Raymond G. Smith

A semantic differential for theatre concepts

This study reports the development of an Osgood‐type semantic differential for measuring theatre concepts. It presents the second of three instruments designed specifically for quantitative research in the field of speech. The first dealt with general speech (SM, XXVI [1959], 263–272); the instrument yet to be reported will be for speech correction concepts. Data for each analysis were collected from 100 subjects, each of whom rated ten speech concepts on thirty bipolar seven‐step adjectival scales. The data were summed across subjects and concepts for each scale and coefficients of correlation computed for each pair of scales. The correlation matrices were factor analyzed and the scales for the speech semantic differentials selected on the basis of loading and purity on significant dimensions of meaning.

Source credibility context effects

This study investigated the influence that speaker characteristics other than dimensions of source credibility may have in the formation of listeners’ impressions of speaker credibility. It was found that the responses followed a simple information averaging model in about 80% of all cases. For the remaining 20% of the listeners, however, there was a significant interaction between traits. This mixed effect suggests caution in the interpretation of results of credibility studies. It was found further that all positive and negative source credibility dimensions can be treated safely as equal in weight, except for the negative pole of the Trustworthiness dimension; an untrustworthy speaker, regardless of his other qualities, was viewed as a questionable message source.

A semantic differential for speech correction concepts

The following study details the procedure by means of which a Semantic Differential for use in investigations in the area of speech correction was developed. It is the third in a series of studies by the same author to appear in SM, the preceding two having dealt with general speech and the theatre arts, respectively. The three studies are similar in scope and content, defining the problems, demonstrating the methodology, and offering suggestions concerning possible applications of the measuring instruments. The author acknowledges that the studies are exploratory and the results tentative. He suggests that the Semantic Differential offers a new approach to certain dimensions of meaning in the speech area which have been slow to yield to older methods.

Perception of intensional and extensional meaning domains in a semantic differential application

Subjects were asked to rate five intensional and five extensional concepts on a battery of fifteen intensional and fifteen extensional semantic differential scales. An extra measurement was added to the usual semantic differential instrument so that subjects could indicate whether they were using each scale in an intensional or an extensional manner. Results supported previous findings that subjects have more difficulty rating scale‐concept pairs with mixed than with matched meaning domains, and indicated considerable subject‐scale interaction in the measuring instrument.

Images of Leadership: Black vs. White.

The following study is a descriptive analysis of differences in the perceptions of the messages of sets of six eminent Black and six white political leaders, respectively, by groups of Black and white junior and senior level college students. It was found that the messages of these Black leaders were judged to be different from those of their white counterparts on half of the 60 communication dimensions tested. It was further found that groups of Black and white students differed on the importances placed on the standards of message judgment for about 30% of these dimensions. Interactions between race of judge and race of leader occurred on nearly 28% of the dimensions, with whites generally rating the white leaders higher and Blacks rating the Black leaders higher.

The carter‐ford debates: Some perceptions from academe

This is a descriptive study, reporting changes in perceptions of a group of politically knowledgeable college students to the messages of Ford and Carter over the course of the 1976 Presidential pre‐election debates. Statistically significant differences between pre‐debate, post‐debate, and delayed post‐debate ratings on sets of semantic differential‐like scales are noted. A sample of post‐debate comment from the spate of issue and image analyses by prominent political pundits is included for comparison. The study suggests the potential of the quantitative method as an adjunct to conventional speech criticism.

Public‐speaking models: Process and response

Several frequently used models of the public‐speaking process are either inappropriate or misleading or both. The author presents models specific to the speech discipline and points up the conceptual errors implicit in the use of the borrowed ones.

Motivation and communication theory

This article postulates a series of tests to be passed by all information gaining admittance to the human cognitive system, and describes in general terms the consequences for motivation.

Spastic dysphonia: A perceptual test of recurrent laryngeal nerve section

An objective test of the efficacy of recurrent nerve section in the treatment of spastic dysphonia was conducted with partially trained observers in a blind rating task. It was found that, although immediate effects of the surgery as measured by a general communication effectiveness instrument could not be established, long-term (1-yr post-surgery) effects did emerge and at a high level of confidence. The results corroborate subjective judgments of the effectiveness of the Dedo procedure.