Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons^™

Healing Racial Injustice With Mindfulness Research, Training, & Practice, Danielle "Danae" Laura

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This thesis offers a collection of authors and studies in support of improved research, training, and practice connecting mindfulness with racial justice through intergroup applications. The paper identifies barriers at work (e.g., colorblindness, spiritual bypass, white fragility, and implicit bias) in contemplative science, Western Buddhist communities, and secular mindfulness centers, which block the sizeable contributions possible in studying the intergroup application of mindfulness practice—specifically Lovingkindness Meditation, among others—when used as an intervention with anti-racist aims. Through secondary qualitative research, I reviewed six key works from Black authors on mindfulness and race, as well as six sample studies on the prosocial …

Winter 2022

Conversations

Dean's Letter; Remembering Jill O'Brien (1947-2021); Mastering the Art of Professional Communication: A new online master's program helps communications professionals advance their careers; Inclusive Journalism for a Diverse Society: Faculty member Judith McCray aims to deepen the bench of diverse journalists; An Alumna with an Ear for News: Rachel Hinton; Interorganizational Networks for Social Impact: A conversation with Assistant Professor Kate Cooper

The Examination Of Social Support Received After Traumatic Experiences, Emily Abellon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study aimed to explore what constitutes effective and ineffective social support after an individual endures trauma. Participants were recruited mainly through social media to complete an online survey with open-ended questions. The survey provided participants with the opportunity to reflect and share the social support they received after the endured trauma, specifically disclosing what support messages were effective and ineffective, and why these messages were effective and ineffective. The messages found to be effectively supportive after the endured trauma, and the ones most frequently mentioned were emotional and appraisal support. These messages were found to be effective due to …

Memorable Messages Received By Bereaved Parents: Using Attribution Theory To Understand Hurt And Compassion, April Samaras

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The communication bereaved parents have with family members, friends, colleagues, and healthcare providers following the death of a child can serve as a great comfort or exacerbate their grief. In order to understand this communication and why bereaved parents find it helpful or harmful, this study examines bereaved parents' experiences of compassionate and hurtful communication using the frameworks of memorable messages (Stohl & Reardon, 1981) and attribution theory (Jones & Davis, 1965; Kelley, 1967). Fifty bereaved parents who lost a child between birth and 25-years-old completed an online survey. Tracy’s (2018) iterative analysis method revealed four types of compassionate messages: …

I’M Not A Tragedy: Speaking Up About Ableist Microaggressions, Kasandra Marguerite Colwell

Communication Senior Capstones

Have you heard of ableist microaggressions? Let me tell you about them, as someone who has experienced them. I have a bi-lateral dislocating knee condition that I was born with. I can walk, but sometimes I need additional stability or reduction of pain while getting around, in which case I tend to use a cane. I have had many othering interactions while using a mobility aid in public, whether that be a knee brace, a cane, or crutches. While it often seemed the stranger didn’t mean any harm, the question is how many invasive questions and comments from strangers can …

Challenges Faced By Recently Emancipated Youth, Williams Peña, Jerry Walter Butkiewicz Iii

Communication Senior Capstones

In this academic research paper, we will be exploring the challenges faced by recently emancipated youth. We chose this topic because of the fact that this is not often spoken about or taught to the general public. This lack of attention to these issues creates hurdles when attempting to solve these sensitive issues. Considering this, we thought it would be a strong choice for further research and review. We explored many obstacles these new adults face. One such issue that we would like to touch on is the unstable housing situation of these recently emancipated individuals. Another prudent example is …

Online Discussion Forum And Pre-Migration Information Seeking: An Affordance Perspective, Daniel Gulanowski, Luciara Nardon, Michael J. Hine

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

Potential immigrants increasingly rely on online technologies to access needed information as they have limited access to offline sources of information at the pre-arrival stage. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of online discussion forums in facilitating potential immigrants’ access to relevant information about the host country labor market. This paper draws on extant literature on computer-mediated communication and a qualitative content analysis of 363 forum discussions to explore the phenomenon of increased use of online forums by prospective immigrants to Canada to access relevant labor market information. We draw on existing concepts of technology affordances …

Ambiguous Appalachianness: A Linguistic And Perceptual Investigation Into Arc-Labeled Pennsylvania Counties, Crissandra J. George

Theses and Dissertations--Linguistics

The Appalachian Regional Commission (2022) designates 52 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties as Appalachia, excluding only the southeast portion of the state. Matthew Ferrence, in Appalachia North, states that his "home is sometimes called Appalachia, sometimes Rust Belt, other times Midwest, even though very few who live there would accept any of those labels as correct" (xi). This ambiguous and fluid identity is due to the shaping, forming, and changing of Pennsylvania’s role within society from a founding colony to a thriving state with industry, unselfishly spoiling others, to the grounds of converging identities (Ferrence xi). This ambiguous identity makes …

More Than Just Sticks And Stones: Effects Of Interpersonal Interactions On Liminality And The Negotiation Of Identity, Conlon Muhr

Masters Theses

The following study contains the detailed findings of my lived experiences studied in an autoethnographic method with a focus on the effects of interpersonal communication on identity negotiation during liminality. This study is conducted to expand upon the large and dense web of communication studies. During the use of the autoethnographic process, I provide in-depth insight into my lived experiences during liminality. The main goal of the study is to explore how interpersonal interaction affects liminality and the formation of identity. Liminality support, rejection, complication, and acceptance are the emergent themes found by combining liminality with interpersonal communication.

Communicating Individual And Collective Mindfulness: Understanding Listening And Sensechecking At Work, Leanna Hartsough

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations made workplace changes, which added an additional challenge to employees’ communication. However, mindfulness may help members strengthen their workplace interactions. Mindfulness is an intentional open awareness to the present moment (Shapiro, 2009). The theoretical framework of collective mindfulness includes organizational mindfulness, which is mindfulness from a top-down approach and mindful organizing, which is a bottom-up approach to mindfulness at work. This dissertation extends research on collective mindfulness by including listening, individual mindfulness aspects, and sensemaking to examine how collective mindfulness members make meaning of changes due to COVID-19. I observed 26 meetings and interviewed …

Coordinating Boundaries And Negotiating Mental Health Diagnoses And Disclosure: An Exploration Of Stigma And Communication Privacy Management, Paige Anne Von Feldt

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

For quite some time, researchers have tried to reduce stigma and misconceptions about individuals diagnosed with a mental illness. Researchers have examined stigma towards individuals diagnosed with a mental illness, and the internalized stigma that can result. Additionally, researchers have analyzed the dialectical push and pull that occurs between privacy and confidentiality for self-disclosures. Past research has explored disclosure of a mental illness in the context of family members, psychiatrists, employers, friends, and in academic settings. However, there is a lack of research examining how risk perceptions are affected by internalized stigma, thus impacting young adults’ intentions to disclose their …

Is This Going To Be The End? Understanding Problematic Integration Among Appalachian Patients In Colorectal Cancer Screening Navigation, Audrey Smith Bachman

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is preventable through regular screening; however, incidence and mortality rates in Appalachia are among the highest in the United States. Public health programs and interventions meant to mitigate the higher CRC burden and increase screening rates are ongoing in the U.S. and Appalachia. In continuing the efforts to reduce the burden of CRC in Appalachian communities, this dissertation uses a two-part study to investigate communication practices relative to problematic integration and health beliefs in CRC screening conversations from the perspective of both patients and patient navigators in the region. As part of efforts directed by the Rural …

Doing “Care Work” In Emergency Service Calls, Angela Cora Garcia

Natural & Applied Sciences Faculty Publications

Sending help when needed is a central role for emergency service call takers, but providing help during the call is also an important part of the job. The “care work” call takers do may assist callers with physical and emotional safety and enhance their resilience as they deal with ongoing emergencies prior to the arrival of the police. This conversational analytic study of a collection of 24 emergency telephone calls reveals the interactional techniques the call takers use to accomplish care work and shows how they integrate care work into their communication within the call.

The Window To The Soul, Erica Bolding

Emerging Writers

This essay surveys the idea of "tone" and all of its complexities, including a focus on its relations to mental health conditions such as depression. Intertwined with personal memoir, research, and examples from social media, the essay unravels a difficult and under-discussed issue that surrounds tone. The essay also asks unconventional questions that hope to stir readers' thinking, such as: Is raising one’s voice always bad? Are our screams telling us something else?

Generation Z’S Proclivity For Technological Communication: An Exploration Into Its Effects On Employers’ Perceptions Of Gen Z And The Intergenerational Workplace, Hannah G. Whitehead

Honors College Theses

Gen Z’s proclivity for digital communication may be putting them at a disadvantage when shifting into professional settings. Generation Z is inclined to communicate differently than Millennials and Generation Y, the two generations that currently make up the largest percentage of the job market. The idea that Gen Z’s future employers prefer different styles of communication creates the risk of negatively influencing these employers’ perceptions of Gen Z’s professionalism and workplace capabilities. By interviewing 12 internship supervisors from varying industries amidst the Southeast who belong to Generations X and Y, the author explores the difference in communication styles between Generation …

Difficult Dialogues: Toward Building Community Through Conversation, Jessica Rhyne, David Marlow

University of South Carolina Upstate Student Research Journal

This paper examines the construct of community: its nature, ontological significance, and role in society, as well as determining factors in community fragmentation and the role constructive dialogues can play in community building. With this knowledge, a campus conversation was orchestrated to explore students’ perceptions of our community and wicked problems confronting our world.

Students were asked the ways in which they engage with their communities, what barriers they identify as inhibiting community cohesion, and potential paths for progress. Challenges with orchestration as well as student responses are discussed.

This paper concludes that, among this demographic, there is very little …

Difficult Dialogues At Laguardia Community College, Cuny, Ian Mcdermott, Caterina Almendral, Jacqueline A. Brashears

Open Educational Resources

This document summarizes the process of leading a difficult dialogues workshop. Supplemental files are attached, which include a script and slides. We recommend following the script to ensure the workshop is organized and follows the methods outlined below. These materials have served as the basis for an ongoing series of workshops at LaGuardia Community College in a variety of contexts, from faculty and staff discussing gender identity to student interactions at the College. Most recently and frequently, the workshop has been held for Student Success Mentors to help them navigate their relationships with the students they supervise and the professors …

The Program To Reduce Implicit Bias In Carroll Hospital Center Using The Implicit Association Test, Katherine E. Traynor

Capstone Showcase

Natural brain processes make all individuals susceptible to unconscious bias; however, stressful, fearful, or anger-evoking situations as well as the negative influence of media and social surroundings increase the risk of holding obstructive bias, and there is a greater risk of being negatively impacted by this phenomenon when belonging to a minority population (Rose & Flores, 2020). As a result, high rates of infant mortality (10.2 deaths per 1,000 live births for the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 4.1 in the White population) and cardiovascular related diseases (190.0 cases per 1,000 in the Non-Hispanic Black population compared to 161.3 in …

Perception Of Inclusion Among Minority Civilian Personnel Within The Military Departments And Defense Agencies Of The Department Of Defense, René Moreno

Master's Projects

As the racial and ethnic composition of the United States’ population becomes increasingly diverse, government agencies must adhere to the theory of representative bureaucracy and promote a workforce reflective of the diverse American population (Mosher, 1968). Scholars reason that public administrators must be diligent in developing systems and structures to ensure that the public administration workforce appropriately embodies the communities they support (Pitts & Wise, 2010). Organizations have adopted diversity management practices to establish a mechanism that promotes diversity within their workforce. Researchers argue that organizations must accompany diversity management with a culture of inclusion to build an environment that …

A Swipe To The Right: Exploring Tinder Use In College Students, Madisyn Smith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

A Swipe to the Right: Exploring Tinder Use in College students set out to explore different ways in which college students used the dating application Tinder . More specifically, the study focused on what kind of relationships college-aged users were hoping to form on Tinder (i.e. committed, casual, or neither) and what factors determined whether these users swiped right versus left on other Tinder users. This study was conducted by way of five qualitative, semi-structured, one-on-one interviews between participant and researcher. While Tinder is commonly thought of as a "hookup app", the results of the interviews proved otherwise; college students …

Inclusion Of The Mobility Impaired In Our Community: Ask First!, Jeffrey M. Heinz Dds, Msd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This DEI Series feature article provides a unique perspective on the inclusion of individuals with physical disabilities, focusing on mobility impairment, in the dental profession and community. The author, a paraplegic orthodontist, shares personal experiences and challenges, shedding light on the importance of considering physical disabilities in dental offices. Navigational difficulties in compliant yet wheelchair-unfriendly spaces are discussed, urging practitioners to have contingency plans. The article emphasizes the significance of etiquette in assisting individuals with disabilities, encouraging respectful communication and asking before offering help. Practical insights on dental chair usage and transfer assistance are provided, promoting a more inclusive environment …

Understanding Media Richness And Social Presence: Exploring The Impacts Of Media Channels On Individuals’ Levels Of Loneliness, Well-Being, And Belonging, Ashley M. Arsenault

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Loneliness is a universal part of being human and is detrimental to well-being. The need-to-belong hypothesis claims that individuals frequently having positive interactions with people close to them mitigates their loneliness. Media richness theory adds that rich media channels allow individuals to perceive higher levels of social presence and maintain those vital, close relationships. Understanding how a given media channel impacts online interactions and, in turn, the interactants is vital. This study used a pretest-posttest equivalent groups experimental design to examine if individuals who interacted with a close relationship partner over a rich media channel would have a decrease in …

Undergraduate Academic Advising Experiences With Confirmation And Supportive And Connected Communication Climate, Sara Pitts

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examined undergraduate student perceptions of academic advisors use of communication confirmation and supportive and connected communication climate. Additionally, this dissertation investigated if academic advisors use of confirmation behaviors had an effect on student learning, specifically, cognitive learning outcomes, affective learning outcomes, and satisfaction. Focus groups were conducted with 33 current undergraduate students. First and second cycle coding of the data revealed four academic advisor confirming behaviors: (a) recognize students’ experiences outside the classroom, (b) collaborate on educational/career goals, (c) recall prior interactions with the student, and (d) offer praise and positive feedback. Additionally, students identified three disconfirming behaviors …