Debaters are trained to think differently from others, and while that type of thinking might be u... more Debaters are trained to think differently from others, and while that type of thinking might be useful, it can be detrimental to interpersonal relationships. Participation in debate creates a unique standpoint, which, in turn, plays havoc with a debater's ability to cope with uncertainty, encourages second-guessing, impedes rather than fosters dialectical thinking, rewards uni-dimensional compliance-gaining strategies, and focuses on depth over breadth in self-disclosure. Uncertainty reduction theory, in this context, works on two levels--the debater might cross the line of social appropriateness, badgering his/her partner with questions until the relationship terminates, or, the student might never feel he/she has enough information to reduce the uncertainty. Debaters are taught that no statement is completely truthful and every statement should be second-guessed. Debaters tend to use argument and reason-giving to gain compliance. Debaters might attempt to win an "interpersonal" position just to win, merely for the ego satisfaction of winning without concern for the larger bearing on the relationship. By investing in a position, argument, or side, the thinking of those in debate becomes polarized, exactly the opposite of the pluralism that is necessary for interactional competence. Social penetration theory helps explain why debaters' relationships tend to decline--decreased intimacy is associated with increased depth, presumably due to the discussions individuals have when a relationship is terminating. Continued research on the longitudinal effects of debate training must be undertaken to assess the health and success of interpersonal relationships. (Contains 45 references.) (RS)
The purpose of this study was to examine the classic and unique relationship tensions marital par... more The purpose of this study was to examine the classic and unique relationship tensions marital partners of non-residential stepfamilies experience. Grounded in relational dialectical theory, transcripts from interviews of five non-residential stepfamily couples were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to search for and identify autonomyconnection and openness-closedness dialectical tensions and coping strategies utilized by the participants. These relational dialectical tensions were illustrated in every interview. Tensions were present not only between the relationship partners, but also in regard to the nonresidential children. Participants utilized a variety of coping strategies to deal with the relationship tensions experienced in their marriage within a non-residential stepfamily setting.
Although scholar< know a great deal about how argument works in the small group process in genera... more Although scholar< know a great deal about how argument works in the small group process in general, little is known about the role of argument in the jury decision making process. A study used R. A. Meyers' (1991) coding scheme to analyze the argument in 80 juries. Subjects were 209 males and 203 females enrolled in communication courses at a large midwestern university. Juries consisted of groups of four, five, or six members. Juries watched either a 12-minute videotaped segment of a man accused of possession of marijuana, or a 20-minute segment of a man accused of murder. Both cases were somewhat complex in that the decisions could have gone "either way." Jurors were given no instruction in the law and were given up to 30 minutes to reach a verdict. Results indicated that jurors use assertions and agreements most often, followed by propositions, elaborations, and nonrelated arguments. Results also indicated that similar arguments Lee made by jurors in trials of differing magnitude. Findings suggest that juries are active, deliberative decision making bodies, although the argument that occurs during jury deliberation may not be complex. (Contains 50 references and a table of uata. A portion of Meyers' argument category scheme is attached.) (RS) Ecprodi.ct iota supplied by LDItS are the hest that can he made from the original document.
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Dept. of Communication, University of Utah, 1986. Includes bibliographical refer... more Thesis (Ph. D.)--Dept. of Communication, University of Utah, 1986. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [157]-162).
Updates J. Robert Cox's analysis of the first National Debate Tournament (NDT) judging philos... more Updates J. Robert Cox's analysis of the first National Debate Tournament (NDT) judging philosophy booklet. Compares the 1974 and 1988 results showing both similarities and differences among judges attitudes and beliefs about debate issues. Offers further research questions to study the influence of judging paradigms and the decline of NDT debate. (PRA)
A study examined the administration of college forensics programs, comparing the current (1990) s... more A study examined the administration of college forensics programs, comparing the current (1990) status of programs to the status of such programs one year ago and five years ago. The study was based on the philosophy that if forensics programs have changed, more than likely they have changed in terms of what activities are offered to students, and therefore, of how the program is administered. Surveys were mailed to 374 forensics program administrators at colleges and universities in the United States and 155 completed surveys were returned for a response rate of 44%. Results indicated that nearly half of the programs that currently offer only individual events used to offer debate as well. Thus, in the last 5 years, many schools have had to make choices regarding the direction of their program, and most directors seem to have selected individual events as the activity that they will continue to sponsor. The number of debate-only schools has remained relatively stable over the past ...
The year 1992 was dubbed the "Year of the Woman" in politics, and yet, what many individuals will... more The year 1992 was dubbed the "Year of the Woman" in politics, and yet, what many individuals will remember most from 1992 may not be the elections, but the Murphy Brown-Dan Quayle debate. While the issue of working mothers has been dramatically pushed to the forefront of the socio-political arena, what the media elite have neglected to explicitly point out is that the issue of working mothers is neither new nor insignificant.
Role identity influences communication behaviors, particularly unwillingness to communicate, or t... more Role identity influences communication behaviors, particularly unwillingness to communicate, or the tendency to avoid oral communication, a phenomenon that communication instructors observe in many of their students. This investigation explores the effect of biological sex, self-esteem, and communication apprehension on the reward and approach-avoidance dimensions of unwillingness to communicate. Multiple regression analyses revealed significant relationships between biological sex and self-esteem on the reward dimension and biological sex and communication apprehension on the approach-avoidance dimension. Results suggest that women and men view communication differently and may be socialized to behave differently during communication encounters. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed for communication instructors.
Debaters are trained to think differently from others, and while that type of thinking might be u... more Debaters are trained to think differently from others, and while that type of thinking might be useful, it can be detrimental to interpersonal relationships. Participation in debate creates a unique standpoint, which, in turn, plays havoc with a debater's ability to cope with uncertainty, encourages second-guessing, impedes rather than fosters dialectical thinking, rewards uni-dimensional compliance-gaining strategies, and focuses on depth over breadth in self-disclosure. Uncertainty reduction theory, in this context, works on two levels--the debater might cross the line of social appropriateness, badgering his/her partner with questions until the relationship terminates, or, the student might never feel he/she has enough information to reduce the uncertainty. Debaters are taught that no statement is completely truthful and every statement should be second-guessed. Debaters tend to use argument and reason-giving to gain compliance. Debaters might attempt to win an "interpersonal" position just to win, merely for the ego satisfaction of winning without concern for the larger bearing on the relationship. By investing in a position, argument, or side, the thinking of those in debate becomes polarized, exactly the opposite of the pluralism that is necessary for interactional competence. Social penetration theory helps explain why debaters' relationships tend to decline--decreased intimacy is associated with increased depth, presumably due to the discussions individuals have when a relationship is terminating. Continued research on the longitudinal effects of debate training must be undertaken to assess the health and success of interpersonal relationships. (Contains 45 references.) (RS)
The purpose of this study was to examine the classic and unique relationship tensions marital par... more The purpose of this study was to examine the classic and unique relationship tensions marital partners of non-residential stepfamilies experience. Grounded in relational dialectical theory, transcripts from interviews of five non-residential stepfamily couples were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to search for and identify autonomyconnection and openness-closedness dialectical tensions and coping strategies utilized by the participants. These relational dialectical tensions were illustrated in every interview. Tensions were present not only between the relationship partners, but also in regard to the nonresidential children. Participants utilized a variety of coping strategies to deal with the relationship tensions experienced in their marriage within a non-residential stepfamily setting.
Although scholar< know a great deal about how argument works in the small group process in genera... more Although scholar< know a great deal about how argument works in the small group process in general, little is known about the role of argument in the jury decision making process. A study used R. A. Meyers' (1991) coding scheme to analyze the argument in 80 juries. Subjects were 209 males and 203 females enrolled in communication courses at a large midwestern university. Juries consisted of groups of four, five, or six members. Juries watched either a 12-minute videotaped segment of a man accused of possession of marijuana, or a 20-minute segment of a man accused of murder. Both cases were somewhat complex in that the decisions could have gone "either way." Jurors were given no instruction in the law and were given up to 30 minutes to reach a verdict. Results indicated that jurors use assertions and agreements most often, followed by propositions, elaborations, and nonrelated arguments. Results also indicated that similar arguments Lee made by jurors in trials of differing magnitude. Findings suggest that juries are active, deliberative decision making bodies, although the argument that occurs during jury deliberation may not be complex. (Contains 50 references and a table of uata. A portion of Meyers' argument category scheme is attached.) (RS) Ecprodi.ct iota supplied by LDItS are the hest that can he made from the original document.
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Dept. of Communication, University of Utah, 1986. Includes bibliographical refer... more Thesis (Ph. D.)--Dept. of Communication, University of Utah, 1986. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [157]-162).
Updates J. Robert Cox's analysis of the first National Debate Tournament (NDT) judging philos... more Updates J. Robert Cox's analysis of the first National Debate Tournament (NDT) judging philosophy booklet. Compares the 1974 and 1988 results showing both similarities and differences among judges attitudes and beliefs about debate issues. Offers further research questions to study the influence of judging paradigms and the decline of NDT debate. (PRA)
A study examined the administration of college forensics programs, comparing the current (1990) s... more A study examined the administration of college forensics programs, comparing the current (1990) status of programs to the status of such programs one year ago and five years ago. The study was based on the philosophy that if forensics programs have changed, more than likely they have changed in terms of what activities are offered to students, and therefore, of how the program is administered. Surveys were mailed to 374 forensics program administrators at colleges and universities in the United States and 155 completed surveys were returned for a response rate of 44%. Results indicated that nearly half of the programs that currently offer only individual events used to offer debate as well. Thus, in the last 5 years, many schools have had to make choices regarding the direction of their program, and most directors seem to have selected individual events as the activity that they will continue to sponsor. The number of debate-only schools has remained relatively stable over the past ...
The year 1992 was dubbed the "Year of the Woman" in politics, and yet, what many individuals will... more The year 1992 was dubbed the "Year of the Woman" in politics, and yet, what many individuals will remember most from 1992 may not be the elections, but the Murphy Brown-Dan Quayle debate. While the issue of working mothers has been dramatically pushed to the forefront of the socio-political arena, what the media elite have neglected to explicitly point out is that the issue of working mothers is neither new nor insignificant.
Role identity influences communication behaviors, particularly unwillingness to communicate, or t... more Role identity influences communication behaviors, particularly unwillingness to communicate, or the tendency to avoid oral communication, a phenomenon that communication instructors observe in many of their students. This investigation explores the effect of biological sex, self-esteem, and communication apprehension on the reward and approach-avoidance dimensions of unwillingness to communicate. Multiple regression analyses revealed significant relationships between biological sex and self-esteem on the reward dimension and biological sex and communication apprehension on the approach-avoidance dimension. Results suggest that women and men view communication differently and may be socialized to behave differently during communication encounters. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed for communication instructors.
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