Examines the role that nonverbal immediacy plays in clear teaching, as well as the effects clear and immediate teaching have on student learning, state receiver apprehension, and affect. Indicates that clarity is an important factor in student learning, receiver apprehension, and affect. Finds that nonverbal immediacy did not have a significant…

Considers that when students from different ethnic backgrounds interact in multicultural schools, misunderstandings can arise due to the uncertainties present in encounters between people from different backgrounds. Identifies experiences students report as promoting positive interethnic relationships and those which negatively impact interethnic…

Explores the relationship between family communication patterns and reticence. Reveals that reticent individuals reported a significantly lower level of conversation orientation within their families than members of a comparison group. (SG)

Focuses on the relationship of three student predispositions to their expectations for instructor communication behavior. Examines students' communication apprehension, grade and learning orientation, and humor orientation in relation to students' expectations for teachers' use of verbal and nonverbal immediacy behaviors, clarity behaviors, and…

Notes that communication apprehension (CA) exists among the MBA (Masters of Business Administration) students at a large Midwestern university, with the average overall score slightly below the national average. Shows that the students had low dyadic, but high meeting and public speaking apprehension. Suggest that MBA programs are not addressing…

Examines the relationships among receiver apprehension, teacher clarity, and teacher immediacy in the instructional context. Examines the relationships between state receiver apprehension and student motivation, affect, and cognitive learning. Finds that, although state receiver apprehension is significantly related to negative instructional…

Compares traditional and online formats in a public speaking course. Gives a description of the online format and notes factors related to selection format. Considers students' global evaluations of format and students' reports of their speaking apprehension. Concludes with an evaluation of public speaking skills. (SG)

Investigates the effect of reticence on college students' use of electronic mail to communication with faculty. Notes the difference in the frequency of using electronic mail by reticent and non-reticent students. Considers how reticent students prefer to use electronic mail over speaking to faculty at their offices. (SG)

Presents a follow-up study to further assess the extent to which reticent participants subscribe to beliefs outlined in prior research and to further test the ability of the Penn State program to alter those beliefs. Reveals significant pretreatment differences between reticent and comparison group participants on 7 of 16 beliefs. Shows…

Presents a theoretical statement on the nature of reticence that affirms, in part, Gerald M. Phillips' conceptualization in prior research but, grounded in new empirical data, refines and revises the construct. Proposes a new definition and a six-component model of reticence. Discusses theoretical and treatment implications. (SR)

Investigates gender differences in anticipatory state anxiety and narrowband trait anxiety patterns among college students. Finds significant gender-based pattern differences, with higher anxiety patterns reported by female speakers. Finds that both female and male speaker groups exhibited the hypothesized quadratic v-shaped pattern of mean…

Argues that evidence is accumulating that genetics plays a major role in human communication behavior. Looks at the importance of neurological systems in communication behavior, and at the role of cerebral functioning. Addresses implications of the "communibiological perspective" for communication instruction. Argues that, rather than aiming to…

Responds to J. McCroskey and M. Beatty's article in this issue. Argues that debates over relative importance of nature versus nurture are misguided because the relative influence of genetic and environmental components varies depending on specific genes and environments under consideration and their specific interactions. Explores what these…

Replies to C. M. Condit's response to the authors' article on communibiology in the same issue of this journal, arguing that some of her challenges to communibiology are seriously flawed. (SR)

Replies to Beatty and McCroskey's response to this author's response and challenges to their articles in this issue and elsewhere on communibiology. Explains why taking biology seriously in human communication does not entail either the belief that biology is genetically determined or that human biological systems are immutable. (SR)