Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons^™

Basic Communication Course Annual Vol. 24

Basic Communication Course Annual

Full issue (298 pages, 12.1 MB)

I Need Help: Help Seeking Behaviors, Communication Anxiety And Communication Center Usage, C. Leigh Nelson, Toni S. Whitfield, Michelle Moreau

Basic Communication Course Annual

A web-based survey of 357 respondents enrolled in basic communication courses was conducted to examine communication center usage, communication apprehension, and help seeking behaviors. There was no significant difference between students who attended the communication center and those who did not in their communication apprehension and help seeking behaviors. There were significant correlations between help seeking behaviors and communication apprehension. Demographics, communication apprehension, and communication center usage and awareness predicted multiple types of help seeking behaviors.

Lack Of Communication Even When Using Alternative And Augmentative Communication Devices: Are We Forgetting About The Three Components Of Language, Gianluca De Leo, Margaret Lubas, Jennifer R. Mitchell

VMASC Publications

[First paragraph] Starting in the early 90s, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices were introduced in special education classrooms. These devices were intended to replace the picture-based communication approaches, such as PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System).

Keeping Church Goers Motivated: Church Worship Communication Study, Anne Trelstad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

At a time when mainline Protestant churches in America are concerned with stagnant or declining worship attendance (Duin, 2008) a better understanding of worshippers' motivations could help church leaders plan and create positive worship experiences (Katt & Trelstad, 2009). This study extends the scope of the previous research of Katt and Trelstad by employing a larger sample of purposively selected churches. It attempts to more clearly answer the following question more clearly: What types of incidents serve as motivator and de-motivator factors in the church worship service setting? A sample of 105 church members from thirty-eight churches participated in a …

From The Top: Impression Management Strategies And Organizational Identity In Executive-Authored Weblogs, Teryl A. Mclane

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examines impression management strategies high-ranking organizational executives employ to create an identity for themselves and their companies via executive authored Weblogs (blogs). This study attempts to identify specific patterns of impression management strategies through a deductive content analysis applying Jones’ (1990) taxonomy of self-presentation strategies to this particular type of computer mediated communication. Sampling for this study (n=227) was limited to blogs solely and regularly authored by the highest-ranking leaders of Fortune 500 companies. The study revealed that executive bloggers frequently employed impression management strategies aimed at currying competency attributes (self-promotion), likeability (ingratiation), and moral worthiness (exemplification) to …

Risks And Benefits Of Seeking And Receiving Emotional Support During The Divorce Process: An Examination Of Divorcee Individual Adjustment, Closeness, And Relational Satisfaction With Multiple Partners From A Social Network, Sarah E. Wilder

Department of Communication Studies: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Divorce is one of the most difficult life events an individual may face. Divorce impacts not only the individual who has to adjust to new physical and psychological conditions following divorce, but also extends to the many relationships in the divorcee’s social network. Central to divorce processes and relational outcomes is communication. One aspect that may influence the quality of divorcees’ post-divorce relationships and ability to adjust following the divorce is the provision of emotional support. In the current study, I examine a social network model of adjustment to divorce by examining the role of risk in seeking, and effectiveness …

Reducing Risk And Injury To Transit Officers, Christine Teague

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis examines whether an understanding of the communication and safety culture of transit officers, who form part of a security section of a large state Rail Transport Organisation (RTO), can lead to strategies to reduce their risk of injury. The core functions of the transit officer position are passenger safety and customer service. This puts the officers in the front line of defence against the antisocial behaviour from some patrons that occurs regularly on the railway system. Like urban railways the world over, this anti-social behaviour can range from bad language to severe violence. Whilst these officers are not …

Exploring The Relationship Between Facebook, Face-To-Face And Intercultural Communication, Rebecca Schaefer

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

My Capstone Experience/Thesis project seeks to explore and examine the effects of Facebook on communication between American and international students. The use of social media as a means to communicate with others is increasing at an amazing rate. Facebook has become my generation’s favorite way to communicate with friends and family and “to Facebook” has unofficially become a verb that many college students will use. While social media, such as Facebook and Linked-In, may encourage American college students to communicate with international students beyond the classroom and campus, it seems that Facebook is on the way to becoming a substitute …

Experiential Interior Design: Branding Entertainment And Nightlife For The Postmodern Young Urban Professional, Niccole S. Skomal

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

Past study on Interior Design has been primarily looked at through the lenses of aesthetics and functionality. Only recently have scholars begun to see the influence marketing, in the form of branding, can have on the Interior Design process in targeting specific lifestyle groups. The purpose of this research is to understand the fabric of the postmodern Young Urban Professional lifestyle as a marketing tool for branding and designing services in the form of entertainment and nightlife. With an increasing lack of community and social connectedness in today’s postmodern society, Young Urban Professionals tend to consume entertainment and nightlife as …

Workplace Harassment: The Social Costs Of Bullying, Andra Gumbus, Bridget M. Lyons

WCBT Faculty Publications

Most research on workplace bullying uses survey results to understand working conditions, target and bully characteristics, and results of bullying situations. This study uses content analysis to determine themes emerging from a writing assignment that asks students to respond to questions about workplace bullying. The intent of the research is to enable bullying targets to better understand the situation, to help managers to learn how to mitigate possible bullying situations, and to assist witnesses to better react to workplace incidents.

Improving Flavor Of Slo: Volunteer Engagement, Motivation, And Goal Setting In Event Planning, Kendall Ann Young

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Establishing A Gifted & Talented Center Within The Uri Honors Program, Joseph A. Santiago

Student Affairs Digital Community Development

Objective: To establish a Gifted and Talented Program that is linked with the Honors Department at URI to attract, support, and challenge individuals on the Kingston Campus. This program would work as Living Learning Community with students who elect to be live on campus together and give an opportunity for students living off campus to work collaboratively in a creative and supportive environment beyond the classroom. The targeted population for this program would be those individuals coming in from high schools and/or from other University programs.

Re-Imagining The Digitalcommons Collections At The University Of Rhode Island: Innovative Approaches Using Technology To Advance The Student Experience, Joseph A. Santiago

Student Affairs Digital Community Development

Proposal Application for 2012 Innovative Approaches Using Technology to Advance the Student Experience. This proposal outlines a plan to utilize the DigitalCommons Collection as a unifying platform that can be the vehicle for community scholarship, creativity, and outreach. This article communicates a strategy to connect the URI community through multiple points of access and create a blended environment in which all people may share and learn from each other.

A rough draft of the proposal has been included demonstrating a slightly different interface and the beginnings of the writing process.

Leading A Multi-Generational Workforce: Understanding Generational Differences For Effective Communication, Barbara J. Smyrl

Professional Projects

Today’s workforce consists of individuals from four generations each bringing different perspectives and values to the workplace. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the generational differences to gain an understanding which may help managers communicate effectively with each generational cohort. This study uses the narrative research method. Following a review of the literature on the subject of multi-generational work teams, the study tells the story of four individuals, one person from each of the four generational cohorts. Each of the individuals has experienced the phenomenon of working on a multi-generational work team. The stories shared reveal the …

'You're Lying To Jesus!': Humor And Play In A Discussion About Homelessness, L. David Ritchie

Communication Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study applies recent theories about humor to a sample of talk among a group of young adults about the issues and problems associated with homelessness. In this conversation, participants demonstrate a pattern of joking and language play that expresses a complex and ambivalent set of attitudes and feelings toward homelessness and toward the homeless as both outcasts and refugees from conventional society. Humor is used both to express complex responses to homelessness and as a tool for managing the tone and direction of the conversation. The results demonstrate how the identification of patterns of joking and wordplay can provide …

Competition And Interpersonal Conflict In Same-Sex Platonic Friendships, Ewa Urban

The Hilltop Review

This research explores the connection between competition and distributive and integrative conflict messages in same-sex platonic friendships. The study is a partial replication of Messman and Mikesell’s (2000) examination of competition and interpersonal conflict in dating relationships. The competitive behaviors of same-sex friends examined here are compared with those of dating couples as explored by Messman and Mikesell. Findings of the current research indicate that increased competition between same-sex friends is linked to a rise in distributive conflict tactics as well as to a reduction in integrative messages, which is consistent with Messman and Mikesell’s results. The current study also …

Conversation Strategies: Preparing Learners For Real-World Interaction, Angela Richardson

Sandanona

Workshop/Demonstration

Conversation strategies play an important role in successful communication and socialization, yet they are not often explicitly taught in language classrooms. In this workshop/demonstration we will explore how to use conversation strategies as a means for building both confidence and fluency, while also preparing students for real-world interactions.

Advanced Meeting Facilitation Techniques, Carol A. Watson, Wendy Moore

Presentations

As many librarians learned in last year's AALL presentation on facilitation, a well-facilitated meeting can transform a regular work session into an extraordinarily productive event. Participants learned that a well-crafted agenda, thoughtful ground rules, optimal meeting space, and detailed minutes can all set the stage for a successful meeting.

However, meetings can still go awry. A poorly facilitated meeting can make everyone dread meetings even if the meeting has been well-planned. Managing or facilitating behaviors is the final essential ingredient for success. Have you ever been in a meeting that is monopolized by one individual? Or someone offers a suggestion …

The Dimensions Of Source Credibility And Salesperson Persuasion, Eric Jaso

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

Flavor Of Slo, Kendra Noel Jorde

Communication Studies

This paper summarizes what goes into planning the event called Flavor of SLO. Flavor of SLO is an event held in San Luis Obispo that offers tastings of beer, wine, and food vendors. This paper specifically talks about the major duties that the food liaison handles and what went into this years work looked at through a communication studies perspective.