Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study examined whether a debater’s background nonverbal behavior affected audience perceptions of her and her opponent’s likeability. Students watched one of four versions of a televised debate. In each, while the speaking debater appeared on the main screen, subscreens displayed her nonspeaking opponent’s background nonverbal behavior. In one version, the non-speaking debater displayed a neutral expression during her opponent’s speech, while in the other three she nonverbally displayed occasional disagreement, nearly constant disagreement, or both agreement and disagreement. After viewing the debates, students rated the debaters’ likeability. Analysis indicated that background nonverbal behavior influenced audience perceptions of the nonverbal communicator but not of the speaking debater. These results and their implications are discussed.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Analyses of copy test scores of 3,000 TV commercials showed that Dutch commercials were not evaluated as very likeable in the period 1992 - 2001. Over time, commercials were perceived as more amusing, but less interesting, less convincing and less personal relevant. Time also had a small negative influence on unaided ad recall and recommendation. Despite these negative tendencies, the predictive value of the four different ad likeability dimensions (entertainment, relevance, clearness and pleasantness) on advertising effectiveness remained stable over time (no interaction effect of year was found). Regression analyses further showed that the ad likeability dimensions related strongly, but differently, to ad memory and the other advertising effects. While the 'entertaining qualities' of commercials were especially important for explaining processing effects, 'relevance' mattered most for changing someone’s opinions. Finally, the moderating influence of product type on the relationship between likeability and effectiveness was small, but significant for ad memory.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Year of the Presidential Woman

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: The "election" of George W. Bush in 2000 demonstrated how quarrelsome American politics had become. While September 11 gave Bush a tremendous boost, signs are growing that Bush's presidency is returning to its partisan roots. He has become a fifty-something president.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: This study investigated the communicative force of wrinkles on the human face. The purpose of the study was to support the claim that wrinkles can actually enhance perceptions of likeability. Building on the universal emotion expressions discovered by Ekman (1978), this thesis transposed wrinkles that are characteristic of prosocial and antisocial expressions onto “neutral” faces. Creating six photographs with differing wrinkle patterns (three of the photographs representing different degrees of antisocial wrinkles and three photographs representing different degrees of prosocial wrinkles), 110 subjects rated these photographs on the dependent measure of liability. A univariate ANOVA was used to examine if wrinkles had any effect on perceptions of likeability. Although no statistically significant differences were found between likeability and the varying degrees of prosocial and antisocial wrinkling, post hoc analyses revealed a significant gender effect in the decoding of facial expressions. Specifically, females were more likely than males to notice an increase in wrinkling.