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In this study, we examined the relationship between trait-like communication apprehension (CA) and resting alpha range asymmetry in the anterior cortex (AC). Although theory and research in cognitive neuroscience suggest that asymmetry in the AC constitutes a relatively stable, inborn, substrate of emotion, some studies indicate that asymmetry can be increased by experimentally induced transitory anxiety. Transitory anxiety produced by interaction with strangers covaries with trait-like CA, raising questions regarding whether asymmetrical electrical activity in the AC during data collection represents resting levels as assumed in the literature or transitory reactions to dyadic interaction with the experimenter. Because the question if unanswered poses issues for theory and approaches to remediation, we computed correlations among alpha range asymmetry in the AC gathered by electroencephalograph (EEG) while participants were at rest, transitory anxiety scores referring to the participants' interactions with the experimenter, and CA scores gathered four weeks earlier. Results revealed a partial correlation based on disattenuated correlations, r=0.51, p less than 0.05, between CA and EEG scores when the effects of transitory anxiety due to participant-experimenter interaction were removed. (Contains 5 notes and 2 tables.)

A substantial body of scholarship focused on the processes involved in message planning has accumulated in the communication literature. One of the central tenets of memory models upon which most of the message planning models are based is that dynamic memory systems organize and reorganize knowledge structures to maximize information processing efficiency. Accordingly, efficiency can be achieved by merely retrieving and enacting plans that have achieved goals previously under similar conditions. Plan failure, however, requires alteration or even production of an original plan. Although researchers have relied exclusively on output (e.g., response latency, memory tests) to draw inferences about planning processes, it is possible to observe cognitive processes more directly by measuring cortical responses. In the present study, electrical activity was monitored in the region of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during verbal planning. Results indicated that (a) electrical activity while planning under conditions that permitted enactment of verbal plans that required no modification was significantly lower than during planning in the initial trial but, (b) electrical activity while planning under conditions in which previous efforts failed was significantly higher than during planning in the initial trial. These results provide physical evidence for the hypothetical cognitive processes proposed in the cognitivist models of routine formation.

Examines the relationship between H. Eysenck's personality dimensions (extraversion, neuroticsm, and psychoticism) and communication variables, in three separate studies encompassing more than a dozen communication variables. Finds consistent patterns across the three studies. (SR)

Contends that communication apprehension represents individuals' expression of inborn, biological functioning, antecedent to social experience and therefore independent of social learning processes. Presents a temperament-based conceptualization of communication apprehension; integrates neurologically-based temperament functions into three fundamental propositions based on communication apprehension research; and discusses the implications of this theoretical position. (SR)

It has long been recognized in the nonverbal communication literature that individual differences in extraversion are expected to be most clearly evident in expressive forms of nonverbal behavior. Although several studies designed to examine the correlation between extraversion and nonverbal behavior have been conducted, most attempts to summarize these studies reflect the inconsistent nature of the research findings. Indeed, correlations range from--.36 to .73. The extant literature summaries are limited to narrative reviews, however, which tend to be highly selective. The purpose of this study was to meta-analyze the relevant studies. Results indicated that the mean correlation coefficient weighted for sample size was .13 for the entire sample of studies. Although 63% of the variance was attributable to sampling error, the distribution of correlations was heterogeneous. The remaining variance was due to two methodological artifacts: sample size and the number of nonverbal behaviors coded. For example, hierarchical breakdowns by moderator indicated that the mean correlation was .50 for highly focused studies--those in which researchers concentrated on a few behaviors and limited coding to 40 or fewer subjects. A cognitive-overload model for these findings is offered and corroborated by findings from other research domains. Implications for communication research and theory are discussed. In addition to clarifying the empirical relationship [TEXT INCOMPLETE IN ORIGINAL SOURCE]

This study was undertaken to examine whether the relationships reported in the communication literature between Eysenck's BIG THREE personality dimensions and self-reported patterns of communication behavior remain robust when observation-based measures are used in place of self-reports. Target participants' responses to measures of these three personality dimensions were used to predict peer ratings of two patterns of communication behavior, verbal aggressiveness and affinity-seeking competence. Composite measures for variables were based on the results of confirmatory factor analysis, ensuring both internal and external consistency (parallelism). Results of a path analysis, in which targets' responses to personality measures were employed as exogenous variables and peer ratings of verbal aggressiveness and affinity-seeking competence were used as endogenous variables indicated that these data fit the model extremely well. Importantly, (1) substantial variation in peer rated affinity-seeking competence (R = .55) was attributed to the direct effects of extraversion and neuroticism (negative coefficient), and (2) substantial variation of peer rated verbal aggressiveness (R = .58) was attributable to direct effects of psychoticism and extraversion (negative coefficient) and an indirect effect of extraversion and neuroticism mediated by affinity-seeking competence (negative coefficient). Implications for communication theory and research are discussed.

Over the past ten years, studies comparing monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (fraternal) twin pairs in terms of intelligence, personality, and social behavior have increasingly appeared in major research journals. Importantly, many of the variables examined are central constructs in communication theory. Assertiveness, social anxiety, self-monitoring, and empathy are but a few of the variables studied in the twins literature. In the present study, mean heritability estimates for three clusters (interpersonal affiliation, aggressiveness, and social anxiety) were computed. The studies selected for analysis focused on variables that have been frequently cited in mainstream reference texts and/or professional journals in communication. Conservative data analytic procedures were adopted. Specifically, (1) unless evidence of additive gene effects was absolute, nonadditive gene effects were assumed; (2) unless reliability coefficients were reported in a study, the highest reliability reported in the literature for the measure was employed in correction procedures; and (3) observer ratings, although imperfect, were not corrected for attenuation due to error in measurement. Results indicated that interpersonal affiliation was 70% heritable, aggressiveness was 58% heritable, and social anxiety was 65% heritable. Notably, heritability estimates were not larger for self-report measures than for behavioral observation. Criticisms of the twins design, possible moderators, and theoretical implications are discussed.

Improving the care of persons at the end of their lives is a major priority of medical associations and patient advocacy groups. Central to this effort is the need to better prepare health care surrogates so that they will be able to respect the dying person's wishes if that person loses decision making capacity. But efforts to facilitate communication between dying persons, their surrogates, and health care providers have not been fully successful. We conducted a telephone survey of 174 randomly selected adults from a mid-sized university community to determine whom people wanted to function as their surrogate, to test the hypothesis that overconfidence in the surrogate's ability may impede communication, and to examine gender differences in communication preferences with surrogates. Spouses were the most frequently selected surrogate, followed by an adult child. Women were more likely to be selected than men were. As expected, persons overestimated their surrogates' abilities to represent their interests. Two other predictions were not confirmed. Interactions between gender and whether the person was responding as a patient or surrogate were observed. These results confirm the value of applying uncertainty management theories to health issues and lead to recommendations for improving communication between patients and their surrogate decision makers.

37 participants receiving verbally aggressive messages during a mediated interaction viewed their interactants as less socially attractive.