Interpersonal/Small Group Communication

Every person needs to communicate with other people, but the barriers and subtleties of our interpersonal communications often go undetected. In this section of our blog, we look at the latest interpersonal communication studies and critical theories to develop a better understanding of how people communicate face-to-face and through new technologies like social networking websites and text messaging systems. We will also take a look at small group interactions to learn how our interpersonal skills change and adapt to different situations. By understanding our interpersonal skills, our group communicative skills and how these skills can develop in response to new technologies, we can look for ways to positively treat interpersonal disorders and how to change our interactions with other individuals.

Physical Attraction More Important than Many Realize [Study]

February 8, 2012 coms 0

Most people will tell you what they prefer in a car or a house or a career, and for the most part, these preferences will predict which car or house or career they will choose. However, when people claim that physical attractiveness does not factor into their search for a partner, their claim may be less accurate in predicting who they will be attracted to.

Want More Sex? Widen Your Social Network, Beetle Research Says

February 2, 2012 coms 0

A new study by evolutionary biologists from the University of Virginia’s College of Arts & Sciences takes a closer look at these males who live on the fringes of the social world in order to determine how social interactions shape and are shaped by natural selection.

Male Sex Drive: The Root of World Conflicts [Study]

January 28, 2012 coms 0

It may be that evolution has molded men to respond with aggression towards anyone they perceive to be an outsider, according to a new study published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. Lead researcher Mark van Vugt conducted a review of prior studies in an attempt to support or discredit what has been called the “male warrior hypothesis.”

Powerful People Are Shorter Than They Think [Study]

January 27, 2012 coms 0

You often hear about “the little people,” even when actual height is not discussed. Often times, it is people who converse with upcoming celebrities, telling them not to forget “the little people.” A research study from the authors of a new paper published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, found that there is some psychological truth to these kinds of statements.

The Technology of Storytelling [Video]

January 23, 2012 coms 0

“The art of storytelling has remained unchanged and for the most part stories are recycled, but the way that humans tell the stories has always evolved with pure consistent novelty,” says iPad storyteller Joe Sabia. From cave walls to books, opera to vaudeville, radio to radio theater, silent films and now 3D movies, we are constantly embracing new technologies that help enhance our stories.

The Wingman Theory: Most Lie to Help Friends Save Face [Study]

January 23, 2012 coms 0

A new study conducted by researchers from the Alberta School of Business in cooperation with the University of Calgary suggests that, in many cases, people are willing to lie in order to help a close friend avoid embarrassment in a social situation. According to Jennifer Argo, most people will step in to help preserve or even enhance a friend’s social image or to save a friend from social embarrassment.

Signers Identify Non-Verbal Cues More Quickly, Study Reveals

January 20, 2012 coms 1

Deaf people who communicate through sign language are better than their hearing counterparts who don’t understand sign language at spotting and reading body language, according to a new study from the University of California. The study, which was published in the journal Cognition, was funded by the National Science Foundation, along with the National Institutes of Health.

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Ability to Gauge Emotion is Independent of Language, Study Says

December 28, 2011 coms 0

It has long been theorized that concepts could not be fully understood by a members of a culture unless that culture had a word for them. However, according to new research published in the American Psychological Association journal Emotion, it appears that people do not need to be able to name an emotion in order to understand it.

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How Cultures Interpret Facial Expressions Differently [Study]

November 15, 2011 coms 2

Facial expressions are one of the most powerful languages, especially in terms of communicating emotion. Culture plays a large role in how people interpret facial expressions. Because of this, researcher Rachael E. Jack, PhD, of the University of Glasgow set out to document how different cultures interpret facial expressions. The study, which was also Jack’s thesis, was published in the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Journal of Experimental Psychology.