Showing papers in "Journal of Applied Communication Research in 1990"
TL;DR: This paper argued that contemporary life is so unavoidably affected by the organizations to which we belong that it has become necessary to rethink our traditional understanding of both individual and collective rhetoric, and that it is necessary to re-think our traditional understandings of both individuals and groups.
Abstract: Contemporary life is so unavoidably affected by the organizations to which we belong that it has become necessary to rethink our traditional understanding of both individual and collective rhetoric...
139 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the link between interpersonal communication motives and the development of loneliness in the lives of older adults and found that a significant relationship exists between interpersonal communications motives (escape, pleasure, relaxation, cntrol, affection, and inclusion) and feelings of loneliness.
Abstract: Utilizing the interpersonal needs and gratifications perspective as the framework for this investigation, two studies investigated the link between interpersonal communication motives and the development of loneliness in the lives of older adults. Results suggest that (a) the interpersonal communication motives are a viable construct to be studied within this target population, (b) a significant relationship does exist between interpersonal communication motives (escape, pleasure, relaxation, cntrol, affection, and inclusion) and feelings of loneliness, and (c) communication is a significant factor in the development of loneliness within the lives of older adults. Implications of these results are discussed, and suggestions for future research are proposed.
72 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that, whatever else they are, organizations are inherently rhetorical and that rhetoric is inherently organizational, and they explore four topics: organizational rhetoric as a fourth great system of rhetoric, modeling, representational magic, and research and pragmatic implications of the study.
Abstract: The essay argues that, whatever else they are, organizations are inherently rhetorical, and that, whatever else it is, rhetoric is inherently organizational. In order to enhance the understanding of “organizational rhetoric,”; this essay explores four topics: organizational rhetoric as a fourth great system of rhetoric, the “modeling”; of organizational rhetoric, “representational magic”; in organizational rhetoric, and the research and pragmatic implications of the study.
71 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, two situational constraints are examined, a dissent condition which fosters tolerance for dissent, and a mimetic condition, which inhibits dissent, leading to a nexus of the two fields.
Abstract: Two situational constraints are examined, a dissent condition, which fosters tolerance for dissent, and a mimetic condition, which inhibits dissent. The organizational theory concern that organizational values may dominate over individual values, and the rhetorical theory concern regarding the quality of mimesis, are likely the same problem and lead to a nexus of the two fields. Organizational rhetoric which emphasizes hierarchical differences is mimetic. The dissent condition invents forums that welcome opposing views, promote organizational democracy, and hold out the possibility of organizational integration.
47 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the relationship between social support and physical well-being in two adult age groups: the elderly and the non-elderly, and the main effects of the social support measures were discussed in terms of the well established findings regarding the positive relationship between support and well being.
Abstract: Quality and quantity of social support are examined for their differential effects in two adult age groups: the elderly and the non‐elderly. Self report indices of both physical and mental health are employed as the dependent measure of well being. The main effects of the social support measures are discussed in terms of the well established findings regarding the positive relationship between support and well being. The age group differences indicate that while the elderly have more serious physical health problems, they report relatively fewer mental health problems than the non‐elderly group. Quality of social support is more strongly related to physical well being in elderly than in the non‐elderly group.
28 citations
TL;DR: Corporate managements not only use rhetoric to influence persons inside and outside their organizations but also are audiences of their own rhetoric as discussed by the authors, and when this happens, the culture they create shuts them off to alternative interpretations of reality.
Abstract: Corporate managements not only use rhetoric to influence persons inside and outside their organizations but also are audiences of their own rhetoric. In this way, for instance, they become convinced of what they are saying. When this happens, the culture they create shuts them off to alternative interpretations of reality. An excellent example of this phenomenon is the way asbestos industry leaders persuaded themselves that their product was vital and standards of industrial hygiene and product liability would not change. When such changes did occur the culture of the asbestos industry prevented its managements from making the necessary adaptations that would have averted ethical and financial bankruptcy.
17 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, five schools of thought represent useful touchstones for understanding, analyzing, and critiquing the rhetorical products of today's organizations, i.e., managerial discourse as a species of public rhetoric may turn not only to work by social scientists but also to inquiries by progressives, practitioners, rationalists, and polemicists.
Abstract: Organizational communication research heretofore has presupposed a use of statistical‐empirical methods to understand and improve institutional effectiveness and efficiency. Whereas this social science research tradition presents the organization as chiefly a private entity, critical studies of managerial communication question whether the techniques and patterns of institutional speech might weaken the idealized rational‐democratic society. Organizational scholars wanting to treat managerial discourse as a species of public rhetoric may turn not only to work by social scientists but also to inquiries by progressives, practitioners, rationalists, and polemicists. Taken together, these five schools of thought represent useful touchstones for understanding, analyzing, and critiquing the rhetorical products of today's organizations.
10 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that the ability to “read”; the stories members tell provides insight into the culture of a nursing home and how these stories reveal heroes and villains in the organization, explain unwritten rules, provide comic relief for their members, and define success and failure within the facilities.
Abstract: This essay argues that the ability to “read”; the stories members tell provides insight into the culture of a nursing home. Using qualitative techniques, the essay exmines the stories found in nursing homes and demonstrates how these stories reveal heroes and villains in the organization, explain unwritten rules, provide comic relief for their members, and define success and failure within the facilities. Possible applications of the information obtained from stories are also discussed.
7 citations
TL;DR: The authors examines organizational justification for change by analyzing sources of argument used by the Mormon Church to justify first the practice, then the abandonment, of plural marriage, in both cases, premises of argument that combined both transcendent and situational claims allowed the institution to respond to potentially dislocating environmental demands without changing its ideological posture or sacrificing its members' sense of organizational identification.
Abstract: Organizations are highly resistant to ideological change, yet must frequently adapt with their environments. The arguments used to justify change are, therefore, among an institutions most important means of survival. This essay examines organizational justification for change by analyzing sources of argument used by the Mormon Church to justify first the practice, then the abandonment, of plural marriage. In both cases, premises of argument that combined both transcendent and situational claims allowed the institution to respond to potentially dislocating environmental demands without changing its ideological posture or sacrificing its members’ sense of organizational identification.
7 citations
TL;DR: Results indicated that a decline in peripheral speech discrimination is linearly associated with decreased usage of confirmations/backchannels and the overall multivariate pattern of three aligning actions was curvilinearly predicted by age.
Abstract: This study investigated whether presbycusis, the decline in hearing and listening abilities associated with aging, is related to different strategies of managing participation in conversation. Transcribed conversations from four age groups of speakers, namely, young, middle aged, young elderly and old elderly, were coded for the use of various types of aligning actions. Results indicated that a decline in peripheral speech discrimination is linearly associated with decreased usage of confirmations/backchannels. The overall multivariate pattern of three aligning actions was curvilinearly predicted by age. Speakers increase their use of aligning actions in middle age and then after 60 years of age start progressively decreasing their use of aligning actions into old age. The elderly age groups exhibited less variability in their speech discrimination and listening scores than the younger age groups, but were more variable in their use of different aligning actions.
3 citations
TL;DR: The authors identified four circumstances under which communication breakdown is more likely to occur: at points of real or apparent topic change, in the presence of competing foci, during attempts to track the focus in lengthy discourse, and during returns to the dominant topic.
Abstract: Identifying specific communicative malfunctions in natural interaction among elderly adults suffering from memory‐imparing disease has been difficult for researchers. In this paper, the author explores the utility of one particular mechanism for analysis, Sidneys focus processor. The author identifies four circumstances under which communication breakdown is more likely to occur: at points of real or apparent topic change, in the presence of competing foci, during attempts to track the focus in lengthy discourse, and during returns to the dominant topic. The author suggests interactive techniques which may minimize the occurrance of these forms of breakdowns.
TL;DR: The authors compared five studies published in this special issue of The Journal of Applied Communication Research with previous research in communication and aging, noting changes in research methods and topics of investigation, and noted the importance of communication in aging research.
Abstract: The essay compares the five studies published in this special issue of The Journal of Applied Communication Research with previous research in communication and aging, noting changes in research methods and topics of investigation