Investigates the relationship between nonverbal behaviors of immediacy and dominance on teachers' initial impressions of trust toward a supervisor. Notes that supervisor immediacy resulted in higher perceptions of trust than supervisor dominance, and immediacy also rated higher on measures of appropriateness and effectiveness than dominance.…

A growing number of community college faculty incorporate Internet technology into their course delivery, including the use of a supplemental Web site for classroom courses. This study employed hypothetical scenarios and experimental research design to examine students' initial perceptions of teacher credibility and their expectations for learning…

Concerns about the potentially dubious nature of online information and users' ability to evaluate it appropriately prompted this research on college students' use of Web-based information, their perceptions of information credibility, and their online verification behaviors. Two studies were conducted to address these issues. Results of the first…

Political scientists have noted that, in a variety of communication settings, people are less receptive to information that comes from a politically disagreeable source. Yet, there is little research on patterns of communication across lines of political difference in an educational setting, which we argue is unique in a number of ways. Using a…

In this article authenticity is defined by componential concepts, common to spoken and written communication through language, which frame assessments of interchanges produced for "high-stakes" examination purposes. They are referents for analysis and critique of International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme evaluations of second and foreign…

Background: Many studies have described associations between adult psychiatric disorder among adults and their biographic, socio-demographic and social capital characteristics. Fewer studies have focused on children, and most of these have looked at structural indicators of the neighbourhood. Our objective was to examine one aspect of social…

A mail survey of 86 daily college newspapers (91% of the population) measured the adoption rate of digital imaging technology for the routine processing of news photographs to establish the stage of adoption and to assess possible effects of the technology on students' perceptions of newsphoto credibility. Results indicated that 63% reported…

According to narrative theory, stories are told when there is a need to resolve conflicts. Like history, the law, too, has the task of choosing among many stories, designating one as "what really happened." Bernard Jackson suggests that judges, in deciding cases, look for "narrative coherence," that is, internal and external…

The Mass Media Studies section of this collection of conference presentations contains the following 20 papers: "Media Awareness of Media Manipulation: The Use of the Term 'Spin Doctor'" (James W. Tankard, Jr. and Randy Sumpter); "Prime Time Network TV Sex as a Counterprogramming Strategy during the 1992 Winter Olympics: An Analysis…

Examines the role of satire in immunizing receivers to counterarguments and concludes that attitude changes effected in low ego involved subjects are not maintained when influenced by counterarguments. (MH)

This study was undertaken with the goal of assessing perceived value of the media and other sources as credible providers of drug information. The strategy was designed to learn which sources have utility and credibility with youth in providing drug information; whether different message content and delivery style have differential effects upon…

Because negative stereotypes have direct implications for social scientists' functioning and inclusion on multidisciplinary teams working in international development, rural sociologists should be aware of these stereotypes, identify their sources and modes of perpetuation, and utilize strategies to dispel unflattering characterizations.…

A study tested the hypotheses that the relative amount of bad news and good news in a newspaper would have corresponding effects on perceptions of the newspaper's community of origin and of the newspaper itself. Five different versions of a realistic four-page newspaper were created, in which treatment of the news stories ranged from an…

To explore the dimensions of credibility and physical attractiveness in a public relations setting, the impact of public relations (PR) spokesperson physical attractiveness--as operationalized as photographs of the spokesperson attached to a press release--on perceptions of both the writer's and the organization's credibility was examined.…

The professional instructional designer frequently develops instruction for someone else--an outside client, another department of his or her organization, or colleagues who have content knowledge but lack specific instructional skills. The role of consultant poses unique hazards and opportunities, as it requires the use of relationship and…