Michael Sunnafrank

At First Sight: Persistent Relational Effects of Get-Acquainted Conversations:

Previous research has demonstrated that relational partners make decisions within the first few weeks of a relationship that determine the long-term nature of the relationship. The study reported here extends that research, predicting that such decisions and influences are apparent after brief first encounters. Students in several sections of a skills-oriented communication course reported reactions to a randomly assigned classmate after a brief conversation on the first day of class and the status of their relationship during week 9 of the term. Predicted Outcome Value Theory was employed to generate hypotheses. Results strongly support the theory, with perceptions formed during initial conversations influencing relationships in week 9.

Attitude similarity and interpersonal attraction in communication processes: In pursuit of an ephemeral influence

The present study focuses on a conception of the attitude similarity‐attraction relationship based on communication processes. It extends the work of Sunnafrank and Miller on the similarity‐attraction relationship in initial interactions to include later conversational stages involving attitudinal discussions. It is suggested that past studies of this relationship in early stages of acquaintanceship have employed highly atypical communicative processes in examining the influence of attitudinal discussions on attraction producing results of questionable generalizability. The results of this research indicate that the positive similarity‐attraction relationship observed in most past studies will not generalize to normal communicative relationships in which attitudinal discussions take place when those discussions occur in the context of more typical communicative processes. Ramifications of this finding for the conventional scientific wisdom regarding the attitude similarity‐attraction relationship are disc...

Predicted Outcome Value in Initial Conversations

This study provides an initial test of several predicted outcome value theory (Sunnafrank, 1986) propositions. Findings supported all hypotheses tested, demonstrating that during initial conversations predicted outcome value is strongly and positively related to amount of verbal communication, intimacy of communication content, nonverbal affiliation, liking, and perceived similarity.

Interpersonal Attraction and Attitude Similarity: A Communication-Based Assessment

Critically reviewing and synthesizing a century’s worth of accumulated research, this chapter demonstrates that there is little evidence to support the generally held “scientific” belief that attitude similarity increases attraction. To the contrary, the great preponderance of evidence indicates that attitude similarity is not a motivating force in most types and stages of relationships. Explanations for the development of this erroneous belief are suggested and the theoretical attempts to reinterpret the research literature are examined. Influences of, and on, communication are featured throughout the chapter. The chapter concludes with an examination of several key communication issues arising from this iconoclastic perspective.

A communication‐based perspective on attitude similarity and interpersonal attraction in early acquaintance

>This study examines past conflicting evidence on the relationship of attitude similarity and interpersonal attraction in early acquaintance. The results suggest that the conflict in the findings is due to differences in the communicative environments used in research. In the present study, attitude similarity and interpersonal attraction were positively related only in highly atypical communicative relationships. These results are interpreted as generally supporting a goal‐oriented perspective on the similarity‐attraction association over traditional social validation and balance perspectives.

Communicative Influences on Perceived Similarity and Attraction: An Expansion of the Interpersonal Goals Perspective.

Recent research on interpersonal goals in communicative relationships indicates that the previously accepted positive association between attitude similarity and attraction is absent in beginning acquaintance. This interpersonal goals research manipulates attitude similarity by revealing attitudinal information about partners during pre‐acquaintance. Subsequent normal conversations appear to overcome the positive pre‐acquaintance similarity/attraction association. Claims about the demise of this association may be premature, however, given these methods. Some research suggests that information available during initial conversations may strongly influence perceptions of attitude similarity. If so, a potential initial acquaintance association between perceived similarity and attraction may be present, though undetected, in previous interpersonal goals research. The current study examines this possibility and finds support for interpersonal goals claims regarding the perceived similarity/attraction relationship.

Methodological issues in legal communication research: What can trial simulations tell us?

Drawing partially upon examples from a four‐year program of research dealing with the use of videotape in courtroom trials, this paper critically discusses three aspects of trial simulations used to study juror responses: (1) the individuals used as jurors, as well as their expectations concerning the juror task; (2) the amount of information provided for jurors, as well as the primary medium by which it is communicated; and (3) the presence or absence of jury deliberation, particularly as it relates to the relationship between individual (juror) and group (jury) decisions. Three methodological caveats are suggested for legal communication research employing trial simulations, and it is argued that adherence to them will enhance the ecological validity of legal communication research findings generated in simulated trial environments.

Attitude similarity and interpersonal attraction during early communicative relationships: A research note on the generalizability of findings to opposite‐sex relationships

Past research examining the combined influence of normal initial conversations and attitude similarity on interpersonal attraction has been limited to same‐sex acquaintances. This research note reports on a study which tests (a) the generalizability of these findings to opposite‐sex early acquaintance and (b) the sex combination scope condition of the interpersonal goals perspective. The findings indicate that normal initial conversations between opposite‐sex partners overcome the positive preacquaintance similarity‐attraction association by increasing attraction toward attitudinally dissimilar partners. These findings replicate the outcomes of earlier research on same‐sex partners. The findings are interpreted as strengthening and broadening support for the interpersonal goals perspective on attraction in communicative relationships.

Predicted outcome value theory in ongoing relationships

Theory and research reported in this paper provide both theoretical and methodological advances in the study of predicted outcome value theory (POV) in established, ongoing relationships. From a theoretical perspective, POV, previously a theory focused solely on initial interaction behaviors and consequences, is extended into the realm of ongoing relationships. The propositions of the theory are reformulated and hypotheses derived from them are tested. Overall, the results strongly support this extension and shed new light on its role in understanding the effect of unexpected events. Methodologically, the study provides a longitudinal approach for assessing ongoing relationships both before and after the occurrence of an unexpected event.