Rebecca B. Rubin

Development of parasocial interaction relationships

The parasocial interaction relationship development process was explored by applying principles of uncertainty reduction theory. Results suggested that parasocial relationship development follows a path from (a) social and task attraction to (b) parasocial interaction to (c) a sense of relationship importance. Length of exposure to the television character was not related to parasocial interaction in the path model. The study affirmed the contribution of interpersonal communication theories to understanding relationships people have with television personalities. Implications for future research were explored.

A NEW MEASURE OF COGNITIVE FLEXIBILITY

This paper contains a description of a scale to measure cognitive flexibility. In Study 1, 247 participants completed the Cognitive Flexibility Scale, the Communication Flexibility Scale, and the Rigidity of Attitudes Regarding Personal Habits Scale. In Study 2, 275 participants completed the Cognitive Flexibility Scale, the Interaction Involvement Scale, the Self-monitoring Scale, and the Unwillingness to Communicate Scale. Analysis showed the Cognitive Flexibility Scale to be internally reliable and supported its construct and concurrent validity.

Attribution in Social and Parasocial Relationships

This study examined social and parasocial interaction from interpersonal attribution perspectives. Parasocial interaction is a perceived interpersonal relationship on the part of a television viewer with a mass media persona. We proposed that attributional confidence associated with parasocial interaction would mirror that resulting from social interaction and that personal construct theory and uncertainty reduction theory might add to knowledge about the nature of attributional confidence. Soap-opera-viewing college students (N = 105) completed questionnaires. Analysis revealed that, similar to social relationships, parasocial relationships with favorite soap opera characters were based, to some extent, on reduction of uncertainty and the ability to predict accurately the feelings and attitudes of the persona. The discussion focuses on implications of these findings for uncertainty reduction theory and personal construct theory.

Internet and face‐to‐face communication: Not functional alternatives

This study is a preliminary investigation of computer‐mediated communication (CMC) as a functional alternative to face‐to‐face communication. We examined the relationships between motives for using the Internet as a CMC channel and motives for face‐to‐face interactions as well as the influence of locus of control and communication apprehension as antecedents of face‐to‐face and mediated interactions. We surveyed a sample (N=132) of Internet users and tested the hypothesis that no differences exist between CMC and interpersonal communication motives (i.e., that they would be functional alternatives). We also used MANOVA and ANOVA procedures to see if main and interaction effects existed for high and low locus of control and high and low CMC apprehension respondents on interpersonal and media motives. Results indicated CMC Apprehension main effect differences for communication motives, and that use of the Internet as a communication channel is not perceived as a functional alternative to face‐to‐face commun...

Interface of personal and mediated communication: A research agenda

Uses and gratifications is seen as a viable communication perspective for examining the interface of interpersonal and mass communication. This essay explicates the interpersonal dimension of uses and gratifications models, including individual needs and functional alternatives. The uses of interpersonal channels are considered as coequal alternatives to the uses of media channels for the gratification of social and psychological needs. The parallels between uses and gratifications and interpersonal communication perspectives are explained and a research agenda is created for future investigations of why and how media and personal interaction are used to gratify individual communicative needs.

Organizational Entry: An Investigation of Newcomer Communication Behavior and Uncertainty

This study tests an uncertainty model of organizational assimilation assimilation that views assimilation as an active process involving both organizational attempts to form the newcomer (socialization) and the newcomers efforts to influence the organization (individualization). Results showed that during organizational entry, socialization tactics as well as communication traits, attitudes, and values influence information / feedback-seeking behaviors, which then result in higher attributional confidence and lower role ambiguity. Organizational commitment, communication satisfaction, and role orientation likewise are influenced by organizational and individual antecedents, which then affect information-seeking behavior. Newcomers who actively sought information and became critically involved during early employment were more likely to assume an innovative role profile within the organization.

Development of a measure of interpersonal communication competence

This article reports the development of a self‐report Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale (ICCS) that taps 10 dimensions of competence: self‐disclosure, empathy, social relaxation, assertiveness, interaction management, altercentrism, expressiveness, supportiveness, immediacy, and environmental control. First, we created the ICCS, reducing the number of items from an original 60 to 10. Then we established concurrent validity of the scale by looking at the ICCSs relationship to cognitive and communication flexibility.

Assessing speaking and listening competence at the college level: The communication competency assessment instrument

This paper details the present state of the development of the Communication Competency Assessment Instrument (CCAI), a test of basic communication skills for college students. The CCAI assesses 19 specific speaking and listening competencies in an educational context, defined as those skills which high school graduates should possess to be prepared for college classes. The communication competencies for an educational context are then partitioned into four main competency areas following the lead of the official SCA endorsed framework (e.g., communication codes, oral message evaluation, basic speech communication skills, human relations). Each competency area is assessed directly (i.e., without the possible influence of reading and/or writing deficiencies). A rating book defines five levels of skill attainment for each of the 19 assessments. The CCAI requires a total of 30 minutes for each students assessment.

OLDER PERSONS' TV VIEWING PATTERNS AND MOTIVATIONS

Television viewing motivations and viewing patterns were examined for a sample of 340 aging and aged persons. Correlational relations between viewing motivations and viewing patterns were evident. Viewing motivations were found to be intercorrelated and canonical analysis located associations among viewing motivations and patterns. Companionship, habit, relaxation, arousal, escape, pass time, and product advertising motivations were interrelated and associated with increased television affinity, viewing levels, and game show and daytime serial watching. Information and entertainment motivations were interrelated and associated with news, documentary-magazine, and talk-interview program viewing. Multiple regression analysis determined that the salience of habit, pass time, and entertainment viewing motivations contributed to increased viewing levels; the salience of habit, companionship, product advertising, and entertainment viewing motivations contributed to increased television affinity. Implications of the findings for aging and mass communication research were discussed.

A longitudinal study of college students’ communication competence

This research examines the development of communication competence in college students and how communication factors are related to college success. College students’ communication competence was assessed yearly for four years. Results suggested that communication competence decreased significantly during the sophomore year, but then increased the junior and senior years while communication apprehension and interaction involvement scores remained steady. These results were discussed in light of “sophomore slump,”; a period of change and uncertainty many college students experience. Also, communication apprehension, communication courses, and extracurricular communication experiences were the best predictors of college success.