Amendment prohibits any establishment of religion, a dicta that has been applied in an apparently inconsistent manner by the Supreme Court when called upon to evaluate various forms of verbal and nonverbal religious communication. Court decisions have approved religious prayers and displays in government settings. When such exercises and displays were introduced to the public school academic setting, the Court chose to disallow the practice. An examination of judicial opinions reveals that justices recognize three factors inherent to the academic setting which justify the apparently contradictory decisions. Because of the captive nature of the audience, the presence of …

Scripting Relationships Through Adolescent And Adult Dramas: Perceptions Of Completion In Romantic Relationships, Jenna Mcnallie

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

This content analysis sought to observe the number of relational messages present in adult and adolescent serial television dramas in order to understand the presence of Galician’s (2004) Mass Media Myth #10, or “Finding the right mate ‘completes you’” (p. 201). The presence of this completion ideal illustrates the Cultivation Analysis Theory (Gerbner et al., 1986) and is significant in the development of adolescents’ identities and attitudes due to the persuasive power of repetition. Analysis of 101 conversations in 13 episodes found that relational messages are more frequent in adolescent dramas than adult dramas, but Myth #10 is emphasized more …

Communication Is 93% Nonverbal: An Urban Legend Proliferates, David Lapakko

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Perhaps the best-known numbers within the communication field are those that claim the total meaning of a message is “7 percent verbal, 38 percent vocal, and 55 percent facial.” Despite the fact that this finding is derived from two 1967 studies with serious methodological limitations, these percentages have appeared in a wide variety of communication textbooks. This study takes the investigation a step further, beyond the academic environment, to determine if the 7-38-55 “formula” has now become the equivalent of an “urban legend” about communication in our society-at-large. Overall, this article finds that the formula in question has been widely …

Developing An Open Educational Resource: Leading Campus Oer Initiatives Through Library-Faculty Collaboration, Mandi Goodsett, Marsha Miles, Barbara Loomis

Michael Schwartz Library Publications

Open Educational Resources (OERs) are gaining traction as students and faculty search for affordable, open access alternatives for learning resources. Find out how one public university library took advantage of the push for OERs and enthusiasm after a library-sponsored OER workshop to publish an open access textbook. This presentation will describe the library’s involvement in developing the project, balancing the workload between librarians and the faculty member, and promoting the new resource on campus. Key takeaways include the importance of communicating, dealing with permissions, taking advantage of graphic design skills, and more. Attendees will leave with ideas about how to …

The Cowl - V.80 - N.10 - Nov 19, 2015

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 80 - No. 10 - November 19, 2015. 24 pages.

A Vision For Using Online Portals For Surveillance Of Patient-Centered Communication In Cancer Care, Hardeep Singh, Neeraj K. Arora, Kathleen M. Mazor, Richard L. Street Jr

Patient Experience Journal

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is charged with providing high-quality health care, not only in terms of technical competence but also with regard to patient-centered care experiences. Patient-centered coordination of care and communication are especially important in cancer care, as deficiencies in these areas have been implicated in many cases of delayed cancer diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, because cancer care facilities are concentrated within the VHA system, geographical and system-level barriers may present prominent obstacles to quality care. Systematic assessment of patient-centered communication (PCC) may help identify both individual veterans who are at risk of suboptimal care and opportunities for …

Bringing Patient Advisors To The Bedside: A Promising Avenue For Improving Partnership Between Patients And Their Care Team, Karine Vigneault, Johanne Higgins, Marie-Pascale Pomey, Josée Arsenault, Valérie Lahaie, Audrey-Maude Mercier, Olivier Fortin, Alain M. Danino

Patient Experience Journal

This paper presents an innovative model of care, which brings patients who have already been through a similar experience of illness (patient advisors) directly to the bedside of patients, where they are viewed as full-fledged members of the clinical team. As part of a pilot project, three patient advisors were recruited and met with patients who had sustained a traumatic amputation and were admitted to the only center of expertise in replantation of the upper limb in Canada. Several individual interviews and focus groups with patients and patient advisors have revealed very promising results. Indeed, patients have expressed …

The Cowl - V.80 - N.9 - Nov 12, 2015

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 80 - No. 9 - November 12, 2015. 24 pages.

“That Sucks?”: An Evaluation Of The Communication Competence And Enacted Social Support Of Response Messages To Depression Disclosures In College-Aged Students, Daniel Vieth

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

Recent communication research on depression has focused on which response messages are most effective in providing emotional comfort to depressed individuals during depression dialogues. This study investigates the impact that a confidant’s initial response to a disclosure has on the disclosing individual, a key moment of dialogue for those with depression. It examines the relationship between the communication competence of responses to depression disclosures and how individuals rate those responses’ enacted social support, hypothesizing that the higher the communication competence of a confidant’s response (where competence reflects the effectiveness of interdependent communication), the more enacted social support the discloser will …

The Cowl - V.80 - N.8 - Nov 5, 2015

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 80 - No. 8 - November 5, 2015. 24 pages.

The Journey: Communication Styles In Coaching At The Division 1 Level, Lindsay Christine Sherbert

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The following study explores different approaches to leadership and various coaching styles of both assistant and head coaches at Gonzaga University. Using interpersonal communication and the cognitive dissonance theory as theoretical basis, this study asked Gonzaga coaches to discuss their communication styles with their athletes and to describe how critics voices and the pressure of winning has impacted the way they coach today. Data are taken from interviews from six coaches and five current athletes. Gonzaga athletes were interviewed to measure and gauge the effectiveness of each coaching staff’s communication level and coaching styles, both on and off the court/ …

A Path To Empathy: Child And Family Communication, Sarah Ann Stone

Theses and Dissertations

This longitudinal study examined the association between communication in the family on the development of empathy in young children. Co-regulation and family expressiveness measured communication in parent-child dyads at age 12 months (N = 186), 24 months (N = 100), and 36 months (N = 78). A follow-up was conducted at 60 months (N = 47) to measure empathy-related responding in children. Co-regulation styles change over time, generally increasing in the most engaged, two-way style of communication (symmetrical) and decreasing in one-sided and less engaged types. Greater family expressiveness predicted higher levels of empathy as observed in an empathy-eliciting experiment, …

V. 83, Issue 5, October 29, 2015

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

The Cowl - V.80 - N.7 - Oct 29, 2015

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 80 - No. 7 - October 29, 2015. 24 pages.

The Cowl - V.80 - N.6 - Oct 22, 2015

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 80 - No. 6 - October 22, 2015. 28 pages.

The "It" Factor, Ann Gallagher

Leadership Hour at Otterbein University

Gaining the Competitive Edge by Boosting Your Executive Presence

Have you ever known a leader or top executive who has got “it?” Well “it” is executive presence, and having “it” is the difference between moving up the ladder to leadership and being stuck on the middle rung. So have you got “it?”

Trust In People And Trust In Technology: Expanding Interpersonal Trust To Technology-Mediated Interactions, Evgeniya Evgenieva Pavlova Miller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Trust is necessary for human interactions. It provides the ability to participate in risky behaviors without engaging in a laborious risk-benefit analysis about the situation at hand. The introduction of information and communication technologies has brought about new ways of communicating (e.g., text messaging, video conferencing). Despite the benefits stemming from the ability to communicate through technology, the lower quality and quantity of communication cues exchanged during a technology-mediated interaction can hamper the development of trust.

This study examined the relationship between interpersonal trust and trust in technology during a technology-mediated dyadic interaction and aimed to determine whether interpersonal trust …

V. 83, Issue 4, October 15, 2015

Archway (1946-2020)

No abstract provided.

Infographics: A Librarian's Best Friend, Rachel S. Evans

Presentations

Infographics are on the rise as a communication medium in libraries. We live in a visual world; we are visual creatures, naturally drawn to graphical representations. Using free web applications, librarians and their support staff can now easily create beautiful and compelling infographics which can serve multiple purposes in the library environment. From community outreach and marketing of programs and collections to internal use as a presentation aid and everything in between, infographics can help us relay important information in an attractive way for little to no cost. This presentation will discuss the advantages of using infographics in the library …

The Cowl - V.80 - N.5 - Oct 8, 2015

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 80 - No. 5 - October 8, 2015. 24 pages.

Fear Of Negative Evaluation, Social Anxiety And Response To Positive And Negative Online Social Cues, Chandra L. Bautista, Debra A. Hope

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

High social anxiety is associated with negative interpretations of social feedback, maladaptive attributions for success and failure, and excessive attention to internal and external threat cues. In the present study, 40 undergraduate participants with either high or low levels of social anxiety engaged in a series of social interactions with varying types of social feedback: negative, mixed-negative, mixed-positive, and positive. Given the increasing engagement in computer-mediated communication among individuals with high levels of social anxiety, these interactions took place via instant messaging software. Compared to participants with low social anxiety, participants with high social anxiety experienced more self-focused thoughts, negative …

The Cowl - V. 80 - N.4 - Oct 1, 2015

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Volume 80 - No. 4 - October 1, 2015. 24 pages.