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Student plagiarism continues to threaten academic integrity. This investigation assessed whether an inoculation message strategy could combat university plagiarism by protecting student attitudes against pro-plagiarism justification arguments. Additionally, we sought theoretical confirmation of previous findings on involvement and accessibility in inoculation, examined the effects on vested interest, and evaluated matching and mismatching strategies in terms of affect- and rationality-based inoculation treatment messages and subsequent attack messages. A total of 225 students participated in three sessions spanning six weeks. Results indicated that none of the inoculation treatments conferred resistance as measured in attitude toward plagiarism, but all treatments enhanced involvement and attitude accessibility, and the fear- and rationality-based treatments enhanced vested interest. Additionally, fear-based treatments derogated the source of the message. Results also suggest that a matching strategy is superior with both affect- and rationality-based attack messages, such that inoculation treatments are most effective when using the same argument bases (e.g., affective or rational) as the attack message. These results offer guidance for crafting communication campaign strategies to reduce the occurrence of student plagiarism offenses. (Contains 3 tables.)

This investigation compared the traditional explanation for the way inoculation confers resistance to influence with an alternative rationale for resistance based on attitude accessibility. Four hundred forty-three participants took part in the investigation in four phases spanning 54 days. The combined multiple regression and structural equation modeling results suggest that the traditional and alternative explanations for the way that inoculation confers resistance involve separate processes; counterarguing and accessibility appear to be distinct tracks en route to resistance, but the two explanations also are overlapping processes in which elicited threat plays an integral role.

Argues that the influence of televised, general election, presidential debates on prospective voters' perceptions of participating candidates may be larger than previous research suggests. Finds that two sources of debate effects have gone largely undetected to date: those based on candidates' relational communication, and those which are commingled with the influence of other communication forms. (SG)

Examines the influence of soft-money-sponsored issue-advocacy advertising in U.S. House and Senate campaigns, comparing its effects against candidate-sponsored positive advertising and contrast advertising on viewers' candidate preferences and on their attitude that reflect democratic values. Reveals no main effects for advertising approach on candidate preference. (SG)

Deals with the role and impact of affect in the process of resistance among undergraduate students. Notes that initial results indicated that the cognitive, affective-anger, and affective-happiness inoculation treatments all conferred resistance to persuasive attacks. Indicates that greater receiver involvement was positively associated with experienced anger and, therefore, indirectly contributed to resistance, whereas greater receiver self-efficacy tended to dampen resistance. (SG)

Examines the influence of five communication modalities on voters' perceptions of candidates. Finds that political talk-radio exerted the greatest influence on voters' perceptions of Bob Dole and considerable impact on perceptions of Steve Forbes. Finds also that prospective voters' conversations with other people, television news, and candidate (only for Forbes) exerted modest influence on perceptions of Republican candidates. (SR)

Indicates that inoculation treatments, using central and peripheral approaches, confer resistance to influence and thus imply that threat is more prominent than refutational preemption in the process of resistance. Suggests that greater receiver need for cognition enhances resistance but only with highly involving issues. Rules out assimilation and contrast as potential explanation of the cognitive process triggered via threat. (SR)

Tests effectiveness of inoculation treatments on 790 undergraduate students. Probes relationship between threat and involvement, their role in inoculation, and nature of cognitive processes triggered via inoculation. Suggests inoculation elicits threat, threat contributes to resistance, and resistance is most pronounced for more involved receivers and on behalf of more involving topics. Reveals a process more intricate than initially predicted. (PA)

Examines the potential of the inoculation message strategy to deflect the persuasiveness of comparative advertisements. Indicates modest potential for inoculation, confirming that inoculation pretreatments confer resistance to a comparative ad's influence on consumer attitudes, especially on behalf of high-involving products. (SR)

Finds that (1) inoculation promotes resistance to smoking onset, but only among adolescents of low self-esteem, precisely those most at risk to smoking initiation in the first place; (2) among this group inoculation contributed to a greater chance of overtly resisting smoking, less positive attitudes toward smoking, and subsequently to less likelihood of smoking. (SR)

Examines the effectiveness of direct mail communication strategies--inoculation (a strategy which promotes resistance to attitude and behavior change), inoculation-plus-reinforcement, and refutation messages--in combating the persuasiveness of political attack messages. Finds that inoculation is more effective than the refutation approach in deflecting the persuasiveness of attack messages. (KEH)

Responds to the issues raised in the previous article on the nature of the debate resolution (CS 706 818). Deals particularly with comments on counter-warrants. (PD)

Examines the influence of intraparty political debates during the 1984 presidential campaign. Indicates significant influence on undergraduate college students' attitudes about candidates and their interest in the campaign. Demonstrates that candidate violations of expectations provide a useful theoretical explanation for significant shifts in attitudes and preferences. (SD)

Posits a strategy of resistance to the influence of attack messages in political campaigns. Finds that political campaign messages can be designed to inoculate supporters of candidates against subsequent attack messages of opposing candidates. (MS)

Examines issue-learning outcomes in three intra-party political debates during the 1984 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Finds significant viewer learning about the issue positions of each participating candidate, about most issues, and among all categories of viewers. (KEH)

Examines the characteristics of incrementalism as it defines the present system in competitive debate. Outlines the strengths and weaknesses of this slow and deliberate pursuit of diverse goals and contends that it holds much argumentative promise. (JMF)

Contends that inherency can be revitalized as a force in academic debate. Focuses on policy interrelationships (or linkages) and maintains they offer fruitful ground for negative theory/tactic development, making a defense of "What is" a more viable alternative to "What should be." (PD)