Department of Communication Studies

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In young company: supervisor strategies for managing conflict with older subordinates.
(2006-07-30T22:23:43Z) Urbantke, Lacy G.; Schlueter, David W. (David Walter), 1954-; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
This study examined the conflict-management strategies used by younger supervisors with their older subordinates. The organizational culture variables of openness-to-change and supportiveness were also tested as mediating factors in the relationship between supervisor age and strategy selection. Survey data was obtained by subjects (n=132) through a network sample design. The sample represented professionals from ages 18-58 years with jobs in more than twenty industries. Subjects provided information about their conflict experiences with older workers and their organizational cultures. Results indicated that younger supervisors were more likely to use the avoiding style and less likely to use the collaborating style to manage conflict with older subordinates. The openness-to-change culture variable had a slight impact on the age-strategy relationship, but the age factor alone was found to be the most powerful predictor of the supervisor's selection of conflict management strategies.
Islam as a rhetorical constraint: the post-September 11th speaking of George W. Bush.
(2007-12-04T19:50:18Z) Bajema, Hillary Ann.; Medhurst, Martin J.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
The post 9/11 rhetoric of President George W. Bush presents an interesting opportunity to assess the cross-cultural currency of presentations of American ideology. This thesis attends to the President’s unifying rhetoric especially regarding the religion of Islam, recognizing that each statement risked backlash from Muslims within the nation as well as for those practicing the faith of Islam in the Middle East and beyond. Bush’s national presidential addresses between the dates of September 11, 2001, through May 1, 2003, the declared end of the military campaign against Iraq, are examined. Three ideographs – , , and – isolated for their dominance throughout the twelve Presidential addresses, have been identified and studied. The thesis concludes that the President’s intention to appeal to his diverse audience was successful thematically; but presenting a confident country while simultaneously overcoming international accusations of American arrogance was impossible.
Turning points of closeness in the sibling relationship.
(2008-04-15T17:55:14Z) Herrick, Paige.; Morman, Mark T.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
The sibling relationship is an important relationship within the family system because it greatly affects the intellectual, emotional, and social development of these family members; as a result, the sibling relationship is considered to be the most prolific and enduring of all personal relationships. However, not many studies have investigated this important family relationship (Connidis, 2001). In an effort to advance the literature on sibling relationships, the current study explored the most important moments in sibling relationships where levels of closeness changed. An increasingly popular research method used by many family scholars to study relationships called "Turning Point Analysis" (Baxter & Bullis, 1986) was used to capture the critical moments that impacted closeness within the sibling relationship. Six primary turning points of closeness emerged in the analysis and are described and explained from a "gendered closeness" (Floyd; 1995; Wood & Inman; 1993) perspective.
The perceived benefits of the friends with benefits relationship: a pilot study.
(2008-06-10T21:38:33Z) Green, Katie J.; Morman, Mark T.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
The friends with benefits relationship is a complex relationship embedded within the cross-sex friendship consisting of new rules of maintenance, attitudes, and definitive sexual behavior without romantic commitment. This study sought to discover the perceived benefits of the friends with benefits relationship. Comparisons were made between those that have engaged in a friends with benefits relationship and those that have not, using closeness, affection, commitment, self-disclosure, and satisfaction and involvement as variables to determine any and all perceived benefits of a friends with benefits relationship (FWBR). The primary result of this study suggests that there are no more perceived relationally oriented benefits in a FWBR than in a strictly platonic, opposite-sex friendship.
Turning points of closeness in the mother-son relationship.
(2008-10-15T11:32:06Z) Whiteley, Marianna.; Morman, Mark T.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
The purpose of the current project is to investigate the historically understudied nature of the mother-son relationship. While there is a significant portion of research in parent-child relationships regarding gender identification and same-sex parent-child dyadic communication, a significant gap in communication research regarding cross-gendered parent-child relationships continues to exist. The focus of this project is twofold: (1) to discover significant turning points of closeness between mother and son, i.e. significant life events that either increased or decreased intimacy in the mother-son relationship; and (2) to examine relationship variables that influence mother-son closeness. This study hopes to identify not only significant moments of closeness within the mother-son relationship, but also what events and influences affect the fluid dynamic of intimacy between mother and son.
Toward a rhetoric of symbolic reparations : overlapping genres in George W. Bush's apology for slavery.
(2010-06-23T12:26:34Z) Wagner, Zachary R.; Gerber, Matthew G.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
In 2003, George W. Bush apologized for slavery at Goree Island in Senegal, which was the site of the largest market for slaves during America's slave period. This apology contains both a mythic and a mundane frame for understanding the crime and sin of slavery, clearly separated by Bush's language choices. Examining both frames allows the best understanding of what Bush attempted to accomplish, displacing blame for a spiritual crime onto a mundane world. This conception allows him to create an America which is mythic, rewrite the historical narrative with black agency responsible for emancipation, and begin a process of identification which is at the heart of reconciliation rhetoric. He both atones and engages image-restoration discourse, and in doing so, avoids many of the criticisms leveled at other examples of both his epideictic discourse and general presidential rhetoric regarding slavery. The literature base surrounding the idea of reparations for slavery presents a clear space where this apology needs to go in order to move past the legacy of slavery and begin the process of reconciliation. I will examine here both the historical and current meanings of reparations, and show how Bush effectively engages reparations rhetoric. This form of symbolic reparations is important, because it is distinct from presidential apology, atonement, jeremiad, reconciliation, and other genres, even though it mixes many of the strategies normally associated with one or more of those forms. Understanding the message is critical to unraveling a complex historical narrative of race regarding Bush, and understanding the current state of United States relationship with slavery.
Affective identification with animals in the public sphere in earth, the movie.
(2010-06-23T12:32:18Z) Greenwalt, Dustin A.; Bass, Jeff Davis, 1951-; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
Following Derrida's Introduction to Dissemination; "I will not feign, according to the code, either premeditation or improvisation. These texts are assembled otherwise, it is not my intention here to present them." Animal films are tied to a system of liberalism and the objectification of nature that has developed through the historical confluence of visuality, anthropomorphism, and a fascination with nature. Sequences in Earth produce collective fantasies of a pristine nature, containing a marked absence of connection between growing environmental destruction, and the modernist forms of consumption that underwrite western society. Further, Earth naturalizes discourses through anthropomorphic images, naturalizing the domination of humans and animals in everyday practice. Challenging critical rhetorics that reaffirm critique at the level of discourse, Earth calls forth an interrogation of the ethical possibilities offered by a greater awareness of the material processes of nature, and their influence on the cultural imagination.
Humor and Leader-Member Exchange : how can a leader use different types of humor to create in-groups and out-groups?
(2011-05-12T15:28:25Z) Ford, Jacob S.; Schlueter, David W. (David Walter), 1954-; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
Leader Member Exchange theory has significance describing the dyadic relationship between leaders and members, but it fails to explain what communicative acts a leader can use to create high-quality exchanges with members. Humor is a communicative act that can elicit positive responses from others and has many positive consequences in organizational life. This study looks at how four different humor styles correlate with the quality of exchanges between leaders and members. The results indicate that positive humor styles are associated with high-quality exchanges between leaders and members. Humor styles that can elicit negative responses were found to be inversely associated with the quality of exchanges. This research contributes to the literature on LMX by illuminating a potential method that creates high-quality exchanges in the leader-member dyad. This study also adds to the literature on humor by providing an additional outcome or benefit to organizational life.
Mountaintop removal mining and the environmental rhetoric of the 2010 West Virginia state primary campaign.
(2011-05-12T15:28:50Z) Ford, Rachel (Rachel L.); Medhurst, Martin J.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
This project analyzes the rhetoric of the 2010 West Virginia special senate primary election paying particular attention to the candidates’ discussion of mountaintop removal mining—a controversial type of mining in which the tops of mountains are removed so that the coal seams deep within can be easily accessed. Recently the practice of mountaintop removal has gained public attention because of its negative environmental impacts. This thesis uses a critical historical approach as a lens through which to interpret the complex historical relationship that has developed between the state and the coal industry. This history is important to my analysis because it illuminates the ways in which the relationship shapes the motivations of each candidate. I attempt to further develop an understanding of how political candidates use rhetorical strategies and tactics to discuss environmental concerns in the context of an election campaign.
My sisters , myself : influences on sorority members' body image and identities.
(2011-05-12T15:48:12Z) Reno, Jenna E.; McNamee, Lacy G.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
Sororities are a distinct organizational setting with a unique ability to influence the construction of identity and the subsequent impact on members' body image. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between perceived organizational norms for thinness and body esteem amongst college sorority members. In addition, it examines the effect the process of organizational assimilation has on mediating the proposed relationship between perceived organizational norms for thinness and body esteem. Lastly, memorable messages which contribute to the perceptions of organizational norms for thinness are identified and assessed for their impact on organizational members.
The negotiation of conflict management in long-distance and geographically close romantic relationships.
(2011-05-12T15:48:33Z) Reys, Whitney J.; Morman, Mark T.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
This study examines conflict management strategy use in long-distance dating relationships (LDDRs) compared to conflict management strategy use in geographically close dating relationships (GCDRs). Uncertainty Reduction Theory posits that uncertainty could be problematic for LDDRs and thus contribute to differences in conflict management styles. This study applied the conceptualization of Peterson’s (1983) conflict management strategies to the context of dating relationships. The purpose of this study was to determine differences between conflict management in LDDRs and GCDRs. This study also seeked to measure the satisfaction, commitment, and closeness felt by individuals who used each conflict management strategy. Results indicated that individuals in LDDRs and GCDRs report using the same conflict management strategies at the same rates. Thus, no differences were found in conflict management styles between couples in LDDRs and GCDRs. These results invite future exploration on the topic of LDDR conflict management.
Closeness in the same-sex friendships of men in long-distance and geographically close platonic relationships.
(2011-05-12T15:51:45Z) Tornes, Michael.; Morman, Mark T.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
The present study sought to find how men negotiate closeness in their same-sex long-distance friendships. Findings from Fehr (2004) were used to guide the hypotheses. Men were believed to prefer the use of shared activity to build closeness even though they regard self-disclosure as the primary pathway to closeness in their same-sex friendships. Self-disclosure, closeness, satisfaction, and commitment were each measured in regards to men's best geographically close or long-distance friendship. The relationship of gender orientation and homophobia to these variables was also tested. The results showed that men were more satisfied with their geographically close friendships than men in their long-distance friendships. Feminine gender orientation was found to be positively related to self-disclosure, closeness, and commitment. Homophobia was found to be negatively correlated with self-disclosure.
Film and intuition : an exploration of rhythm, pace, and the moving image.
(2011-12-19) Shen, Patrick C.; Hansen, Christopher J.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
Well-edited films are deeply rooted in the concepts of rhythm and pace. Many film editors argue that this sense of rhythm and pace is born out of a generalized sense of “intuition.” This concept of intuition is very rarely explored in academic scholarship. This paper explores and deconstructs the concept of the film editor’s intuition into definable methods of acquisition and usage. These methods are formed through the development of both a theoretical and practical frameworks.
Modeling a multiple, contradictory self : collective voices of (anorexic) identity from cyberspace.
(2011-12-19) Weeks, Sarah Ingram.; Schlueter, David W. (David Walter), 1954-; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
As the primary text of the psychiatric establishment, the DSM-IV has been criticized for contributing to the stigmatization and marginalization of individuals with mental illness. The rapid rise of the internet as a communication tool has enabled previously marginalized and isolated sociocultural subgroups to create virtual communities where they can share their unique understandings and experiences of living with a mental illness. Individuals with eating disorders constitute one such subgroup who have created virtual spaces via pro-anorexia communities. Free of the discursive constraint present in their day to day lives, these dialogical spaces are at the same time anonymous and highly intimate; thus, the accounts contained within and across these communities are a beneficial source from which to investigate the meaning of anorexia from the patients’ perspective. Through a feminist, post-structuralist discourse analysis of (anorexic) narrative and the theory of the dialogical self, I suggest a model of collective voices of (anorexic) identity.
Girls with guns : understanding gender and violence in contemporary action cinema.
(2011-12-19) Roark, David E.; Kendrick, James, 1974-; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
Since Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) there has been a steady trend toward movies featuring women using firepower. These films have been, for the most part, shunned by the critical community. They are regularly called sexist and/or unsophisticated. I argue that these criticisms often ignore the basic mechanisms at work within these films and how they effectively communicate positive representations of women. Through analyses of Alien, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Barb Wire (1996), Sucker Punch (2011), KickAss (2010), and La Femme Nikita (1990), I argue that, while these films include problematic elements (e.g., ideologically male women, sexualization, and women whose motivation relies on one or more males), they are also often misunderstood. Within the context of a film, these taboos can be used to criticize society’s understanding of established gender norms. Therefore, the “girls with guns” subgenre should not be seen as necessarily regressive.
Barack Obama and the rhetoric of American exceptionalism : race, economy, security, and the exceptional rhetorical apparatus of sovereign power.
(2012-08-08) McVey, J. Alexander.; Hahner, Leslie Ann.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
This thesis examines President Barack Obama’s use of the rhetoric of American exceptionalism to establish authority for the exercise of sovereign power. I perform a close reading of three speeches to examine how Obama uses American exceptionalism to garner authority on issues of race, the economy, and national security. Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” speech demonstrates how Obama deploys the rhetoric of American exceptionalism to limit the rhetorical force of racial anger. The 2011 State of the Union illustrates how Obama rhetorically manipulates time to defend neoliberal economics through the rhetoric of American exceptionalism. Obama’s “Our Security, Our Values” speech shows how Obama uses the rhetoric of the rule of law to establish American exceptionalism as a durable rhetorical framework for ongoing actions in the war on terror. Together, these speeches demonstrate the importance of understanding how American exceptionalism functions in Obama’s rhetoric as a foundation for sovereign power.
Memorable messages in anticipatory socialization : creating the professional identity.
(2012-08-08) Simek, Darby Renee.; Schlueter, David W. (David Walter), 1954-; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
Memorable messages during the anticipatory socialization stage have been understudied in the field of communication. This study examined the role of memorable messages received by individuals as they create their professional identities during the anticipatory socialization stage. The content and function of a memorable message related to the professional identity were elicited from 239 college-enrolled participants. The results indicate that memorable messages do exist in the anticipatory stage of socialization. Further, the results suggest that the participants received messages most often in the home, via face-to-face communication, and from a male most notably their father. The results also show that the most frequently occurring memorable messages and message functions were associated with decisions of choosing a future career and constructing a positive professional persona.
Contemporary high-level political rhetoric surrounding climate change — how Gore, Bush, and Obama approach the issue.
(2012-08-08) Vint, Kyle J.; Gerber, Matthew G.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
Climate change has become a hot button issue spanning the fields of economics, politics, religion, race, ethics, and identity. This thesis provides a rhetorical criticism analyzing how three high-level politicians, namely Al Gore, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, navigate the intense contours of climate change discussions and articulate their own rhetorical understanding of the phenomena. Presidents and major political figures influence and shape the evolution of climate change rhetoric within American politics. One of the ways high-level politicians shape understandings of climate change is by articulating different rhetorical frames of climate change. This thesis analyzes how political leaders employ different frames in the face of political, economic, and rhetorical constraints. This thesis argues that the ways Gore, Bush, and Obama framed climate change, its consequences, and its solutions, hold important implications for the discussions and policy formulations surrounding climate change.
Bill Clinton's 1994 European tour : expanding the democratic order in the post-Cold War world.
(2012-08-08) Luppes, Amanda M.; Medhurst, Martin J.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton made four trips to Europe. In January, he advocated for the expansion of NATO through the Partnership for Peace plan and signed the first nuclear disarmament agreement with former Soviet states. In June, he attended the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Normandy invasion and spoke of the enduring values of the World War II generation. In July, he visited the capitols of three important former Soviet states and spoke about the imperative of reform. Finally, in December, he attended the CSCE summit and gave a capstone speech about democratic expansion. Each trip had a unique set of goals and circumstances, but all served to bolster Clinton’s foreign policy goal of democratic expansion. Clinton’s speeches demonstrate the unique facets of his beliefs about foreign policy and the role of the United States in the post-Cold War world.
Technopolis Gotham : an original transmedia intellectual property.
(2012-11-29) Vorderkunz, John B.; Hansen, Christopher J.; Communication Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Communication Studies.
As the title indicates Technopolis Gotham is an original transmedia intellectual property. 'Transmedia' is an emergent trend in narrative design for commercial entertainment properties that focuses upon building a rich narrative universe wherein multiple stories can be told through a variety of media. This document contains three original artifacts which together constitute the basis for such a commercially salable Intellectual Property: a Codex (aka Story Bible), a Teleplay, and a Game Design Document. The three documents are included as Appendices A, B and C, and are preceded by a text originally constituted as the Prospectus for the project, reformatted and now including a chapter analyzing the production of the artifacts and a bibliography. Technopolis Gotham is intended for the upper range of the Young Adult spectrum, Juniors in High School to College Sophomores, and is written in the Science Fiction genre.

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