Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association Copyright (c) 2013 Roger Williams University All rights reserved. http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings Recent documents in Proceedings of the New York State Communication Association en-us Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:58:06 PST 3600 Public Speaking Catch Phrase: Reinforcing good public speaking skills through an interactive in-class gaming experience http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/7 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/7 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:00:48 PDT Public Speaking Catch Phrase is an interactive in-classroom game derived out of the word guessing party game, Catch Phrase. Public Speaking Catch Phrase intends to make students aware of their communication habits and to develop and reinforce good public speaking skills. Speakers, or “clue-givers,” from two teams will alternate turns and deliver clues to get their team to say the words displayed on the electronic game device. However, students must follow “rules” promoting good public speaking practices in order to receive points. This includes maximizing metaphors and punctuation with gestures, and minimizing non-words (e.g., “um,” “uh,” “er”) and fluency disruptions (e.g., stammering, slurred articulation). This activity challenges students to focus, think quickly, and build a speaker-audience relationship in an interactive, fun, and energetic way.

]]> Rannie Teodoro Misunderstood: The Matthew Shepherd Hate Crime and its Intercultural Implications http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/6 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/6 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:00:47 PDT The increasing vocalization by both supporters and opponents of homosexual rights has launched the topic into the spotlight, reenergizing a vibrant discussion that personally affects millions of Americans and which will determine the direction in which U.S. national policy will develop. This essay serves as a continuation of this discussion, using the Matthew Shepherd Hate crime, which occurred in October of 1998, as a focal point around which a detailed analysis of homophobia and masculinity in American culture will emerge.

]]> Cameron Muir In or Out? Experiential Learning and Three Consequences of Communicating Group Identity http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/5 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/5 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:00:46 PDT Group identity is intimately tied with self identity. Yet, people often understand their identity as individual without appreciation for the role others play in their identity. Based on social identity theory this article highlights the role that group identity plays in self identity and explores three consequences of this association. Case studies present first-hand experience with the consequences of communicating group identity. These case studies also demonstrate the value of a specific class project undertaken to provide students with a meaningful understanding of these issues.

]]> Anastacia Kurylo et al. “Phone Home”: Remote Parenting across National Borders – Jamaican Students in North America and the Role of Mobile Communication Devices http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/4 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/4 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:00:45 PDT This study presents a snapshot of geographically distributed families and how they use information and communication technologies (ICTs). The setting is in the Caribbean nation of Jamaica, and by way of qualitative interviews with eleven parents, the study explores the extent to which Jamaican parents communicate with their adolescents overseas using ICTs. Despite the barriers of distance, the parents were able to maintain strong emotional bonds with their adolescents overseas, and used mobile phones and voice over Internet protocols to enact a virtual co-presence with their children, as well as to maintain existing, and create new family rituals. The study has implications for privacy and boundary management between parents and adolescents, and for the sharing of social and emotional capital across national boundaries.

]]> Marian Stewart Titus Digital Death: The Failures, Struggles and Discourses of the Social Media Spectacle http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/3 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/3 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:00:43 PDT Celebrities have always capitalized upon various media to give voice and substance to their own mute causes. From Live Aid to PBS fundraisers, they have utilized their public personae to support the downtrodden, sick and underprivileged. However, in December of 2010, when Alicia Keys and over a dozen other celebrities banded together to raise money for World AIDS Day by eradicating their Twitter and other social media profiles, their much-hyped campaign to raise one million dollars fell short of its goal by nearly half. This paper explores the discourses surrounding the Digital Death "Pseudo-Event," and the effects of the disjuncture between the real and digital self when the Celebrity Spectacle is moved from traditional media to the social sphere. Consumer awareness of that gulf ultimately precluded the Digital Death campaign's ability to succeed, not only as a fundraiser, but also as a media spectacle. Ultimately, such revelations point to the inherent natures of social media to promote a certain type of celebrity spectacle that does not conform uniformly to the celebrity of traditional media.

]]> Maxwell Foxman The Good, The Bad, and the Bluths: Arrested Development as a Modern Allegory http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/2 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/2 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:00:42 PDT Allegroies are often seen as an archiac form of narrative expression. Yet the the basic concepts about human morality remain universal sources of artistic inspiratiojn thousands of years later. This piece gives a brief history of allegorical storytelling from the Middle Ages up through the Twentienth Century focusing on the Seven Deadly Sins. The second half of the piece gives an in depth analysis of the television program, Arrested Development, assigning each character a feature found with the Seven Deadly Sins often found in traditonal allegorical storytelling. The piece concludes with an explanation of why such methods are still relevant today.

]]> Thomas Felty From the Editor http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/1 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2011/iss1/1 Thu, 18 Oct 2012 10:00:40 PDT Roxanne M. O'Connell Parent-teen communication about dating behaviors and its relationship to teenage dating behaviors: From the teen’s perspective. http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2008/iss1/5 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2008/iss1/5 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:58:12 PDT Research on parent-teen communication and teen sexual behavior has found that differing levels of parent-teen communication play a role in shaping their teens subsequent behaviors. This study examined teen reported parent-teen communication about dating behaviors and its relationship to the teen’s own dating behaviors. The differences and relationships among communication between mother and father and male and female participants is reported. 1st year college students were invited by e-mail to take an on-line survey about parent communication topics and different dating behaviors. The college student-based sample consisted 90 teens aged 18-19. Results present correlations and differences between the teen reported frequencies of topics of parent-teen communication between teen girls and boys and the frequencies of dating behaviors presented correlations and differences between themselves and the communication topics.

]]> Kimberly S. Reeb "Because I Said So" and Other Notions of Authority: An Advanced Course on Communication and Power http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2008/iss1/4 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2008/iss1/4 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:58:12 PDT Many college students have inconsistent knowledge of historic and policy contexts where communication and power have played a key role. As Anton Ego, Ratatouillefood critic would say, “What we need is some perspective.” We have found one avenue for the development of such perspective is an advanced course for the consideration of power or, more accurately, the examination of powerlessness and how communication can be brought to bear for both the manifestation and limitation of power. By examining those factors that render one less powerful and historic instances that are glaring in this regard, the student can better understand communication as a valuable tool and better prepare themselves to use their communication skills to improve the world. This paper will describe our 400 level seminar course on the subject of power and communication.

]]> Maureen M. Louis The link (or lack thereof) among communication networks, organizational commitment, and job satisfaction: A case study http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2008/iss1/3 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2008/iss1/3 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:58:11 PDT The purpose of this paper is to determine whether and to what extent one’s communication networks (both social and task) come to influence commitment to, and satisfaction with, one’s organization. Using Social Identity Theory as the theoretical framework, the main argument is that employees will have similar levels of organizational commitment and satisfaction as compared to those considered part of their socially constructed networks. After conducting a social network analysis of an organization involved in the creation, production, and distribution of foot care products, and conducting multivariate statistical tests, results indicate that neither commitment, nor satisfaction, is predicted by network membership. As such, although communication networks are predictive of certain organizational variables, this study forces one to reconsider whether social relations, manifested in network ties, result in psychological “sameness” or homophily.

]]> Corey Jay Liberman Public Relations: A role for women? http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2008/iss1/2 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2008/iss1/2 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:58:11 PDT In an effort to seek coherence, continuity and connection in the communication discipline, this paper explores the issue of gender and culture within the field of public relations. This paper examines how gender affects the disciplinary detachment of public relations from the many communication disciplines. Secondary research that has emerged over the last 25 years is analyzed by discussing the feminization and perspectives of gender’s influence in the discipline of public relations. Future opportunities for both universities and the industry are explored, in order to help bridge the gap of detachment of public relations to that of similar disciplines.

]]> Victoria Geyer The Loss of Culture: The Changing Role of Communication http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2008/iss1/1 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2008/iss1/1 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:58:10 PDT Although, tradition serves as a core common ground for a culture’s identity, today, technology has been instrumental in breaking down cultural tradition into specialized areas within the communication discipline. When examining various contexts of media and technology, we see the role of tradition begin to fragment. However, this same media and technology also presents future possibilities of coherence and continuity for the discipline of communication. Through examining differing contexts of technology’s affect on tradition in culture, we can explore tradition(s) lost and found; traditions that may limit, integrate, or even establish a new found structure to help promote the common ground of tradition in the communication discipline.

]]> Suzanne N. Berman Dispelling Rape Myths through Prison Theatre http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/6 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/6 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:29:35 PDT Lorraine F. Moller Behaviors That Eliminate Health Disparities for Racial and Ethnic Minorities: A Narrative Systematic Review http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/5 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/5 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:29:35 PDT Within the health care provider-health care recipient relationship the communication must be culturally competent to eliminate barriers to equitable health care for all Americans. This assertion has conceptual grounding in Public Law 106-129 (the Health Care Research and Quality Act of 1999) and Public Law 106-525 (the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act of 2000). This narrative systematic review examines this assertion by using selection and exclusion criteria to gather interventions, assessments, and testimonies conducted from 2000-2007. Reports that were not eliminated via these criteria were analyzed to determine the effect of specific practices that were undertaken in interventions, assessments, and testimonies. Which practices does research propose as indispensable to efforts to eliminate health disparities for racial and ethnic minority health care recipients? Findings indicate that culturally competent behaviors by providers and recipients promote effective intercultural communication that eliminates health care disparities, and removes obstacles to care.

]]> Truman Ryan Keys An Analysis of College-aged Women’s Personal Relations http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/4 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/4 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:29:35 PDT Current communication literature regarding personal relations is limited by its focus on romantic, friendship and friends with benefits relations. To better understand the types of relations college-aged women practice, this study sought to explore (a) the types of cross-sex relations college-aged women practice (b) the reasons they give for practicing the relations and (c) the identities they construct by practicing the relations. Results indicated a myriad of relational types. Types were categorized under three supra-categories and were explored in terms of their description, initiation, maintenance and communication rules, as well as their benefits and drawbacks. Identities associated with the relations were also examined, along with relational fluidity, commitment and intimacy.

]]> Amanda E. Hamilton Roundtable Discussion Examining Ritual, Technology, and Community in Urban Communication http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/3 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/3 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:29:34 PDT Pervasive technologies that now exist in the urban setting have greatly improved the ability to connect on a macro-level, but have minimized the intimate shared experience of community on a micro level. This paper explores how technology has changed rituals within the global community and has contributed new methods to the process of human interaction. Technology’s influence on civic engagement, business meetings, shopping and socializing are examined to assess the impact technology has on human connections.

]]> Victoria Geyer et al. Understanding space and time through the exploration of a cafe as a workplace http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/2 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/2 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:29:34 PDT This paper examines a café as a workplace. The position adopted is the constitutive view, whereby patrons of the café were observed as they worked. Data was obtained from thirteen ethnographic participant-observations, two hours each in length, conducted over a two-month period. It is argued that the environment provides a “sense of place” that normalizes patrons’ use of space and time, resulting in the typology of a leisure time-space worker. Themes include: patrons’ use of space to work, type of work done, and lastly, that the multi-functional work-leisure context allows for patrons’different use of time to work. This project contributes to existing research by showing how, in subtle ways, people behave in public spaces, and thereby informing our understanding of the norms underlying social behavior in public settings.

]]> Erin Christie KEYNOTE ADDRESS: On the Binding Biases of Time http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/1 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2009/iss1/1 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:29:33 PDT Lance Strate is Professor of Communication and Media Studies at Fordham University, and Executive Director of the Institute of General Semantics. He is a Past President of the New York State Communication Association, and a recipient of NYSCA's John F. Wilson Award. He is a founder and Past President of the Media Ecology Association, and author of Echoes and Reflections: On Media Ecology as a Field of Study. This is the text of his Keynote Address presented at the 67th Annual Conference of the New York State Communication Association, Ellenville, NY, October 23-25, 2009.

]]> Lance A. Strate Welcome to our Special Occasion [teaching S.O. Speaking via a banquet approach] http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2010/iss1/19 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2010/iss1/19 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:28:51 PDT Teaching the Special Occasion Speaking unit poses a unique challenge: to effectively cover diverse goals and contexts while providing sufficient opportunity for student presentational experience.

For this activity, after completing the instruction and exposure to the key concepts and example videoclips, the instructor then distributes a banquet program handout for a hypothetical class reunion which specifies a variety of specific special occasion talks (sample included). Students are divided into pairs or small groups to create a specified speech to be delivered as part of the upcoming banquet program—to be conducted as a roleplaying activity at the end of this class session. Variations include: spreading activity over two sessions, instructor supplying newsclippings to provide speech content, and incorporating oral feedback and a second opportunity to deliver the speech. This collaborative workshop format also helps reduce communication apprehension.

Although every student will not create & deliver every type of S.O. speech, every student does get hands-on experience with the basic tasks of creating a S.O. speech and with explicitly adapting to a communication context.

]]> Evelyn Plummer Better Papers by “Failing Forward”: The LAST strategy http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2010/iss1/18 http://docs.rwu.edu/nyscaproceedings/vol2010/iss1/18 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:28:50 PDT The basic philosophy underlying this method for guiding paperwriting is consistent with many approaches to writing pedagogy and supports these principles:

1) guide students to working on their final paper throughout the semester, not waiting to the last minute to draft it... and handing in a first draft as the final.

2) use writing as thinking in the early stages.

3) use peer review as a way to learn how to be a better writer/editor/reader and how to give and receive feedback.

4) use a grading system that rewards meeting criteria and deadlines, allows for "failing forward", encourages the inclusion of feedback in the final submission.

This method is all about getting better papers and fostering good work habits through positive feedback and deadline management.

]]> Roxanne Marie O'Connell