Communication is not only cross-cultural but interdisciplinary--in fact, even supradisciplinary. The problem of effective communication lies in coordinating various cognitive structures and in overcoming the lack of knowledge about an individual's perceptual mechanization. In this volume, some twenty-five contributors and discussants from five…

A study of 184 college-age premarital couples on their communications interaction resulted in a revised 40-item scale differentiating between good and poor communication. Utilizing this premarital communication inventory, a second study of 265 couples contemplating marriage was undertaken to establish mean scores. (Author)

The concept of definition of the situation is rooted in the view that human behavior is affected by the environment only indirectly, via the person's image or cognitive map. As a communication concept, however, definition of the situation must also have a relational aspect; an interaction process depends, in part, on the relationship between the…

Article analyses the nature of artificial barriers which a technological society sets up between people by emphasizing product rather than product-as-a-part-of-process. Author looks at encounter groups attempts to break down these barriers. (HB)

Using data drawn from ten initial physician/patient interviews, an original category system was employed to analyze patterns of physician/patient communication. Static analysis, interaction analysis, and Markov chain analysis were used to discover the underlying communication patterns associated with patient satisfaction. Results revealed that…

Describes a perspective designed to examine the structure, function, and process of interpersonal communication to locate the major sources of problems in particular interactions. States assumptions of the perspective, defines the elements and processes of interpersonal communication, suggests ways to use the framework, and describes current…

Analyzes and compares the communication process within effective and ineffective decision-making groups to identify specific behaviors and patterns of communicative behaviors which consistently discriminate between them. Results suggest that effective decision-making groups spend more time interacting and agreeing upon procedural matters than do…

Groups of married couples (N=4) were studied using a measure of their marital communication habits and an intensive personal interview. Analysis of the data revealed that the quality of interpersonal communication between spouses significantly deteriorated across the groups as the degree of suicidal behavior increased. (Author)

Examines how personnel from eleven health professions communicate with patients about pain, and concludes that health professionals lack skills and a viable model for communicating about pain. (MH)

Teachers of different languages diconnect themselves from one another, which fragments the profession. Secondly, the choice and use of language often has a disconnecting force. Theses of a book by Neil Postman are considered concerning ineffective communication and communication that has unreasonable or trivial purposes. (SW)

Methods of communication on the college campus are receiving more attention only to the extent that the college anxieties and problems are attributed to the lack of proper communication. Because colleges are expected to promote the free interchange of ideas, opinions, and information, more effective communication on the campuses can be expected.…

This collection of four papers is the result of an action caucus held in association with the Speech Communication Association's 1972 convention, focusing on developments in the speech communication field since the 1968 USOE/SAA New Orleans conference (ED 028 164). In the first paper, "New Orleans Revisited but Briefly," James E. Roever summarizes…

The purpose of this annual volume is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas concerning international and intercultural human relations. The 16 chapters include discussion of language and information processing in relation to intercultural communication; guidelines for intercultural research; the effects of ethnocentrism on intercultural…

Currently researchers are reexamining the validity of viewing alcoholics outside of their most important social unit: the family. However, a review of the current research shows little directly addressing how communication patterns influence and possibly sustain alcoholic behavior within the family setting. One study suggests that alcoholism and…

Message biasing of upward communication in organizational hierarchies has been an ongoing concern of communication researchers. The purpose of this study was to analyze this distortion in actual message from subordinates to superiors in simulated situations and to determine the effects of favorable and unfavorable situations on message content.…