Examines audience reactions to informative public speakers' use of self-disparaging humor. Concludes that speakers using such humor may be perceived as more humorous, but also run the risk of reducing their perceived competence, having the audience associate with them less, and producing speeches that are rated as less interesting. (MM)

Examines the effect of varying the quality of evidence in a persuasive message. Concludes that, while good evidence may not be necessary to persuasive communication, poor evidence is detrimental. (PD)

Results of this study indicate that college students' perception of the credibility of faculty members was enhanced by the presence of professionally related and aesthetic objects (plaques, books, paintings, etc.) in the faculty members' offices. Communicative implications of the findings are discussed. (PD)

Investigates four directional hypotheses pertaining to the interactive effects of communicator and message type on attitude change and terminal perceptions of the communicator. (MH)

Contends that subjective or perceived homophily is more important than objective homophily in determining communication outcomes since it is communicator perceptions that influence communicator behavior. (MH)

Indicated that (1) arguments perceived as strong by receivers generated both more favorable, supportive cognitive responses and attitude change than weak message arguments; and (2) perceived source expertise and attractiveness influenced cognitive responses, but not in a coherent fashion or to the extent that they effect attitude change. (JD)

Describes a study of the influence of smoking artifacts on the perceptions of a source's homophily, interpersonal attraction, and credibility. Significant differences were found based upon the type of smoking artifact used and the sex of the subject. (JMF)

Analyzes managers' responses to employee event accounts to explore how managers ascribe meaning to employees' conduct. Suggests that accounts are assessed against a background of prior problematic events, accounts, and evaluations. (RAE)

Data indicate that speakers with relatively high ethos (college professors) can raise their ratings on wittiness/funniness and sense of humor--without damaging their credibility--by making fun of their professional fields, provided they do not at the same time humorously disparage the values of the audience. (PD)

Examines the relationships between vocal activity and three other variables: attribution of quality contributions; perceived listening, and perceived understanding. Concludes that frequency and duration of speech serve as a major mediating variable in communicative relationships. (MH)

Tested 54 college students who were rating videotaped speakers on trustworthiness and their tympanic temperature. Concluded that credibility operationalized as trustworthiness is related to physiological arousal, as measured by tympanic temperature. (PD)

Results of this hypothetical courtroom investigation revealed that the sex of the witness was related to evaluations of his/her credibility and attractiveness when using hedges and intensifiers. Emphasizes importance of language style in forming impressions of witnesses and defendants; discusses results in terms of their implications for sex…