摘要:

A rule‐based theoretical framework is presented as an alternative to scientific laws or purely interpretive approaches for examination of the activities undertaken by television audiences. Communication rules, which explains human actions in terms of its pragmatic and normative rather than causal features, is productively applied to the study of audience activity at two levels—the family and the larger society. Habitual, parametric, and tactical rule types are defined and described in relation to basic mass communication processes. Television‐related interpersonal activities in the home are shown to be rule‐governed while audience members and sources of media programming at the societal level are revealed to engage in rule‐based interaction that perpetuates selected ideologies and their accompanying lifestyle models. Communication rules is proposed as a viable approach for resolving fundamental problems in mass communication theory building, including the “effects” vs. “uses” argument regarding direction of influence, and conceptual and methodological differences that have often polarized media critic

ISSN:0360-3989    

DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1982.tb00679.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1982

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

This study investigated the effects of variations in verbal feedback on the intrinsic motivation (IM) of task performers. Based on Deci's (1975) cognitive evaluation theory, the present study manipulated two dimensions of postperformance feedback: (1) expertise of the feedback source—high vs. low, and (2) valence of the feedback—positive vs. neutral. A sample of 128 subjects performed a task consisting of solving word puzzles. Subjects' level of IM subsequent to the reception of feedback was operationalized in three ways: amount of time voluntarily spent on word puzzles during a free period and responses made on two IM pencil and paper measures (the TRQ and MSQ). Results indicated that high expertise of the feedback source enhanced IM. Valence alone did not enhance a receiver's level of IM but the data demonstrated an expertise x valence interaction such that subjects receiving positive feedback from a highly expert source exhibited greater levels of IM than did receivers in any other condition. Implications of these findings for both future organizational communication research and training are discus

ISSN:0360-3989    

DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1982.tb00680.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1982

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

The purpose of this study was to test Basil Bernstein's sociolinguistie theories. Based on an interview study of 138 kindergarten children, the data for the most part did not support Bernstein's ideas. Speech style indicators did not cluster into elaborated and restricted variants. Neither social control strategies nor school achievement scores were differentially related to elaborated and restricted variants. There was marginal evidence that some elaborated speech style indicators were related negatively to family size. Finally, children's social perceptions, a measure of elaborated codes at the psychological level, were related positively to their school achievement scores.

ISSN:0360-3989    

DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1982.tb00681.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1982

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Two factors said to produce varying levels of dramatic suspense are examined: degree of perceived outcome‐uncertainty and audience disposition toward the hero‐protagonist. In spite of the general consensus that these two factors affect suspense, there is wide disagreement as to the optimal level of viewer uncertainty regarding the hero's fate, and there is some question as to whether it is necessary for the viewer to be positively disposed toward the hero to produce a maximal level of suspense. To test competing claims, different versions of an audio‐visually presented chase sequence were produced. Experimental materials were varied in a factorial design featuring the five levels of perceived outcome‐uncertainty (hero's chances of success/survival = 0/100, 1/100, 25/100, 50/100, 100/100) and three levels of disposition toward the protagonist (neutral, mildly positive, strongly positive). Sex of viewer was included as a third factor. Degree of experienced suspense was assessed in viewer ratings. Both perceived outcome‐uncertainty and viewer disposition variables yielded strong effects, though no significant sex differences were found. Rated suspense was at a maximum when the hero's chances of success/survival were perceived to be about one in 100 and minimal when either success or failure seemed absolutely certain. Further, suspense increased with increasingly positive dispositions toward the protagonist. Practical and theoretical implications of these results are c

ISSN:0360-3989    

DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1982.tb00682.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1982

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Expectation violations are common interpersonal communication occurrences. A prerequisite of communication competence then is the ability to deal effectively with the unexpected in conversation. A structural model of existing relationships among variables considered important to children's ability to handle conversational deviance, specifically three successive turn‐taking violations, was proposed and tested in this investigation. Children ranging in age from 3 years, 5 months to 11 years, 5 months served as subjects. Results of the study suggest that cognitive complexity plays an influential role in the development of children's ability to provide accounts for conversational deviance as well as the ability to provide alternative strategies for the completion of conversations disrupted by improper turn‐taking. Social perspective‐taking and communication adaptation ability appear to play less significant

ISSN:0360-3989    

DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1982.tb00683.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1982

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

In this experiment 20 subjects were placed in a situation designed to elicit a number of truthful and untruthful statements. Differences in these statements were examined by the SLCA III and LEXIC programs to find variables that discriminate between truth‐tellers and liars. The results indicate that when lying, individuals use fewer words, and, as a consequence, fewer unique words with larger type‐token ratios and smaller perceptual‐cognitive activity measures, use fewer past tense verb forms, and that males tend to use a greater number of indicative mood sentences and fewer subjunctive mood sentences. When used in a discriminant function equation, 14 of the SLCA III and LEXIC variables were able to provide an adequate level of classification for the veracity of the subjects' state

ISSN:0360-3989    

DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1982.tb00684.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1982

数据来源: WILEY

摘要:

Coding procedures developed by Sillars (1980a) classified statements made during interpersonal conflict into “avoidance,”“integrative,” and “distributive” categories. In the present paper we present evidence that these distinctions provide an intuitively sound and theoretically meaningful basis for coding communication during conflict. Two studies are reported. In the first study, verbal tactics correlated in the expected ways with observer perceptions of the disclosiveness and competitiveness of conflict discussions. In the second study, several predicted relationships between verbal tactics and nonverbal behaviors were confirmed, although regression analysis indicated that most of these relationships could be accounted for by the high degree of talkativeness associated with integrative tactics. Overall support for the coding distinctions was obtained from the

ISSN:0360-3989    

DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2958.1982.tb00685.x

出版商:Blackwell Publishing Ltd    

年代:1982

数据来源: WILEY