Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 222-237). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 222-237). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.A.)--Briercrest Biblical Seminary, 1999. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-108).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-160). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (M.P.A.)--Kutztown University, 1996. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2933. Abstract precedes thesis as [3] preliminary leaves. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-122).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 2003. / Title from title page screen (viewed Sept. 18, 2003). Thesis advisor: Janis Appier. Document formatted into pages (iii, 119 p.). Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 102-113).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-164). Also available on the Internet.

Not available / text

High causally uncertain (CU) individuals experience lingering doubts about their ability to determine the causes of social events (Weary & Edwards, 1994). Furthermore, these people tend to perceive their interactions and conversational partners more negatively (Boucher & Jacobson, 2009). However, the reasons for these negative reactions remain unclear. Therefore, the purpose of the current set of studies was to explore two possible explanations for these reactions. Specifically, in three studies, I examined if insufficient uncertainty reduction or negative interpersonal expectations mediate the relationship between causal uncertainty and liking for a recent acquaintance. In Study 1 (N = 114), participants engaged in a brief unstructured dyadic conversation, whereas in Study 2 (N = 176), they engaged in three conversations with different partners. Finally, in Study 3 (N = 220), I examined the effects of temporarily activating causal uncertainty beliefs during initial interactions. As predicted, causal uncertainty was negatively associated with liking and uncertainty reduction. In Studies 1 and 2, high CU participants reported more uncertainty about themselves and their partner, and less liking than did low CU participants. Although chronic levels of causal uncertainty in Study 3 were not associated with liking or uncertainty reduction, participants who reported more current feelings of uncertainty also reported more uncertainty about themselves and their partner, and less liking. More importantly, uncertainty reduction fully mediated the effect of causal uncertainty on liking in Study 1 and partially mediated the effect of current uncertainty feelings on liking in Study 3. Therefore, high CU people’s negative social perceptions appear to stem, at least in part, from an inability to reduce their social uncertainty during initial interactions. In contrast, the relationship between causal uncertainty and interpersonal expectations remains unclear. Although causal uncertainty (as well as current uncertainty feelings) in Studies 1 and 3 were not associated with negative interpersonal expectations, high CU participants in Study 2 did report more negative expectations for their first conversation relative to low CU participants. Furthermore, although causal uncertainty was positively related to rejection sensitivity, rejection sensitivity was unable to account for the causal uncertainty effects on liking. / Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2009-07-24 15:13:51.847

The purpose of this study was to test the relationship among sense of humor and three constructs: stress, humor as a coping mechanism, and communication apprehension. The participants were 352 midwestern university students. Respondents answered Likert type scales regarding the constructs.Pearson's correlations were computed to test the hypotheses and research questions. The results show significant, though not strong, relationships among all variables regarding sense of humor: stress, humor as a coping mechanism, and communication apprehension. The relationships between sense of humor and the two constructs, stress and communication apprehension, are unexpectedly positive. There are nonsignificant results between communication apprehension and stress.Since the results between sense of humor and stress are contrary to previous research and this is an original test between sense of humor and communication apprehension,further research is indicated. Future reliability and validity checks on the instrument are necessary. / Department of Speech Communication