Ann Burnett

An exploratory study of argument in the jury decision‐making process

Different from most other group decision‐making contexts, courtroom jurors face two distinct layers of argument— arguments made during the trial and arguments made during deliberation. The juror often makes an individual decision prior to deliberation based on arguments heard in court and then, using that decision, creates arguments with the other jurors about “what really happened.” The researchers used Canary, Tanita‐Ratledge and Seibolds (1982) coding scheme to analyze arguments in 80 mock juries. The results revealed that jurors’ arguments were not complex; they used assertions and acknowledgments most frequently, followed by propositions, elaborations, and non‐related arguments. The conclusions suggest practical applications for attorneys as well as a model of argument in jury decision‐making.

The Influence of Biological Sex, Self-Esteem, and Communication Apprehension on Unwillingness to Communicate

Role identity influences communication behaviors, particularly unwillingness to communicate, or the tendency to avoid oral communication, a phenomenon that communication instructors observe in many of their students. This investigation explores the effect of biological sex, self-esteem, and communication apprehension on the reward and approach-avoidance dimensions of unwillingness to communicate. Multiple regression analyses revealed significant relationships between biological sex and self-esteem on the reward dimension and biological sex and communication apprehension on the approach-avoidance dimension. Results suggest that women and men view communication differently and may be socialized to behave differently during communication encounters. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed for communication instructors.

A Regional Analysis of Assertiveness

Co-cultural differences in assertiveness within the United States have not been explored, despite noted regional differences in communication patterns (Andersen, Lustig, & Andersen, 1987). This study examines assertiveness behaviors, focusing on university students from the Upper Midwest (n = 148) and the New York Metropolitan region (n = 159) who completed the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (Rathus, 1973). New York Metropolitan respondents reported significantly higher levels of assertive communication than did respondents from the Upper Midwest. Males in the Upper Midwest region reported significantly higher levels of assertive communication than did females in the same region. Implications for regional differences in assertiveness are discussed.

Men Faculty Gender-Equity Advocates: A Qualitative Analysis of Theory and Praxis

As part of a National Science Foundation (NSF) ADVANCE grant, North Dakota State University (NDSU) created a program of men faculty Advocates to engage in gender-equity/climate improvement efforts. Sixteen men Advocates spent 4 years reading materials, attending NDSU ADVANCE FORWARD programming, and creating training sessions for male faculty gender-equity Allies. The current investigation reviews core aspects of effective Ally preparation programs, and then compares this Advocates program with elements of successful men’s profeminist gender-equity advocacy work. We discovered that the NDSU Advocates used 12 of Berkowitz’s 19 elements, with 4 additional elements present. Implications for this men’s gender-equity advocates program, similar programs at other colleges and universities, and other Ally/advocates programs are discussed.

Farmers’ Cynicism Toward Nature and Distrust of the Government: Where Does that Leave Conservation Buffer Programs?

Farmers are commonly regarded as stewards of the land. Farmers have, however, become cynical toward nature (Meister, Hest, & Burnett, 2009) and distrustful of the government (Cantrill, 2003). This study examines whether or not that cynicism and distrust is reflected in U.S. farmers’ opinions of and future participation in conservation buffer programs, and if so, how these sentiments are manifested. Findings of this study suggest farmers expressed both cynicism and distrust about conservation buffer programs, perhaps suggesting the government is not doing well in communicating about its programs to constituents. Implications and future research are also presented.

Are You My Grandmother?: Constructing and Maintaining Stepgrandparent Identity and Roles

The disruption of the biological family unit due to divorce or separation followed by remarriage or re-partnering has a profound impact on every family member, including extended family members. An individual becomes a stepgrandparent through later life re-partnering, when an adult child becomes a stepparent, or when a stepchild becomes a parent. In order to gain a greater understanding of the communication influencing the development and maintenance of stepgrandparent roles and identity, a qualitative interpretive analysis method was employed as a guide for interviews with 41 adult stepfamily members across two generations of stepfamily membership: stepparents and stepgrandparents.

Weather-Talk, Cynicism, and Agriculture

For the agriculturist, weather-talk performs two significant rhetorical acts that display cynicism toward nature: first, a faith in technology; and second, a conviction in the cultural myths associated with stewardship toward nature. This study explores these two themes by discussing the results of ethnographic interviews conducted with farmers. Whereas Aldo Leopold (1949) articulated a need for a moral relationship with nature, this study illustrates that contemporary weather-talk amends stewardship with rhetorical cynicism. The stewardship ethic embodied by agriculture is transcended into a cynicism whereby nature is distrusted and elusive.

Strategically Mean: Extending the Study of Relational Aggression in Communication

In this chapter we draw connections between current research on relational aggression in psychology, education, new media studies, and communication to make a case for extending the study of relational aggression by communication scholars. We also challenge the prevailing conceptualization of relational aggression as a pathological trait specific to young girls, arguing that it should be studied as a situation-specific communication strategy, employed by individuals of all ages for particular purposes and toward specific ends, using multiple modes of communication. We conclude with four recommendations for future research on relational aggression in the field of communication.

Using Multiple Coding Schemes to Understand Argument in In the Jury Room

The present study analyzes argument in jury deliberations by using the Conversational Argument Coding Scheme (CACS) and the content of juror argument using Subject Matter Argument Assessment (SMAA) (Pettus, 1990). The main purpose is to illustrate how the two coding schemes can complement each other to provide rich yet systematic characterization of argument in jury deliberation. Jury deliberations drawn from In the Jury Room, a televised news series on jury deliberation, are coded and analyzed using CACS and SMAA. The researchers found that using two argument coding schemes is beneficial in learning about the types of arguments jurors make and the subject matter about which they argue. The study results are compared with findings from previous studies of juror argument behavior, suggesting that argument in mediated juries differs from argument in mock juries.