Tag: Bushman T

Tianna Bushman

Competing Narratives: Is this systemic racism?

Fisher wrote that all people are storytellers, and that narrative rationality is determined by coherence and fidelity. Could Fisher’s paradigm prove useful in real world controversies? Brown, Baucham, and Anyabwile from the Gospel Coalition each offered a response to the Ferguson trial debates. Each of these individuals developed compelling arguments for the perspectives in which their narratives take place. In this study Fisher’s theories of narrative rationality and of the ideal audience were applied to these three narratives in order to show whether Fisher’s narrative paradigm could prove useful in assessing competing narratives in real world situations. 

COMM 407, Special Topics: Narrative Paradigm

Doyle Srader

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM

Tianna Bushman

Does dressing more masculine or feminine affect whether a woman will get hired or not? 

Dress plays a huge role in first impressions, especially in an interview setting. There are many studies on how masculine dress could portray confidence and thus help one in an interview setting. However, with gender roles and expectations changing, will dressing more feminine or masculine actually affect a woman’s chances of getting hired? 

COMM 499, Senior Capstone

Doyle Srader

A201

10 – 10:30 AM

Tianna Bushman & Candace Rodgers

Affectionate Communication

Affection exchange theory (Floyd 2001) makes explicit links between expressed affection and survival. This study examines the link between affectionate communication and life threatening experiences. Sixty-three adults completed questionnaires about their expressions of affection towards loved ones. Of these sixty-three, thirty-five had experienced some sort of life threatening event and twenty eight had not. Results revealed that those who had experienced a life threatening event were more affectionate towards their loved ones. However, the difference was not significant. Further research to support the link between expressions of affection and human viability is necessary.

COMM 413, Advanced Interpersonal Communication

Doyle Srader

Tianna Bushman & Candace Rodgers

Perceived Empathy through Eye Contact

Witkin (1990), as cited in Cline’s The Science and Sanity of Listening (2013), noted that while the process of listening itself is a cognitive function, the perception of listening can be attributed to behavioral attributes. What happens when the cognitive function and the behavioral function do not line up with each other? A person may be portraying one emotion to the audience though the emotions he or she is actually experiencing may be entirely different. Perceived emotion and the emotion being experienced are separate entities, though they do feed off of each other (Cline, 2013).

COMM 430, Nonverbal Communication

Doyle Srader

Tianna Bushman & Bethany Craig

Graduates vs. Job Openings

Understanding the relationship between the job market trends and the majors offered at a school is one way to assess how well a college is meeting the needs of the students. It also provides an opportunity for the college to better design the majors offered around student needs. This study will show if there is a trend between job availability and the number of students graduating with a degree in that field.

MATH 315

Tim Bergquist

Banquet Room

1 – 3 PM