States that attacks by communication scholars have cast doubt on the validity of exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Tests EFA's ability to produce results that replicate known dimensions in a data set. Concludes that EFA should be viewed with cautious optimism and be evaluated according to the findings of this and similar studies. (PA)

A study used semiotics to examine the graphic elements within corporate trademarks. The trademarks from 247 "Fortune" 500 corporations were placed into 86 different categories of graphic elements intended to connote 14 different qualities. Subjects, 40 college students and 61 business professionals, evaluated 9 sets of 12 trademarks in…

Proposes and tests a measure for narrative coherence and fidelity. Finds that the Narrative Coherence and Fidelity Measure had satisfactory interitem Cronbach alpha reliabilities for both Coherence and Fidelity, and that Coherence and Fidelity scores predicted variance in the persuasiveness of oral and written narratives. (SR)

A study revisited the question of the causes of interpersonal equivocation, arguing that, although the previous research of Bavelas and associates has shown conclusively that interpersonal communicators in avoidance-avoidance binds equivocate to avoid the bind's dilemma, researchers have largely ignored other conceivable antecedents of…

A study examined the longstanding theory of the Bavelas group which suggests that the only consistent cause of interpersonal equivocation is avoidance-avoidance conflict (AAC). The study also aimed to uncover a psycholinguistic profile of equivocation, especially in the form of paralinguistic cues such as disfluencies. Subjects, 18 college…

The research on Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) is largely inconsistent. These inconsistencies may be attributed to the different system software, tasks, subjects, and methodological designs. A study utilized a commercially developed conferencing software (Quickmail) to allow other researchers to gain easy access to the software and form a…

A study analyzed the delivery of dabaters participating in the final rounds of the CEDA (Cross Examination Debate Association) National Tournament from 1989-1991. Transcripts of the final rounds were used to determine the words-per-minute and the number of pieces of evidence read per speech. Three statistical measures were used to analyze the…

Alerts communication researchers to potential errors stemming from the use of SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) to obtain estimates of eta squared in analysis of variance (ANOVA). Strives to clarify issues concerning the development and appropriate use of eta squared and partial eta squared in ANOVA. Discusses the reporting of…

Notes that the availability of statistical software packages has led to a sharp increase in use of complex research designs and complex statistical analyses in communication research. Reports a series of Monte Carlo simulations which demonstrate that this complexity may come at a heavier cost than many communication researchers realize. Warns…

Develops and tests hypotheses concerning the relationship of specific advertising strategies to affective and analytic cognitive responses of the audience. Analyses undergraduate students' responses to 240 advertisements. Demonstrates that advertising strategy variables accounted substantially for the variance in affective and analytic cognition.…

Previous laboratory research has found that self-disclosure by a speaker identified as a political officeholder results in a decrease in persuasiveness, whereas similar disclosure by nonofficials increases persuasiveness. Two experiments were conducted to examine this effect further. In experiment 1, subjects were 75 male and 77 female…

A study explored Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) in the context of news reports about a hazard. Content elements of outcome severity, vulnerability, and response efficacy were systematically varied in stories about a fabricated risk: fluorescent lighting lowering student academic performance. Research subjects were 206 students in an…

A study examined the perceptions of appropriateness regarding four types of touch between college students and professors. Subjects included 382 students, 108 men and 202 women, enrolled in a basic speech communication course at a large midwestern university. Using video depictions, an analysis of variance was conducted exploring differences in…

The contention of this paper is that logicality and emotionality are not two poles of a continuum but orthogonal dimensions which may exist to varying degrees in an argument. It was hypothesized that: (1) logicality and emotionality would be perceived as independent components by subject; and (2) messages high in logic would have more influence on…

A study examined whether a perceiver would distinguish between nonverbal messages sent with greater or lesser intent and the extent to which this correlated with the messages' general affect. Sixty-two students were recruited from communication courses at a large southwestern university to participate in a "conversation study." None had…