Social Exchange Orientation and Conflict Communication in Romantic Relationships

Prior research has not conclusively established how individuals\u27 social exchange orientation (EO) affects their communication in, and satisfaction with, romantic elationships. Surveying 466 individuals in romantic relationships, we found that concern about being underbenefitted was more strongly correlated with conflict behaviors than concern about overbenefittedness, and that conflict communication influenced the relationship between exchange orientation and relationship satisfaction. We discuss the need for further research to discover how EO may influence communication patterns as relationships develop

Students\u27 Perceptions of Part-time and Tenured/Tenure-Track Faculty: Accessibility, Mentoring, and Extra-Class Communication

This article examines students\u27 perceptions of teacher accessibility and mentoring ability, as well as students\u27 likelihood of pursuing extra-class communication (ECC) with their instructors, as related to teacher employment status. The article begins with an overview of differences between part-time and tenured/tenure-track faculty members, with particular attention to how these differences may impact students\u27 perceptions of instructors\u27 accessibility. It then addresses the mentoring relationship between students and faculty, and discuss how faculty employment status may affect students\u27 beliefs that they will receive useful mentoring from their instructors. Finally, the article introduces the construct of ECC and explores how faculty employment status of instructors may affect students\u27 ECC decisions

Using Appraisal Theory to Predict Emotional and Coping Responses to Hurtful Messages

Based on appraisal theory (Lazarus 1991; 1999), this study examined the degree to which primary and secondary cognitive appraisals of hurtful messages predict the amountof hurt individuals feel, and the coping behaviors they enact. This study presents a significant step forward in its operationalization of both primary and secondary appraisal variables by treating hurt as an outcome, rather than an antecedent, of the appraisal process, and considers an extensive range of coping responses. We surveyed participants (N = 217) about hurtful messages they received within an array of relationship types. The results revealed that fours types of appraisals predicted the amount of hurt recipients experienced. All coping behaviors except positive reappraisal were significantly predicted by the primary appraisals (categories of risk) and secondary appraisals (perceived intentionality and frequency of hurtful messages). The findings explicate appraisal theory’s potential in explaining individuals’ responses to hurtful communication

Interpersonal Dominance in Relational Conflict: A View from Dyadic Power Theory

This investigation uses dyadic power theory (Dunbar, 2004; Dunbar & Burgoon, 2005a; Rollins & Bahr, 1976) to offer competing hypotheses examining the relationship between power and dominance in close relationships. Forty-seven couples engaged in a conversation while being videotaped; the tapes were coded by third-party observers for dominance. Participants rated themselves to be the most dominant when they were equal to their partners in power, followed by those who perceived they were more powerful relative to their partners. Men and women had different perceptions of power and dominance in their relationships. Men’s perceptions of power were not related to their behavioral dominance whereas when women saw themselves as more powerful, they viewed their partners as more dominant