Tag: COMM

Nicholas Rodriguez

Really Real

In African American communities, there are a disproportionate amount of people that are affected by generational poverty. Now while many of these people choose to embrace this lifestyle and the things that it has to offer, there are others who try their best to rise above it and make a better life for themselves than what their parents had. Kendrick Lamar’s song “Poe Mans Dreams” is written from the perspective of a man who came from the hood and has since escaped that lifestyle and sees the wrong in his old ways. It is easy to listen to this song and see the surface level messages, but Kendrick makes use of several terms that have a very prominent connotation and uses them to convey something else. Using Kenneth Burke’s Cluster Criticism to analyze the song, it is unveiled that Lamar is trying to persuade African Americans to not accept the circumstances that they were born into and to seek a better life.

COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism

Doyle Srader

10 AM – Noon

Return to timetable

Abby Spencer

Exploring the impact of Identity in the Role of Firefighting

Symbolic interactionism shapes an individual’s way of thinking and identity. Our self-concept is part of our own experience and also part of what we think others believe about us. Through this process, labels can become self-fulfilling prophecies. The purpose of this literature review is to explore the impact of identity regarding the role of firefighting.

COMM 499, Capstone

Doyle Srader

1:30 – 2 PM

Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.

Return to timetable

Ben Womack

Research Based or Affectionate messages

The purpose of this study was to find out if research based or affectionate messages were more persuasive? The hypothesis for this study was that messages that cite research from experts would be more persuasive than messages with expressions of affection and references to shared experiences. Nineteen people participated in the study. The study consisted of an entry survey, a series of persuasive messages sent to the participants, and an exit survey. The entry survey determined the participants willingness to interact with strangers. Then over a six week span a series of research-based messages were sent to a group and a series of affectionate messages were sent to another group persuading them to interact with strangers. The exit survey reassessed their willingness to interact with strangers. The Research conducted in the study showed that messages with expressions of affection and references to shared experiences were more persuasive than messages that cite research from experts.

COMM 450, Persuasion

Doyle Srader

11:30 AM – Noon

Join the Zoom discussion afterward. The presenter and faculty advisor both have the password.

Return to timetable

Scholar Lunch

Come to L203 at noon. If you’re one of the first to arrive, you can have free pizza. The meal’s entertainment consists of five minute talks by representatives from majors and minors across campus. Speakers will take a single idea they learned from their major or minor coursework, explain it, explain why it’s useful or beautiful, and explain why they personally love it. Scheduled speakers:

  • Cameron Binaley, History
  • Grayson Rose Carmack, Psychology
  • Tanner Dean, English
  • Miranda Gutierrez, Spanish
  • Bradley Keller, Communication
  • Joshua McCluskey, Biology

L203

Noon – 1 PM

Return to schedule

Mary Grace Blaser, Katia Burke & Shivonne Robinson

Can people recognize organizational status through vocal qualities alone? 

When outsiders of an organization witness two people within the organization having an interaction, the outsider most likely will guess their status within the organization through the nonverbals that they observe including vocal qualities, clothing, visible signs of age, and hair color. It is a question of interest which of these channels provides the most reliable cues. This study focused on the vocal qualities in interactions and asked if people can accurately guess relative organizational status from a vocal recording alone and which vocal qualities convey an impression of authority. We hypothesized that lower frequency correlates to dominance, regardless of male or female, and that rate of speech will have a weak relationship to dominance. To test this hypothesis, we collected sound clips of colleagues and subordinates having a conversation. Results showed that the participants were very inaccurate in recognizing when one person worked for the other. They were, however, very accurate in recognizing when people were colleagues.  

COMM 430, Nonverbal Communication 

Doyle Srader 

L203, poster #15 

10 AM – Noon 

Return to schedule

Daniel Gerlach

“The Subtle Eccentric” Public Relations Application in the Field 

Upon learning how to manage crises, implement social research and corporate ethics, build the reputations of clients and organizations, understand global social media trends, and develop a company’s mission, goals, and strategic communication plans, I got to apply my knowledge directly in the field to my brother’s clothing design company, The Subtle Eccentric. This process led to some groundbreaking results and helped the new enterprise start off on the right foot.   

COMM 310, Foundations of Public Relations 

Kelsay Rychener 

L203, poster #7 

10 AM – Noon 

Return to schedule

Daniel Gerlach

Competitive versus. Collaborative Listening 

In order to discover which is more powerful, speaking or listening, Daniel Gerlach and Doyle Srader are implimenting two studies to determine people’s perceptions of listening and speaking and determine in debate which is the more strategic behavior, attempting to counteract the general belief that listening is weaker than speaking and that listening can be considered as competitive just as much as it can be collaborative.   

COMM 325, Argumentation and Debate 

Doyle Srader 

L203, poster #8 

10 AM – Noon 

Return to schedule

Brad Keller & Nick Rodriguez

Topic: NCU students get a better education than U of O students do. 

Affirmative: Brad Keller

Negative: Nick Rodriguez

The winner will be decided by audience vote, and will be crowned the 2019 NCU Debate Champion.

COMM 325, Argumentation and Debate 

Doyle Srader 

P103 

2 – 2:30 PM 

Return to schedule

Scholar Lunch

Come to L203 at noon. If you’re one of the first to arrive, you can have free pizza. The meal’s entertainment consists of five minute talks by representatives from majors and minors across campus. Speakers will take a single idea they learned from their major or minor coursework, explain it, explain why it’s useful or beautiful, and explain why they personally love it. Scheduled speakers:
Courtney Alldridge, Business
Angela Cusano, Communication
Tessa Galindo, Spanish
Andres Martinez, Accounting
Gabrielle Morales, English
Jordan Norris, Psychology
L203
Noon – 1 PM
Return to schedule

Angela Cusano

The Effect of Ministry Events on Perceived Self-Esteem
This project explores whether or not curated women’s ministry events have a positive effect on the attendees of the event. One main component of exploring this topic was the coordination and execution of the ministry event. For the event, I hosted an IF:Local on Northwest Christian University’s campus. This event was aimed toward women of all ages and consisted of simulcasted teachings, live worship, and a free lunch for all attendees. The event lasted from 9am to 3pm and allowed the women to come and go throughout the day. Though no legitimate study was performed to obtain statistically significant results, a survey was administered to all the attendees and collected in order to track any increase or decrease in the attendees’ reported self-esteem. The attendees were asked to take Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale (1965) as they arrived and again as they left. This allowed for a change in reported self-esteem to be measured. The self-esteem of the attendees increased by 2.25 points. This represents that the event was a moderate success. Accordingly, It is possible that attendees may be positively affected by attending a curated ministry event.
COMM 499, Capstone
Doyle Srader
P003
1:30 – 2 PM
Return to schedule

Maya Jenkins & Katy Noel

Persuasion and Course Evaluations
A great deal of research has been conducted regarding the reasons that students are likely to complete quality course evaluations. However, little research has been done to analyze what persuasive strategies would produce the most participation and best quality course evaluations on a small campus like Northwest Christian University (NCU). Based on prior research regarding strategies used to promote participation in course evaluations, we propose a persuasive strategy for NCU with three conditions: classroom settings, broadcast, and one-on-one conditions.
Keywords: persuasion, course evaluations, NCU
COMM 450, Persuasion
Doyle Srader
P003
2:30 – 3 PM
Return to schedule

Katy Noel

Discipleship and Communication
Though research has been done studying the relationship between Christianity and communication, the focus has been primarily on conversion and less on discipleship. Discipleship in this context can be understood as a mentor/mentee relationship between a mature Christian and a developing Christian. I have interviewed people who have been discipled to see what communicative themes would arise as effective/ineffective pertaining to their discipleship experience. Preliminary findings show that consistency, mutual self-disclosure, effective use of technology, ability to initiate hard conversations, and time spent together are common communicative themes present in a fruitful discipleship relationship.
COMM 499, Capstone
Doyle Srader
P003
2 – 2:30 PM
Return to schedule

Jordan Norris

Do religious people have destiny beliefs in their relationships?
Implicit theories of relationships play an important role in determining the outcome of a relationship. There are two main beliefs people hold, destiny or growth. Destiny beliefs were defined as evaluating a potential partner on compatibility. Growth beliefs were defined as cultivated over time and viewing disagreements as a way to grow the relationship. The Santa Clara strength of religious faith measures the participants strength of religious faith. In the present study, participants are surveyed on their relational beliefs and their strength of religious faith. Based on the literature, the hypothesis is the participants who have strong religious faith will believe in more destiny beliefs in their relationships. The participants were surveyed on their strength of religious faith and their implicit theories of relationships. The results did not support the hypothesis as there was a weak correlation among both beliefs and religious faith. Research limitations and future research are discussed, including the need for more diverse ways to reach participants to best represent the population.
COMM 499, Capstone
Doyle Srader
P003
10:30 – 11 AM
Return to schedule

Gianna Rains

Use of Communication for Training Youth in Leadership
Leadership training could not be completed without the knowledge of communication. I have researched the different communication skills and tools used in training youth in leadership positions. Like adults, youths also benefit from being trained for leadership roles like team captains, government teams, and ministry positions. Communication skills are essential to all of these positions. Therefore, communication skills such as interpersonal, conflict-management, sensemaking, and framing are all useful in training youth in leadership. Now taking this a step further, I have also discussed the way the Bible challenges or extends this understanding of how to teach leadership. Secular leadership can sometimes be seen through a completely different lens than the Bible teaches.
COMM 499, Capstone
Doyle Srader
P003
11 – 11:30 AM
Return to schedule

Scholar Lunch

Come to L203 at noon. If you’re one of the first to arrive, you can have free pizza. The meal’s entertainment consists of five minute talks by representatives from majors and minors across campus. Speakers will take a single idea they learned from their major or minor coursework, explain it, explain why it’s useful or beautiful, and explain why they personally love it. Scheduled speakers:

  • Ariana Henton, Music
  • Payton Martin, Math
  • Emily Morgan, Psychology
  • Gianna Rains, Communication
  • Madeleine Rosebrook, Spanish
  • Leah Sheets, Education

L203

Noon – 1 PM

Return to schedule

Angela Cusano & Katy Noel

Outside Perceptions of Relational Status Based Upon the Use of Humor

This study aims to identify if an outside observer will be able to accurately predict relational pairs’ statuses based only off of nonverbal behavior displayed during a humorous encounter. It is well documented through past research that humor effectively and consistently creates relational closeness among varying degrees of relational partners. With this in mind, we suggest that it is likely that an outside observer will accurately guess what the status of each relational pair is through watching a relational pair’s nonverbal expressions toward one another while the pair tells jokes to one another. In order to study the suggested phenomenon, five relational pairs (strangers, siblings, friends, dating, and married couples) were recorded taking turns telling jokes to one another. Anonymous participants were then recruited to watch excerpts of the relational pairs telling jokes and report which relational status was most likely. The results did not ultimately support our original hypothesis.

COMM 430, Nonverbal Communication

Doyle Srader

L203, Poster 11

10 AM – Noon

Return to schedule

Tanner Dean, Tiffany Howell & Maya Jenkins

Connections Between Audio and Visual Stimuli in Interpreting Relational Statuses: A Research Study

A great deal of research has been conducted regarding how individuals interpret emotions via nonverbal communication. However, little has been researched that analyzes the connections, or lack thereof, of visual and auditory stimuli’s impact on inferring relational status. Can an individual best judge the relationship status of a pair based on visual stimuli, auditory stimuli, or a combination of the two? That is the question this study set out to address. Based on prior research done regarding interpretation of emotion, we hypothesized that visual stimuli without audio coupling would produce the fewest inaccuracies in gauging the relational status of a pair of individuals telling scripted jokes to one another. Results of the study supported our hypothesis and found that the video with only visual and no audio stimuli produced the least amount of inaccuracies.

COMM 430, Nonverbal Communication

Doyle Srader

L203, Poster 2

10 AM – Noon

Return to schedule

Harley Gilpin, Jordan Norris & Abby Spencer

What’s Your Status? Detecting Relationship Status Through Nonverbal Cues

Interpersonal sensitivity was defined as the accuracy of nonverbal cue processing. Nonverbal behaviors included tone of voice, facial expressions, and body movements. This study aims to determine if higher interpersonal sensitivity played a role in determining the relationship status of our video participants. With little previous research conducted on the specific links between a person’s interpersonal sensitivity in detecting nonverbal cues via online videos, this research study aims to explore the possible relationship between the two. Hypothesizing that participants would not be able to detect the relationship status of the targets, participants were exposed to five videos containing a different dyad. Based on the interaction, they were asked to determine the relationship status: married, dating, siblings, just friends, or just met. The results did not support the hypothesis as many of participants were able to determine the correct relationship status.

Keywords: Interpersonal sensitivity, nonverbal cues

COMM 430, Nonverbal Communication

Doyle Srader

L203, Poster 6

10 AM – Noon

Return to schedule

Brad Keller & Kayla Miller

Nonverbals and Relationships

The purpose of this study was to examine the relational status of a pair and their nonverbals. The question being asked was: Can an observer identify the relational status of a couple after watching them carry out a task? The predicted outcome was that people will be able to accurately determine if the couple is married or just met based off of their nonverbals. However, casual dating, siblings, and friends will be more difficult to determine their relational status. Thirty-seven people participated in a survey. The survey consisted of five videos with a range of relational pairs. Those pairs included married, in a dating relationship, siblings, just friends, and strangers (just met). After viewing each video, participants were asked to select the relational status of the paired couple. The study found that participants scored 11.8% accuracy in determining the relational status of the married couple. Whereas, they scored 52.9% accuracy in determining the relational status of strangers. Participants were most accurate in determining the relational status of the dating couple, with 61.7% accuracy, and scored low accuracy in determining the relational status of siblings and friends. Through this study and further research, there is a minimal amount of accuracy to fully support either hypothesis.

COMM 430, Nonverbal Communication

Doyle Srader

L203, Poster 15

10 AM – Noon

Return to schedule

Scholar Lunch

Come to L203 at noon. If you’re one of the first to arrive, you can have free pizza. The meal’s entertainment consists of five minute talks by representatives from majors and minors across campus. Speakers will take a single idea they learned from their major or minor coursework, explain it, explain why it’s useful or beautiful, and explain why they personally love it. Scheduled speakers:

  • Annie Anderson, Music
  • Michael Buss, Communication
  • Jessica Garner, Accounting
  • Kelsey Hansen, Psychology
  • Bri Jury, Spanish
  • Stephen Kaelin, History
  • Gabe Piechowicz, Christian Ministry
  • Laurie Salness, English

L203

Noon – 1 PM

Return to schedule

Michael Buss

Photography and Beyond: The Vitality of Communicating Well in Client Based Photography and Videography Relationships.

More than ever, the world prefers visual and oral means of communication over written communication. As a result of technology, specifically smart phones, humans have seen a decrease in empathy and connection with one another, making interpersonal relational skills and increasingly valuable trait. Advances in digital photography technology have enabled anyone and everyone to have access to professional camera equipment and start a photography business. Anyone can master the art of exposing a photo, composing a shot, and perfecting an edit, but not everyone has the social and communicative skills to maximize the entire experience. After meeting with local experts, studying the interpersonal communication scholarship, and having personal experience at both of my internships, I have borrowed credibility and had experiences that have highlighted the vitality of communicating well for client photo and video based work.

COMM 499, Capstone

Doyle Srader

P003

2:00 – 2:30 PM

Return to schedule

Angela Cusano & Katy Noel

Conflict and Listening

This study aims to determine if there is a notable correlation between listening styles, as originally researched by Bodie, Worthington, and Gearhart (2013) and conflict behavior strategies, as researched by Putnam and Wilson (1982). Bodie et al. (2013) explained that the primary purpose of listening is to connect with others and their emotions in attempt to understand them better. Therefore, it is valuable to understand the correlation between listening and conflict, as listening may be used as a powerful tool when handling conflict. We originally expected that relational listeners would be solution-oriented or non-confrontational, analytical listeners would be solution-oriented, critical listeners would be solution-oriented, and task oriented listeners would be control-oriented. We surveyed twenty-eight people through the medium of Google Forms, employing the Listening Styles Profile-Revised Instrument (LSP-R) and Organizational Communication Conflict Instrument (OCCI) in order to test the correlation between the two phenomena. Due to a limited number of participants, we were unable to draw statistically significant results through a Chi-Square. Despite statistical insignificance, the majority of participants, regardless of listening style, self-identified as solution-oriented in conflict. This study would benefit from future research with a larger number of participants.

Keywords: conflict behavior, listening styles, OCCI, LSP-R

COMM 413, Advanced Interpersonal Communication

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, Poster #1

1 – 3 PM

Return to schedule

Fern Delgadillo & Nikole Duncan

Family: Exploring the Link Between Child and Parent Communication

This study explores the connection between communication apprehension and communication standards between children and their parents. We have collected data from twenty-two participants through a survey asking questions related to their individual relationship with their parents and family members. The survey measures the strength of their communication relationship. This paper further explores the effects of healthy communication amongst children and their parents. It discusses just how detrimental these effects can be for an individual’s identity and behavior as they transition into adulthood.

COMM 413, Advanced Interpersonal Communication

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, Poster #2

1 – 3 PM

Return to schedule

Nikole Duncan

The Act of Listening as a Bridge to Solving Conflict

This study explores three different perspectives on the same dispute and the influence that active listening has on developing an understanding of all sides. Smith (2017) mentions that in order to develop a voice one must first develop an ear; therefore, I will be analyzing Morgan McKinney, Dr. Hain, and Halona Jackson’s viewpoints with a clear vision. After hearing all views I will reenact the positions of all three parties on Ace day through their own perceptions so that everyone can be heard and hopefully appreciated. The ultimate goal is to have the gap between three different perceptions that has led to misunderstanding filled. Smith teaches that we might not always like what we see or what is said, but in order to change it we must first see as well as hear it clearly.

COMM 499, Capstone

Doyle Srader

P003

10:30 – 11 AM

Return to schedule

Mackenzie Galick

Listening Styles and Receiver Apprehension

This study explores participant’s results on the Listening Style Profile and Receiver Apprehension score in an attempt to discover if there is a correlation between a participant’s listening style and the degree to which they are an anxious listener. 49 individuals participated in our survey and were categorized into listening styles based on how they attend to and process information in a conversational setting. They were also scored based on their fear of misinterpreting or inadequately processing messages sent by others.

COMM 413, Advanced Interpersonal Communication

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, Poster #3

1 – 3 PM

Return to schedule

Zoe Herron & Jordan Norris

Connections Between General Communication Competence and Intercultural Willingness to Communicate

With little previous research conducted on the specific links between a person’s general communication competence and their actual willingness to communicate interculturally, we have chosen to explore possible connections between the two in our research. Hypothesizing that those who are more competent in their communication would be more willing to engage in intercultural communication, we surveyed participants on each instrument (Communication Competence Scale and Intercultural Willingness to Communicate) and then examined and evaluated any correlations between the results.

COMM 413, Advanced Interpersonal Communication

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, Poster #4

1 – 3 PM

Return to schedule

Kayla Miller & Abby Spencer

Individualism/Collectivism and The Willingness To Communicate Inter-culturally

We conducted a study to examine people’s willingness to communicate inter-culturally among individualistic versus collectivist cultures. We wondered if people were more likely to communicate inter-culturally in an individualist culture or a collectivist culture. Accordingly, we predicted the outcome to be that collectivist cultures will be less likely to communicate inter-culturally. Fourteen people participated in two surveys that tested the relationship between intercultural willingness to communicate and individualism or collectivism. The Auckland Individualism and Collectivism Scale (AICS), and the Intercultural Willingness to Communicate scale were the two survey’s they were presented. In the Intercultural Willingness to Communicate, participants were given twelve situations in which a person might choose to communicate or not communicate, and were asked to indicate the percentage of times he/she would choose to do so. In the AICS, 30 statements were listed to measure where he/she lies on the individualist or collectivist spectrum. Participants had the option to choose from never, rarely, sometimes, usually, often, or always when filling out the survey. The study found a .39(39%) correlation between the two instruments. This study did not produce a high enough percentage to confirm our hypothesis to be true.

COMM 413, Advanced Interpersonal Communication

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, Poster #5

1 – 3 PM

Return to schedule

Gabrielle Morales

‘I’m Tired of Not Being Home’: A Rhetorical Fantasy-Theme Analysis of Huerta’s Speech on PTSD

It is common knowledge that many veterans hold symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); however, as active soldiers, most neglect to acknowledge the early symptoms.  Chaplain Carlos Huerta (2012) explores this in his speech. While the speech may read as an autobiography or personal account of his experiences battling with PTSD, the artifact embodies the experiences of all military members who struggle with the condition.  When Ernest Bormann’s fantasy-theme criticism is applied to analyze Huerta’s speech, it is made clear that Huerta is creating a shared worldview of soldiers, both past and present, who are in constant battle with PTSD both on and off the physical war battlefield.

COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, Poster #10

1 – 3 PM

Return to schedule

Gianna Rains

Give Extra, Get Extra’: A Narrative Criticism of Wrigley’s Extra Gum Commercial “The Story of Sarah & Juan”

Wrigley’s Extra gum commercial became popular immediately after being aired. Commercials strive to associate their product with positivity, and Wrigley took this goal to the next level. They created a love story that consisted of a young couple, events of their love story, creative settings, and an organized timeline. The audience gets to see how Sarah and Juan’s love story unfolds, as well as how they commemorate their history of love with giving the other a piece of gum. A narrative criticism looks for key characteristics: character(s), events, and setting(s). These three features help determine what the objective of the commercial is. In this commercial ad, Wrigley’s primary objective is to sell their gum. The secondary objective is to have the audience associate Extra gum with Sarah and Juan’s history and commemoration of their love story. Their unique story also reveals that gender roles and racial norms are challenged, while the tradition of a proposal and marriage remains the same. Therefore, their objectives are effective because of the supporting characteristics of the ad.

COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, Poster #12

1 – 3 PM

Return to schedule

Rory Rice

Feminist Criticism

Taking  the speech by Chamamanda Adichie “Everyone should be a Feminist” and, then learn the theory of feminist criticism so that we can dig into the different ways a feminist critic will dissect the artifact and then we can come up with the conclusion of what the speaker is saying.

COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, Poster #14

1 – 3 PM

Return to schedule

Scholar Lunch

Come to L203 at noon. If you’re one of the first to arrive, you can have free pizza. The meal’s entertainment consists of five minute talks by representatives from majors and minors across campus. Speakers will take a single idea they learned from their major or minor coursework, explain it, explain why it’s useful or beautiful, and explain why they personally love it. Scheduled speakers:

  • Angela Cusano, Spanish
  • Mitchell Davis, Bible & Ministry
  • Kristyn Dodge, History
  • Garrett Kraal, Exercise Science
  • Payton Martin, Mathematics
  • Kaleb Miles, Biology
  • Alaina Thomson, Psychology
  • McKenzie Wirth, Communication

L203

Noon – 1 PM

Return to schedule

Michael Buss, Tanner Dean

An Attempt at Visual Arguemnt

Visual arguments are heavily dependent on their context and enthymematic nature. The visual must make a claim, or claims, that are understood by the audience and also provide reasons why those claims are true. We have attempted to translate these concepts to a visual debate: Resolved: Digital photography is better than film photography.

COMM 325, Argumentation and Debate

Doyle Srader

P003

3 – 3:30 PM

Return to schedule

Lesly Eran

Muted Voices

This senior capstone project evaluates the effectiveness and influence of how communication affects the way gender roles are viewed based on the Muted Group Theory. At the event, guest speakers were invited to participate in a symposium panel where questions and answers were discussed identifying the importance and impact of the issues that arise among gender roles and communication. The project was held on the Northwest Christian University campus as an event.  Attendees were counted to measure the effectiveness of this event.

COMM 499, Capstone

Doyle Srader

P003

11 – 11:30 AM

Return to schedule

McKenzie Wirth

Conflict Styles and Using Secret Tests

Conflict styles influence how a person solves problems in his or her relationships. There are five common Conflict Styles: Accommodation, avoidance, competitive/aggressive, compromise and collaborative (Thomas, 1976). When uncertainty over a romantic partner’s commitment to the relationship arises, this could be a potential problem area in which a person’s conflict style makes a difference as to how he or she reduces uncertainty and solves this issue. Often, individuals who have an avoidant conflict style don’t like discussing problems directly with their relational partners, because they experience communication apprehension (Thomas, 1976). Thus, it’s plausible that these individuals may employ Secret Tests to reduce the uncertainty they feel towards their partner’s commitment to the relationship. There are seven common strategies: asking-third-party tests; directness tests; triangle tests; separation tests; endurance tests; public presentation tests; and indirect suggestion tests. The present study seeks to determine the following: 1) If a person has a predominately non-confrontational (passive) approach to conflict, then he or she will use indirect secret tests; and 2) If a person has a predominately solution-oriented (assertive) or controlling (aggressive) approach to conflict, then he or she will not use indirect secret tests.

COMM 499, Capstone

Doyle Srader

P003

10:30 – 11 AM

Return to schedule

Scholar Lunch

Come to L203 at noon. If you’re one of the first to arrive, you can have free pizza. The meal’s entertainment consists of five minute talks by representatives from majors and minors across campus. Speakers will take a single idea they learned from their major or minor coursework, explain it, explain why it’s useful or beautiful, and explain why they personally love it. Scheduled speakers:

  • Calvin Anderson, Christian Ministry
  • Austin Dame, Business
  • Ben Drach, Biology
  • Colby Hanson, Communication
  • Zoe Herron, English
  • Delaney McMahon, Music & Worship Arts
  • Sam Nervino, Exercise Science
  • Chelsea Taylor, Psychology

L203

Noon – 1 PM

Return to schedule

Michael Buss

Effective Forgiveness

Given the inevitability of conflict and relational transgressions in interpersonal relationships, forgiveness plays an essential role in the maintenance of relationships. Factors, such as offense severity and blameworthiness effect the type of forgiveness, either direct, indirect, or conditional, and even if someone will choose to forgive at all. If the act of forgiveness is not sincere, the forgiving party’s negative affect will not be reduced. Sincere forgiveness is strongly correlated with a sincere apology.

COMM 413, Advanced Interpersonal Communication

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, poster #1

10 AM – Noon

Return to schedule

Lesly Eran

Exploring: The Positive Outcomes After Breaking Up

The affirmation of romantic relationships is very important for individuals because this can reinforce the sense of identity and self-esteem in people. Researchers have found that positive emotions can occur following a breakup, particularly when different personal growths happen after the dissolution. Moreover, researchers also advise various methods to overcome the ending of a romantic relationship.

COMM 413, Advanced Interpersonal Communication

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, poster #4

10 AM – Noon

Return to schedule

Colby Hanson

The Complexity of Being a Good Comforter

Knowing how to comfort effectively can make a significant difference in how people close to you are able to deal with difficult situations. There are many different suggested approaches to comforting, but few are backed by research. Results from studies have demonstrated that effective comforting doesn’t come from an effective trait or technique, but rather a “person- centered” approach that takes into account the distressed person and elements of the situation.

COMM 413, Advanced Interpersonal Communication

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room, poster #5

10 AM – Noon

Return to schedule

Colby Hanson

Crossing the Finish Line the Wrong Way

Physical appearance is often the first source of information that people gain when seeing/meeting others for the first time. This study observed what happened when this wasn’t the case. Participants were shown a story about someone before seeing a picture of that person. Results found that showing a negative story about someone attractive, and then showing a picture of that person, significantly decreased the perceived attractiveness of the person compared to uninformed ratings. When an unattractive person was paired with a positive story, and an average looking person was paired with a neutral story, there were positive, but insignificant changes in the perception of attractiveness.

COMM 499, Capstone

Doyle Srader

P003

1 – 1:30 PM

Return to schedule