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Focuses on interpersonal compatibility and conversational interaction. Importance of compatibility as a constituent of an effective and satisfying communication environment; Reason for synchronous nonverbal behavior between like minded individuals; Importance of the duration of conversation on interpersonal compatibility.

The present study represents a contemporary test of traditional assumptions about sex effects in social interaction. An experiment was conducted to assess the independent and interactive effects of communicator sex, listener sex, and interpersonal distance on temporal measures of conversational interaction. Results demonstrated that the average duration of speech acts was significantly longer for females than for males; that communicators, regardless of sex, speak for a greater proportion of the total conversation when the listener is female as opposed to male; and that within the sex-same male dyads, far interpersonal distance is associated with significantly greater simultaneous speech when compared to the near condition. Results are interpreted as refutation for traditional notions of male dominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to test hypotheses derived from complexity theory regarding the interactive effect of situational variables and cognitive complexity of a communicator on the informational value of written communications. Complexity theory suggests that cognitively complex encoders, utilizing more dimensions of judgment in recognizing differences, are better able than cognitively simple encoders to distinguish the intended meaning of a communication from all competing, but inaccurate interpretations. Further, evidence exists which indicates that affective bias toward the referent of communication may lessen differences due to cognitive complexity. Much controversy has developed over the specific form of the interaction effect. Results of the experiments indicate that the superiority of cognitively complex encoders over cognitively simple ones is not limited by affective stimulus valence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the effect of source credibility, attitude valence, and task sensitization on trait errors in speech evaluation. Definition of source credibility, attitude valence and task sensitization; Operational definition of trait error; Consideration of competence as the major dimension of source credibility; Implications for research into the refinement of the rating error theory.

The article presents experimental studies in order to resolve conflicts in communication. It seems clear from these experiments that factors which constitute the communication environment and conceptual structure of decoders are important factors to be considered in constructing a theory of conflict perception. Information processing theory appears to provide a suitable theoretical context into which conflict perception can be fitted. Additional research is required to determine the precise impact of communication variables on the ability to identify and evaluate interpersonal conflict.

The article explores comparison of distributional and sequential structures of interaction in high and low consensus groups. Comparing quality of communication in high and low consensus groups, Gouran studied and found that interaction differences did occur but were not stable across topics of policy. Methods of categorizing sequential clusters is noted to involve identifying stabilizing and destabilizing paths of discussion as well as identifying analytic progressions and analytic digressions.

Reports on a study conducted to test differential effects of evaluator status on verbal participation in group discussion. Benefits of distinguishing high and low levels of evaluator status; Discussion of a study conducted by Roy V. Wood and Alvin A. Goldberg on speech communication; Procedure of the study; Observation of gross differences between high and low status cell means for frequency and ratio within group-centered evaluation conditions.