Shaughan A. Keaton

Explaining Social Constructivism

Courses: Communication Theory; Interpersonal Communication or any course that teaches components of social constructivism Objectives: (1) Students will understand what are and are not social constructs

A Cross Cultural Investigation of Age Stereotypes and Communication Perceptions of Older and Younger Workers in the USA and Thailand

This research assesses younger worker perceptions of older and same age worker stereotypes and communication in the USA and Thailand. Results indicate that older workers are generally seen by younger workers as more uncomfortable with new technology, less flexible and more cautious on the job, and more loyal (and having fewer absences) to the organization than younger workers. As compared to younger American workers, younger Thai workers agree more with negative stereotype items that older workers make more mental mistakes, are slower to adapt to new technology, are more fearful of technology, and are less flexible at work. But they also agree more with positive stereotype items that older workers are absent less, have a better attitude toward work, and have a higher level of commitment to the organization than younger workers. In terms of their communication, younger Thai workers perceive both other younger Thai workers and older Thai workers as exhibiting more avoidant communication than their counterparts from the USA. The younger Thai workers also perceive members of their own age in-group as communicating in a more nonaccommodating manner than younger American workers. Implications for the aging process across cultures and the workplace are discussed.

Toward Greater Specificity in Cultural Value Analyses: The Interplay of Intrapersonal Communication Affect and Cultural Values in Japan, Thailand, and the United States

This paper examines the endorsement of four types of cultural patterns across America, Japan, and Thailand, as well as how these cultural patterns predict the emotional valence (positive-negative) of intrapersonal communication. Within-subjects tests revealed that the American sample endorsed horizontalism more than verticalism, while the Thais endorsed horizontal collectivism the most and vertical collectivism the least. The Japanese sample reported significantly more horizontal collectivism than any other cultural pattern, and significantly less vertical individualism. Across cultures, the Americans reported comparatively higher levels of horizontal individualism than did the Japanese and then the Thais. The Thais endorsed horizontal collectivism less than those in the USA and Japan. Finally, the Japanese comparatively endorsed vertical collectivism more than the Americans, followed by the Thais. For intrapersonal communication affect, horizontal collectivism predicted positive emotional affect in Thailand and Japan, while vertical collectivism was negatively related to affect in Thailand.

Imagined Interactions and Personality Preferences as Predictors of Relationship Quality

One goal of this study is to gather further evidence concerning the predictive validity of personality preferences from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). While other studies have researched the extent of the MBTIs relationship with comparable personality measures, many have done so by separating the continua of the four dimensions. However, we contend that each is one trait with bipolar extremes. Accordingly, we examine the MBTI with its four dimensions intact. Because previous research demonstrates connections between personalities, imagined interactions, and relationship satisfaction, a model is proposed. A sample of 136 couples who were either dating, engaged, or married were recruited using a snowball technique from students enrolled in psychology and communication courses at a large southern university and administered the MBTI, the SII (Survey of Imagined Interactions), and the QMI (Quality Marriage Index). Results indicate both II attributes and personality preferences predict relationship satisfaction and indicate extraversion is a comparable construct across personality measures.

The Statistical and Methodological Acuity of Scholarship Appearing in the International Journal of Listening (1987-2011)

This article investigates the quality of social scientific listening research that reports numerical data to substantiate claims appearing in the International Journal of Listening between 1987 and 2011. Of the 225 published articles, 100 included one or more studies reporting numerical data. We frame our results in terms of eight recommendations to improve future listening scholarship. In particular, the results suggest needed variation in demographics and added attention to psychometric properties of scores. Standards for reporting and inspecting data should also be followed with more regularity, and tests of statistical assumptions along with information about missing data are urged. Effect sizes are rarely included in results, and no studies reported confidence intervals, suggesting overreliance on null hypothesis statistical testing when drawing implications for practice. Lastly, there were some noteworthy misappropriations of statistical techniques that are discussed.

Identity Formation, Identity Strength, and Self-Categorization as Predictors of Affective and Psychological Outcomes A Model Reflecting Sport Team Fans’ Responses to Highlights and Lowlights of a College Football Season

This study is interested in what sources of team identity formation are related to self-categorization as a sport team fan and the strength of that team identification, and what affective and psychological outcomes become salient in spectatorship scenarios. Participants were administered self-report instruments previously designed to measure team identity formation and psychological effects, then given cognitive tasks adapted from a previous study (Markus, 1977). Participants were required to return to the lab to watch highlights and lowlights of the attending football team’s season. These videos were recorded and coded for affective responses. Because previous evidence supports connections between identity formation, self-categorization/strength of identity, psychological effects, and affective responses, a generalized latent variable model was estimated. The model fit the data, exposing a mediated relationship. This study extends upon previous research by isolating specific aspects of team identity formation that differentially influence affective and communicative responses, especially when mediated by sport team identification. Findings also support the assertion that identity is related to the value and emotional attachment placed on a group membership.

Intrapersonal Communication and Listening Goals: An Examination of Attributes and Functions of Imagined Interactions and Active-Empathic Listening Behaviors

Using data from 485 college student participants, this study investigated relations among mental representations of conversations and reported tendencies towards active-empathic listening (AEL). Results showed that low usage of imagined interactions (IIs) for rehearsal and self-understanding and high usage of IIs as compensation were associated with lower reported active-empathic responding. In describing IIs, low levels of proactivity and variety were associated with lower reported AEL processing and responding, suggesting individuals who do not engage in IIs before conversations or imagine a variety of potential conversations to gain understanding do not report engaging in behaviors that act to acknowledge partners in conversation. The primary contribution of these findings is to forward an empirical integration of social cognitive and listening research and theory.

Toward Developing a Cross-Cultural Metacognition Instrument for Listening in First Language (L1) Contexts: The (Janusik-Keaton) Metacognitive Listening Instrument

This study has three main goals: (1) to test an instrument designed to measure first language metacognitive listening strategies in other cultural contexts, (2) to refine and revise the scale if necessary, and (3) to discern whether the notion that first language listeners use intuitive strategies to make meaning regardless of language is supported. Toward these goals, authors developed the Intercultural Metacognitive Listening Strategies Instrument, which displays evidence of validity in four populations and three distinct cultures: the United States, Germany, and Japan. Ultimately, this study supports the notion that there are intuitive strategies that listeners use to make meaning regardless of language.

Relational Listening Goals Influence How People Report Talking About Problems

This study tested the extent that style of listening by message receivers and their subsequent responses affects communicative response styles of initial message senders in supportive contexts. A sample of 415 college students participated in an experiment. Each participant was asked to recall a recently upsetting event, to imagine that they disclosed to a close friend or family member who was attributed with each of four different listening goals, and to indicate how they were likely to respond. Results suggest that listening goals affect situational communicator responses when controlling for trait communicator styles. Relational goals increase the likelihood of interpersonal communicator responses but decrease the prospect of linguistic-styled disclosures. Analytical listener goals do not elicit linguistic or logical responses nor do critical listener goals influence linguistic or logical disclosures. Only relational listener goals influence communicator responses in these data, and only for interpersonal- (increased) and linguistic- (decreased) type responses. Listener effectiveness did not increase with a wider variety of listening skills; relational listening was the only goal that significantly affected response preference. This study moves work on supportive listening toward a model that theorizes the reciprocal nature of supportive encounters: Listening is interactive.

FANDOM AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENT: EFFECTS OF SPORT TEAM IDENTIFICATION AND IMAGINED INTERACTION ON SELF-ESTEEM AND MANAGEMENT OF SOCIAL BEHAVIORS

Imagined interactions (IIs) as used by sport team fans were examined in conjunction with sport team identification (STI) and with behavioral outcomes and psychological effects. Sport team fans more strongly influenced by family in the STI process utilize IIs for catharsis, conflict linkage, relational maintenance, and rehearsal. Furthermore, sport team fans affected by media popularity employ IIs for catharsis, and sport team fans swayed by geography make use of IIs for relational maintenance. Sport team fans predisposed toward using IIs for catharsis, conflict linkage, and relational maintenance report higher self-esteem. Identified sport team fans who use catharsis, conflict linkage, and relational maintenance report a greater inclination to commit negative social behaviors as a result of team performance. Conversely, those who use IIs for rehearsal have a decreased tendency to commit undesirable social behaviors. II functions partially mediate the direct association between STI factors and outcomes, whereby more negative behaviors and positive psychological effects such as self-esteem represent the outcomes.