<p>The hyperpersonal model predicts computer-mediated communication can allow for relationships formed in that medium to become more intimate than their offline counterparts. Specifically, it combines ideas first presented in social information processing (i.e., that the volume of information exchanged over time within computer-mediated relationship is more important than how long it takes to exchange that volume) with the technological affordances given to the sender, receiver, message, and channel in order to create a feedback loop of assumed good intentions within the CMC medium that allows for online relationships to surpass face-to-face relationships in terms of their emotional intimacy. Existing research has shown that a variety of factors influence how people feel about an online friend, including the richness of the medium, personality, and the amount of emotional self-disclosure that had been exchanged within the relationship. However, studies to date have inconsistently measured self-disclosure and largely rely on survey or experimental methods rather than the examination of existing text-based datasets. This study proposes and tests a model that the relationship between an initial person’s emotional self-disclosure and the reciprocal self-disclosure the friend responds with in a CMC medium is mediated by the degree to which their language converges, or the degree to which they empathize with each other, and is moderated by the volume of text exchanged by the pairs during their relationship. The study uses a corpus of the text messages exchanged between 2,174 pairs of people. The results indicate that there is an indirect relationship between initial self-disclosure and reciprocal self-disclosure which is mediated by is empathetic convergence. Furthermore, the volume of information exchanged may also play a role in some of these interactions. This study offers implications and suggestions for refining the hyperpersonal model to be applicable in the current digital zeitgeist.</p>

During the 21st century, colleges have increasingly leveraged online-based courses as a means of instruction, and although public speaking ability is among employers’ most in-demand skills for college graduates, there exists a scarcity of research measuring students’ public speaking skill development in online courses. Even fewer studies measure public speaking skill development in online courses compared to the same skill development in classroom-based versions of the same courses taught by the same instructors. Given this background, the current study used analysis of variance with repeated measures to determine whether face-to-face Business Communication students’ presentation skills improved more than, less than, or the same as those of online Business Communication students. This design enabled measurement of the dependent variable of presentation skill improvement, in groups of students separated by the independent variable of course delivery format—classroom or online—over time. This design also allowed the researcher to control for the variable of instructor; instructor bias was controlled for by only comparing students enrolled with, and therefore taught and evaluated by, the same instructor in both modalities. Furthermore, to uncover additional findings related to student choice of and success in online courses, two more sets of analyses were conducted. The first computed change scores between the repeated-measures tests for each of the eight assessment criteria, as well as the total across the eight criteria, and correlated these change scores with other student data where this analysis was appropriate (for example, with SAT/ACT scores). The second set of analyses added blocking variables—sex, race, and other background data—to the analysis of variance with repeated measures. Evident from these analyses was that the rate at which public speaking sub-skills developed over the ten-week period between repeated-measures assessments was not uniform. Changes in performance varied by assessment criterion, course modality, and student background. Online student performance tended to improve at a marginally greater rate in assessments of Body Language and tended to diminish at a marginally lesser rate in assessments of Quality & Quantity of Information, whereas face-to-face student performance improved at a significantly greater rate in assessments of Audience & Team Engagement. In this latter criterion, the performance of online male students decreased somewhat, whereas the other subgroups—per sex and course modality—showed essentially no difference in the rate of improvement from pre-test to post-test. Additional findings suggested that online students tended to work more employment hours than classroom-based students and that, regardless of course modality, the higher the education level a student’s parents have attained, the more likely the student was to make learning gains in the course. / Educational Administration

Este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar referenciais de competências comunicativas interpessoais e propor bases teórico-metodológicas para o aprendizado da comunicação interpessoal no ensino da Enfermagem. Abordando questões norteadoras sobre competência em comunicação interpessoal, utilizou-se referencial teórico de comunicação e método de análise de conteúdo em 13 discursos de professores de Enfermagem, especialistas em comunicação. Os resultados obtidos representam que a competência em comunicação é um processo interpessoal que deve atingir o objetivo dos comunicadores, pressupor conhecimentos básicos de comunicação, ter consciência do verbal e do não-verbal nas interações, atuar com clareza e objetividade, promover o autoconhecimento e, conseqüentemente, ter a possibilidade de uma vida mais autêntica. Os sujeitos relatam que a expressão da competência comunicativa está, necessariamente, no vivenciar o cotidiano profissional e pessoal, ouvindo o outro, prestando atenção na comunicação não-verbal, validando a compreensão das mensagens, sendo capaz de eliminar as barreiras impostas à comunicação, demonstrando afetividade e investindo no autoconhecimento. O desenvolvimento da competência comunicativa verifica-se pelo estímulo recebido desde a graduação, pelas leituras de aprofundamento do tema, pela prática profissional e realização de pesquisas e publicações na área. O ganho alcançado com a competência em comunicação interpessoal resulta em relações profissionais e pessoais mais significativas, maior autoconsciência e aceitação das diferenças do outro, ampliação dos caminhos do ensino e da pesquisa e conquista de um bem-estar. Os teóricos mais citados como referenciais, pelos sujeitos do estudo, foram: Stefanelli MC., Silva MJP., Travelbee J., Littlejohn SW., Davis F., Rogers CR., Sullivan HS., Ruesch J., Peplau HE., Bales RF. e Moscovici F. As bases metodológicas propostas para o aprendizado e ensino da comunicação interpessoal em Enfermagem, são: assumir a comunicação como base para o cuidar, ensinar os fundamentos teóricos da comunicação no início da graduação, desenvolver a competência de todos os professores em comunicação, vincular a prática assistencial com o ensino da comunicação, acompanhar a progressão da competência comunicativa no aluno e vivenciar a comunicação efetiva com as pessoas na escola. Os resultados que emergiram deste estudo permitem considerar a competência em comunicação interpessoal, como uma habilidade fundamental a ser adquirida pelo enfermeiro, sabendo que esta lhe possibilitará um cuidar consciente, verdadeiro e transformador. / This study aimed at characterizing references of interpersonal communicative competence and proposing theoretical methodological bases for interpersonal communication learning on nursing teaching. Through guiding questions about competence on interpersonal communication, the theoretical reference of communication and the method of the content analysis in thirteen communication expert nursing teachers’ speeches were used. The results show that competence in communication is an interpersonal process which must reach the communicator’s objectives, require basic knowledge of communication, have verbal and non-verbal perception in the interactions, act clearly and objectively, develop self-knowledge and, therefore lead to the possibility of a more legitimate life. The subjects report that the communicative competence expression is necessarily, in the living of the professional and personal every day life, listening to the other, perceiving nonverbal communication, validating the message understanding, being able to break communication barriers, showing affection and developing self-knowledge. The development of a communicative competence has been reached by the stimulus received since the undergraduation course, by reading deeply the theme, by professional practice and by accomplishing research as well as publishing in the field. The benefits originated from competence in interpersonal communication lead to a more significant professional and personal relationship, a better self-knowledge and acceptance of the other’s differences, a widening on ways of teaching and researching as well as an achievement of welfare. The most cited theorists as reference by the study subjects were as follows: Stefanelli MC., Silva MJP., Travelbee J., Littlejohn SW., Davis F., Rogers CR., Sullivan HS., Ruesch J., Peplau HE., Bales RF. E Moscovici F. The target methodological bases for interpersonal communication learning and teaching in nursing are: assuming communication as the basis for caring, teaching the communication theoretical principles in the beginning of the undergraduation course, developing the communication competence of all teachers, linking assistance practice to communication teaching, following the student communicative competence progression and living the effective communication with people in the school. The results coming out from this study allow us to consider competence in interpersonal communication as a major ability to be acquired by the nurse, being aware that it will enable a conscious, true, and transforming care.

Die vorliegende Dissertation geht der Frage nach, welchen Einfluss kognitiv geprägte Persönlichkeitsmerkmale auf das gegenseitige Verständnis zwischen Gesprächspartnern haben. Intelligenz und Bewertungsdispositionen werden als Haupteffekte untersucht. Zudem wird dem Einfluss von dyadischen Persönlichkeitsunterschieden auf das zwischenmenschliche Verständnis sowie der Frage, ob sich Hochbegabte in ihrer sozialen Anpassung von einer Vergleichsgruppe von Universitätsabsolventen unterscheiden, nachgegangen. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass Personen einen Zusammenhang zwischen der Intelligenz ihrer Interaktionspartner und der Qualität der jeweiligen Beziehungen wahrnehmen. Dieser Effekt lässt sich jedoch (mit Ausnahme des Wortschatzes) nicht durch psychometrische Intelligenzmessungen bestätigen. Zweitens liefern die Ergebnisse der Studie keine belege für die Behauptung, dass zwischenmenschliche Persönlichkeitsunterschiede die Qualität der Kommunikation beeinträchtigen. Drittens stellt sich die Stichprobe von Hochbegabten als weniger sozial angepasst dar als die Stichprobe von Hochschulabsolventen. Es gibt jedoch Hinweise darauf, dass dies nicht durch ihre extrem hohe Intelligenz, sondern durch eine Stichprobenverzerrung hin zu Anpassungsproblemen verursacht wird. Insgesamt zeigen die Ergebnisse, dass das zwischenmenschliche Verständnis einen bedeutsamen Faktor für die Entwicklung enger Beziehungen darstellt. Allerdings legt der geringe Einfluss von Intelligenz und Bewertungsdispositionen auf die Qualität dyadischer Interaktionen den Schluss nahe, dass die meisten Menschen die Anforderungen zwischenmenschlicher Interaktionen auch meistern können, ohne über eine hohe Intelligenz zu verfügen. Darüber hinaus scheint es den meisten Gesprächspartnern zu gelingen, einander trotz dyadischer Unterschiede in ihrer Persönlichkeit zu verstehen. / The current dissertation investigated the role of cognitive personality traits on the mutual understanding between interaction partners. For this purpose, main effects of intelligence and dispositional valuations were studied. In addition, it was asked whether within-dyad personality differences affect mutual understanding and whether gifted individuals differ from a comparison group of university students in their level of social adjustment. Results indicated that individuals perceive a relation between the intelligence level of their interaction partners and the quality of their social relationships. However, such an effect could not be replicated with psychometric intelligence measures (with the exception of vocabulary). Second, the results of the current study did not support the contention that dyadic personality differences constrain communication quality. Third, it could be shown that the sample of gifted individuals was less well adjusted than the sample of university alumni. However, several indications were found that this was not due to their extremely high intelligence but to an oversampling of gifted individuals with adjustment problems. Together, the results showed that mutual understanding is an important factor in the development of close relationships. However, the limited impact of intelligence and dispositional valuations on the quality of dyadic interactions suggests that most people are able to cope with the demands of interpersonal interactions without having a high intelligence level. In addition, most conversation partners seem able to understand each other in spite of within-dyad personality differences.

Este estudo objetivou conhecer as expectativas do paciente fora de possibilidades terapêuticas e sob cuidados paliativos com relação à assistência de enfermagem durante o processo de morrer, assim como identificar as necessidades destes pacientes relacionadas à comunicação com a equipe de enfermagem. Os dados foram coletados no primeiro semestre de 2005, por meio de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com questões norteadoras, junto a trinta e nove pacientes oncológicos sem prognóstico de cura, com limitação na capacidade de realizar atividades e submetidos à quimioterapia paliativa em uma instituição hospitalar da cidade de São Paulo. Após transcrição fiel das falas, os dados foram analisados segundo a metodologia de análise do conteúdo. Dos discursos dos entrevistados emergiram seis categorias, que evidenciaram o sofrimento multidimensional do câncer e seu tratamento, o fato de que apesar do sofrimento, a vida continua; a espiritualidade e a família enquanto fontes de apoio e estímulo para o enfrentamento da doença oncológica avançada. Revelam ainda a assistência de enfermagem desejada e o papel de destaque que representam a comunicação e o relacionamento interpessoal para quem enfrenta o processo de morrer. Concluiu-se que os pacientes entrevistados resgataram o valor da relação humana baseada na empatia e compaixão como base para o cuidado que esperam, desejando do profissional de enfermagem habilidade técnico-científica para a realização de ações que aliviam o sofrimento, especialmente o adequado controle da dor, comportamento empático e compassivo, informação e suporte emocional. A comunicação interpessoal comprovou ser importante atributo do cuidado paliativo à medida que o valor atribuído à mesma sobressaiu-se dos discursos, evidenciando a atenção dada aos sinais não–verbais do profissional para o estabelecimento do vínculo de confiança, a necessidade da presença compassiva, o desejo de não focar a interação e o relacionamento apenas na doença e morte e a valorização da comunicação verbal alegre, que privilegia o otimismo e o bom humor. / The objective of this study was to know the expectations of the patients who have no therapeutic possibilities and who are under palliative care regarding nursing assistance during the dying process, as well as to identify these patients’ needs related to communication with the nursing team. The data were collected during the first semester of 2005, through half-structured interviews with guided questions, among 39 oncologic patients without healing prognosis, having a limited capacity to perform activities and subjected to palliative chemotherapy in a hospital institution of the city of São Paulo, Brazil. After loyal transcription of the speeches, the data were analyzed according to the methodology of content analysis. From the interviewee speeches six categories emerged that proved the multidimensional suffering of cancer and its treatment, the fact that regardless of the suffering, life goes on; that spirituality and the family while acting as sources of support provide stimulation for confronting an advanced oncologic disease. The interviewees also revealed the nursing assistance which they desire and the role of note which represented the communication and interpersonal relationship for those who face the dying process. Therefore, it can be concluded that the interviewed patients redeemed the value of human relationships based on empathy and compassion as basis for the care they expect, desiring from the nursing professional a technical-scientific ability to perform actions necessary to relieve the suffering, especially an adequate control of pain, empathy and compassionate behavior, well informed and emotionally supportive. Interpersonal communication proved to be an important attribution to palliative care as long as its value has been prominent in the speeches, paying particular attention to the non-verbal signs of the professional for establishing a link of trust, the necessity of compassionate presence, the desire of not focusing the interaction and the relationship only on the disease and death and in its place concentrating on a cheerful verbal communication favoring optimism and good humor.

Este estudo objetivou conhecer as expectativas do paciente fora de possibilidades terapêuticas e sob cuidados paliativos com relação à assistência de enfermagem durante o processo de morrer, assim como identificar as necessidades destes pacientes relacionadas à comunicação com a equipe de enfermagem. Os dados foram coletados no primeiro semestre de 2005, por meio de entrevistas semi-estruturadas com questões norteadoras, junto a trinta e nove pacientes oncológicos sem prognóstico de cura, com limitação na capacidade de realizar atividades e submetidos à quimioterapia paliativa em uma instituição hospitalar da cidade de São Paulo. Após transcrição fiel das falas, os dados foram analisados segundo a metodologia de análise do conteúdo. Dos discursos dos entrevistados emergiram seis categorias, que evidenciaram o sofrimento multidimensional do câncer e seu tratamento, o fato de que apesar do sofrimento, a vida continua; a espiritualidade e a família enquanto fontes de apoio e estímulo para o enfrentamento da doença oncológica avançada. Revelam ainda a assistência de enfermagem desejada e o papel de destaque que representam a comunicação e o relacionamento interpessoal para quem enfrenta o processo de morrer. Concluiu-se que os pacientes entrevistados resgataram o valor da relação humana baseada na empatia e compaixão como base para o cuidado que esperam, desejando do profissional de enfermagem habilidade técnico-científica para a realização de ações que aliviam o sofrimento, especialmente o adequado controle da dor, comportamento empático e compassivo, informação e suporte emocional. A comunicação interpessoal comprovou ser importante atributo do cuidado paliativo à medida que o valor atribuído à mesma sobressaiu-se dos discursos, evidenciando a atenção dada aos sinais não–verbais do profissional para o estabelecimento do vínculo de confiança, a necessidade da presença compassiva, o desejo de não focar a interação e o relacionamento apenas na doença e morte e a valorização da comunicação verbal alegre, que privilegia o otimismo e o bom humor. / The objective of this study was to know the expectations of the patients who have no therapeutic possibilities and who are under palliative care regarding nursing assistance during the dying process, as well as to identify these patients’ needs related to communication with the nursing team. The data were collected during the first semester of 2005, through half-structured interviews with guided questions, among 39 oncologic patients without healing prognosis, having a limited capacity to perform activities and subjected to palliative chemotherapy in a hospital institution of the city of São Paulo, Brazil. After loyal transcription of the speeches, the data were analyzed according to the methodology of content analysis. From the interviewee speeches six categories emerged that proved the multidimensional suffering of cancer and its treatment, the fact that regardless of the suffering, life goes on; that spirituality and the family while acting as sources of support provide stimulation for confronting an advanced oncologic disease. The interviewees also revealed the nursing assistance which they desire and the role of note which represented the communication and interpersonal relationship for those who face the dying process. Therefore, it can be concluded that the interviewed patients redeemed the value of human relationships based on empathy and compassion as basis for the care they expect, desiring from the nursing professional a technical-scientific ability to perform actions necessary to relieve the suffering, especially an adequate control of pain, empathy and compassionate behavior, well informed and emotionally supportive. Interpersonal communication proved to be an important attribution to palliative care as long as its value has been prominent in the speeches, paying particular attention to the non-verbal signs of the professional for establishing a link of trust, the necessity of compassionate presence, the desire of not focusing the interaction and the relationship only on the disease and death and in its place concentrating on a cheerful verbal communication favoring optimism and good humor.

Approximately 15% of all new marriages in the United States in 2010 were between spouses that shared different racial or ethnic backgrounds from one another. Socha and Diggs (1999) began to examine race as both an outcome of family communication as well as a factor that influences children's communication development in families because of the social pressure multiethnic families endure to fit a nuclear family model. This study utilized dyadic interviews of eleven multiethnic parent couples (N = 22 individuals; 11 dyads) in order to gain a deeper understanding of Hispanic-Caucasian multiethnic family systems. Communication in families plays a foundational role in many aspects of society and socialization of the young. However, slim research has addressed how communication in families affects the understandings of ethnicity and the formation of social identities as a social construction (see Hecht, Collier, & Ribeau, 1993; Socha & Diggs, 1999; Socha, Sanchez-Hucles, Bromley, & Kelly, 1995). Researchers in the social sciences, especially in communication, must recognize that the sanctuary of the home may be generating the keys to understanding problems concerning social identity formation and diversity. Thus, there is a need for communication research at the crossroads of ethnicity, family, and identity. This dissertation highlights family factors that may influence Hispanic-Caucasian multiethnic children’s social identities as well as family communication within Hispanic-Caucasian multiethnic family systems. This study explicates multiethnic families through the lens of communication accommodation theory (CAT; Giles, 1973), social identity theory (SIT; Tajfel & Turner, 1979), and self-categorization theory (SCT; Turner, 1985; Turner, 1987), explicitly overviewing the intersection of interpersonal and intergroup communication (Giles, 2012). This study provides insights to both theoretical expansion and practical application within Hispanic-Caucasian multiethnic family systems. Ultimately, this study addresses questions such as: a) How do Hispanic-Caucasian multiethnic family systems communicate surrounding topics of race and ethnicity, b) How do Hispanic-Caucasian multiethnic families discuss components of social identity (e.g., ethnic identification for multiethnic children), and c) What challenges are unique to Hispanic-Caucasian multiethnic family systems?

Female breast cancer patients are often confused, frustrated, and devastated by changes occurring in their bodies and the treatment process. Many women express frustration and concern with the inability to know what the next phases of their life will bring. Previous research also states that many women struggle to communicate with others about treatment as well as side effects. This research examined how woman are use metaphors to describe their experience with breast cancer, specifically throughout the treatment period related to body image struggles. I qualitatively conducted interviews with women who were either currently in treatment or just finishing. My interview questions related to their uncertainties, as well as the changes occurring to their bodies. After conducting the interviews I transcribed the conversations and coded for specific metaphors. The results were consistent with previous research, in that that the interviewees used at least four major metaphors to describe what they are going through. The four most prominent metaphors were (1) journey, (2) game, (3) struggle/fight, (4) grasping. The findings could benefit patients, nurses, physicians as well as family and friends to reduce stress and help with coping. The findings may also help female patients struggling with identity issues due to lumpectomies or mastectomies. Understanding how patients comprehend the disease can ultimately help others to understand and hopefully reduce some of the concerns of all those involved in such situations.

An individual's struggle with "self," which consists of personal identity and social identity, can create both intra- and interpersonal conflict. In this study, I explored how such struggles inform identity-based conflict and how such conflicts are addressed by intergroup dialogue. A dialogue was conducted with University students, consisting of discussions about participants' struggles with "self" and social identity. These conversations were analyzed using a mixed methods and content analysis approach. The study revealed that identities such as gender play significant roles in creating conflict within "self" and with others. National origin, race, and ethnicity also affect personal identity; however, these identities have greater influence on participants' relationships with others. Four different stages of dialogue were crucial in determining changes in the perceptions of participants. It was learned that dialogue helped participants to give new meaning to their identities. Individual "self"--personal identity--defines each person's ability to understand others, not the social identity. Participants reported their level of trust, openness, and willingness to engage with people not from their own identity group increased and improved because of their participation in the dialogue. Therefore, dialogue can be a valuable tool to understand and transform identity-based conflicts.

Strategies for Developing Interpersonal Communication Skills for Business Students by Sharon A. Pope M.B.A., Cleveland State University, 1995 M.S.H.P/A., University of Cincinnati, 1983 B.Ed., University of Toledo, 1981 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education Walden University December 2015 Research has shown that interpersonal communication skills (ICS) are important for employment success, particularly if they are learned by students during college. A private university in Ohio identified the need to enhance students' ICS; however, the university's faculty lacked strategies to teach those required skills. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate perceptions of key administrative staff (KAS), faculty, and alumni about the implementation of ICS instruction to foster students' work-ready skills. Guided by the social skill component of Goleman's emotional intelligence theory and related research, this study examined key applications of ICS including communication, collaboration, conflict management, and cross cultural awareness. Three KAS with extensive knowledge of university practices were purposefully sampled to take part in a focus group addressing current and recommended ICS instructional strategies. Network sampling, informed by the KAS, identified 23 faculty members who completed an open-ended online questionnaire and 4 alumni who participated in semi-structured interviews targeting their perceptions of ICS in the classroom. In addition to these sources of data, the researcher's reflective journal was analyzed to examine implementation and perceptions of current and alternate ICS instructional strategies. Data were transcribed, reviewed, then coded inductively without a prior list of codes resulting themes of presenting, self-branding, group/team work, networking, global awareness, and diversity. These findings were used to create a faculty professional development series on effective ICS instruction that can be used to promote positive social change for the university, students, and community by preparing graduates ready for success in the workforce.