Compares three theories examining the role of communication in producing and coping with subjective uncertainty. Notes that uncertainty reduction theory offers axioms and derived theorems that describe communicative and noncommunicative causes and consequences of uncertainty. Compares meanings of "uncertainty" in the three theories as…

Examines the relationship between four types of communication (i.e., integrative, distributive, indirect, and avoidance) and 14 perceptions of problem situations. Finds that a relatively specific relationship exists between each type of communication and the set of perceptions for both personally experienced and undefined problem situations. (MS)

Argues that three traditions of theory about organizational communication have special relevance to the ideas of problematic integration theory. Indicates the implications of theoretic currents and notes that the main implication is that problematic integration looks very different in the context of a complex communication system. (SG)

Reports on a two-part investigation of undergraduate students' criteria for evaluating how skillful comforting behavior is, and the outcomes of comforting interactions for distressed persons. Discusses the results in terms of theories and research on coping, social support, and comforting messages. (SG)

Supports the "functional" view that it is the satisfaction of critical task requirements (or conditions), rather than the discussion procedures that are employed to do so, that actually determines whether a group will arrive at a low- or high-quality decision. (PD)

Strategic communication scholars agree that planning is critical to human action. An investigation tested plan modification aspects of cognitive planning theory. Two experiments tested whether success and failure of a plan served as predictors of plan modification and whether individuals can accurately predict whether and how they will modify a…

Three studies investigated the effects of concrete versus abstract wording and negative versus positive premises on the difficulty subjects had in solving several kinds of reasoning tasks. Subjects for all three studies were college undergraduates who received booklets containing either hypothetical, disjunctive, or linear syllogisms. Each booklet…

Examines the communication strategies that differentiate "strong" stepfamilies from stepfamilies having more difficulty, inductively deriving a composite of stepfamily "communication strengths." Finds that in general, strong stepfamilies reported using everyday talk, more openness, spending time together as a family, communicating clear rules and…

Offers three "unabashedly normative" considerations for translating organizational communication scholarship to practice: identifying a problem, incorporating participant voices, and presenting research to practitioners. Suggests that by engaging in these practices scholars can create alternative organizational stories and in doing so create space…

A replication study tested functional theory utilizing untrained full-fledged groups. One hundred forty undergraduate students who were enrolled in a small group communication course at a large midwestern university participated in small group discussions analyzing a plagiarism case used in an original study by R. Y. Hirokawa. Results indicated…

Examines the choice-making processes of students engaged in the selection of speech introduction strategies. Finds that the frequency of students making decision-making errors was a positive function of public speaking apprehension. (MS)

Argues that since invention in scientific research is discovery of the unknown, and since invention in writing is discovery of ideas within existing knowledge, then scientific research cannot be viewed as a part of prewriting in the scientific writing process. (KEH)

Explores the effects of Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) on small group communication and decision-making processes. Finds that comparing GDSS, manual, and baseline conditions enables separation of effects resulting from procedural structures from those resulting from computerization. Results support some aspects of the research model and…

Examines tactics undergraduate students use for avoiding and cutting arguments short. Finds that the episodes that were cut short were also the ones highest in explicitness and destructiveness. Suggests that cutting short, rather than avoidance, is the preferred solution to explicit, destructive conflicts. (CR)

Notes that while many technical communication instructors declare the benefits of client projects, too often instructors do not prepare students to interact with clients. Reviews a qualitative case study that demonstrates the difficulty students can have interacting with clients. Relates how students may not always be prepared to listen or respond…