Publication Type: Session Paper
Abstract: This study springs from a larger study (Gornick, 2004) of siblings’ construction of advice episodes and their negotiation of the instrumental, identity, and relational goals (Clark & Delia, 1979) relevant to the proffering and receipt of advice. That study demonstrated that because advice episodes inherently raise face concerns about both “Control/Authority” and Intimacy issues, they are particularly useful for exploring the conversational practices close relational partners utilize in the co-construction of their relationships. Findings of that study demonstrate that advice episodes are composed of three sequentially-ordered interactional tasks: 1)Problem Construction, 2) Issuing Advice, and 3) Receipt of Advice. Moreover, the construction of each sequentially-ordered segment invariably included facework and relationship-work relevant to interactants’ “roles” as Older and Younger Siblings.
The findings of the larger study, therefore, provided the opportunity to explore Advice Episodes where Older/Younger Sibling “roles” are problematized by a “legitimate” lack of what French & Raven’s (1957) classic study described as “legitimate power.” The study reported here involves Twin Sisters negotiating an advice episode where the potential advice-giver initiates the construction of her sister’s problem in a Physiology class she’s taking. Findings of the study suggest that both sisters orient to and address face and relational concerns as they co-construct all three segments of the advice episode. More specifically, Problem Construction, Advice Proffering, and Advice Receipt are achieved with conversational practices that 1) address how “initiating and responding” actions are accomplished, 2) work to “resist” construction of the segment or address such resistance, and 3)minimize face concerns (e.g. by “softening” claims of authority) and relational concerns (e.g., by invoking “Snookie,” a stuffed animal, as a third participant in the conversation). The study contributes to our understandings of both the construction of Advice Episodes and Sibling relational roles.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Episodic heavy (or binge) drinking among college students is a nation-wide problem that threatens the health and safety of students and surrounding college communities. In addressing this epidemic, colleges and universities typically offer conventional intervention programs such as alcohol-abuse prevention education to their students; a number of schools have also implemented the social norms campaign. This paper reports the outcome of a formative research project that aimed at gathering student opinions about what may or may not work for a planned prevention program experiment and a binge-drinking prevention campaign. Specifically, the study applied the typology of theory of planned behavior to assess student perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, perceived norms, perceived behavioral control and behavioral intentions associated with episodic high-risk drinking behavior.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Out of class communication between students and instructors is valuable, but takes place less often than instructors wish. This study investigates why students do or do not arrange for such conferences. We develop a new instrument, the Out of Class Commmunication Scale, which measures students' perceptions and expectations about this sort of communication episode. The OCCS has four subscales, measuring how helpful, easy, and useful the conferences are likely to be, as well as how desirable and substitutable alternatives (such as phone and email) might be. The subscales predict frequency of visits, with correlations ranging from absolute values of .22 to .39. OCCS scores have some relationships to instructors' perceived assertiveness and responsiveness, as measured by the SCS, as well as correlations to student locus of control. Student sex and age also have some modest connections to OCCS. We regard this investigation as a useful step toward the eventual goal of increasing the frequency and usefulness of out of class communication.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Employing an experimental design, this study looks at the effects of photo images and ethnicity on attribution of responsibility for the consequences of Hurricane Katrina. Subjects drawn from a national representative sample (N=500), oversampling for African Americans, were asked who they thought was responsible for the humanitarian disaster that followed the storm. Prior to answering the questionnaire, subjects were asked to read a story that included pictures of either white Katrina victims, black victims or no images at all. Consistent with previous framing studies, we find that attribution of blame to the federal government was significantly higher when there were no pictures of victims than when pictures, of any sort, were included in the news story. Furthermore, in the absence of pictures, the were no significant differences between black and white subjects as far as ascribing blame to the government was concerned. However, when pictures were included, black subjects attributed significantly higher levels of responsibility to the government than the white subjects. There were no statistically significant effects driven by the race of victims in the pictures. This study builds on previous research about framing and attribution of responsibility, applies it to the unique and dramatic circumstances of hurricane Katrina and turns the spotlight to the interaction between framing and the ethnicity of experimental subjects in highly charged political and racial circumstances.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Although the Jena 6 incident attracted only a brief global, then national attention, the issues involved are profound. A practical approach to a race-specific problem, like the Jena 6, begins with a creative theory like Frazier's discerning, al beit maligned, "Pathology of Race Prejudice" whose assumptions appear to offer a powerful current relevance to the incident. This paper argues that we must hesitate to discard Frazier's theory without first testing its generalizability and currency, else we would be politicizing an academic endeavor. Criminologists must strive to explain criminal and related behavior in an accurate and unbiased fashion (Stitt and Giancopassi, 1992). This admittedly exploratory analysis attempts to generate an unbiased, academic discussion of Frazier's theory.