Analysis of Functions of Talk and Reports of Imagined Interactions (Us) During Engagement and Marriage

Research has revealed that individuals vary in their philosophy about marriage in terms of the amount of sharing and communication that is expected in the relationship. This study examined individual differences as a function of gender, marital status (engaged, married) and marital orientation (traditional, independent) on beliefs about talk based on a functional approach and reports of various characteristics of imagined interactions (self-talk). A factor analysis was conducted on beliefs about the functions of talk with the relational partner and in social situations. There were 4 dimensions for talk functions: equality of power, talk about daily events, use of small talk to avoid discussion of conflict, and the enjoyment of serious discussion. Regression models were tested to predict relational satisfaction on the basis of talk functions and characteristics of internal dialogues that included the frequency of internal dialogues, discrepancy, pleasantness, specificity, variety, compensation, and rehearsal. Results revealed differences as a consequence of gender, marital status, and orientation.     

The Philosophy of State Compensation

Notwithstanding that there is now widespread interest in the rights of victims, little has been written about the theoretical justification of state compensation. Here we offer an initial exploration of the field in the hope that others might venture further and examine the points at which issues of compensation connect with other general and specific themes in social and political philosophy. For example, there has been much discussion about communitarian conceptions of civil society but the practical implications of such views, other than those relating to multiculturalism, have been largely ignored. The application of theory to social policy needs to take account of existing laws and institutions and these vary from one society and jurisdiction to another. In what follows we are principally concerned with the situation obtaining in the United Kingdom but the underlying issues are general ones [1].     

A Dual-Capacity Model of Communication Media Choice in Organizations

Most previous research concerning communication media choke in organizations has stressed the capacity of media to convey data. More recently, scholars have examined the capacity of media to convey and manifest meaning. Rarely have both functions been considered concurrently. In this artcle, a model is proposed that not only permits the simultaneous examination of these two functions but reflects that media use is influenced by characteristics of the task, individual and organizational capability constraints, and normative factors. By exploring the implications of this expanded dual-capacity perspective, a more encompassing theory of the determinants of communkation media use in organizations is proposed.