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This study examined social and parasocial interaction from interpersonal attribution perspectives. Parasocial interaction is a perceived interpersonal relationship on the part of a television viewer with a mass media persona. We proposed that attributional confidence associated with parasocial interaction would mirror that resulting from social interaction and that personal construct theory and uncertainty reduction theory might add to knowledge about the nature of attributional confidence. Soap-opera-viewing college students (N = 105) completed questionnaires. Analysis revealed that, similar to social relationships, parasocial relationships with favorite soap opera characters were based, to some extent, on reduction of uncertainty and the ability to predict accurately the feelings and attitudes of the persona. The discussion focuses on implications of these findings for uncertainty reduction theory and personal construct theory.

Television viewing motivations and viewing patterns were examined for a sample of 340 aging and aged persons. Correlational relations between viewing motivations and viewing patterns were evident. Viewing motivations were found to be intercorrelated and canonical analysis located associations among viewing motivations and patterns. Companionship, habit, relaxation, arousal, escape, pass time, and product advertising motivations were interrelated and associated with increased television affinity, viewing levels, and game show and daytime serial watching. Information and entertainment motivations were interrelated and associated with news, documentary-magazine, and talk-interview program viewing. Multiple regression analysis determined that the salience of habit, pass time, and entertainment viewing motivations contributed to increased viewing levels; the salience of habit, companionship, product advertising, and entertainment viewing motivations contributed to increased television affinity. Implications of the findings for aging and mass communication research were discussed.

This study tests an uncertainty model of organizational assimilation assimilation that views assimilation as an active process involving both organizational attempts to form the newcomer (socialization) and the newcomer's efforts to influence the organization (individualization). Results showed that during organizational entry, socialization tactics as well as communication traits, attitudes, and values influence information / feedback-seeking behaviors, which then result in higher attributional confidence and lower role ambiguity. Organizational commitment, communication satisfaction, and role orientation likewise are influenced by organizational and individual antecedents, which then affect information-seeking behavior. Newcomers who actively sought information and became critically involved during early employment were more likely to assume an innovative role profile within the organization.

Expanding and building on the measures included in the original 1994 volume, Communication Research Measures II: A Sourcebook provides new measures in mass, interpersonal, instructional, and group/organizational communication areas, and highlights work in newer subdisciplines in communication, including intercultural, family, and health. It also includes measures from outside the communication discipline that have been employed in communication research