E. James Baesler

The Temporal Effects of Story and Statistical Evidence on Belief Change

An experiment investigated characteristics of evidence that influenced beliefs across multiple time periods. Respondents, after reading one of four written messages that crossed evidence type (story or statistical) with vividness (vivid or nonvivid), completed belief measures at one of three time intervals (immediate, 48-hour delay, or 1-week delay). Statistical evidence was found to be more persuasive than story evidence. Vivid and nonvivid statistical evidence were persuasive relative to the control at 48 hours, and vivid statistical evidence remained persuasive through 1 week. Neither form of story evidence was persuasive relative to the control at delayed time intervals.

NONVERBAL EXPECTANCY VIOLATIONS AND CONVERSATIONAL INVOLVEMENT

A central feature of nonverbal expectancy violations theory is that unexpected behaviors trigger a cognitive-affective appraisal of such behavior, leading to a valencing of the behavior(s) as positive or negative. It has been proposed that communicator reward mediates the interpretation and evaluation of such violations but may be more important when the violative act is ambiguous in meaning than when it is not. Unclear is whether nonverbal behavioral composites introduce greater or less equivocality of interpretation. Two experiments employing multi-cue conversational involvement violations addressed this issue. In the first, dyads (N=51) engaged in a 10-minute baseline interview, after which participants rated each other on several measures of reward valence. One randomly selected member then served as a confederate interviewee during a second interview and either significantly increased or decreased involvement. In the second experiment, reward was manipulated as physical attractiveness, status, and task expertise. Dyads (N = 60) engaged in prolonged problem-solving discussions during which the confederates either committed an involvement violation or not. In both experiments, the involvement changes were sufficiently unexpected, arousing, and distracting to qualify as violations of expectations. Analysis of message interpretations indicated that (1) relative to normal involvement levels, increased nonverbal involvement was interpreted as most immediate/affectionate, receptive, similar, dominant, and composed, and decreased involvement as least so, and (2) reward mediated only the interpretation of formality. High involvement violations in turn produced greater attraction, credibility, and persuasiveness than low involvement violations for high as well as low-reward communicators, as predicted.

Measurement and reliability of nonverbal behavior

This review synthesizes data on the reliability of nonverbal behaviors, classified according to kinesics, proxemics, haptics, vocalics, turn-taking behaviors, and global assessments, across a wide range of studies. The purpose of the review was (1) to determine which nonverbal behaviors within each classification can be measured reliably and (2) to determine which codes/classifications can be reliably measured. It was found that: (1) most nonverbal behaviors within each classification, except vocalics, can be measured reliably (.80+), (2) the codes themselves, when considered in aggregate form, can be measured reliably (.80+) when using the median as the best estimate. Several qualifications and recommendations for future research are suggested.

Persuasive Effects of Story and Statistical Evidence.

The persuasive effects of story and statistical evidence were examined for three different message topics. Students (N = 100) read three story or statistical messages and completed post-test measur...

Choosing between micro and macro nonverbal measurement : application to selected vocalic and kinesic indices

Selecting the appropriate size of measurement unit in nonverbal research requires empirical as well as conceptual analysis. A definition is offered to distinguish macroscopic from microscopic measurement. Merits of each measurement approach are reviewed briefly in terms of cost, efficiency, precision, and analysis flexibility, and four additional criteria are advocated as central considerations in choosing measurement units: (1) isomorphism between the form of measurement and the phenomenological experience of interactants, (2) reliability, (3) concurrent validity, and (4) predictive validity. These criteria are applied to the analysis of 20 vocalic and kinesic nonverbal behaviors measured microscopically and macroscopically. Reliability and validity results demonstrate that either approach may be acceptable for many behaviors, but that relatively molecular coding may be preferable for highly dynamic and “objective” behaviors, while relatively molar coding may be preferable for static behaviors and perceptual judgments.

Construction and test of an empirical measure for narrative coherence and fidelity

The Narrative Coherence and Fidelity Measure was constructed based on Walter Fishers theory of narration. The final version had satisfactory inter‐item Cronbach alpha reliabilities for both Coherence (.77) and Fidelity (.82). Coherence and Fidelity scores predicted variance in the persuasiveness of oral and written narratives. The first version of the Narrative Coherence and Fidelity Measure accounted for 14 percent of the variance in the persuasiveness of 25 oral stories, and the second version accounted for 42 percent of the variance in the persuasiveness of two short written stories.

Mapping the Landscape of Digital Petitionary Prayer as Spiritual/Social Support in Mobile, Facebook, and E-mail

Traditional prayers can function to provide spiritual and social support for oneself and others. With social media, this support finds a new expression in digital prayers. We map the landscape of digital petitionary prayers for self and others across three different media. In survey one (n = 218), frequency of digital petitionary prayers, described by topic, relationship, place, and outcome, was highest for the mobile medium (phone and text messaging), midrange for Facebook (posting and e-mail), and lowest for traditional e-mail. A second survey (n = 116) revealed that different types and contexts for petitionary prayers are positively associated with love of self, others, and God. Suggestions for future research include investigating the quality and outcomes of petitionary prayers across private, face-to-face, and digital contexts.

Teach peace: assessing instruction of the nonviolent communication and peace course

This paper assesses the efficacy of teaching a new course in the communication curriculum entitled Nonviolent Communication and Peace. Three studies are included: two pilot studies at a large Eastern US university and a final study which also included data from a concurrent study at a large Canadian university. Results from a pre-post instructional design show modest changes in the predicted direction of greater peace for three areas of assessment: (1) greater elaboration and integration of definitions for peace, (2) more agreement with statements about peaceful beliefs and behaviors related to the practice of peace in everyday life, and (3) increased recall for the number of peace role models. Future research includes recommendations for continued development of the peace assessment measure.

Assessing Predictions of Relational Prayer Theory: Media and Interpersonal Inputs, Public and Private Prayer Processes, and Spiritual Health

Theoretical linkages between communication sources (mediated and interpersonal), prayer (public and private), and spiritual health are derived from Relational Prayer theory. These relationships are empirically investigated using quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Participants (N = 151) completed a written survey for extra credit. Mediated sources predicted frequency of private and public prayer better than interpersonal sources. Private and public prayers predicted better levels of spiritual health (closeness to God and strength of religious/spiritual identity). Overall, results provide initial support for the theoretical linkages. Suggestions for future research include expanding types of mediated sources to include new media technologies and exploring the dynamics of interpersonal prayer relationships.