Exploration of the Source-Impression Relationship in Warranting Theory: Other-Generated Content, Perceptions of Warranting Value, and Weight

Many early studies of warranting theory investigated the role of source, often self-generated and other-generated content, in the impression formation process but did not explicitly test perceptions of warranting value and sometimes were met with mixed results. The present study revisits the source-impression relationship and offers explicit tests of some of the assumptions of past warranting theory literature. An additional variable in the impression formation process, weight, is proposed as a potential explanation for past mixed results. The present study finds support for warranting theory in the impression students form of an instructor. Other-generated content has a greater impact on impressions and is higher in warranting value than self-generated content. The role of warranting value and the role of weight in the source-impression relationship is not supported. Implications for the general support of warranting theory but lack of support for clarifying variables are discussed

Exploration of the Source-Impression Relationship in Warranting Theory: Other-Generated Content, Perceptions of Warranting Value, and Weight

Many early studies of warranting theory investigated the role of source, often self-generated and other-generated content, in the impression formation process but did not explicitly test perceptions of warranting value and sometimes were met with mixed results. The present study revisits the source-impression relationship and offers explicit tests of some of the assumptions of past warranting theory literature. An additional variable in the impression formation process, weight, is proposed as a potential explanation for past mixed results. The present study finds support for warranting theory in the impression students form of an instructor. Other-generated content has a greater impact on impressions and is higher in warranting value than self-generated content. The role of warranting value and the role of weight in the source-impression relationship is not supported. Implications for the general support of warranting theory but lack of support for clarifying variables are discussed

Continuing to Advance Warranting Theory: Weight, Time, and Testing the Warranting Value Scale

Warranting theory asserts that individuals are likely to form impressions of others based on information found online that is not easily manipulated by the target of the information. Because existing literature has found inconsistent support for warranting theory, this dissertation conducted a study of warranting theory both through using traditional warranting theory ideas and through testing the possibility of other variables playing a role in the impression formation process. Participants (N = 330) viewed mock websites with information about a professor and then reported on their impressions of the website and the instructor. About 18 days later, participants completed a delayed questionnaire about their impressions of the instructor. Modeling the first set of hypotheses after traditional tests of warranting theory, this dissertation found support for warranting theory. Other-generated content was associated with higher perceived warranting value than self-generated content; a connection that was assumed, but never explicitly tested in existing literature. The role of perceived warranting value in the relationship between source and impression was partially supported, while support was not found for the weight, or importance, of information within the relationship between source and impression. Over time, impressions converged, consistent with sleeper effect literature

Evaluation Communication of Master\u27s Program On the Basis of Google Citations

This paper provides an assessment of Master’s degree programs and faculty research in Communication departments using citations available in Google Scholar. Identification of the Master’s degree programs relied on the National Communication Association website. Individual faculty were identified from the web page of the department for the institution. The combined number of citations to faculty publications identifies the top five departments (University of Alabama-Birmingham, California State University-Fullerton, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, Cleveland State University, and California State University- Long Beach) and the top five most cited faculty members (Stella Ting-Toomey, Virginia Richmond, George Cheney, Kimberly Neuendorf, and Brian Spitzberg). The overall set of information provides useful insights for the expectations for Master’s program faculty productivity

Surf\u27s Up: Communicative Aspects of Online Trust-Building Via Reducing Uncertainty Online in Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is a website community allowing members to offer and receive travel accommodations, with members, typically connecting online before meeting offline. Risky behaviors associated with Couchsurfing require members to have great amounts of trust for the other parties involved. Because trust can be achieved through uncertainty reduction and considering the predicted outcome value, the present study seeks to determine how members seek information online in order to trust other members. An online questionnaire was circulated to Couchsurfing hosts to report about what website features provide the most essential information to trust other members and, within those features, what additionally members look for to build trust. Within each of the website features, essentiality was determined for specific communicative aspects of each feature. Findings indicated that the website features hosts rely on most when making decisions to accept or reject a request are the references and request message. Qualitative responses elaborated on and clarified quantitative findings

Online Course Student Collaboration Literature: A Review and Critique

University online course enrollment continues to rise at a rate higher than that of traditional, face-to-face university education, and several benefits exist to creating a collaborative online course environment. Therefore, a need exists to critically consider existing research about small group work in online courses. The present article provides a meta-synthesis of 41 articles related to this topic. This meta-synthesis includes a review of literature followed by a discussion of critiques and directions for future research about online course student collaboration. Findings from this meta-synthesis include a lack of consistent definitions within literature about student collaboration online, methodological issues in existing empirical studies, and the lack of interdisciplinary contribution to online course small group literature

Effects of mediated communication on conflict behavior, resolution, and affect in romantic couples

Mediated communication such as text messaging influences how romantic couples engage in and perceive conflict interactions, but the precise nature of these effects is unclear. We randomly assigned 43 romantic couples to engage in a conflict interaction either face-to-face (n = 23 couples) or using a text-based messaging application (n = 20 couples). Participants completed self-report measures of positive and negative conflict behaviors (e.g., humor and hostility), perceived progress toward conflict resolution, and positive and negative affect (e.g., inspired and afraid). Participants who engaged in more positive conflict behaviors reported more progress toward conflict resolution and more positive affect. Positive conflict behaviors were lower in text-based than face-to-face interactions. Progress toward conflict resolution, positive and negative affect, and negative conflict behaviors did not differ between text-based and face-to-face conflict interactions. The findings highlight the utility of examining both positive and negative conflict behaviors in mediated conflict and suggest that future research should further examine when and how participants compensate for a lack of nonverbal cues in mediated conflict