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Very little is known about older womens anger and, to date, nothing is known about how older women talk about anger. By limiting response options on questionnaires and using pre-determined categories to organize interview data, researchers have traditionally determined what constitutes anger and its expression. The unique focus on anger-talk in the current investigation sheds light on how the interviewer and interviewees co-construct anger within the context of a research interview. I conducted a discourse analysis of seven interview transcripts in order to explore two central questions: (1) how is anger co-constructed in participants discourse? and (2) what is accomplished by those constructions? The older women in the present study used minimizing and distancing strategies to construct anger as within their control, in the past, and forgotten. Through these constructions, the interviewees established that they were not angry women.

Very little is known about older womens anger and, to date, nothing is known about how older women talk about anger. By limiting response options on questionnaires and using pre-determined categories to organize interview data, researchers have traditionally determined what constitutes anger and its expression. The unique focus on anger-talk in the current investigation sheds light on how the interviewer and interviewees co-construct anger within the context of a research interview. I conducted a discourse analysis of seven interview transcripts in order to explore two central questions: (1) how is anger co-constructed in participants discourse? and (2) what is accomplished by those constructions? The older women in the present study used minimizing and distancing strategies to construct anger as within their control, in the past, and forgotten. Through these constructions, the interviewees established that they were not angry women.

This dissertation examines reputation, the belief of the decision maker about types of advisors, in incomplete information games with multiple advisors. The decision maker believes that an advisor can be one of two types – an advisor who is biased towards suggesting any particular advice (bad advisor) or an advisor who has the same preferences as the decision maker (good advisor). I explain why it is not always beneficial for the decision maker to seek advice from two advisors simultaneously compared to seeking advice from a single advisor. It is shown that a strong concern for one’s reputation not to be perceived as a bad advisor can make the good advisor sometimes give wrong advice. Also, if each type of advisor considers his future important, the decision maker is better off having a single advisor. Then I show that, when dealing with two advisors, it is better for the decision maker to seek advice simultaneously since the possibility of obtaining information is lower in sequential cheap talk. I also examine how an individual’s perception of what he thinks of himself (self-reputation) and what others think of him regarding his ability to resist temptation (perception of reputation) affect his actions. It is shown that higher self-reputation and higher perception of reputation help in making resolutions and keeping up with them both in the short and the long run. However, this result requires that individuals find it relatively easy to resist temptation. Also, even those who find it hard to resist temptation can sustain their resolution after telling friends about the resolution in the short run if they value the future more than the present.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 283-291). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

D.Phil. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

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M.A. / This dissertation comprises an exploratory study of the role and functions of communication during growth and transcendence cycles of the unique individual. It moreover explores how the quintessence of the individual, the self, manages and transforms itself, through the use of communication. The exploration focuses on the subjective, inner reality of humanity. The inner, subjective reality of humanity relates to different states and levels of consciousness and corresponding levels of self-awareness. Since an exploration of the nature of the self and its possible confluence with states and levels of consciousness necessitates a multidisciplinary approach, theories and constructs in Psychology, the New Physics (Quantum Physics), Mysticism, and Philosophy are explored and integrated with contemporary, communication notions of the self and consciousness. Integration and inclusiveness consequently form the bedrock of this study. The intrapersonal and transpersonal levels of communication are considered as the derivatives of a subjective, inner reality. The exploration and comprehension of an inner reality are considered to be of prime significance to the management, development, transformation and transcendence of the self: the individual as a unique multifarious being. A pilot study of selfawareness through self-reports indicates that a transcendental spirituality, and consequently an inner, subjective transcendental reality is imminent in every individual. An intrinsic need for equanimity and unity is hence considered as the birthright of every individual and not the exclusive legacy of sages and mystics. The assertion that humanity shares an innate spiritual nature allows the integration of the constructs of the self and levels and states of consciousness, ensuing from the exploration in this study, in a more representative and inclusive model and theory of the self in communication. The relationship between the self, consciousness, and intrapersonal and transpersonal communication is depicted and described in terms of an experiential multidimensional model of intrapsychic communication. This helps to address the exclusion of humanity's archetypal spiritual need to actualise its ultimate and essential being that is not represented hi contemporary communication theory. It is proposed that the term intrapsychic communication be used to represent the total spectrum of communication within the Self. The upper case 'S' in 'Self represents humanity's essential being. This facilitates the incorporation of the spiritual component of the Self into the current dualistic and mechanistic representation of the self in communication theory. The worth of intrapsychic communication, which comprises prepersonal, intrapersonal, transcendental and transpersonal communication, lies in its facilitation of awareness, comprehension, integration and transcendence of an imprisoned and deprived ego-self. Intrapsychic communication consequently represents all the levels of communication within the Self with its corresponding levels of consciousness. Intrapersonal communication facilitates both awareness and integration of the inner subjective reality, and the external sociocultural reality of the ego which is at the core of the Self. Transcendental communication provides the 'crosswalk' or 'crosstalk' between levels of the Self. This is represented as the 'fusion' between the different symbol structures of the different levels of consciousness. Transpersonal communication is the integration, expansion and unification of the Self through archetypal symbol structures. Prepersonal communication refers to the primitive roots of awareness. This model indicates that consciousness cannot be experienced as a distinct experience. Rather, intrapsychic communication facilitates a sense and experience of Self by an individual in different levels of consciousness because of the change of symbol structures, and content and focus of information. Differences of levels in the Self are hence experienced through different forms and levels of communication which facilitate a change in content and focus in consciousness. The inclusion of the archetypal spiritual dimension of the Self, and the indication of an intrinsic need for wholeness, unity and transcendence in intrapsychic communication, dignifies humanity. The possible realisation through intraspychic communication that 'All is One' indicates that such a shared heritage, which is illustrated in the model and which cuts across all cultural and racial boundaries, is needed to address global disharmony and antagonism. The study likewise concomitantly asserts the improvement of interpersonal communication through the fulfilment of humanity's quest for the management, development, transformation and transcendence of its Self. Since the study is of an exploratory nature, and the model of intrapsychic communication is an experiential one, suggestions for further study and research are also made.