Michael Z. Hackman

Instructional communication in the televised classroom: The effects of system design and teacher immediacy on student learning and satisfaction

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of conveyance system design and social presence, in the form of teacher immediacy behavior, on perceived student learning and satisfaction in the televised classroom. Results indicate that system design and teacher immediacy behavior strongly impact student learning and satisfaction. System variables such as interactivity and clear audio and video transmission positively influenced perceived learning and satisfaction. Further, instructors who engaged in immediate behaviors such as encouraging involvement, offering individual feedback, maintaining relaxed body posture and using vocal variety were viewed more favorably.

PERCEPTIONS OF GENDER-ROLE CHARACTERISTICS AND TRANSFORMATIONAL AND TRANSACTIONAL LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOURS '

This research was initiated to investigate the relationship between perceived gender-role characteristics and transformational and transactional leadership. Looking at the 1985 leadership model of Bass and the gender model of Bern (1974), a combination of the measures developed in their research was used. The resulting questionnaire was administered to a sample of 153 Polytechnic students in a first-year management course. Analysis suggested significant positive correlations between perceived gender characteristics and transformational leadership and significant positive correlations between some transformational and transactional leadership behaviours. Values were of low to moderate magnitude. The results imply that to be effective, leaders must display both feminine and masculine behaviours.

Self‐construal orientation: Validation of an instrument and a study of the relationship to leadership communication style

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to test rigorously the measurement equivalence of the Independent and Interdependent Self‐Construal Scales (Gudykunst et al., 1994) across three cultural groups and for males and females, and (b) to determine the comparative amount of variance in self‐perceived leadership communication style that can be predicted by self‐construal orientation, culture, and biological sex. College students from the United States (n = 224), New Zealand (n = 218), and the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan (n = 228) responded to the self‐construal scales and the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (Hemphill & Coons, 1957). Results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the Independent and Interdependent Self‐Constnial Scales should be considered as tzvo distinct one‐factor solutions rather than two factors of the same construct as previously assumed. Multiple groups comparisons indicated that, with one minor exception, measurement on each of the self‐construal scales...

Communication apprehension, willingness to communicate, and sense of humor: United States and New Zealand perspectives

Participants were 217 U.S. college students and 179 N.Z. college students. Results indicate N.Z. students sampled were significantly less willing to communicate and experienced greater communication apprehension than U.S. students sampled. N.Z. students reported enjoying humor less, being less able to recognize humor, and being less likely to use humor to cope with stress. Significant negative correlations were found for U.S. students between communication apprehension and humor variables (liking of humor, sensitivity to humor, and coping humor). Willingness to communicate was correlated positively with sensitivity to humor and coping humor. For N.Z. students significant positive correlations between communication apprehension and humor variables (liking of humor, sensitivity to humor and coping humor) were found. Willingness to communicate was negatively correlated with the same humor variables.

Leadership and Succession: The Challenge to Succeed and the Vortex of Failure

Despite a large number of studies concerned with leadership and leadership succession — of which more than 200 have addressed the latter — results have been inconsistent and inconclusive. One suggestion from the literature was to conduct more qualitative case research as a supplement to the many empirical survey studies which have been published. The present study explored, at first hand, eight firms that opinion leaders had identified as successful (six in New Zealand, one in Canada, one in the United States) and another seven US firms studied by others that had once been touted as successful. Two patterns emerged: (1) socialized leadership relationships succeeded in transforming the firm by applying leadership and management principles to serve the needs of others, and enlisting support throughout and beyond the firm; and (2) personalized leadership relationships promised much and either achieved success, narrowly defined, or failed completely. The conclusion: socialized leadership relations matter critically. Recommendations are offered for leadership succession and future research.

Leaders' Gender-Role as a Correlate of Subordinates' Perceptions of Effectiveness and Satisfaction

This research investigated the relationship between perceived gender-role characteristics, satisfaction with leadership, and evaluation of leadership effectiveness. Subjects were 184 students in a first-year management course at a New Zealand polytechnic. A significant positive correlation obtained between perceived feminine and masculine characteristics and satisfaction with leadership, but results were mixed for the correlation of gender-role characteristics with effectiveness. Masculinity was perceived as effective for both male and female leaders, whereas femininity was perceived as effective only when shown by male leaders. Female subordinates perceived leaders as less effective when displaying feminine gender-role characteristics.

Audience reactions to the use of direct and personal disparaging humor in informative public address

In this study 126 subjects were exposed to one of three versions of a speech on “Effective Listening.” In one version no humor was added to the speech. In the other versions examples of direct and personal self and other‐disparaging humor were included in the presentation. Subjects rated the message and the message source on a number of dependent variables. Data, in general, suggest that those speakers who use direct and personal disparaging humor of any kind are rated as having a better sense of humor than those speakers who use no humor. Further, the use of self‐disparaging humor serves to reduce ratings of expertness while the use of other‐disparaging humor produced lower ratings of character.

Prescriptive Leadership Development: Developing Tomorrows Leaders Today

This article highlights the Chancellor’s Leadership Class, a highly selective, fouryear program for undergraduate students at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. The four primary components of the program are coursework, community service, skill building, and mentoring. Although the program has a uniform structure for all students, it is tailored to meet the unique needs and goals of each student through a concept called prescriptive leadership development.

Correlates of talkaholism in New Zealand: An intracultural analysis of the compulsive communication construct

This study focused on correlates of the compulsive communication construct in New Zealand. Participants were 216 New Zealand university students who completed the Talkaholic Scale to measure their tendency to be compulsive communicators. Self‐reports of communication apprehension, willingness to communicate, argumentativeness, innovativeness, and self‐monitoring were also completed. Results indicated a weak negative correlation with communication apprehension and weak positive correlations with argumentativeness and self‐monitoring. Differences in talkaholism between males and females were significant, but the amount of variance accounted for by biological sex was very small. This study provides further support for the distinctiveness of the compulsive communication construct and its measurement through the Talkaholic Scale.

Ethical Considerations in the Development of the Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies Program

Executive Summary The recent increase in college-level leadership coursework offers ethical challenges for educators and administrators responsible for the development of leadership programs. In the past, many such programs were designed to meet the needs of very unique and limited student populations. However, a broader view of leadership studies suggests that our programs need to employ a transformational model of leader development across the student body. This article chronicles the development of two recent leadership studies programs—University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington—and the ethical decision-making considerations that directed their evolution from planning to implementation.