Craig O. Stewart

Mediated Intergroup Conflict: The Discursive Construction of “Illegal Immigrants” in a Regional U.S. Newspaper

Using an intergroup communication framework, this article examines how a newspaper in southeastern Virginia discursively constructs the “illegal immigrant” as a metonym for Latino immigrants. This mixed methods study traces the development of this newspaper discourse about illegal immigrants from1994 to 2006 using quantitative lexical analysis. It then shows how two local news events further instantiate an illegal immigrant metonymy influencing perceptions of Latinos, subsequent media discourse about immigration, and local immigration policies using critical discourse analysis. The quantitative findings suggest that news discourse focusing on (illegal) immigration tended to use lexical items low in optimism and commonality, consistent with out-group negativity. The qualitative findings show how two incidents involving “illegal immigrants” attached negative stereotypes to this category, which then potentially influenced perceptions of Latinos more broadly. This analysis shows some of the ways that media discourse influences perceived intergroup threats at the local and national levels.

Communication Accommodation in Instant Messaging An Examination of Temporal Convergence

Research on communication accommodation theory in online communication has documented convergence primarily in terms of lexical variables. This article presents the results of two studies that investigate convergence in structural variables in instant messaging (IM) conversations. Study 1 examines zero-history, intragroup dyads participating in a task-based IM conversation. Study 2 examines IM conversations between friends and contrasts social and task-based interactions. Results show interlocutors have a general tendency toward convergence on both the length and duration of individual contributions. Results also show differences reflecting relational (friends vs. strangers) and conversational (task vs. social) context that affect levels of convergence as the conversation continues.

Beliefs About Science and News Frames in Audience Evaluations of Embryonic and Adult Stem Cell Research

This study investigates the influence of demographic variables, beliefs about science, and news frames on ratings of ethics, credibility, and usefulness of embryonic and adult stem cell research. Framing affected only ratings of ethics, in interaction with type of stem cell, with a large difference between embryonic and adult stem cells in a political conflict frame and no difference in a scientific progress frame. Belief that science is neutral with respect to religion and morality was positively associated with ethics and usefulness ratings for embryonic research; frequency of religious attendance was positively associated with ethics, credibility, and usefulness ratings for adult research only. Humanities and social science majors tended to rate both the embryonic and adult research as more credible, as did participants with higher self-reported science interest and exposure. Quantitative analyses are supplemented with qualitative interview data.

The Influence of News Frames and Science Background on Attributions About Embryonic and Adult Stem Cell Research Frames as Heuristic/ Biasing Cues

This study investigated effects of frames, science background, and stem cell source on attributions of ethicality, credibility, and usefulness of stem cell research. Framing did not influence perceptions of ethicality, but science majors tended to perceive embryonic research to be more ethical than did nonscience majors. Nonscience majors perceived stem cell research to be less credible than did science majors in an Economic Prospects frame. Science majors perceived embryonic research to be more useful than did nonscience majors except in a Conflict frame. Results suggest that frames cue heuristics that bias science and nonscience majors’ cognitions about stem cell research differently.

Effects of Verbal Aggression and Party Identification Bias on Perceptions of Political Speakers

Two experiments investigated the effects of verbal aggression, specifically character and competence attacks, on perceptions of political speakers. Verbally aggressive political speakers were perceived as less communicatively appropriate and credible than nonaggressive speakers, and were less likely to win agreement with their messages. Some evidence was found that perceptions were biased in favor of those who share a political party identification with the message recipient, and that more strongly Republican Party–identified participants perceived more verbal aggression in messages with no character and competence attacks and considered verbally aggressive Republicans more tactful.

Socioscientific and epistemic dimensions of support for science: associations with science education and religiosity

ABSTRACT This study investigated deference to scientific authority [Brossard, D., & Nisbet, M. C. (2007). Deference to scientific authority among a low information public: Understanding U.S. opinion on agricultural biotechnology. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 19, 24–52] as it relates to support for science across eight sociocultural domains: the economy, the environment, epistemology, science education for all, public health, race and gender, public policy, and science and religion [Cobern, W. W., & Loving, C. C. (2002). Investigation of preservice elementary teachers’ thinking about science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 39, 1016–1031]. Results revealed that both increased deference to scientific authority and increased support for science were associated with greater science education and lower religious attendance and revealed two underlying dimensions: an epistemic dimension, combining the deference, epistemology, and science and religion scales, and differing based on religious attendance; and a socioscientific dimension, combining science education for all, economy, environment, and public policy scales, and differing based on science education. In summary, this study suggested that low religious attendance was most strongly associated with support for the value of scientific knowledge and authority, while greater science education was most strongly associated with support for science in schools and society. The effect size for religious attendance was substantially larger than that for science education.

Debating LGBT Workplace Protections in the Bible Belt: Social Identities in Legislative and Media Discourse

ABSTRACT This article reports a case study of the legislative and media discourse surrounding the addition of sexual orientation and gender identity language to the employment nondiscrimination ordinance of a city in the heart of the Bible Belt. The purpose of the study is to uncover how different identities were constructed and contested at city council meetings and in the news media on the way to passing legal protection for LGBT city employees in a region that is often characterized by anti-gay prejudice. This debate over the nondiscrimination ordinance centered on the question of whether LGBT identities are equivalent to identity categories based on race, gender, or religious belief, and it was shaped by various intergroup communication dynamics, specifically between members of the LGBT minority and the straight majority, between LGBT and Christian identities, and between “true” and “false” Christian identities.

An Initial Exploration of Students’ Mindsets, Attitudes, and Beliefs About Public Speaking

This study investigated how students’ implicit theory that public speaking abilities can be developed and improved (i.e., growth mindset) was related to their apprehension, perceived competence, and beliefs regarding public speaking. Growth mindset was associated with lower apprehension and higher self-perceived competence. Growth mindset was also associated with the belief that public speaking involves reflection, revision, and adapting to one’s audience rather than merely transmitting information. Correlations were consistent with hypotheses.

The Nature and Role of Science Kits in Affecting Change in Public Attitude Toward Understanding of Science

Science kits have tremendous potential as effective instructional tools for changing the ways people think about science in both formal and informal contexts. However, they can also be a colossal waste of resources if design, implementation, and support are not appropriate. This chapter addresses science kits by first describing what a science kit is. Both commercial and noncommercial types of kits are discussed, including what they do and do not contain. Secondly, the chapter addresses the rationales for the use of kits. These rationales are based in the literature and focus on the efficacy of kits in the teaching and learning of science among diverse populations. Next, we will discuss two example cases of kit implementation. For each example, we will describe the context in which the kit was used and the total cost associated with implementation (both the cost of the kits and support structures including professional development), as well as discuss how the kit was incorporated into the current curriculum structure. Lastly, the chapter wraps up by exploring trends in kit development.