Danette Ifert Johnson

Connected Classroom Climate: A Validity Study

Connected classroom climate, which focuses on the role of student–student communication in establishing a positive classroom climate, is a relatively new construct with the potential to enhance the understanding of classroom interaction. Results of this study support both the content and construct validity of Dwyer et al.s (2004) Connected Classroom Climate Inventory as a measure of connected classroom climate. As expected, connected classroom climate was positively related to instructor nonverbal immediacy and student affective learning. Further, connected classroom climate contributed unique variance to affective learning beyond the contributions of instructor nonverbal immediacy. Recommendations for the future utility of this construct are discussed.

Perceptions of Swearing in the Work Setting: An Expectancy Violations Theory Perspective

This study investigates perceptions of swearing from an expectancy violations perspective. Degree of expectancy violation is hypothesized to depend on several communicator, relationship, contextual, and message characteristics. Results support that expectancy violations are related to the formality of the situation in which swearing occurs and the specific swearing phrase. No support is found for swearers sex or status as predictors of expectancy violations. Hearers degree of surprise perceived is associated with perceptions that the speaker is incompetent. These results support the usefulness of expectancy violations theory as an explanation for perceptions of swearing.

Politeness theory and refusals of requests: Face threat as a function of expressed obstacles

This investigation seeks to extend Wilson, Aleman, and Leathams (1998) revision of Brown and Levinsons (1987) politeness theory by focusing on the relationship between face threat and refusals to requests. Results support that (a) when requests are refused, threats to the negative face needs of the requester are more prevalent than threats to the negative face of the refuser and (b) depending on the obstacle underlying the refusal, there are differences in type of threat present to the requesters positive face and the refusers face needs.

The impact of compulsive communicators on the self‐perceived competence of classroom peers: An investigation and test of instructional strategies

Two studies assess the influence of student communication behavior on peer self‐evaluation in basic communication courses. Study 1 explores whether students who are compulsive communicators influence the self‐perceived communication competence of their peers. Results show that students in classes with compulsive communicators have significantly smaller gains in self‐perceived communication competence over the course of a semester than students in classes without compulsive communicators. Study 2 assesses the effects of implementing a cognitive learning strategies model of instruction on students’ self‐perceived communication competence. Results indicate that the cognitive learning strategies model eliminates the suppression effect found in course sections with compulsive communicators.

Relationships Between College Experiences And Alumni Participation In The Community.

This investigation examined relationships between college experiences and alumni participation in community organizations. College experiences were measured by participation in college activities and by perceptions of college contribution to developing intellectual and personal skills. Participation in activities during college was a substantial predictor of alumni participation in community organizations. Perceptions of college contribution to developing intellectual and personal skills were significantly related to alumni participation in community organizations but did not explain significant variance in alumni participation.

Feminine style in presidential debate discourse, 1960–2000

Dow and Tonns feminine rhetorical style is used to evaluate the argument structures used in presidential debate discourse. Results suggest that the feminine style element of references to personal experience is prevalent in debate discourse but that inductive structure and use of anecdotes and examples are less prevalent than one might expect. Further, feminine style elements, including references to personal experience and use of inductive structure, have decreased over time since the 1960 debate. Differences were also found in use of specific feminine style elements by political party, incumbency status and election outcome.

Examining effects of television news violence on college students through cultivation theory

This investigation explored relationships between viewing television news coverage of the September 11, 2001 attacks and perceptions of violence initiated by people outside the United States, negative personal emotions, and personal relationships. Results suggest that amount of television news viewing in the wake of the attacks is related to negative personal emotions, positive views of Islamic individuals in general, and negativity of personal relationships with Islamic peers. These results extend work of Rossler and Brosius (2001) and others arguing that cultivation effects may be genre and/or content specific.

Swearing by Peers in the Work Setting: Expectancy Violation Valence, Perceptions of Message, and Perceptions of Speaker

Swearing is a frequent language form in a number of contexts, including the work setting. This investigation extends research on expectancy violations theory as an explanation for how people perceive swearing by examining violation valence. Study 1 concludes that violation valence is positively related to perceptions of message appropriateness and effectiveness and to perceptions of the speaker. Study 2 replicates these findings using a national sample. These results provide support for the role of expectancy violations in swearing and show that swearing is not always perceived as negative in work settings.

Reintroducing taboo topics: Antecedents and consequences of putting topics back on the table

Relational partners often experience intractable disagreements. When confronting such arguments, they sometimes declare the topic taboo and thereby remove it from further discussion. However, research does not inform as to whether or how such topics can be reintroduced for discussion. We argued that topics are most likely to be reintroduced when the conditions that led to their banishment are no longer relevant. We also anticipated that reintroducing the topic through a planned interaction rather than an unplanned conversation or event would be more common when the topic concerned some aspect of the relationship. However, a planned interaction would be less likely when the topic focused on extra‐relational activities, prior relationships, or attitudinal differences between partners. We also posited that reinstating the topic would create more positive reactions when the reason for reintroduction flowed from changed conditions and was planned than when not. A survey of individuals involved in dating relationships indicates that most could report topics that were once taboo and then reinstated. Our hypotheses were generally supported. Future directions for research are discussed.

Student In-Class Texting Behavior: Associations with Instructor Clarity and Classroom Relationships

This investigation explored instructor clarity and classroom relationships as motivators for student in-class texting. Results suggest that nearly half of students text at least once per class session. Instructor clarity and perceptions of a connected classroom climate were negatively associated with overall texting frequency and frequency relative to other courses. Differences were found between those who reported never texting and those who text at levels lower than or comparable to other courses, but not with those who reported texting more frequently.