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Communication Studies Theses, Dissertations, and Professional Papers

This collection includes theses, dissertations, and professional papers from the University of Montana Department of Communication Studies. Theses, dissertations, and professional papers from all University of Montana departments and programs may be searched here.

Theses/Dissertations from 2024 2024

The Role of Face Threats in Understanding Target’s Interpretation of a Tease , Shawn M. Deegan

RETROSPECTIVE AND INTERACTIVE ANALYSES OF PARENT-ADOLESCENT STORYTELLING ABOUT ALCOHOL , Kiersten Marie Falck

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

COMEDY, CAMARADERIE, AND CONFLICT: USING HUMOR TO DEFUSE DISPUTES AMONG FRIENDS , Sheena A. Bringa

Navigating Toxic Identities Within League of Legends , Jeremy Thomas Miner

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

UNDERSTANDING MEDIA RICHNESS AND SOCIAL PRESENCE: EXPLORING THE IMPACTS OF MEDIA CHANNELS ON INDIVIDUALS’ LEVELS OF LONELINESS, WELL-BEING, AND BELONGING , Ashley M. Arsenault

CANCELING VS. #CANCEL CULTURE: AN ANALYSIS ON THE SURVEILLANCE AND DISCIPLINE OF SOCIAL MEDIA BEHAVIOR THROUGH COMPETING DISCOURSES OF POWER , Julia G. Bezio

DISTAL SIBLING GRIEF: EXPLORING EMOTIONAL AFFECT AND SALIENCE OF LISTENER BEHAVIORS IN STORIES OF SIBLING DEATH , Margaret C. Brock

Is Loss a Laughing Matter?: A Study of Humor Reactions and Benign Violation Theory in the Context of Grief. , Miranda B. Henrich

The Request Is Not Compatible: Competing Frames of Public Lands Discourse in the Lolo Peak Ski Resort Controversy , Philip A. Sharp

Patient Expectations, Satisfaction, and Provider Communication Within the Oncology Experience , Elizabeth Margaret Sholey

Psychological Safety at Amazon: A CCO Approach , Kathryn K. Zyskowski

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Discourse of Renewal: A Qualitative Analysis of the University of Montana’s COVID-19 Crisis Communication , Haley Renae Gabel

Activating Hope: How Functional Support Can Improve Hope in Unemployed Individuals , Rylee P. Walter

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

THE HOME AS A SITE OF FAMILY COMMUNICATED NARRATIVE SENSE-MAKING: GRIEF, MEANING, AND IDENTITY THROUGH “CLEANING OUT THE CLOSET” , Kendyl A. Barney

CRISIS AS A CONSTANT: UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNICATIVE ENACTMENT OF COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE WITHIN THE EXTENSION DISASTER EDUCATION NETWORK (EDEN) , Danielle Maria Farley

FOSTERING COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE IN COMPREHENSIVE SEX EDUCATION: EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE FOUNDATIONS TRAINING , Shanay L. Healy

Belonging for Dementia Caregivers , Sabrina Singh

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Making the Most of People We Do Not Like: Capitalizing on Negative Feedback , Christopher Edward Anderson

Understanding the Relationship Between Discursive Resources and Risk-Taking Behaviors in Outdoor Adventure Athletes , Mira Ione Cleveland

Service Failure Management in High-End Hospitality Resorts , Hunter A. Dietrich

Fear, Power, & Teeth (2007) , Olivia Hockenbroch

The climate change sublime: Leveraging the immense awe of the planetary threat of climate change , Sean D. Quartz

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Relationship Between Memorable Messages and Identity Construction , Raphaela P. Barros Campbell

Wonder Woman: A Case Study for Critical Media Literacy , Adriana N. Fehrs

Curated Chaos: A Rhetorical Study of Axmen , Rebekah A. McDonald

THE ROLE OF BIPOLAR DISORDER, STIGMA, AND HURTFUL MESSAGES IN ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS , Callie Parrish

Cruising to be a Board Gamer: Understanding Socialization Relating to Board Gaming and The Dice Tower , Benjamin Wassink

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

STEAMED: EXAMINATIONS OF POWER STRUGGLES ON THE VALUE FORUM , richard E. babb

Beyond the Bike; Identity and Belonging of Free Cycles Members , Caitlyn Lewis

Adherence and Uncertainty Management: A Test Of The Theory Of Motivated Information Management , Ryan Thiel

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Redskins Revisited: Competing Constructions of the Washington Redskins Mascot , Eean Grimshaw

A Qualitative Analysis of Belonging in Communities of Practice: Exploring Transformative Organizational Elements within the Choral Arts , Aubrielle J. Holly

Training the Professoraite of Tomorrow: Implementing the Needs Centered Training Model to Instruct Graduate Teaching Assistants in the use of Teacher Immediacy , Leah R. Johnson

Beyond Blood: Examining the Communicative Challenges of Adoptive Families , Mackensie C. Minniear

Attitudes Toward Execution: The Tragic and Grotesque Framing of Capital Punishment in the News , Katherine Shuy

Knowledge and Resistance: Feminine Style and Signifyin[g] in Michelle Obama’s Public Address , Tracy Valgento

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

BLENDED FRAMEWORK: BILL MCKIBBEN'S USE OF MELODRAMA AND COMEDY IN ENVIRONMENTAL RHETORIC , Megan E. Cullinan

THE INFLUENCE OF MEDICAL DRAMAS ON PATIENT EXPECTATIONS OF PHYSICIAN COMMUNICATION , Kayla M. Fadenrecht

Diabesties: How Diabetic Support on Campus can Alleviate Diabetic Burnout , Kassandra E. Martin

Resisting NSA Surveillance: Glenn Greenwald and the public sphere debate about privacy , Rebecca Rice

Rhetoric, participation, and democracy: The positioning of public hearings under the National Environmental Policy Act , Kevin C. Stone

Socialization and Volunteers: A Training Program for Volunteer Managers , Allison M. Sullivan

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

THIRD PARTY EFFECTS OF AFFECTIONATE COMMUNICATION IN FAMILY SUBSYSTEMS: EXAMINING INFLUENCE ON AFFECTIONATE COMMUNICATION, MENTAL WELL-BEING, AND FAMILY SATISFACTION , Timothy M. Curran

Commodity or Dignity? Nurturing Managers' Courtesy Nurtures Workers' Productivity , Montana Rafferty Moss

"It Was My Job to Keep My Children Safe": Sandra Steingraber and the Parental Rhetoric of Precaution , Mollie Katherine Murphy

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Free Markets: ALEC's Populist Constructions of "the People" in State Politics , Anne Sherwood

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

COMMUNICATIVE CONSTRUCTION OF EXPECTATIONS: AN EXAMINATION OF EXPECTATIONS REGARDING MOTHERS IN NARRATIVE CONSTRUCTION , Jordan A. Allen

Let’s talk about sex: A training program for parents of 4th and 5th grade children , Elizabeth Kay Eickhoff

"You Is The Church": Identity and Identification in Church Leadership , Megan E. Gesler

This land is your land, this land is my land: A qualitative study of tensions in an environmental decision making group , Gabriel Patrick Grelle

The Constitution of Queer Identity in the 1972 APA Panel, "Psychiatry: Friend or Foe to Homosexuals? A Dialogue" , Dustin Vern Edward Schneider

The Effect of Religious Similarity on the Use of Relational Maintenance Strategies in Marriages , Jamie Karen Taylor

Justice, Equality, and SlutWalk: The Rhetoric of Protesting Rape Culture , Dana Whitney Underwood

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Collective Privacy Boundary Turbulence and Facework Strategies: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of South Korea and the United States , Min Kyong Cho

COMMUNICATING ARTIFACTS: AN ANALYSIS OF HOW MUSEUMS COMMUNICATE ORGANIZATIONAL IDENTITY DURING TIMES OF CONTROVERSY AND FINANCIAL STRAIN , Amanda Renee Cornuke

Communication Apprehension and Perceived Responsiveness , Elise Alexandra Fanney

Improving Patient-Provider Communication in the Health Care context , Charlotte M. Glidden

What They Consider, How They Decide: Best Practices of Technical Experts in Environmental Decision-Making , Cassandra J. Hemphill

Rebuilding Place: Exploring Strategies to Align Place Identity During Relocation , Brigette Renee McKamey

Sarah Palin, Conservative Feminism, and the Politics of Family , Jasmine Rose Zink

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Salud, Dignidad, Justicia: Articulating "Choice" and "Reproductive Justice" for Latinas in the United States , Kathleen Maire de Onis

Environmental Documentary Film: A Contemporary Tool For Social Movement , Rachel Gregg

In The Pink: The (Un)Healthy Complexion of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month , Kira Stacey Jones

Jihad as an Ideograph: Osama bin Laden's rhetorical weapon of choice , Faye Lingarajan

The Heart of the Matter: The Function and Relational Effects of Humor for Cardiovascular Patients , Nicholas Lee Lockwood

Feeling the Burn: A Discursive Analysis of Organizational Burnout in Seasonal Wildland Firefighters , Whitney Eleanor Marie Maphis

Making A Comeback: An Exploration of Nontraditional Students & Identity Support , Jessica Kate McFadden

In the Game of Love, Play by the Rules: Implications of Relationship Rule Consensus over Honesty and Deception in Romantic Relationships , Katlyn Elise Roggensack

Assessing the balance: Burkean frames and Lil' Bush , Elizabeth Anne Sills

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

The Discipline of Identity: Examining the Challenges of Developing Interdisciplinary Identities Within the Science Disciplines , Nicholas Richard Burk

Occupational Therapists: A Study of Managing Multiple Identities , Katherine Elise Lloyd

Discourse, Identity, and Culture in Diverse Organizations: A Study of The Muslim Students Association (University of Montana) , Burhanuddin Bin Omar

The Skinny on Weight Watchers: A Critical Analysis of Weight Watcher's Use of Metaphors , Ashlynn Laura Reynolds-Dyk

You Got the Job, Now What?: An Evaluation of the New Employee Orientation Program at the University of Montana , Shiloh M. A. Sullivan

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Because We Have the Power to Choose: A Critical Analysis of the Rhetorical Strategies Used in Merck's Gardasil Campaign , Brittney Lee Buttweiler

Communicative Strategies Used in the Introduction of Spirituality in the Workplace , Matthew Alan Condon

Cultures in Residence: Intercultural Communication Competence for Residence Life Staff , Bridget Eileen Flaherty

The Influence of Sibling Support on Children's Post-Divorce Adjustment: A Turning Point Analysis , Kimberly Ann Jacobs

TALK ABOUT “HOOKING UP”: HOW COLLEGE STUDENTS‟ ACCOUNTS OF “HOOKING UP” IN SOCIAL NETWORKS INFLUENCES ENGAGING IN RISKY SEXUAL BEHAVIOR , Amanda J. Olson

The Effect of Imagined Interactions on Secret Revelation and Health , Adam Stephens Richards

Teaching Intercultural Communication Competence in the Healthcare Context , Jelena Stojakovic

Quitting versus Not Quitting: The Process and Development of an Assimilation Program Within Opportunity Resources, Inc. , Amanda N. Stovall

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

IMAGES AS A LAYER OF POSITIVE RHETORIC: A VALUES-BASED CASE STUDY EXPLORING THE INTERACTION BETWEEN VISUAL AND VERBAL ELEMENTS FOUND ON A RURAL NATURAL RESOURCES NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WEBSITE , Vailferree Stilwell Brechtel

Relational Transgressions in Romantic Relationships: How Individuals Negotiate the Revelation and Concealment of Transgression Information within the Social Network , Melissa A. Maier

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

THE SOCIALIZATION OF SEASONAL EMPLOYEES , Maria Dawn Blevins

Friends the family you choose (no matter what: An investigation of fictive kin relationships amoung young adults. , Kimberly Anne Clinger

Public relations in nonprofit organizations: A guide to establishing public relations programs in nonprofit settings , Megan Kate Gale

Negotiated Forgiveness in Parent-Child Relationships: Investigating Links to Politeness, Wellness and Sickness , Jennifer Lynn Geist

Developing and Communicating Better Sexual Harassment Policies Through Ethics and Human Rights , Thain Yates Hagan

Managing Multiple Identities: A Qualitative Study of Nurses and Implications for Work-Family Balance , Claire Marie Spanier

BEYOND ORGANIC: DEFINING ALTERNATIVES TO USDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC , Jennifer Ann von Sehlen

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Graduate Teaching Assistant Interpretations and Responses to Student Immediacy Cues , Clair Owen Canfield

Verbal negotiation of affection in romantic relationships , Andrea Ann Richards

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

Art of forgiveness , Carrie Benedict

"We shall fight for the things we have always held nearest our hearts": Rhetorical strategies in the U.S. woman suffrage movement , Stephanie L. Durnford

War on Terror Middle-East peace and a drive around the ranch: The rhetoric of US-Saudi diplomacy in the post-911 period , J. Robert Harper

What do you mean by competence?: A comparison of perceived communication competence among North Americans and Chinese , Chao He

Rhetoric of public interest in an inter-organizational environmental debate: The Fernie mining controversy. , Shelby Jo. Long

Investigation of the initiation of short-term relationships in a vacation setting. , Aneta Milojevic

"It 's the other way around"| Sustainability, promotion, and the shaping of identity in nonprofit arts organizations , Georgi A. Rausch

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Home > USC Columbia > College of Information and Communications > Journalism & Mass Communications > Journalism & Mass Communications Theses and Dissertations

Journalism & Mass Communications Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

The Impact of Follower-Influencer Relationship Stages on Consumers’ Perceptions and Behavioral Intentions in the Context of Influencer Marketing , Khalid Obaid Alharbi

The Effect of Social Media (Instagram) Use Patterns on The Cultural and Athletic Identity of Black Female Collegiate Athletes’ Body Image Dissatisfaction , Shelbretta Kar’Anna Ball

Contextualizing Search: An Analysis of the Impacts of Construal Level Theory, Mood, and Product Type on Search Engine Activity , Jackson Everitt Carter

Words Evaporate, the Images Remain: Testing Visual Warnings in the Context of Intentions to Vape Among U.S. Adults as an Expansion of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) , Carl Arland Ciccarelli

Risk Propensity in Journalists: An Analysis of Journalists’ Personality Traits and How They Direct Behavior in the Field , Ellen Katherine Dunn

Online Information-Seeking and Cancer Screening Intention: An Analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey 2022 , Rachel Aileen Ford

Always on Display: South Carolina Civil Rights Lawyer Matthew J. Perry Jr. Expanding the Civil Sphere Through the Courts and the News Media, 1954-1963 , Christopher G. Frear

Exploring the Agenda-Setting Dynamics Between Traditional Newspapers and Twitter During Mass Shooting Event , Yujin Heo

Extreme Persuasion: Analyzing Meaning Creation and Persuasive Strategies Within Extreme Discourse on Alternative Social Media , Naomi Kathryn Lawrence

Framing Police Brutality: An Analysis of Newspaper Coverage of Walter Scott’s Murder , Shamira S. McCray

Understanding Podcast Advertising Processing and Outcomes: An Analysis of Podcast Ad Types, Message Types, and Media Context on Consumer Responses , Colin Piacentine

The Unsung Heroes for Intercollegiate Athletics: Examining the Dialogic Principles of Communication in Community College Athletic Departments , Matthew Alan Stilwell

Exploring Trustworthiness Issues About Disaster-related Information Generated by Artificial Intelligence , Xin Tao

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

The Effect of Emotional Intensity, Arousal, and Valence On Online Video Ad Sharing , Chang Won Choi

“Power, Poison, Pain & Joy”: Applying a Critical Race Conceptual Model of Implicit Racial Bias to Narratives Framing Blackness in Black Sports Columns, Black Music, and Black Journalism , Christina Lauren Myers

Gatekeeping Blackness: Roles, Relationships, and Pressures of Black Television Journalists at a Time of Racial Reckoning , Denetra Walker

The Binge Viewing Index: Creating and Testing a New Measure , Larry J. Webster Jr.

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Portion of Profit Donations: CSR as Public Relations Strategy and its Relationships with Trust and Purchase Intentions , Branden Dylan Cameron Birmingham

The Role of Sexting in the Development of Romantic Relationships , Max Bretscher

Let’s Be Friends: Examining Consumer Brand Relationships Through the Lens Of Brand Personality, Engagement, and Reciprocal Altruism , Daniel D. Haun

Go with The Flow: Testing the Effects of Emotional Flow on Psychophysiological, Attitudinal, and Behavioral Changes , Chris R. Noland

Brand New: How Visual Context Shapes Initial Response To Logos and Corporate Visual Identity Systems , Robert A. Wertz

Inoculating the Public Against Misinformation: Testing The Effectiveness of “Pre-bunking” Techniques in the Context of Mental Illness and Violence , Nanlan Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Gun Violence and Advocacy Communication , Minhee Choi

The Role of Third-person Perceptions in Predicting the Public’s Support for Electronic Cigarette Advertising Regulations , Joon Kyoung Kim

Conservative Media’s Coverage of Coronavirus on YouTube: A Qualitative Analysis of Media Effects on Consumers , Michael J. Layer

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Problem Chain Recognition Effect and CSR Communication: Examining the Impact of Issue Salience and Proximity on Environmental Communication Behaviors , Nandini Bhalla

The Games Behind the Scenes: Newspaper Framing of Female African American Olympic Athletes , Martin Reece Funderburk

Effectiveness of a Brand’s Paid, Owned, and Earned Media in a Social Media Environment , Anan Wan

Providing Prevention Education About Child Sexual Abuse to Parents: Testing Media Effects on Knowledge, Behavioral Intentions and Outcomes , Jane Long Weatherred

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Creating an Online Social Movement in Socially Conservative Societies: A Case Study of Manshoor Blog Using Frame Alignment Process , Noura Abdullah Al-Duaijani

How S. C. Daily Newspapers Framed the Removal of the Confederate Flag from the State House Grounds in 2015 Through Letters to the Editor and Editorials , Thomas Craig Anderson

Breaking The Silence: Extending Theory To Address The Underutilization Of Mental Health Services Among Chinese Immigrants In The United States , Jo-Yun Queenie Li

Fandom In Politics: Scale Development And Validation , Won-Ki Moon

Fatal Force: A Conversation With Journalists Who Cover Deadly, Highly-Publicized Police Shootings , Denetra Walker

Domestic Extension Of Public Diplomacy: Media Competition For Credibility, Dependency And Activation Of Publics , Yicheng Zhu

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Hydraulic Fracturing In the United States: A Framing Analysis , Kenneth Stephen Cardell Jr.

Network vs. Netflix: A Comparative Content Analysis of Demographics Across Prime-Time Television and Netflix Original Programming , James Corfield

Framing Marijuana: A Study of How us Newspapers Frame Marijuana Legalization Stories and Framing Effects of Marijuana Stories , Hwalbin Kim

The Allure of Isis: Examining the Underlying Mechanisms that Helped the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria , Alexander Luchsinger

International Twitter Comments About 2016 U.S. Presidential Candidates Trump And Clinton: Agenda-Building Analysis In The U.S., U.K., Brazil, Russia, India and China , Jane O’Boyle

Is That Online Review Fake News? How Sponsorship Disclosure Influences Reader Credibility , Mark W. Tatge

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Measuring Strategic Communications , Jeffrey A. Ranta

Public Perceptions Of Genetically Modified Food On Social Media: A Content Analysis Of Youtube Comments On Videos , Nanlan Zhang

Toward A Situational Technology Acceptance Model: Combining the Situational Theory of Problem Solving and Technology Acceptance Model to Promote Mobile Donations for Nonprofit Organizations , Yue Zheng

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Promoting HPV Vaccination for Male Young Adults: Effects of Social Influence , Wan Chi Leung

Redneckaissance: Honey Boo Boo, Tumblr, and the Stereotype of Poor White Trash , Ashley F. Miller

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Conflicted Union: Culture, Economics and European Union Media Policy , Daphney Pernola Barr

Beating Down the Fear: The Civil Sphere and Political Change in South Carolina, 1940-1962 , Sid Bedingfield

The State v. Perry: Comparative Newspaper Coverage of South Carolina's Most Prominent Civil Rights Lawyer , Christopher G. Frear

(MASCOT) NATION: EXAMINING UNIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT ON COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAMS’ FACEBOOK PAGES , Matthew J. Haught

Innovation Among Georgian Journalism Educators: A Network Analysis Perspective , Ana Keshelashvili

Emotional Bond between the Creator and the Avatar: Changes in Behavioral Intentions to Engage in Alcohol-Related Traffic Risk Behaviors , Hokyung Kim

Handcuffing Speech: Federal Fraud Statutes and the Criminalization of Advertising , Carmen Maye

Social Movements, Media, and Democratization in Georgia , Maia Mikashavidze

Am I in Danger? : Predictors and Behavioral Outcomes of Public Perception of Risk Associated with Food Hazards , Sang-Hwa Oh

Parental Mediation of Adolescent Movie Viewing , Larry James Webster Jr.

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Political Advertising In Kuwait - A Functional Discourse Analysis , Jasem Alqaseer

The Westernization of Advertisements Published In Kuwaiti Newspapers From 1992 to 2012; A Content Analysis , Farah Taleb Alrefai

What Can Reader Comments to News Online Contribute to Engagement and Interactivity? A Quantitative Approach , Brett A. Borton

Exploring a paradigm shift: The New York Times' framing of sub-Saharan Africa in stories of conflict, war and development during the Cold War and post-Cold War eras, 1945-2009 , Zadok Opero Ekimwere

Mental Health On Youtube: Exploring the Potential of Interactive Media to Change Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors About Mental Health , Caroline Belser Foster

That's News to Me: An Exploratory Study of the Uses and Gratifications of Current Events On Social Media of 18-24 Year-Olds , John Vincent Karlis

Making Stewardship Meaningful For Nonprofits: Stakeholder Motivations, Attitudes, Loyalty and Behaviors , Geah N. Pressgrove

An Alternative Path: The Intellectual Legacy of James W. Carey , Matthew Ross

The Corporation in the Marketplace of Ideas: The Law and Economics of Corporate Political Speech , Matthew W. Telleen

Child Sexual Abuse In the Media: Is Institutional Failure to Blame? , Jane Long Weatherred

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

The Relationship Between Facebook Use and Religiosity Among Emerging Adults , Heidi D. Campbell

Attribute Agenda Setting, Attribtue Priming, and The Public's Evaluation of Genetically Modified (GM) Food in South Korea , Soo Yun Kim

What's Mine is Yours: An Exploratory Study of Attitudes and Conceptions About Online Personal Privacy In the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , Patrick Sharbaugh

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

How Journalists Perceive Internal and External Influence: A Qualitative Assessment of Local Television Reporters' Ethical Decision-Making , Beth Eckard Concepcion

Collective Memory of the War In Iraq: An Analysis of Letters to the Editor and Public Opinion Polls, 2003-2008 , Lisa Cash Luedeman

A Framing Analysis and Model of Barack Obama in Political Cartoons , Anthony Palmer

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Breaking Down the Fear' -- John H. Mccray, Accommodationism and theFraming of the Civil Rights Struggle in South Carolina, 1940-1948 , Sid Bedingfield

Do You See What I See?: A Comparative Content Analysis of Iraq War Photographs As Published In the New York Times and the Tehran Times , Garen Cansler

Exploring Intention to Adopt Mobile Tv Services In the U.S.: Toward A New Model With Cognitive-Based and Emotional-Based Constructs , Seoyoon Choi

Media Representations and Implications For Collective Memory: A Grounded Theory Analysis of TV News Broadcasts of Hillary Clinton From 1993-2008 , Mary Elizabeth McLaughlin

Resonance and Elaboration: the Framing Effect of Chinese Product Safety Issue Coverage , Ji Pan

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Home > College of Arts and Letters > Communication Studies > Communication Studies Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Communication Studies Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Theses/projects/dissertations from 2024 2024.

“BARBIE IS AS MUCH ABOUT FASHION AS SHE IS ABOUT CULTURE AND EMPOWERMENT”: FEMINISM IN BARBIE THE MOVIE AND ITS POSTFEMINIST MARKETING , Brooke Ashley Shepherd

Investigating the Potential of Augmented Reality in Creating a Sense of Place on College Campuses , Linda White

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2023 2023

CEZZARTT: BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ARTS , Cesar Aguiar

BLACK WOMEN PROFESSIONALS CHARGED WITH DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION WORK: USE SILENCING ^VOICE TO RESIST AND NAVIGATE EMBEDDED STRUCTURES OF WHITENESS IN HIERARCHICAL ACADEMIA , Malika Bratton

TRANSFORMING BLACK STUDENTS’ HIGHER EDUCATION EXPERIENCES AND LIVES: A PROPOSAL FOR THE CSU , Don Lundy

THE PATRIARCHY BECOMES THAT GIRL: TIKTOK AND THE MEDIATIZATION OF HEGEMONIC FEMININITY , Irene Molinar

“YO SÍ SOY BORICUA, PA’ QUE TÚ LO SEPAS”: A DECOLONIAL AND INTERSECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ , Jocelin Monge

Public Relations for Cryptocurrency: Coinbase Guidebook , Logan Odneal

CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS FOR INFORMAL, SHORT-TERM EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: A PORTAL PROPOSAL FOR CSUSB , Dia Poole

Anticolonial Feminism, Sylvia Moreno-Garcia, and the Female Gothic: A Textual Analysis of Mexican Gothic , Hana Vega

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2022 2022

"ADVANCING PRIDE": HOW NEW TURKISH HISTORICAL DRAMAS CHALLENGED WESTERN MEDIA'S STEREOTYPICAL IMAGES OF MUSLIMS , Naim Aburaddi

THE PANDEMIC IS NOT KILLING US, THE POLICE ARE KILLING US: HOW THE CHANGE IN THE SUBJECTIVE REALITY OF NIGERIAN CITIZENS BROUGHT ABOUT THE #ENDSARS PROTESTS , Olabode Adefemi Lawal

UNAPOLOGETICALLY HER: A NOMADIC-INTERSECTIONAL CASE STUDY ANALYSIS ON LIZZO AND JILLIAN MICHAELS , Alexia Berlynn Martinez

THE RAIN OVER HANOI: A PERSONAL PROJECT ABOUT SCREENPLAY STRUCTURE, STORY, REPRESENTATION AND INTERGENERATIONAL STRUGGLE , Joan Moua

BLACK FEMALE ATHLETES’ USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ACTIVISM: AN INTERSECTIONAL AND CYBERFEMINIST ANALYSIS OF U.S. HAMMER-THROWER, GWEN BERRY'S 2019 AND 2021 PODIUM PROTESTS , Ariel Newell

GIRL POWER?: 2017’S WONDER WOMAN AS A FEMINIST TEXT AND ICON IN AN ERA OF POST-FEMINIST MEDIA , Rachel Richardson

OVERCOMING SELF-OBJECTIFICATION THROUGH A MIND BODY AWARENESS PROGRAM , Alexandra Winner-Bachus

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2021 2021

THE LOUDEST VOICE IN THE ROOM IS OUR SILENCE: NARRATIVE POSSIBILITIES OF SILENCED ADULTS , Rebeccah Avila

How Couples YouTube Channels Forge "Friendships" With Their Viewers: A Thematic Textual Analysis , Marisol Botello

THE CURIOUS CASES OF CANCEL CULTURE , Loydie Solange Burmah

“DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?”: INFLUENCE OF EMBODIMENT AND IMMERSION ON CHARACTER IDENTIFICATION IN VIRTUAL REALITY ENVIRONMENTS , Shane Burrell

INTO THE COLLEGE CLASSROOM, ANOTHER TOUR OF DUTY: A GUIDE FOR INSTRUCTORS OF VETERAN STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION , Steven deWalden

DECOLONIAL LESSONS FROM HISTORICAL AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY LEADERS: RECONSTRUCTING AFRICAN AMERICAN IDENTITY AS RESISTANCE IN PRAXIS , Rhejean King-Johnson

WELCOMING FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN TO CSUSB: MAKING AN INTERGENERATIONAL DIFFERENCE , Leslie Leach

INCLUSIVITY IN PRACTICE: A QUEER EXAMINATION OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF TRANS COMMUNITIES FROM THE STANDPOINTS OF TRANS UNIVERSITY STUDENTS , Sean Maulding

ENHANCING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN A SOCIALLY DISTANCED WORLD BY HUMANIZING ONLINE EDUCATION: A GUIDE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS , Gilma Linette Ramirez Reyes

COMMUNICATION APPREHENSION: A PRESSING MATTER FOR STUDENTS, A PROJECT ADDRESSING UNIQUE NEEDS USING COMMUNICATION IN THE DISCIPLINE WORKSHOPS , Brenda L. Rombalski

When the Victim Becomes the Accused: A Critical Analysis of Silence and Power in the Sexual Harassment Case of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh , Erendira Torres

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING MANUAL: FOR FACULTY TO HELP STUDENTS , Ricardo Vega

THE IMPACT OF RACIST COMMUNICATION PRACTICES (RCP) ON A FORMERLY INCARCERATED STUDENT BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER PRISON , George Zaragoza

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2020 2020

REPORTING ON SUICIDE: A THEMATIC DISCOURSE ANALYSIS ON DISCOURSES REGARDING SUICIDE IN 2010S HIP-HOP SONGS , Andy Allen Acosta Jr.

COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE TRAINING WITHIN MINORITY-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES , Shirleena Racine Baggett

“REAL ME VERSUS SOCIAL MEDIA ME:” FILTERS, SNAPCHAT DYSMORPHIA, AND BEAUTY PERCEPTIONS AMONG YOUNG WOMEN , Janella Eshiet

DESDE LA PERIFERIA DE LA MILPA: TESTIMONIOS DE MSM DE LOS RANCHOS Y LOS PUEBLOS DE SOUTHERN MEXICO (FROM THE PERIPHERY OF THE CORNFIELD: TESTIMONIES OF MSM FROM THE RANCHES AND TOWNS OF SOUTHERN MEXICO) , Luis Esparza

WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION: EXAMINING LEADER-MEMBER EXCHANGE THEORY, UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE, AND SOCIAL STYLES , Guy Robinson

Passing vs Non-Passing: Latina/o/x Experiences and Understandings of Being Presumed White , Francisco Rodriguez

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Fully Immersed, Fully Present: Examining the User Experience Through the Multimodal Presence Scale and Virtual Reality Gaming Variables , Andre Adame

AN EXPLORATORY STUDY: COMMUNICATIVE DISSOCIATION BETWEEN BLACK AMERICANS AND AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS , Melody Adejare

TAKING A KNEE: AN INTERPRETIVE STUDY ON PRINT NEWS COVERAGE OF THE COLIN KAEPERNICK PROTESTS , Kriston Costello

TO BE OR NOT TO BE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF INTERCULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN MEXICAN AMERICAN AND CAUCASIAN AMERICAN ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS , Jessica Helen Vierra

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2018 2018

"I JUST GOT OUT; I NEED A PLACE TO LIVE": A BUSINESS PLAN FOR TRANSITIONAL HOUSING , Walker Beverly V

Performing Stereotypical Tropes on Social Media Sites: How Popular Latina Performers Reinscribe Heteropatriarchy on Instagram , Ariana Arely Cano

NEGOTIATING STRATEGIES: AN EFFECTIVE WAY FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES TO COMMUNICATE FOR SERVICES , Dorothea Cartwright

A COMMUNICATION GUIDE FOR EX-OFFENDERS , Richard Anthony Contreras

AUTHENTICALLY DISNEY, DISTINCTLY CHINESE: A CASE STUDY OF GLOCALIZATION THROUGH SHANGHAI DISNEYLAND’S BRAND NARRATIVE , Chelsea Michelle Galvez

“I AM NOT A PRINCESS BUT…”: AN IDEOLOGICAL CRITICISM OF “FEMINIST” IDEOLOGIES IN DISNEY’S MOANA , Victoria Luckner

MEETING “THE ONE” AT MIDNIGHT IS YOUR DESTINY: THE ROLE OF YUAN IN USE OF THE TAIWANESE SOCIAL NETWORK, DCARD , Wen-Yueh Shu

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2017 2017

HANDBOOK ON TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS , Michael Anthony Arteaga

TRAGIC MULATTA 2.0: A POSTCOLONIAL APPROXIMATION AND CRITIQUE OF THE REPRESENTATIONS OF BI-ETHNIC WOMEN IN U.S. FILM AND TV , Hadia Nouria Bendelhoum

MEETING THE DISTANCE EDUCATION CHALLENGE: A GUIDE FOR DESIGNING ONLINE CLASSROOMS , Patrick Allen Bungard

MASTERING THE TASK AND TENDING TO THE SELF: A GUIDE FOR THE GRADUATE TEACHING ASSOCIATE , Angelina Nicole Burkhart

The Construction of Candidate’s Political Image on Social Media: A Thematic Analysis of Facebook Comments in the 2014 Presidential Election in Indonesia , Siti A. Rachim Marpaung Malik

BACKPEDALING NUGGET SMUGGLERS: A FACEBOOK AND NEWS ARTICLE THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF CHICK-FIL-A VS. GAY MARRIAGE , Stacy M. Wiedmaier

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Value Driven: An Analysis of Attitudes and Values Via BET Programming Past and Present , Sasha M. Rice

Theses/Projects/Dissertations from 2014 2014

CELEBRITIES, DRINKS, AND DRUGS: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF CELEBRITY SUBSTANCE ABUSE AS PORTRAYED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES , Brent John Austin

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, KEEP IN TOUCH, AS A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF VISITATION , Shalom Z. LaPoint and Shalom Z. LaPoint

Selling Disbelief , Gregory S. McKinley-Powell

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Media and corporate blame: Gate keeping and framing of the British Petroleum oil spill of 2010 , Kudratdeep Kaur Dhaliwal

Sperm stealers & post gay politics: Lesbian-parented families in film and television , Elena Rose Martinez

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Like us on Facebook: A social media campaign's effect on relationship management outcomes for a non-profit organization , Natalia Isabel López-Thismón

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

This is not a love story: A semiotic discourse analysis of romantic comedies , Stephanie Lynn Gomez

Blackness as a weapon: A critical discourse analysis of the 2009 Henry Louis Gates arrest in national mainstream media , Ashley Ann Jones

Fabulistic: Examination and application of narratology and screenplay craft , Nicholas DeVan Snead

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

The effect of cold calling and culture on communication apprehension , Kimberly Noreen Aguilar

The artistry of teaching: Commedia Dell'arte's improvisational strategies and its implications for classroom participation , Jean Artemis Vezzalini

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Internet marketing strategy and the cognitive response approach: Achieving online fundraising success with targeted donor outreach , Carrie Dawn Cornwall

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

The design of an intercultural communication skills training for multicultural Catholic parishes in the Diocese of San Bernardino , Marco Aurelio De Tolosa Raposo

Religious social support groups: Strengthening leadership with communication competence , JoAnne Irene Flynn

Parametric media: A strategic market analysis and marketing plan for a digital signage, interactive kiosk and content company , Helena Irita Fowler

Factors affecting cognitive dissonance among automobile magazine subscribers , Petroulla Giasoumi

Web templates: Unifying the Web presence of California State University San Bernardino , Angela Marie Gillespie

United States media portrayals of the developing world: A semiotic analysis of the One campaign's internet web site , Lindsey Marie Haussamen

The Use of Violence as Feminist Rhetoric: Third-Wave Feminism in Tarantino's Kill Bill Films , Leah Andrea Katona

Superior-subordinate relationships found in Scrubs: A discourse analysis , Nicolle Elizabeth Quick

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

A cultural studies analysis of the Christian women vocalists movement from the 1980's to 2000: Influences, stars and lyrical meaning making , Mary Elizabeth Akers

The application of marketing and communication theories on community festival event planning , Khara Louise Dizmon

The mad rhetoric: Toward a rigor on radical creativity and its function in consciousness as a communicative principle , Eugene David Hetzel

Millennial pre-camp staff training: Incorporating generational knowledge, learning strategies and compliance gaining techniques , Dana Robin Magilen

Images and lyrics: Representations of African American women in blues lyrics written by black women , Danette Marie Pugh-Patton

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Views from the center: Middle-class white men and perspectives on social privilege , Sandra Jane Cross

Rendering whiteness visible in the Filipino culture through skin-whitening cosmetic advertisements , Beverly Romero Natividad

Bias in the network nightly news coverage of the 2004 presidential election , Stephen Arthur Shelton

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

A proposed resource development plan for the Department of Communication Studies, California State University San Bernardino , Donna Louise Cooley

From 9/11 to Iraq: Analysis and critique of the rhetoric of the Bush Administration leading to the war in Iraq , LaKesha Nicole Covington

A queer look at feminist science fiction: Examing Sally Miller Gearhart's The Kanshou , Jennifer Jodelle Floerke

Proposed marketing and advertising campaign for the United Negro College Fund , Rashida Patrice Hamm

The online marketing plan for Indra Jewelry Company, Thailand , Vorapoj Liyawarakhun

A metaphoric cluster analysis of the rhetoric of digital technology , Michael Eugene Marse and Nicholas Negroponte

Talking about drugs: Examining self-disclosure and trust in adult children from substance abusive families , Susan Renee Mattson

The public relations campaign for Bangkok fashion week, Thailand , Chanoknart Paitoonmongkon

A web design shop for local business owners , Mary Colleen Rice

International students' reliance on home-country related internet use , Songkwun Sukontapatipak

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Zapatistas: The shifting rhetoric of a modern revolution , Ofelia Morales Bejar

Globalization, values, and consumer trends: A French and USA comparison , Alexandre Hatlestad-Shey

Values and symbols: An intercultural analysis of web pages on the Internet , Aura Constanza Mosquera

Creating community through communication: The case of East Desert Unified School District , Michelle Elizabeth Shader

A comparison of women's roles as portrayed in Taiwanese and Chinese magazine print advertising , Yi-Chen Yang

Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003

The concept of interest in the Western and Middle Eastern society , Mustapha Ben Amira

A comprehensive examination of the precode horror comic books of the 1950's , Gene Marshall Broxson

Narrative versus traditional journalism: Appeal, believability, understanding, retention , John David Emig

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Digital Commons @ USF > College of Arts and Sciences > Mass Communications > Theses and Dissertations

Mass Communications Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

An Experimental Analysis of the Effect of Crisis Response Message Strategies on Consumer Emotions, Perceptual Beliefs and Intended Behavior , Valentina Ahumada

How the Taiwanese podcast Bailingguo News framed the 2019 Hong Kong movement: A framing analysis of the anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill , Yu-Fei Chiu

Advocating for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Study of the NHL’s #HockeyIsForEveryone Campaign on Twitter , Jessica Martinez

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

An Analysis of International Soccer Fans’ Knowledge of Qatar, Perceptions of Qatar’s Country Image, and Intention to Support the 2022 FIFA World Cup , Taleb Al-Adbah

Analysis of Prescription Drug Brand Mentions in Music: Prevalence and Consumer Perceptions , Lisa A. Blake

Elements of Instagram Influencer Posts that Drive Follower Engagement , Yishan Li

Communicating Breast Cancer Awareness: Using the Health Belief Model to Develop Mass Communication Themes to Influence Early Detection Behaviors , Srisai Kamakshi Ramya Harika Pucha

The European Super League (ESL): A Political Economy and Media Framing Analysis , Patrick Sidwell

Inaugural Addresses, Framing Theory, and the Impact on American Perceptions of the Presidency , Kalin Meagan Velez

The Use of Social Media by Leaders in Times of Crisis: 2020–21 United States Election Protests , Cagdas Yuksel

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

The Influence of Hate Speech on TikTok on Chinese College Students , Tengyue Chen

Cultivating Courage: Medical Dramas and Portrayals of Patient Self-Advocacy , Alyssa H. Harrell

The Media Reproduction of Racial Violence: A Content Analysis of News Coverage Following the Death of George Floyd Jr. , Keylon Lovett

Credibility of Spokespersons and E-cigarette Prevention Messages: Elaboration Likelihood Model and The Moderating Role of Perceived Risk , Emmanuel Maduneme

An Examination of COVID-19 Health Behaviors and Public Health Messaging Using the Health Belief Model and Organization-Public Relationship Quality , Aaron L. Nichols

The Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM) and Risk Perceptions of Twitter messages related to COVID-19 , Muhammad E. Rasul

Framing #MeToo movement in China A Content Analysis of China Women’s News Coverage , Wenminzi Wu

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Super Bowl Ads and the Donald Trump Culture War , Jessica Barron

A Case Study on Black Twitter’s Reactions to the Framing of Blacks in Dove’s 2017 Facebook Advertisement , Shereena Farrington

The Roles of Emotional Cues and Purchasing Incentives in WeChat Commerce: A Content Analysis , Xuezhu Hao

People with Parkinson’s and Care Partners of PwPs’ Uncertainty Management Through Information Strategies , Amy Haywood

Asian Male Stereotypes: An Investigation of Current Beliefs About Asian Males and Stereotypes Perpetuated by U.S. Modern Cinema , Noelle Knopp

Developing Design Elements for a Parkinson’s Disease Informative Website: A Social Marketing Approach , Emilie R. Madsen

Evaluation of Native Advertisement though Third Person Effect Theory: An Experimental Design , Inga Nafetvaridze

EPPM and Its Effectiveness in Advertisements of Colorectal Cancer Screening among Young Adults , Anh T. Nguyen

The Role of Threat and Efficacy in Anti-Vaping Ads: A Test of the Extended Parallel Process Model , Ryan Noone

An Experimental Investigation into the Impact of Crisis Response Strategies and Relationship Management in the Pharmaceutical Industry , Nikoletta Pappas

Media Fandom: Social Media Use and Collective Identity in China: A Case Study of Z.Tao’s Weibo Fandom , Mier Sha

'Golden Spike': Examining Atlanta United FC Communications During the Launch of the Team , Maria Tsyruleva

The Role of Influencer Endorsement in Consumer Brand Engagement on Sina Weibo , Xiaofan Wei

One News Event, Three Media Frames , Le Xin

Applying the Situational Theory of Publics to Children's Sex Education in China , Baoyi Zeng

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

The Role of Social Media Journalists in TV News:Their Effects on the Profession and Identity of TV Journalism, the Quality of News, and theAudience Engagement , Yousuf Humiad AL Yousufi

Relationship Management Communications by NHL Teams on Twitter , Kelsey M. Baker

2018 China-United States Trade War: Framing Analysis of Online News Coverage in the United States and China as portrayed by the New York Times and the People’s Daily , Jiangling Huang

The Research on the Determinants of Users' Willingness to Pay for Chinese Paid Sports Model Based on Use and Gratification Theory , Jing Li

Online MMORPG Games in China: Player Motivations and the Mediating Role of Flow , Jiaxin Liu

The Hostile Media Effect and Its Potential Consequences: Examining the Influence of Presumed Influence of International Media Coverage , Zhennan Liu

Womenpreneurs in a Digital Environment: Utilizing Instagram to Build a Personal Brand , Michelle N. Nuñez

Objectification of Women in Bollywood Item Numbers , Zahabia Z. Slatewala

A Research on eSports Users’ Motives and Satisfaction in China The Case of League of Legends , Qianyin Sun

An Analysis of the Language and the Relationship of the President of the USA Related Twitter Accounts toward the National Media , Sait Serif Turhan

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Perception of Kazakhstan in the U.S through the New York Times Coverage , Tursynay Alikhanova

The Influence of Instagram Selfies on Female Millennials’ Appearance Satisfaction , Diliara Bagautdinova

Women’s Body Image in the Media: Fitspiration on Instagram , Brook M. Bryant

Political Talk Shows in Taiwan: First- and Third-Person Effects, Their Attitudinal Antecedents and Consequences , Shou-Chen Hsieh

An Examination of Image Repair Theory and BP’s Response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill , William Anthony Korte Jr.

An Analysis of Organ Donation Presentations on Weibo , Shengfei Li

Gender Sexualization in Digital Games: Exploring Female Character Changes in Tomb Raider , Jingjing Liu

Shithole Countries: An Analysis of News Coverage in the U.S. , Murewa O. Olubela

Self-esteem, motivation, and self-enhancement presentation on WeChat , Xiao Qiu

The Portrayal of Women in the Oldest Russian Women’s Magazine “Rabotnitsa” From 1970-2017 , Anastasiia Utiuzh

Cultural Adaptation and Maintenance: Chinese International Students' Use of Facebook and WeChat , Mengni Wang

The Understanding of Absolute Right to Freedom of Expression in the Case of Hate Speech , Qinqin Wang

Body Image, Self-Esteem and Eating Disturbance among Chinese Women: Testing the Tripartite Influence model , Weiwei Wang

I’m Your Fan – Engaging in Celebrity’s Social Media Page with the Mediation of Parasocial Interaction and Parasocial Relationship , Jiahui Zhuang

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Household Food Waste Prevention in Malaysia: An Issue Processes Model Perspective , Syahirah Abd Razak

Countering the Questionable Actions of the CPD and FEC , Brian C. Cole

“You Know Who I Am, Don’t You? I’m the One They’re Writing About in the Newspapers and on TV” , Casey Killen Crane

To Tell the Truth: The Credibility of Cable News Networks In an Era of Increasingly Partisan Political News Coverage , Christopher Jadick

Political Media Bias in the United States: Immigration and the Trump Administration , Bryce Josepher

Social Media Use and Political Participation in China: The Mediating Role of Political Efficacy , Bingyang Liu

Framing Genetically-modified Foods Communication in China: A Content Analysis of News Coverage of People’s Daily and Southern Metropolis , Linqi Lu

Conceptualizing Social Wealth in the Digital Age: A Mixed Methods Approach , Kristina Oliva

The Road to the White House: A Correlational Analysis of Twitter Sentiment and National Polls in the 2016 Election Cycle , Melissa G. Pelletier

Using Green Messages to Cue Recycling Tendencies , Danielle Quichocho

Traversing Privacy Issues on Social Networking Sites Among Kuwaiti Females , Shahad Shihab

Chinese National Identity and Media Framing , Yufeng Tian

Smog Pollution in China: News Framing and Issue-Attention Cycle per the , Yingying Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Corporate Social Responsibility Communication: Beliefs in Motives, First- and Third-Person Effects and Behavioral Consequences , Nianyuan Cheng

Crimean Referendum: Annexation VS Reunification. Framing Analysis of Online News Coverage in Russia and the U.S. , Anna Dedova

Investigating the Determinants of Recycling Behavior in Youth by Using Theory of Planned Behavior. , Tejaswini Gadiraju

Media Perceptions on Sexual Assault on College Campuses , Maggie M. Hall

The Impact of Emojis and Emoticons on Online Consumer Reviews, Perceived Company Response Quality, Brand Relationship, and Purchase Intent. , Jayme Hill Hill

Media Multitasking and Memory: The Role of Message Modalities , Le Nguyen

Cultivating Philanthropy in Community Colleges: A Dual-Model Approach , Rachel Faith Pleasant

Avatar Self-Identification, Self-Esteem, and Perceived Social Capital in the Real World: A Study of World of Warcraft Players and their Avatars , Melissa Watts

The Effects of Mission Statement Design on Behavioral Intention , Jonathan David West

Impact of a Brand Crisis on Nation Branding: An Analysis of Tweets about VW’s Emissions Crisis , Kara Julie Whytas

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Responding to a Rumor: How Crisis Response Strategies Influence Relationship Outcomes , Bo Breuklander

Crisis Communication and Celebrity Scandal: An Experiment on Response Strategies , Leah Champion

Speaking Their Language: Textisms in Today's Communication , Adam Lloyd Drum

Direct-to-Consumer Messaging: A Phenomenological Examination of DTC Best Practices , Nicholas Dominick Fancera

Examining Endorsement and Viewership Effects on the Source Credibility of YouTubers , Stephanie Fred

The Cultivation of Eating Disorders through Instagram , Kendall O'Brien

Online Game Advertising and Chinese College Students: Attitudes, First- and Third-Person Effects , Yan Tang

On the Convergence of Cinema and Theme Parks: Developing a Predictable Model for Creative Design , Ryan Luke Terry

I Threw My Pie for You: Engagement and Loyalty on TV Show Facebook Pages , Tracy M. Wisneski

First- and Third-Person Effects of Alcohol Advertising on Chinese College Students , Dong Xue

Framing Occupy Central: A Content Analysis of Hong Kong, American and British Newspaper Coverage , Mengjiao Yu

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Climate Change, Situational Theory of Problem Solving, and Issue Framing Effects , Michael Eddie Burch

British Cultural Narrative in Winston Churchill's Political Communication , Andres L. Faza

Communication Behavior Study of Support in the Arts Using the Situational Theory of Publics and the Theory of Reasoned Action , Ashleigh Gallant

A Comparison Study on Violent Video Games: Explained by the Gamers Themselves , Christopher John Kneifer

Applying Public Relations Theory to Assess Service-Learning Relationships , Karen Strand

EFFECTS OF COUNTRY OF ORIGIN, COUNTRY ANIMOSITY AND FOREIGN PRODUCT USAGE EXPERIENCES ON PRODUCT JUDGEMENT: A STUDY OF CHINESE CUSTOMERS , Cong Sui

The Accidental Motivator: Florida's Medicinal Marijuana Ballot Initiative's Impact on the Youth Vote , Robert Winsler

An Examination of Motives, Experiences, and Behaviors of MMORPG Players , Theresa Lynn Woods

Social Media Use During The College Transition , Kevin J. Yurasek

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Advice for Completing a Master's in Communication Thesis

The Structure of the Master’s Thesis

The steps to successfully completing a thesis: tips from real alumni, identify your research interests and potential mentors early, consult your faculty mentors and form your committee, conduct preliminary research and draft your proposal, conduct your study and analyze the results, revise, finalize, and submit your thesis, defend your thesis, final thoughts on your thesis journey.

For many students of master’s in communication programs, especially for those who have chosen an academic or research-oriented course of study, the thesis is a cornerstone of their graduate experience. As an extended and independent research project that contributes to the existing scholarly literature on the student’s topic of choice, the thesis can seem daunting at first. Indeed, in our interviews with alumni of master’s in communication programs, many of them noted that the thesis was an intimidating prospect for them. However, these students also described the process of completing their thesis as a highly educational and formative experience.

Chelsea Moss, who is an alumnus of Purdue University’s Master’s Degree in Communication with a focus on Media, Technology, and Society, explained in an interview with MastersinCommunications.com, “To be honest, I was somewhat terrified of writing the thesis. Attending grad school was a big learning curve for me as I was making the shift from a very hands-on, practical undergrad program to a very theoretical, research-oriented master’s program. However, writing the thesis gave me invaluable experience, not only in research skills, but [also] in project management, data collection and analysis, and training […] undergraduate research assistants.”

Sakina Jangbar, Ph.D. a graduate of California State University, Northridge’s Master of Arts in Communication Studies program, in her interview gave a candid view of her thesis experience and its impact on her career trajectory. “The thesis writing experience was quite difficult for me because it was my first major scholarly undertaking,” she said, “My thesis was 150 pages, as my mentor had high standards in terms of strength of the argument and length of the chapters.” Yet despite the daunting nature of her project, Dr. Jangbar’s thesis prepared her for even higher-level work as a doctoral student, and later as an Assistant Professor of Communication at St. John’s University. “Even though writing my thesis was a challenge for me, I think it was a valuable experience as it paved the way for me to write my doctoral dissertation.”

This feature provides a comprehensive look at the process of completing a master’s-level thesis for a graduate communication program. It delves into the typical structure of a thesis and the necessary steps in the process of researching, analyzing, and presenting one’s results. In addition, it features insights from alumni of master’s in communication programs across the nation who successfully completed their theses and used their project as a stepping stone to an advanced career in their area of interest.

The thesis is traditionally an extended, multi-chapter written project that students complete to answer an advanced research inquiry. While the structure of a thesis may vary, below is a general outline of the chapters of a traditional thesis:

• Chapter 1—Introduction : In the introduction, one discusses the background and context of one’s research topic, including a statement around the problem, question, or challenge at hand and its social significance. In the introduction, one must also outline the purpose and specific objectives of one’s study, and emphasize the target outcomes of one’s research.
• Chapter 2—Literature Review : This chapter contains a thorough overview of the historical background of one’s research topic, as well as key theoretical frameworks that are necessary to set up one’s research question and core hypotheses. This chapter explains how one’s research question contributes to the field by identifying the gaps in the existing literature and how they will be addressed by the research inquiry and study.
• Chapter 3—Research Design : This chapter delves into the research methodologies that one will use in one’s study, including the participants recruited, instruments used (including data analysis technologies), and the concrete procedures and timeline for the research project. This section also provides for any ethical considerations that one has taken into account, as well as the limitations of one’s research.
• Chapter 4—Results : This chapter includes all the results of one’s study, generally without any interpretations or inferences (which will be covered in Chapter 5). The structure of the results report should follow that of the study design outlined in the Research Design chapter, and should speak to the research questions outlined in the Introduction. This section may use figures, charts, or graphs to represent data in addition to text.
• Chapter 5—Analysis : This chapter is comprised of a thorough discussion and interpretation of the results outlined in the Results chapter. It will refer to the Literature Review chapter and discuss the results within the context of existing theories and established data. It is important to tie one’s results to the theories, existing research, and rationales provided in the Literature Review section.
• Chapter 6—Conclusions : This chapter discusses the practical implications of the results, as well as recommendations for further study and any theories or frameworks that may change as a result of one’s findings. This chapter also delves into any limitations of the study’s results, in terms of conclusions that can be drawn and how they impact further research and/or practice within the discipline.
• Chapter 7—Bibliography and Appendices : These sections provide a comprehensive listing of all sources used, as well as any additional information or tables that might be relevant.

As the outline above illustrates, the traditional thesis has a highly formal structure. That said, many of the alumni whom we interviewed for our Alumni Interview Series noted that their faculty advisors allowed them creative license in terms of the subject matter and potentially even the structure of their thesis (although this varies by university). In this way, students often end up creating a thesis that incorporates elements from other types of capstone options like applied projects.

For example, Millie Njezic, who graduated from the University of Northern Iowa’s Master of Arts in Communication Studies program, wrote a play as part of her thesis project, which investigated the different dynamics of neighbor relations between people in Bosnia versus Bosnian immigrants in Waterloo, Iowa. “I used the autoethnographic method in order to use my own experiences with neighbors back home [in Bosnia] and then I conducted qualitative interviews with Bosnian refugees in Waterloo, IA. The data from both areas was analyzed using poetic inquiry and I came up with a script for a play: Live Thy Neighbor,” she told MastersinCommunications.com, “I then directed the play and over the course of three showings at the Interpreters Theatre, I had amazing discussions with the audience as well as the cast. Finally, I wrote the traditional thesis chapters and defended in front of my committee. […] I was very fortunate to be able to do research in such a liberating and creative way.”

As Ms. Njezic’s anecdote reveals, by working closely with faculty mentors and explaining the types of topics and research methodologies that resonate the most with them, students can optimize their experience working on their thesis.

While the thesis may seem a daunting endeavor, the process for completing one is structured to provide students with support and guidance throughout. There are set deadlines for a student’s thesis proposal submission and defense, chapter drafts, final submission, and final oral defense. Below are key steps to successfully completing your thesis, featuring candid advice from alumni of a wide diversity of master’s in communication programs.

During your classes, it is important to take stock of what topics interest you the most and to connect with the faculty whose research interests align with your own. Doing so will help you to determine your ideal research question and its proper scope. In addition, taking the initiative to speak with faculty early on will help optimize your choice of professors for your thesis committee, which is the group of three faculty members who support your work on your thesis.

For many students, the choice of a thesis topic is an organic result of taking classes and getting a sense of what interests them. In her alumni interview, Olivia Hook Frey, a graduate of Illinois State University’s Master’s in Communication program, explained how she identified her thesis topic from a class she took that piqued her interest. “I stumbled upon my research idea in a training and development course,” she said, “I was intrigued by the onboarding and socialization processes across different organizations. Retention is something all organizations are concerned about, so I decided to investigate how the initial new employee socialization process predicts retention.”

Taylor McDade, DePaul University

For other students, a thesis can be an opportunity to delve into a topic of personal interest. Lauren Lee, an alumnus of University of Arkansas at Little-Rock’s Master of Arts in Applied Communication Studies, selected a topic that was connected to a life-changing event in her family. “Just a few months after entering graduate school, I found out I was pregnant with our first child,” she said, “[After my daughter was born] I spoke with a lactation consultant after her birth, [and] I knew there was something different about the way she communicated. […] When I took Interpersonal Communication in the fall of 2014 and studied Dr. Mirivel’s Model of Positive Communication, the light bulb came on. The lactation consultant demonstrated all seven behaviors from the model. Her communication was the foundation to my success!” These experiences led her on a path to exploring the role of interpersonal communication—specifically the Model of Positive Communication—in the work of registered nurses and lactation consultants in health care settings.

Choosing a topic of emotional and intellectual investment is crucial, said many of our alumni interviewees. Taylor McDade, who completed a Master of Digital Communication and Media Arts at DePaul University, told MastersinCommunications.com, “My advice to students who are tasked with completing a thesis is to first choose something you are passionate about, because in doing so the rest will come easily. Maybe you’re looking to solve some kind of problem, or maybe you simply want to investigate a topic related to your field that excites you. Either way, be sure to push boundaries.” Caleb Malik, a graduate of Illinois State University’s Master’s in Communication program, similarly advised, “[P]ick a topic you are interested in. You’re going to spend a lot of time on the topic, so don’t waste your time and hours on research you don’t find interesting. It’s also going to be challenging to succeed with a project and have continued dedication to a project that you don’t enjoy.”

Another crucial step in the thesis process is approaching faculty members in your program who can optimally advise you. Students writing their thesis typically have the support of a three-person faculty committee, comprised of one main advisor (the committee chair) and two additional faculty readers and mentors. These mentors are instrumental to your success, as they provide important feedback and guidance throughout your work, from the development of your initial proposal to the preparation for your final presentation.

In his alumni interview, Caleb Malik placed central importance on this step of the thesis process. “[M]ost importantly, give a lot of thought to whom you select for your committee,” he said, “You’re building a team, and you want to think about the skills and knowledge they are bringing to the table, and how they’ll interact as a group.” Choosing an ideal faculty mentor requires not only a strong rapport between student and professor, but also choosing an advisor whose research expertise aligns with the topic of your thesis (as well as the research methodologies you plan on implementing).

Jeremy Pesner, an alumnus of Georgetown University’s Master of Arts in Communication, Culture, and Technology explained how all of his faculty committee members were extremely helpful and supportive, but that selecting a committee chair whose expertise paralleled the type of research he wished to do for his thesis would have been wise. “My advice for students considering a thesis is to plan out what you’ll do a little more thoroughly than I did,” he said, “It was more of a challenge than I anticipated that my thesis advisor actually lacked experience in the research methodology I was using – in retrospect, it may have been more useful for the “methods” professor to be my main advisor, with the other as a secondary.”

Your faculty thesis advisors can also help you navigate unexpected snags in your research process. For example, Tiffany Wang, Ph.D. explained how her faculty advisor supported her through each stage of her research process. “Going into the thesis, I knew that I wanted to study an Instructional Communication topic. After talking to my faculty advisor, I decided to focus on studying students’ perceptions of instructors’ nonverbal immediacy behaviors using a quantitative survey research design. As I began to explore the literature and start my literature review, a Communication Studies scholar published a journal article on my initial thesis topic,” she recalled in her interview, “Going back to square one and selecting a new thesis topic was discouraging. However, my faculty advisor and committee members helped me identify new hypotheses and variables that would still allow me to retain much of the work I had already done on the initial topic.”

Once you have established your committee, the next step is to draft a proposal (also known as a prospectus). A thesis proposal provides details on your thesis topic and specific inquiry, as well as the issues that your inquiry seeks to address. In other words, it should describe a socially or academically significant challenge and explain how answering your research query will work towards solving this problem. The proposal is your opportunity to conduct much of the preliminary research that will be necessary in writing the Literature Review section of your thesis.

Throughout your work on your proposal, you are expected and encouraged to consult your committee and in particular your primary advisor/committee chair for advice and guidance. Ms. Lee explained how her faculty advisor worked closely with her as she developed her thesis proposal and established a process for completing her research project. “A critical piece in thesis topic prep is ensuring you will have enough research to write a full thesis. I did a preliminary paper about my own observations and experience and applied each concept accordingly,” she said, “From there, I created a prospectus which included the theory and methodology needed for conducting research. I began working with my faculty advisor to create a research process. After contacting possible research participants, I was on my way to writing a full thesis.”

As Ms. Lee’s example illustrates, your thesis proposal serves as a road map for your final thesis product, and therefore it is beneficial to include as accurate and as detailed information about your research topic, background, objectives, and methodologies as possible. In fact, master’s in communication programs typically require students to orally defend their thesis proposal as a way of preparing them for the type of questioning they will encounter in their formal thesis defense. While this defense may initially feel intimidating, many students find the proposal defense to be more of a constructive conversation rather than a formal presentation, a conversation that helps them solidify their research questions and methods.

Caleb Malik, Illinois State University

Megan Kendall, graduate of Purdue University’s Masters of Communication program, described in her alumni interview how her proposal defense was an opportunity to discuss her thesis topic in-depth with her faculty committee, and to receive detailed feedback that she could incorporate into her project moving forward. “For the prospectus, my advisor encouraged me to think of it as a proposal meeting to make sure the project idea is sound, and to receive any feedback before I started to really dig into the project, which was a helpful way to approach it,” she said, “[The oral defense was] a bit stressful just […by] nature of presenting to three faculty members on my personal project, but it was also an opportunity to connect with communication scholars and discuss something I was interested in.”

During the proposal development and revision stage, your faculty advisors will also provide questions to help you narrow the scope of your research inquiry. Mr. Malik recalled, “[T]he best advice I got from a professor was, ‘You’re not trying to create the overarching, all-encompassing theory of communication. You’re not expected to alter the field. […] Research is about theory building, taking small steps forward and progressing the field.’ For me, this helped take a weight off my back.”

Once your proposal is approved by your committee, your next task is to refine and implement your research study, employing quantitative research methods, qualitative research methods, rhetorical research, or a combination of two or more of the aforementioned methods, which is formally known as mixed methodologies. Quantitative research methods involve gathering and analyzing numbers and/or measurements in order to arrive at insights. Examples of quantitative research methods include surveys, statistical analyses, controlled experiments, and the use of mathematical models to analyze and form predictions or conclusions around aggregate data. On the other hand, qualitative research methods focus on gathering data that explores the “why” and the “how” more than the “how much” or “how many.” In other words, while quantitative data might determine how many people visit a particular news site or interact with a specific kind of content (be it a news article or a blockbuster film) within a given period of time, qualitative data would delve into these people’s motivations and content interests through methods such as interviews, observations, and focus groups.

Rhetorical research, which is also referred to as rhetorical criticism or literary/textual analysis, is the examination and analysis of content, be it written works such as novels, essays, and articles, or visual and multimedia content such as online videos, computer games, movies, radio and television. Rhetorical research involves analyzing the use of diction, images and symbols, allusions, emotional vs. logical appeals, irony and satire, juxtapositions, and other rhetorical devices present in a particular work to identify the arguments being made and also how they are conveyed. A scholar of communication might use rhetorical research to identify the pro-diversity message in a short story, or to describe the ways in which a movie or television show contains problematic messages about masculinity.

Mixed methodologies describes when a scholar implements two or more of the aforementioned methodologies in his or her study. For example, a researcher might use a survey (a quantitative methodology) to measure the characteristics of workplace communication within a given organization, while also supplementing this survey with detailed interviews (a qualitative method) of specific people within the organization. In a mixture of rhetorical and quantitative research, another scholar might identify the use of certain words in a particular type of content (such as presidential campaign speeches), and evaluate both the occurrence of these words and their meaning within the context of political agendas. As these examples illustrate, integrating different methodologies in a given study is common as research inquiries are often complex and require multifaceted approaches to gain insight into a given topic.

While designing an entire research study may seem overwhelming at first, at its core the objective of any study is to gather and analyze data to answer a targeted research query. Answering the questions, “What exactly do I wish to understand about my research topic? What types of data will help me arrive at an answer to my inquiry?” is the starting point; from that foundation, the next steps are to investigate what methods have been used in previous studies relating to your topic, and to consult your faculty advisors who have expertise in the methodologies you need to be most effective. In some cases, a mix of qualitative, quantitative, and/or rhetorical analysis data may be optimal for answering your particular research query.

Zach McGeehon, alumnus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Master of Arts in Applied Communication Studies, utilized qualitative methods, namely surveys, for his thesis. “I decided to investigate one of my hobbies a bit more. I have over 10 years’ experience in FX makeup and costumes, so I started researching levels of narcissism in cosplayers (people who dress in costumes from various media) for that research project,” he explained, “That topic eventually led me to a larger question, ‘What motivates people to cosplay in the first place?’ which ended up being the focus of my thesis. I utilized two different qualitative methods during my thesis, where I distributed an online questionnaire and held semi-structured interviews with cosplayers. After a lot of transcription and coding, I was able to exhaustively identify 14 different motivations that cosplayers communicated during the study. Some of those results were a bit surprising, but it was an awesome feeling knowing that I finally got the answer to my query.”

Millie Njezic, University of Northern Iowa

Mary Worley, Ph.D. utilized primarily quantitative research methods in her thesis for her Master of Arts in Communication, which she completed at Illinois State University. “I wanted my thesis to align with my passion for teaching. My thesis advisor was my ultimate champion, sharing my passion for social media and technology in the classroom while acting as a steady source of encouragement,” she said, “The other members of my committee had expertise in communication pedagogy and quantitative data analysis and worked with me to deepen my understanding of theory and analytic procedures. My thesis explored social media (specifically, Twitter) as an educational tool for the classroom and its effects on social media competence, student motivation, affective learning, and perceptions of instructor immediacy. I was able to implement a series of activities into 10 sections of the basic communication course and collected data from both experimental and control groups to assess group differences. Data were primarily quantitative and provided support for social media as a useful educational tool.”

Scott Bredman, graduate of the University of Northern Iowa’s Master of Arts in Communication Studies program, completed a thesis that was centered on rhetorical research. “I knew I wanted to do a project using rhetorical research methods but was struggling to find the right topic,” he recalled in an interview, “During the summer of 2015, public discourse about confederate imagery was abundant, and I started down a rabbit hole of research that ultimately led me to discover the mascot controversy in the school district in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. My advisor, Dr. Ryan McGeough, and I were fascinated by the public deliberation occurring within the community and decided that the deliberation of the community (mostly a special school board meeting that occurred) and these symbols themselves were worthy of rhetorical analysis.” Through his research, Mr. Bredman evaluated both the mascot images as forms of cultural rhetoric, and also analyzed the messages contained in the discourse and debates surrounding these images.

Emma Mackenzie, alumnus of Montana Tech’s Master of Science in Technical Communication, employed mixed methodologies for her thesis, which examined the media representation and discussion of the debate to keep wolves on or off the national Endangered Species list. “I gathered reader comments in local, regional, and national media outlets and analyzed them using Grounded Theory, Semiotics, and Actor Network Theory, a mixture of quantitative and qualitative research,” she explained in her alumni interview.

Once you have collected all the relevant data for your study, you must analyze your results to try and find meaningful patterns or connections within your data or between your data and existing research, with the aim of answering your original research query. As with every step in the thesis completion process, frequent and in-depth discussions with your faculty mentors are very important at this stage, as your mentors can help you to identify important patterns within your data and to place those patterns within the context of past theories, frameworks, and research.

Your faculty committee can also help you work through challenges in the interpretation of your data. In her interview with MastersinCommunications.com, Dr. Wang explained how, when her study did not yield the anticipated results, her advisor helped her to assess and present the data in a way that still contributed to the existing literature on instructional communication in a meaningful way. “After I collected data, my faculty advisor helped me run and interpret the data in his office, “she said, “When there were no significant findings, he helped me determine how I could explain these non-significant findings in my Discussion section in a way that would still allow me to present and publish my research.”

Throughout your preliminary research, collection of data, and analysis of your study results, you should also be writing and working with your committee to continually review and revise your thesis chapters. Staying consistent with your writing at each stage of the process ensures that you have the time to receive quality feedback from your committee and to optimize your final thesis product.

Ms. Njezic described the role that regular discussions with her faculty committee chair played in her thesis. “My thesis chair, Dr. Danielle McGeough, held weekly touch base meetings with me and helped me determine my writing goals for the next week,” she recalled, “This helped me stay organized and focused on my work. Also, don’t be afraid to ask the questions. There is so much value in asking early and asking often. Lastly, remember that you’re doing this research because you’re curious about it. That does not mean that you will have all the answers, neither do you need to have all the answers in the end.” Dr. Wang similarly advised, “Looking back on the research and writing process, I would encourage students to be proactive in discussing any problems that may arise during the writing process with their faculty advisor so that they can get the help and support they need to be successful.”

Megan Kendall, Purdue University

In addition to your faculty mentors, your peers can also serve as support both during the writing and editing stages of your thesis. In her interview, Ms. Kendall explained how a peer writing group helped her manage her time effectively and optimize her writing process. “I highly recommend creating a writing group with several other master’s students,” she advised, “I connected with two others in my cohort and it was so helpful in managing deadlines, handling stress, and just working through the project together. We would meet for half an hour on a weekly basis and take time to update each other on what we were working on or any questions we had.” Weekly peer group meetings can help students think through difficult or complex questions arising from their research, and also create a non-intimidating venue for writing, editing, and workshopping chapters of their thesis.

Once you have completed a full draft of all the chapters of your thesis, you must submit your work to your committee chair as well as your other two faculty readers, who will provide additional feedback and targeted questions to ensure that each chapter is thorough and that your analysis and conclusions properly address your research inquiry and its relevance. It is important to finish your full thesis draft early enough to provide for any necessary revisions well before the final thesis deadline.

Once your faculty committee has approved your final thesis submission, the final stage is your oral thesis defense. The oral defense is considered by many students to be one of the most intimidating parts of the thesis completion process. However, most of the alumni we spoke with pointed out that their oral defense was less of a test and more of an engaging and even enjoyable discussion with the faculty members who served as their foremost allies during their thesis journey.

Mr. McGeehon explained how supportive his entire faculty committee was throughout his work on his thesis, and how their commitment to his success was reflected in his experience defending his final work. “After the completion of my thesis, I was required to orally defend it in front of my committee, which included Dr. Nastasia (thesis chair), Dr. DeGroot-Brown, and Dr. Wrobbel. Though, as expected, I was nervous about facing some difficult questions, I was able to thoroughly prepare for my defense, and I successfully passed on my first attempt,” he said, “Thankfully, I was able to work with a group of people that supported me throughout the entire endeavor. If I needed assistance, the committee was always there for me. They were never afraid to push me to do my best work or question my thought process and give me some constructive criticism.”

Of her experience defending her thesis, Ms. Moss told MastersinCommunications.com, “I found both of my defenses (prospectus and final defense) to be very rewarding and (dare I say) wonderful experiences! It was truly an honor to sit around a table with three brilliant minds who had taken the time to read my work and offer constructive critique on my project. In my case, both defenses were essentially conversations where my advisor had a few questions for me to answer (which he gave me ahead of time), and then I answered other questions from my two other committee members.” In addition, Ms. Moss’s thesis defense was an opportunity for her to find ways to push her research even further, beyond the time frame of her thesis project. “[The] suggestions of my committee encouraged me regarding the significance of my findings and gave me helpful suggestions that ultimately led to a stronger final product,” she said.

Dr. Jangbar similarly explained how the outcome of your thesis defense is a direct product of your efforts throughout the term, and therefore you have a great deal of control over it. “Defending a thesis is not hard if you have done quality work. When the writing is good, the question is not whether you will pass or fail,” she said, “Rather, the faculty are interested in having a conversation about your work. In any case, I thought it was flattering that three professors read my thesis and wanted to talk to me about it for an hour. The defense time went by so quickly. I found myself wishing for more time. Before I knew it, everyone was congratulating me. I wish I could go back to my past-self and tell the other Sakina to enjoy the process rather than worry.”

While students are expected to put in a great deal of independent work conducting preliminary research, designing their study, analyzing their results, and writing their thesis, their committee of faculty mentors is with them every step of the way. Students are not only expected, but also encouraged to consult with their committee members frequently and benefit from their expertise in order to step with confidence into the role of an advanced and independent scholar.

Faculty mentors are dedicated to providing constructive criticism and guidance, and eager to celebrate their students’ efforts. Dr. Stevie Munz, Ph.D., a graduate of Illinois State University’s Master’s program in Communication and an Assistant Professor of Communication herself at Utah Valley University, described how her faculty committee congratulated her on her hard work during her thesis defense. “All thesis projects are defended orally, which serves as an opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge and competency in soliciting questions from their committee,” she told MastersinCommunications.com, “Because the department is supportive and collaborative, the oral defense is often an event attended by other faculty and graduate students–the department celebrates you on this day.” This final and highly positive experience paved the way for Dr. Munz’s future work in communication studies scholarship and pedagogy. “I found the oral defense important preparation for doctoral-level thinking and academic conversations,” she said, “The experience continues to be influential and permeate my research and teaching today.”

The master’s thesis is a challenging, time-consuming, yet incredibly empowering and formative endeavor. It not only represents the extent of the knowledge you have gained in your graduate program, but also propels you into higher levels of research expertise, writing and analytical skill, and intellectual inquiry. For more candid insights from alumni on their experiences completing their thesis, as well as details on other aspects of completing a master’s in communication program, please visit our flagship: Alumni Interview Series .

Home > College of Arts and Sciences > Communication > COMMUNICATION_THESES

Communication Theses

Theses from 2023 2023.

The Contribution of Saudi Female Journalists in Newspapers: Before and After Saudi Vision 2030 , Razan Aljohani

Memes, Themes, and Rhetorical Schemes: Analyzing the themes and rhetorical devices used by meme creators in American political internet memes in the first week of the Ukrainian-Russian War , Edward B. Zimmerman

Theses from 2022 2022

“Better Than We Found It”: A Persuasive Narrative & Its Impact , Alexandra Holzworth

The Identity of Yoga: Contemporary Vs. Traditional Yogic Discourse , Octavia Nasr

Hijacked Christianity: How An Aberrant Eschatology Enables A Grievance Culture That Supplants Christian Grace For An Extremist Meritocracy , David Sharp

Theses from 2021 2021

The Influence of Relatedness on Emotional Brand Attachment with Fitness-Oriented Non-Profits: A Self-Determination Theory Approach , Alexander Castiglione

Mammies, Sapphires, and Jezebels Don’t Marry: Televised Media, Black Stereotypes, and Low Marriage Rates , Aysha LaBon

Theses from 2020 2020

Jammu and Kashmir during the Communication Blackout: A Textual Analysis of Indian News Coverage , Akansha Sirohi

Theses from 2018 2018

Stronger: An Examination of the Effects of the Strong Black Woman Narrative through the Lifespan of African American Women , Verinique Bailey

Attitudes Towards Depression And Suicide: An Analysis Of News Coverage and Online Comments on Nigerian News Sites , Oluwamayomikun Lawal

The Curvy Girl Handbook vs. the Industry: A Unique Body Image in a One-Track Business , Jessica Wise

Theses from 2017 2017

Content Is President: The Influence of Netflix on Taste, Politics and The Future of Television , Alanna Esack

The Chinese Image in Sino-Hollywood Co-Produced Blockbusters During the Era of Globalization , Zhewen Song

Theses from 2016 2016

Interactive Social Selling and Relationship Management on WeChat , Ying Sun

“Beloved Be the Ones Who Sit Down”: Aesthetics and Political Affect in Roy Andersson’s “Living” Trilogy , Ella Tucan

Theses from 2015 2015

The Chromophilic Chromophobe: Transference of Racial Otherness in Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums , Reginald Hill

Legislation as a Site of Contested Meaning in United States Congressional Debates , John Rountree

Theses from 2014 2014

Step Into a Blue Funk: Transversal Color and Derek Jarman's Blue , Daren Fowler

Global Audience Participation in the Production and Consumption of Gangnam Style , Soo keung Jung

The Nonhuman Lives of Videogames , Cameron Kunzelman

Making it in America: How Charles Dickens and His Cunning Manager George Dolby Made Millions from a Performance Tour of The United States, 1867-1868 , Jillian Martin

The Clinton Administration's Use of Hermeneutic Opportunities in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide During the Bosnia and Rwanda Genocides , Kimberly Overmier

Ethics in Photojournalism: Authenticity and Sensitivity in Coverage of Tragic Events , Minla Linn Shields

Untouchable Hunger: Framing Of Childhood Poverty In India, May 2012-April 2014 , Amber L. Welch

Comparative Modalities of Network Neutrality , Kyle Wrather

Theses from 2013 2013

Practicing Work, Perfecting Play: League of Legends and the Sentimental Education of E-Sports , Neal C. Hinnant

Health Safety-Net Crisis: A Case Study of News Discourse , Cecilia F. Mitchell

The Reality Of Televised Jezebels and Sapphires: Blogs and the Negative Stereotypes of African American Women on Reality Television , Safiya E. Reid

The Bulgarian Horrors Through the Eyes of an American Journalist: J. A. MacGahan's Role in the Liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire 1876-1878 , Miglena Sandmeier

American Masculinity and Homosocial Behavior in the Bromance Era , Diana Sargent

Theses from 2012 2012

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally, Discussing Online: The Slow Food Movement Quickens with New Media , Carolyn Bender

Image Trends in Corporate Environmental Reporting: Bolstering Reputation through Transparency or Widening the “Sustainability Gap”? , Sarah E. Brooks

Representations of Haiti in Western News Media: Coverage of the January 2010 Earthquake in Haiti , Hillary L. Brown

Playing for Resistance in MMORPG: Oppositional Reading, Emergence, and Hegemony in the Lineage II "Bartz Liberation War" , Yoon Sang Cho

First Impressions, Second Appraisals: Going Beyond the “Paratextual Contract” in The American Televisual Opening Title Sequence , Erik K. Clabaugh

Abracadabra: Key Agents of Mediation that Define, Create, and Maintain TV Fandom , David H. Gardner

Another Brick in the Wall: Public Space, Visual Hegemonic Resistance, and the Physical/Digital Continuum , Daniel Gilmore

Understanding Diversity: Top Executives' Perceptions of Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Public Relations , Amber H. Irizarry

Engaging Mexican and Mexican-American Mothers in Schools: Using Culture, Acculturation, and the Situational Theory of Publics to Motivate Parental Involvement , Linda C. Perez

Product Placement Decisions On-Set , Maria Flavia T. Pulliam

Friend Request Accepted: A Case Study of Facebook's Expansionary Network Strategies in India , Devna Thapliyal

Remember , Anthony C. Vines

Deadly Viper Character Assassins: Cyber Discourse on Asian American Marginalization and Identity , Eileen Wang

Theses from 2011 2011

Team Edward or Team Jacob? The Portrayal of Two Versions of the "Ideal" Male Romantic Partner in the Twilight Film Series , Paola A. Bedoya

Communicating with the World: History of Rhetorical Responses to International Crisis and the 2007 U.S. National Strategy for Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication , Laurel R. Berryman

"To Blaze Forever in a Blazing World": Queer Reconstruction and Cultural Memory in the Works of Alan Moore , Michael T. Besozzi

No Angel: An Analysis of Media Coverage of Nadja Benaissa in the U.K., U.S. and Germany , Elizabeth A. Cantrell

Identification is Persuasion: Eisenhower’s Call for Unity and the Founding of NATO’s Military Headquarters , Debra N. Fossum

The Flow of the Water: Contemporary American Realisms , Justin Horton

The Glitch Aesthetic , Rebecca Jackson

Online Gaming and Teamwork , Lakshmi Jagad Ms.

A House in the Middle of the Road: Serbia's Otpor Movement and its Strategies of Nonviolent Resistance , Jelena Kelava

Disney's Portrayal of Nonhuman Animals in Animated Films Between 2000 and 2010 , Oana Leventi-Perez

Rhetoric and Rupture: A Theory of the Event , Robert Mills

Veiled Politics: Legitimating the Burqa Ban in the French Press , Anne Roberts

Discourse Analysis of Public Debate over U.S. Government Faith-Based Initiative of 2001 , Vincente S. Scott

Twitter's Impact on Sports Journalism Practice: Where a New Medium Meets and Old Art , Kyle Sears

Constructing Asian/American Women on Screen , Charleen M. Wilcox

Imagining Queerness: Sexualities in Underground Films in the Contemporary P. R. China , Jin Zhao

Theses from 2010 2010

Framing Autism Causes and Prevelance: A Content Analysis of Television Evening News Coverage--1994 Through April 2010 , Angela S. Colson

[Redacted Text] and Surveillance: An Ideographic Analysis of the Struggle between National Security and Privacy , Eric M. Connelly

Cultural Play at the Crazy Horse Colossus: Narrative , Thomas M. Cornwell

A Balancing Act Between Nationalism and Globalism: A Comparison of Two Chinese Official Newspapers in Portrayal of America 1989-2009 , Shuhua Dai

Nadya Suleman and Kate Gosselin in the Media: Exploring Images of Motherhood and Reproductive Technology , Lisa A. Hanna

The Failed NC-17 Rating, Screen Violence and Sexuality, and the Viability of the Current MPAA Ratings System , David Wesley James

The Radical Voice in the Rhetoric of the Tea Party Movement , Joel M. Lemuel

History in the Making: The Impact of Ideology in Lynne Cheney's Children's Books , Samuel Miller

What Do They Expect? A Study of the Rhetoric of Job Expectations for First Post-College Jobs Found on Career Webpages of Gender-Dominant Organizations , Catherine Franklin Neiner

Media Literacy in the United States: A Close Look at Texas , Ava Katherine Ward-Barnes

The Game of Unity?: The 2007 Cricket World Cup as a Catalyst toward Caribbean Identity Construction , Peta-Gaye J. Wiggan

Theses from 2009 2009

L337 Soccer Moms: Conceptions of "Hardcore" and "Casual" in the Digital Games Medium , Steven Andrew Boyer

In the Culture of Truthiness: Comic Criticism and the Performative Politics of Stephen Colbert , Justine Schuchard Holcomb

The Rhetorical Dimensions of Place-making: Texts, Structures, and Movement in Atlantic Station , Brook Alys Irving

Radiohead: The Guitar Weilding, Dancing, Singing Commodity , Selena Michelle Lawson

Hurricane Katrina and the Third World: A Cluster Analysis of the "Third World" Label in the Mass Media Coverage of Hurricane Katrina , Paul E. Mabrey III

Appropriation of Yoga and Other Indigenous Knowledge & Cultural Heritage: A Critical Analysis of the Legal Regime of Intellectual Property Rights , Lok Raj Pokhrel

Changes in Branding Strategy: A Discourse Analysis of NATO Publications and Speech Regarding its Russian Relationship and the NATO-Russia Council , Alexandra Kornilia Sowers

Organizational Accessibility and Community Connections: Examining Changes in the Spatial Proximity of Pubic Housing Residents to Social Service Providers and Providers' Responses to Redevelopment , Kimberly Ann Stringer

Communication Channels, Social Support and Satisfaction in Long Distance Romantic Relationships , Lijuan Yin

Racial Satire and Chappelle's Show , Katharine P. Zakos

Gaming Realism in Second Life , Dan Zhang

Theses from 2008 2008

The Effect of Gay Visual Exemplars on Issue Perceptions in Newspaper Reports , Anita Atwell

For Better or for Worse? Media Coverage of Marital Rape in the 1978 Rideout Trial , Melissa Anne Bazhaw

Mourning and Message: Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1968 Atlanta Funeral as an Image Event , Rebecca Poynor Burns

Georgia Newspaper Coverage Discovering Conventional Practices of the 'Cherokee Question': Prelude to the Removal, 1828-1832 , James Hollister Hobgood, Jr.

What’s the Story? Framing of Health Issues by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Major Newspapers: A Qualitative Analysis , Kathryn O'Neill Karnes

Plaza Fiesta: A Re-Imagined Homeland Contributing to Latino Identity and Community , Sarah Lindley Marske

Contagion from Abroad: U.S. Press Framing of Immigrants and Epidemics, 1891 to 1893 , Harriet Moore

E-health and the Internet: Factors that Influence Doctors' Mediation Behaviors with Patients , Erin Robinson

UPS and Zoo Atlanta: A Case Study on Corporate Social Responsibility , Karen Saghini

A Genealogy of Absence & Evil: Tracing the Nation's Borders with Captain America , Christian J. Steinmetz

Dialectical Relationships in Pre 9/11 and Post 9/11 White Supremacist Discourse , Abigail Smith Williams

Satellites, Neoliberal Globalization and Global Corporatism , Fangjie Xu

Theses from 2007 2007

An Internal Communications Analysis of a U.S. Credit Reporting Agency , Styletta Carter

"My Loss is Your Gain": Examining the Role of Message Frame, Perceived Risk, and Ambivalence in the Decision to Become an Organ Donor. , Elizabeth Leigh Cohen

Civil Religion and Pastoral Power in the George W. Bush Presidency , Kristina E. Curry

A New Approach to an Old Story: How Generation Y Views and Disseminates Echoes of Vietnam Films as seen in Videos Created by Troops in Iraq , Lindsey Ann Hagan

Communicating a Crisis: The Public Information Officer's Perspective , Susan Hale

"Pro-Ana" Web-Log Uses and Gratifications towards Understanding the Pro-Anorexia Paradox , Dana G. Mantella

Patronizing Speech in Interability Communication toward People with Cognitive Disabilities , Vann Morris

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38 catalog results, online 1. ‘a little more insight’: how california’s new transparency law is helping the families of those killed by police [2019].

• Richards, Connor Morgan (Author)

Online 2. Alone on The Ridge: Life in Paradise after the Camp Fire [2019]

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Online 3. Hope among the ashes [2019]

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Online 7. Transcribe.it - Audio Transcription Made Simple [2019]

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Online 8. TweetCheckr [2019]

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Online 9. Unconventional housing, unprecedented amounts of fear challenge Bay Area census efforts [2019]

• Jibilian, Isabella McLeod (Author)
• June 5, 2019

Online 10. You want to find a partner. Dating apps want you to keep swiping. What gives? [2019]

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Online 11. Analyzing Autonomous Car Crashes in California [2018]

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Online 12. As fire seasons intensify, California homeowners struggle to stay insured [2018]

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Online 13. Behind Closed Doors: How Domestic Violence Among Pacific Islanders Remains in the Shadows [2018]

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Online 14. Call Collect: Enabling any journalist to gather audio from the public [2018]

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Online 15. Hidden Injuries: The Challenges of Preventing Fatalities in Horse Racing [2018]

• Egerstrom, Christina Sofia (Author)
• [ca. February 2018 - June 2018]

Online 16. Inferactive [2018]

• Freedman, Dylan (Author)
• June 6, 2018

Online 17. Journalism and Crowdfunding: A close look at Kickstarter’s website. How has the presence of journalism projects evolved on crowdfunding websites such as Kickstarter, since those websites launched in the late 2000s? [2018]

• Kosche, Charlotte Margarete (Author)

Online 18. Prop 68 to decide funding for water, parks and climate change in California [2018]

• Cruz, Amy Christine (Author)

Online 19. Revoking work permits of spouses of tech immigrant workers will reduce Silicon Valley’s competitive advantage [2018]

• Oliver-Craviotto, Marta (Author)

Online 20. Santa Cruz County struggles to overcome addiction amid opioid crisis [2018]

• Nierenberg, Jacob (Author)

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Communication Studies: Dissertations & Theses

Dissertation databases.

Use one of the following databases to find dissertations.  Once you have identified the dissertations you need, submit an interlibrary loan request to get a copy if it is not available at UW or online.  You can also buy copies of many dissertations via ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global .  

• Australasian Digital Theses Program Dissertations from Australia and New Zealand, recent dissertations online.
• British Library EThOS "Search over 450,000 doctoral theses. Download instantly for your research, or order a scanned copy quickly and easily."
• DART Europe E-Theses More than 100,000 fulltext dissertations from 13 European nations
• Networked Digital Library of Theses & Dissertations (NDLTD) Clearinghouse of electronic, fulltext dissertations freely available on the web
• Theses Canada Index to Canadian dissertations, includes some fulltext from the last decade

Find UW Communication Dissertations

The UW Libraries hold physical copies of dissertations written by UW students before 2013.  From 2013 forward, most UW dissertations will only be hosted online through UW Libraries ResearchWorks Service .  To locate physical and online dissertations, use UW Libraries Search .  Try using the Advanced Search in the following ways:

• communication theses AND interpersonal communication
• communication theses AND television
• communication theses AND media AND democracy

• By author or title

UW Communication Dissertations:

All UW dissertations are now published only online.  This provides 24/7 access to your dissertation and supports open access to scholarly information.  UW Communi cation dissertations are available online through UW ResearchWorks.  

Connect directly to UW Communication dissertations. 

Recent UW Dissertations

• Adeiza, M. (2019). Digital media and presidential campaigning in Sub-Saharan Africa : A study of the 2016 election in Ghana.
• Barta, K. (2019). Reclaiming publicness in the face of sexual assault : Social media, disclosure, and visibility.
• Bellinger, M. (2018). The rhetoric of Bitcoin : Money, politics, and the construction of blockchain communities.
• Bollinger, B. (2019). Stand, speak, act : Using the theory of planned behavior to evaluate a sexual assault bystander intervention campaign on a tri-campus university.
• Champion, K. (2019). Production misalignment : A threat to public knowledge.
• Dosch, M. (2018). Building recovery capital : The role of cooperative behavior in a community support institution.
• Fesenmaier, M. (2019). Migrants' reported use of communication behaviors that enact family across distance.
• Fichet, E. (2018). Creativity readiness in crisis communications : How crisis communicators' ability to be creative is impacted at the individual, work team, and organizational levels.
• Geary, D. (2018). Whiteness in American life : Communication and race in the era of Donald Trump.
• Kiene, C. (2020). Challenges and adaptations to technological change in online communities.
• Moon, R. (2018). Constructing journalism practice between the global and the local : Lessons from the Rwandan journalism field.
• Oishi, T. (2019). Tinder-ing desire : The circuit of culture, gamified dating and creating desirable selves.
• Shorey, S. (2019). Handmade future : A field-based inquiry of innovation through making and craft.
• Syfert, C. (2019). Expert advocacy : The public address of scientists in a post-truth society.
• Tanweer, A. (2018). Data science of the social : How the practice is responding to ethical crisis and spreading across sectors.
• Woolley, S. (2018). Manufacturing consensus : Computational propaganda and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election.
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• Last Updated: May 12, 2024 3:12 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.uw.edu/research/commstudies

• Major in Communication
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The Communication Thesis

An honors or ComPS thesis allows students to take a deep dive into their chosen research topic, learning how to ask and answer big questions about our world.

Senior Honors theses and Communication and Public Service (ComPS) Capstone theses offer Senior Comm Majors an exciting intellectual opportunity to thoroughly investigate a Comm-related subject of their choice. Annenberg provides unique support to thesis students through the required two-semester Honors/ComPS Thesis Seminar and one-on-one mentorship by two faculty members. Thesis projects often serve as a qualifying experience for graduate education or, equally, may offer important evidence to employers of your skills in research and analytical thinking. 

Senior Comm Majors’ thesis projects can be quantitative (e.g., surveys, experiments, content analyses) or qualitative (e.g., interviews, focus groups, textual analyses) research. Prior theses have focused on a wide range of communication topics including:

• Emotional chatbots and loneliness
• Mental health and children’s TV
• A comparison of Boomer and Millennial political rhetoric
• Diva worship on Twitter
• Street art at the US/Mexico border wall
• Understanding of social media privacy policies
• U.S. hurricane news coverage
• The U.S. immigration debate
• And many more Comm-related topics!

Copies of previous theses are available for review in the  Annenberg Library .   

Interested students should contact Dr.  Kim Woolf ,  Academic Advisor and Research Director, Undergraduate Studies.

The thesis is a two-semester course for Communication majors, taken during the senior year.

• During the first semester, students write a research proposal that includes a literature review and detailed methodology.
• During the second semester, students conduct data collection and analysis and write the results and discussion to complete the thesis describing this work.

Students work with two professors throughout the course — a designated faculty supervisor and a thesis seminar supervisor — and receive one advanced course credit toward the Communication major for each semester completed.

Communication majors are strongly encouraged, though not required, to complete a thesis. On average, 15 to 20 percent of all majors write a thesis.

General Requirements

• The thesis is a two semester course. Students are required to successfully complete both semesters of the course to complete the thesis.
• Obtain a faculty supervisor
• Obtain written certification from the faculty supervisor that the student has the required technological and editing skills needed
• Notify Dr.  Kim Woolf  of their intention to complete a documentary thesis
• The thesis must be original work not completed in a previous course or undertaken in a current course outside the thesis seminar. In some cases, the thesis may continue work initiated in an Independent Study or in COMM 395 completed prior to the fall semester of senior year. Prior written approval by both thesis supervisors is required to ensure that an appropriate amount of new research is conducted for the thesis. 
• Studies may be quantitative (e.g., surveys, experiments, content analyses) or qualitative (e.g., interviews, focus groups, textual analyses of magazines, TV shows, speeches, etc.).

Eligibility for the Thesis

Annenberg offers two undergraduate thesis options with different eligibility requirements:

Honors Thesis Eligibility 

• By the end of the junior year, students must have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 in all University of Pennsylvania courses.
• Students' academic records to date should be predictive of success in a program that requires excellent time management, organizational, and intellectual skills.
• Students with outstanding incompletes are not eligible.
• Students must maintain a 3.50 cumulative GPA through the end of the first semester of senior year AND obtain a grade of B+ or higher in the first semester of the thesis seminar. Students who fail to meet the eligibility requirements at the end of the first semester thesis course may not enroll in the second semester thesis course, but will receive one advanced credit towards the Communication major for the first semester.

Note:  Eligibility for the Honors thesis does not guarantee a degree in Communication with Honors. To obtain Honors, students must complete all major requirements, achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher in all University of Pennsylvania courses at the conclusion of coursework, and earn a grade of A- or higher for the completed thesis in the second semester. 

ComPS Capstone Thesis Eligibility

• A thesis is required for all students who graduate with the ComPS designation.

Note:  ComPS students who meet the requirements for a degree with Honors may designate the Capstone thesis as a Capstone Honors thesis.

Students who withdraw from the ComPS program at the end of the first semester of the thesis may continue in the second semester of the seminar only if they meet honors thesis eligibility requirements. Students who are not eligible to enroll in the second semester thesis seminar will receive one advanced credit towards the Communication major for the first semester. 

“Writing a ComPS Honors thesis my senior year undoubtedly was the most rewarding experience I had throughout my four years at Penn. It taught me that when you identify a passion, through hard work and a focused effort, you can cultivate it and transform those beliefs or ideas in your head into something tangible and important. I re-read my thesis every few months and am constantly reminded of how pertinent my words still are and how proud I am that I created this body of work with Annenberg's support.” –Amanda Damon C'19, “ The Immigrant Debate in America: The Civil Rights Question of Our Time? ”

Seminar Enrollment Requirements

Requirements for enrollment in the first semester seminar comm 4797 (formerly 494).

• Meet the eligibility requirements listed above.
• Designated faculty supervisors may be Annenberg  faculty members ,  secondary faculty members , or some approved  lecturers . These faculty members are listed on the Annenberg website. Ideally, the faculty supervisor is one with whom you have taken one or more classes. 
• Students should begin the process of identifying a thesis topic and faculty supervisor during the junior year.
• Submit a research topic statement approved and signed by the designated faculty supervisor (not the thesis seminar supervisor) by the second class in the Fall Semester of senior year. Failure to submit a research topic statement approved by a designated faculty supervisor will prevent enrollment in the thesis seminar.

Required Forms

Honors Thesis Topic Statement ComPS Capstone Thesis Topic Statement

Prepared in consultation with the designated faculty supervisor, the research topic statement should be approximately 3-5 pages long. It should include:

• A review of relevant scholarship on the thesis topic
• Research questions or hypotheses to be addressed in the thesis research
• A brief description of the proposed methodology

Successful Completion of the First Semester Seminar

During proposal and thesis preparation, students will work jointly with the designated faculty supervisor and the seminar supervisor.

By the end of the first semester, all thesis students are required to submit a completed thesis proposal approved by both thesis supervisors. The proposal must include a detailed literature review and approved methodology. Completed coding manuals, experimental manipulations, questionnaires, and other instruments appropriate for the study methodology should be included in the proposal. 

Applications for review of studies involving human subjects should be submitted to the Institutional Review Board in a timely manner, normally before the end of the first semester.

Requirements for enrollment in the Second Semester Seminar, COMM 4897 (formerly 495) or COMM 4997 (formerly 499)

• A completed thesis proposal signed by both thesis supervisors.
• Honors students must continue to maintain a 3.50 cumulative GPA and obtain a grade of B+ or higher in the first semester seminar. 
• ComPS thesis students must continue with the ComPS designation. Those who drop out of the ComPS program are not eligible to continue with the second semester unless they meet Honors thesis requirements.

Successful Completion of the Thesis

Students will complete the thesis on a schedule specified by the thesis seminar supervisor. Every thesis must have four main components:

• Literature review (review of prior research)
• Methodology
• Results/Findings

There are no minimum page requirements for the thesis. The maximum length of the thesis is 100 pages, not including references or appendices. Students may apply for an exception to the maximum page limit; decisions will be made on a case by case basis. Formatting requirements will be distributed in the thesis seminar.

A thesis is not complete until all necessary revisions have been made, and both thesis supervisors have signed off on the final draft.

Additional Requirements

To successfully complete the thesis, students must also:

•  Meet regularly with both thesis supervisors to discuss progress toward completion
• Attend all required classes and individual meetings of the thesis seminar for both semesters
• Meet all deadlines laid out in the thesis course syllabus
• Present the thesis at a public forum at the end of the second semester. Length, date, time and format will be determined by the thesis seminar supervisor.

Thesis Awards

The Annenberg School offers two  thesis awards at graduation . Honors thesis students are eligible for the George Gerbner Award. ComPS Capstone thesis students are eligible for the Communication and Public Service (Eisenhower) Award.   ComPS students who are also Honors students are eligible for both awards.

Students who submit their completed thesis on or before the final completion date set by the department are eligible to be nominated for these awards.

Past Theses

Honors and ComPS theses span a wide variety of topics. Scroll below to see thesis titles of some past students.

Lilianna Gurry C'20: “Transforming the Media Regime in 47 Volumes: The Pentagon Papers Case and the Rise of Partisan Media”

Elena Hoffman C'20: “A Good Neighbor? Examining Presidential Rhetoric on Wilsonian Foreign Policy in Central America”

Tiffany Wang C'20: “East Meets West: Evaluating the Impact of American Films on Taiwanese Political Perspectives”

Jose Carreras-Tartak C'19: “A Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis and Comparison of Online U.S. Hurricane News Coverage”

Arielle Goldfine C'19: “Shaken Baby Syndrome in the Courtroom: A Rhetorical Study of Scientific Iconography and Prosecutorial Persuasion”

Nicholas Hunsicker C'19: “Yaaaaas Gaga: Diva Worship, Identity Formation, and Communities of Gay Men on Twitter”

Evangeline Giannopolous C'18: “The Comparative Effects of American and Norwegian Television Sexual Content on American Adolescent Sexual Intentions, Attitudes, and Knowledge”

Jaslyn McIntosh C'17: “Identity in the Age of Swiping: An Exploration of Identity Formation on Tinder Social”

Communication Studies

Master's thesis topics, 2023 graduates.

Master’s Student: Ellen Alley

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Anita Vangelisti

I CAN SEE HOW YOU FEEL: FRAMEWORKS FOR EMOTION RECOGNITION AND THEIR ASSOCIATIONS WITH RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Master’s Student: Dewi Rosfalianti Azizah

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Stacey Sowards 

IN AND BEYOND THE GATE OF PESANTREN:  ISLAMIC FEMINISM AND FEMALE ULAMA CONTRIBUTIONS TO ISLAMIC DISCOURSE IN INDONESIA                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Master’s Student: Faith Osterberg

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Jeffrey Treem 

UNDERSTANDING CONCEPTS OF WORK THROUGH YOUNG PROFESSIONALS' NOTIONS OF WORK, CALLING, AND SELF-ADVANCEMENT IN FULLY REMOTE ROLES                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Master’s Student:  Karissa Marie Hernandez

PARENTS, PRIVACY, PARENTIFICATION: EXPLORING PARENTAL DISCLOSURES OF FAMILY SECRETS, PARENTIFICATION, PRIVACY MANAGEMENT, AND RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Master’s Student:  Vanessa Lopez

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Nik Palomares & Dr. Roselia Mendez Murillo (Co-Chair)  

HOW HISPANIC ACCENTS MAKE ONLINE DATING PROFILES MORE SOCIALLY ATTRACTIVE:  DOES INTERCULTURAL SENSITIVITY PLAY A ROLE?         

Master’s Student:  Katherine McChurch 

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Rene Dailey 

SURVIVORS' DISCLOSURE AND THEIR ABILITY TO RECALL AND COPE WITH THEIR SEXUAL ASSAULT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Master’s Student:  Margaret E Solice

Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Johanna Hartelius 

PRIVILEGING HISTORIES: AN HOSPITABLE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF THE FIRST ALL-WOMAN STATE SUPREME COURT                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Master’s Student:  Yating Yang

UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF OPEN COMMUNICATION ON COUPLES' RELATIONSHIP AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING DURING MENOPAUSE: AN EXAMINATION OF THE MEDIATING EFFECTS OF COMMUNAL COPING WITH AN ACTOR-PARTNER INTERDEPENDENCE MODEL                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

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Theses and Dissertations (Communication Science)

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• The significance of centralised communication on a decentralised organisation : a case on railway safety regulator  Malete, Keatlegile Godwill ( 2023-09-21 ) The rationale for the study was to explore the significance of centralised communication in a strategically decentralised organisation. Organisations either centralise or decentralise their functions as part of adapting ...
• An analysis of the implementation of communication integration in Metropolitan Life Insurance in South Africa  Sokana, Nozimanga ( 2023-04 ) This study evaluated communication implementation within Metropolitan Life Insurance (“Metropolitan”) in South Africa. In the current volatile and competitive market setting where companies have similar offerings, compounded ...
• Investigating Covid-19 twitter sentiments during the 2021 vaccine roll-out in South Africa  Jimoh, Sinenhlanhla ( 2022-01 ) Vaccination is a vital component in the control of a pandemic like COVID-19. However, to a certain extent, COVID-19 vaccines have been met with public fear and scepticism, thereby making it difficult for communication ...
• An analysis of the extent of cyberbullying awareness among the stakeholders in the selected public school in Gauteng, South Africa  Noguba, Nwabisa ( 2023-08-07 ) Lack of technological infrastructure and poor adoption of digital literacy in South African schools have been cited as some of the factors that impede the success of cyberbullying awareness implementation and monitoring ...
• A textual analysis of three, South African, online newspapers (2021-2022) on the representation of the Economic Freedom Fighters  Legodi, Nancy Mapule ( 2023-07 ) This study, entitled “A textual analysis of three, South African, online newspapers (2021-2022) on the representation of the Economic Freedom Fighters”, is a cross-sectional, mixed methods textual analysis investigating ...
• Tracking the diffusion and adoption of ICTs among SMMEs in the agribusiness sector in Tshwane, South Africa  Kgaabi, Kwena Dominic ( 2022-10-24 ) Small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) are key catalysts for advancing inclusive growth and development in South Africa. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have transformed and revolutionised the way ...
• Brand communication and its influence on brand loyalty in the banking industry : an evaluation of First National Bank Customers  Ndlovu, Zamabomvu Tracey ( 2023-05 ) This study was conducted with the aim to investigate whether brand communication is effective in influencing South African customers to remain loyal to a specific bank, in this case, First National Bank, or if there ...
• Practice of participatory communication : asset based community development legacy project in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape  Maphumulo, Andile Bongeka ( 2022-11-30 ) The purpose of the study was to explore the practice of participatory communication by the South African National Road Agency (SANRAL) on the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) project in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape ...
• A conceptual framework for social-media crisis communication to build stakeholder relationships in Ghana  Tella, Fortune ( 2023-01 ) People are spending more time on social media, which means that public-relations professionals need to pay more attention to managing the reputation of their organisations. However, many Ghanaian organisations are not ...
• Developing a framework for public relations practice : an examination of gender issues among female PR practitioners in Ghana  Abudulai, Justice Issah ( 2023-01 ) This study aimed to develop a current and appropriate framework for Public Relations (PR) practice among female practitioners in Ghana by investigating gender issues in PR among female practitioners in Ghana. Data were ...
• Internal communication satisfaction at the NGO, gender links, with a specific focus on media quality, channel selection and technology  Mataruse, Vimbai ( 2023-01 ) We have long known that communication satisfaction is of utmost importance, but as it is in business organisations, so it is in non-profit organisations. Theorists have acknowledged that substantial communication ...
• Management approaches in the construction sector as experience by employees: a decolonial study: a research report  Mazibuko, Bafana Robinson ( 2022-11 ) Employees in the South African context are not at a happy state as the result of the way they are being managed (Kamoche 2011:1; Mangaliso 2001:29; Thomas & Bendixen 2000:509). The country’s workplace is characterised ...
• Towards a decolonial medical treatment team approach : the case of mental healthcare in South Africa  Asongu, Acha-Anyi ( 2023-01-26 ) Collaborative medical treatment teamwork through effective communication can enhance mental healthcare. Therefore, medical treatment teamwork is widely advocated as an approach for treating mentally ill patients, since ...
• Fake news and the political economy of the media in Ghana : the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution  Kwode, Paul Achonga Kabah ( 2022 ) This study investigates fake news and the political economy of the media in Ghana in the interplay of convergence of technology in the era of the fourth industrial revolution. It adopts the exploratory sequential mixed-method ...
• Mediated representations of violence against women (VAW) in the South African public broadcasting service: a study of cognitive effects of gendered communication  Manala, Thabile Keletso ( 2022-09-12 ) This research seeks to investigate, in an explanatory nature, how South Africa’s broadcast media represents the narrative of gender equality amid the culture of violence against women (VAW) within this society. Feminist ...
• Interpretation and influence of television alcohol advertisements on consumption considerations by youth in Elim, Limpopo: A reception analysis  Muleya, Tshimangadzo Elea ( 2022-09 ) This is a reception study, which explores and evaluates, through in-depth interviews and surveys, how television audiences or consumers interpret alcohol advertisements. The aim is to understand the influence of the ...
• An analysis of the representation of women in Forbes Africa and Business Day  Dorasami, Mary Magdalene ( 2022-02 ) This study aims to analyse the representations of women in business media through the identification of media discourses and underlying meanings in visual images. Prior research studies have indicated that there is minimal ...
• Deconstructing populists rhetoric presented in the tweets of the South African Trade Union, Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU): a critical discourse analysis study  Matsha, Ngoako Moses ( 2022-01-19 ) This study argues that social media network Twitter possess underlying political populist rhetoric and uses different discursive practices in the verbal and visual texts primarily to legitimise and/or delegitimise a political ...
• An assessment of the influence of organisational culture on communication practice within the Gauteng Department of Social Development  Tlalang, Mosiami Hendrick ( 2019-09-20 ) This study analyses the extent to which organisational culture influences and shapes an organisation’s communication practice, in the Gauteng Department of Social Development. This emanates from the realisation by the South ...
• Exploring the perceptions of Professional Editors Guild members on their participation in the association’s asynchronous communication : e-mail  Maseko, Pholile Faith ( 2022-02-25 ) The Professional Editors Guild is an online-based association for language practitioners in South Africa and designed the e-mail forum intending to reach out to members that could need professional editing support. Since ...

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Home > Education > Communication Disorders > Theses and Dissertations

Communication Disorders Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Prosodic Speech Rate, Utterance Duration, Interruption Rate, and Turn-Taking Latency in Autistic and Neurotypical Adults , Grace Madeline Bell

Marriage and Family Therapists' Perspectives of Working With Couples Impacted by Aphasia: General Perceptions and Response to Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training , Madison Rae Christensen

Measuring the Effects of Selective and Divided Attention Conditions on Language Production: Comparing Across Age Groups for Aphasia Assessment , Emily McDonald

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Interference Between Speaking and Computer Tasks in Younger and Older Adults , Paige Elise Asay

The Reversibility of Effects of Combination Inhaled Corticosteroids on Sustained Phonation Pressure and Flow in Ex Vivo Rabbit Larynges , Elisabeth Barlow

Microaggressions That Students From Underrepresented Groups Experience in Communication Sciences and Disorders , Samantha Berryhill

The Effects and Reversibility of Combination Inhaled Corticosteroids on Phonation Threshold Pressure (PTP) and Phonation Threshold Flow (PTF) in Ex Vivo Rabbit Larynges , Melanie Elizabeth Blauer

Validating a Predictive Early Kindergarten Dynamic Assessment of Word Level Reading and Language , Taylor Jordan Cena

The Effect of Speaking Context on Articulatory Kinematics in Habitual and Clear Speech , Lauren Elizabeth Clarke

Survey of Reading Habits and Dialogic Book Reading Practices in Parents of Preschool-Aged Children , Kimberly Cronin

Prosodic Pitch and Intensity in Autistic Individuals , Cassidy Gooch

Emotion, Sensory Processing, and Prosody in Neurotypical and Autistic Young Adults , Annika Henderson

Quantifying Speech Pause Durations in Typical English Speakers , John Hoffer

The Effects of an Oral Narrative and Expository School-Age Language Intervention: A Low-Dosage Study , Giana H. Hunsaker

Behavioral and Physiologic Relationships Between Sensory Processing, Attention, and Prediction in Autistic Children: An Eye Tracking Study , Courtney Hunter

The Impact of Speech Pause on the Perceived Effectiveness and Likability of a Speaker's Communication , Rebecca Lyman

Accounting for Oral Language Skills in Children With Dyslexia: A Systematic Review of the Literature , Natalie Kay Olsen Miller

The Acceptability of Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training for Couples Impacted by Aphasia: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study , Kathryn-Anne Pertab

Examining the Validity of the CUBED Narrative Language Measures Listening and Reading Subtests , Trevor David Read

The Effects of Time Pressure on Speech Fluency in Aging Adults: Comparisons With Divided Attention , Caleb Henderson Sanford

Investigating Speech Perception in Children With Speech Delay, Dyslexia, and Speech Delay and Dyslexia , Lauren Marie Spencer

Bidirectional Interference Between Speech and Mathematical, Language, or Visuospatial Tasks in Younger and Older Adults , Chanelle Thomas

Exploring Posttraumatic Growth in Aphasia: A Qualitative Investigation , Camille Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

A Comparative Study on the Expository Writing Abilities of Kindergarten Students With and Without Developmental Language Disorder , Kristine Michelle Dayley Andrus

Interference Between Speaking and Computer Tasks and Their Effects on Physiologic Arousal , Tiana Walker Bateman

Intolerance of Uncertainty, Sensory Processing, and Related Correlates in Autistic Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic , Mollie Bradley

The Behavioral and Neurophysiologic Relationships Between Sensory Processing and Autistic Traits in Emerging Adults , Savanah Calton

Auditory Brainstem Response in Autistic Children: Potential Implications for Sensory Processing , Madelyn Cate

Examining the Preliminary Validity of a Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Language in Mandarin Chinese , Lok Yee Sarah Cheung

External Laryngeal Oscillation and Aerodynamic Measures of Voice Onset: A Translational Study , Erik McLeod Christensen

Diagnostic Accuracy of Nonword Repetition Tasks for the Clinical Assessment of Spanish-English Dual Language Learners: A Preliminary Investigation , Audrey Czirr

The Effects of Dialogic Reading on the Oral Language of Diverse Kindergarten Students , Abigail Figgins

The Impact of Background Noise on the Communicative Experience of People With Mild to Moderate Aphasia: A Qualitative Study , Riley Robertson Hegewald

Comparing Relative and Absolute Reliability of Short Versus Long Narrative Retells , Jenna Hollis

The Effects of Stimulus Type on Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Speech Perception in Typical Adults , Melannee Wursten Ipsen

Effects of an External Oscillation Device on Phonation Threshold Pressure (PTP) , Brittany Tiffany Jones

Effects of Background Noise on the Spoken Language of Young and Older Adults During Narrative Discourse , Erin LeCheminant

The Effect of Two Rate Change Approaches on Speech Movement Patterns , Noelle Marie Lewis

Interprofessional Education for School-Based Settings , Brittney M. Mack

Speech Pause in People With Aphasia Across Word Length, Frequency, and Syntactic Category , Lana Mitchell

Defining Dyslexia Within and Across Disciplines: A Systematic Review of the Literature , Ann Marie Trumbo

An Exploratory Study of Behavioral Engagement in People With and Without Aphasia: Comparisons and Relationships , Vivian Elisabeth Ward

The Analysis of Omission and Substitution Errors in Various Language Tasks in Bilingual Children , Macy Whiting

A Randomized Control Trial Examining the Effects of a Multi-Tiered Oral Narrative Language Intervention on Kindergarten Expository Writing , Shaylee Rae Woods

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Variability of the Aerodynamic Measures of Leporine Larynges Exposed to Inhaled Corticosteroids , Miriam Angela Cannon Bake

Autistic Traits, Sensory Processing, and Intolerance of Uncertainty: Neurobiological and Behavioral Correlates , Maggie Buckhannon

Atypical Sensory Processing and Semantic Language in Autistic Children , Charlene L. Cooper

Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Language for Diverse School-Age Children With and Without Language Disorder: A Large-Scale Psychometric Study , Anahi Kamila DeRobles

Effects of Background Noise on the Speech Acoustics of People With Aphasia , Kirsten Dixon

Norming a Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Language for Diverse School-Age Children With and Without Language Disorder: A Preliminary Psychometric Study , Ashley Elizabeth Frahm

Measuring Speech Perception in Children With Speech Sound Disorders Using the Wide Range Acoustic Accuracy Scale , Briel Francis Garner

The Effect of Rate Control Cueing Modality on Articulatory Patterns , Amelia Caroline Jackson

Spatial Resolution of Quantitative Electroencephalography and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging During Phoneme Discrimination Tasks: An Abbreviated Meta-Analysis , Emily Jean Jacobs

Physiological Arousal, Emotion, and Word Retrieval in Aphasia: Effects and Relationships , Angela Lynne Johnson

The Use of Nonword Repetition Tasks in the Assessment of Developmental Language Disorder in Bilingual Children , Kirsten Kelly

Improving the Oral Narrative and Expository Language of Kindergarten Students and Reducing the Matthew Effect , Taylor Camille Magleby

Correlations Between Cognitive Pause Patterns and Listener Perceptions of Communicative Effectiveness and Likeability for People With Aphasia , Heidi Raylene McConaghie

Effects of Inhaled Combination Corticosteroid Drugs on Aerodynamic Measures of Phonation and Visual-Perceptual Measures of Vocal Fold and Arytenoid Tissue in Excised Rabbit Larynges , Christina Lynn Pang

The Perceived Effect of Pause Length and Location on Speaker Likability and Communicative Effectiveness , Julia M. Price

Phonation Threshold Pressure and Phonation Threshold Flow in Rabbits Treated With Inhaled Corticosteroids Versus Controls , Heidi Joan Robison

The Impact of Background Noise on the Spoken Language of People With Mild to Moderate Aphasia: A Preliminary Investigation , Brenna DeLyn Scadden

How Word Characteristics Affect Language-Mediated Eye Movements in Preschoolers With Varying Language Ability , Shelby Nicole Slocum

Quantifying Speech Pause Durations in Speakers With Nonfluent and Fluent Aphasia , Brooke K. Thomas

Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Sensory Processing and Anxiety in Autistic Children , Kelsey Lee Ustach Tindall

The Influence of Pause on Listeners' Perceptions in Speech of People With Aphasia , Emily Wright

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Kinematic and Acoustic Adaptation to a Bite Block During Syllable Production , Allison Marie Barney

Kinematic and Acoustic Adaptation in Response to Electromagnetic Articulography Sensor Perturbation , Emily Adelaide Bartholomew

The Effects of Distracting Background Audio on Speech Production , Camille Margaret Cowley

The Development and Preliminary Evidence of Validity and Reliability of a Spanish Static and Dynamic Assessment of Decoding , Kayla Brooke Ditty

The Classification Accuracy of a Dynamic Assessment of Language in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children When Using Response to Intervention as a Measure of Language Ability , Yuberkys Fryer

A Longitudinal Investigation of the Effects of a Kindergarten Multi-Tiered Oral Narrative Language Intervention on Later Literacy Outcomes , Tristin Carolyn Hampshire

Aerodynamic Measurement Stability During Rabbit Versus Pig Benchtop Phonation , Megan Caroline Hoggan

Effects of a Large Group Combined Narrative and Expository Language Intervention on Oral Language in Third Graders , Kylie Lynn Lee

Effects of Positive and Negative Emotional Valence on Response TimeDuring a Confrontational Naming Task: Findings from People with Aphasia and Young Adults , Corinne Jones Loveridge

Speech Perception of Global Acoustic Structure in Children with Speech Delay, with and Without Dyslexia , Mikayla Nicole Madsen

Speech Perception of Global Acoustic Structure in Children With Speech Delay, With and Without Dyslexia , Mikayla Nicole Madsen

The Classification Accuracy of a Dynamic Assessment of Inferential Word Learning for School-Age Children With and Without Language Disorder , Britney Ann Newey

Language-Mediated Eye Behaviors During Storybook Reading as aFunction of Preschool Language Ability , Emily Joy Nicholls

Effect of Positive and Negative Emotion on Naming Accuracy in Adults with Aphasia , Courtney Paige Nielsen

The Effect of Laryngeal Activity on the Articulatory Kinematics of /i/ and /u/ , Mendocino Nicole Peacock

The Efficacy of EPG Assisted L2 Pronunciation Instruction: An Audio-Perceptual Analysis of the Speech of Native Japanese Learners of English , Emily Louise Peterson

A Comparison of Phonation Threshold Pressure and Phonation Threshold Flow Between Pig and Rabbit Benchtop-Mounted Larynges , Amber Christeen Prigmore

Using Parallel Narrative-Based Measures to Examine the Relationship Between Listening and Reading Comprehension , Collette Leifson Warr

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

A Social Communication Intervention to Facilitate Emotion Word Learning in School-Age Children with Developmental Language Disorders , Sara Elise Avila

A Large-Scale Clustered Randomized Control Trial Examining the Effects of a Multi-Tiered Oral Narrative Language Intervention on Kindergarten Oral and Written Narratives and Oral Expository Language , Mollie Paige Brough

The Effects of Distracting Background Audio on Spontaneous Speech , Kacy Nicole Chapman

The Distinction Between Lingua-Palatal Contact Patterns of English Light and Dark [ɫ]: A Precursor to Using Electropalatography in Second Language Instruction , Kallie Lynne Chaves

The Cross-Validation of the Classification Accuracy of a Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Language for School-Age Children with and Without Language Disorder , Kallie Dawn Clark

Developmental Language Disorders and Reticence in Childhood , Aimee Diehl

Improving Narrative and Expository Language: A Comparison of Narrative Intervention to Shared Storybook Reading , Karee Douglas

The Ability of Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) to Infer Emotions from Pictures: Where's the Breakdown? , Mary Rebekah Forbes

Agreement Between Parent and Teacher Ratings of Social Communication Abilitieson the Children's Communication Checklist-Second Edition , Courtney Lynn Hammond

A Discourse Analysis of Clinician-Child Interactions Within a Meaning-Based Phonological Intervention , Brittany Appleby Long

Kinematic and Acoustic Vowel Changes in Adult Bite Block Speech , Tanner Keith Low

The Impact of Electropalatography in Teaching the /r/-/l/ Sound Contrast for Native Japanese Language Learners of English: Evidence from Lingua-Palatal Contact , Nicole Rose McDougal

Sociability in Children with Developmental Language Disorder , Miranda Elizabeth Miller

Modeling Subglottic Stenosis Effects on Phonation Threshold Pressure in the Porcine Larynx , Jessica Maryn Murphey

Mismatch Negativity Event Related Potential Elicited by Speech Stimuli in Geriatric Patients , Dana Lynn Pierce

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Thesis Proposals

All students should give serious consideration to electing to write a thesis. A thesis involves original research and is a proven method for developing specialized knowledge and skills that can enhance an individual’s expertise within a substantive area of study. A thesis is recommended for students who intend to continue study toward the PhD degree or plan research-related employment. If the thesis option is elected, the student must write the thesis and pass an oral examination on a report of research initiated by the student under the guidance of the major professor. A faculty committee, chaired by the major professor, will evaluate the written report and conduct an oral examination of the candidate.

Thesis Proposal Outline

This sample outline may not be appropriate for some studies. You should decide, in consultation with your major professor, whether to follow the sample outline below or modify it to suit the needs of your particular study. Proposals from former students are available on the department website and can be reviewed to assist you in developing your proposal.

• General background of the subject area
• Specific background for the topic of investigation
• Review of the literature
• Definitions of all key terms
• The hypotheses or questions to be addressed
• Identify and justify the choice of general approach and specific research method
• Subjects (if applicable; describe them and your rationale for their selection)
• Limitations
• Outline of Projected Results
• Potential Conclusions and Implications
• “Working” Bibliography of Sources & Materials

Sample Thesis Proposals

•   Sample 1
•   Sample 2
•   Sample 3

Communication Studies

What this handout is about.

This handout describes some steps for planning and writing papers in communication studies courses.

Courses in communication studies combine material from the humanities, fine arts, and social sciences in order to explain how and why people interact in the ways that they do. Within communication studies, there are four different approaches to understanding these interactions. Your course probably falls into one of these four areas of emphasis:

• Interpersonal and organizational communication: Interpersonal communication concerns one-on-one conversations as well as small group behaviors. Organizational communication focuses on large group dynamics.
• Rhetoric: Rhetoric examines persuasion and argumentation in political settings and within social movements.
• Performance studies: Performance studies analyze the relationships among literature, theater, and everyday life.
• Media/film studies: Media and film studies explore the cultural influences and practical techniques of television and film, as well as new technologies.

Understanding your assignment

The content and purpose of your assignments will vary according to what kind of course you are in, so pay close attention to the course description, syllabus, and assignment sheet when you begin to write. If you’d like to learn more about deciphering writing assignments or developing your academic writing, see our Writing Center handouts on these topics. For now, let’s see how a general topic, same-sex friendships, might be treated in each of the different areas. These illustrations are only examples, but you can use them as springboards to help you identify how your course might approach discussing a broad topic.

Interpersonal communication

An interpersonal communication perspective could focus on the verbal and nonverbal differences and similarities between how women communicate with other women and how men communicate with other men. This topic would allow you to explore the ways in which gender affects our behaviors in close relationships.

Organizational communication

Organizational communication would take a less personal approach, perhaps by addressing same-sex friendships in the form of workplace mentoring programs that pair employees of the same sex. This would require you to discuss and analyze group dynamics and effectiveness in the work environment.

A rhetorical analysis could involve comparing and contrasting references to friendship in the speeches of two well-known figures. For instance, you could compare Aristotle’s comments about Plato to Plato’s comments about Aristotle in order to discover more about the relationship between these two men and how each defined their friendship and/or same-sex friendship in general.

Performance studies

A performance approach might involve describing how a literary work uses dramatic conventions to portray same-sex friendships, as well as critiquing how believable those portrayals are. An analysis of the play Waiting for Godot could unpack the lifelong friendship between the two main characters by identifying what binds the men together, how these ties are effectively or ineffectively conveyed to the audience, and what the play teaches us about same-sex friendships in our own lives.

Media and film studies

Finally, a media and film studies analysis might explain the evolution of a same-sex friendship by examining a cinematic text. For example, you could trace the development of the main friendship in the movie Thelma and Louise to discover how certain events or gender stereotypes affect the relationship between the two female characters.

General writing tips

Writing papers in communication studies often requires you to do three tasks common to academic writing: analyze material, read and critique others’ analyses of material, and develop your own argument around that material. You will need to build an original argument (sometimes called a “theory” or “plausible explanation”) about how a communication phenomenon can be better understood. The word phenomenon can refer to a particular communication event, text, act, or conversation. To develop an argument for this kind of paper, you need to follow several steps and include several kinds of information in your paper. (For more information about developing an argument, see our handout on arguments ). First, you must demonstrate your knowledge of the phenomenon and what others have said about it. This usually involves synthesizing previous research or ideas. Second, you must develop your own original perspective, reading, or “take” on the phenomenon and give evidence to support your way of thinking about it. Your “take” on the topic will constitute your “argument,” “theory,” or “explanation.” You will need to write a thesis statement that encapsulates your argument and guides you and the reader to the main point of your paper. Third, you should critically analyze the arguments of others in order to show how your argument contributes to our general understanding of the phenomenon. In other words, you should identify the shortcomings of previous research or ideas and explain how your paper corrects some or all of those deficits. Assume that your audience for your paper includes your classmates as well as your instructor, unless otherwise indicated in the assignment.

Choosing a topic to write about

Your topic might be as specific as the effects of a single word in conversation (such as how the use of the word “well” creates tentativeness in dialogue) or as broad as how the notion of individuality affects our relationships in public and private spheres of human activity. In deciding the scope of your topic, look again at the purpose of the course and the aim of the assignment. Check with your instructor to gauge the appropriateness of your topic before you go too far in the writing process.

Try to choose a topic in which you have some interest or investment. Your writing for communications will not only be about the topic, but also about yourself—why you care about the topic, how it affects you, etc. It is common in the field of communication studies not only to consider why the topic intrigues you, but also to write about the experiences and/or cognitive processes you went through before choosing your topic. Including this kind of introspection helps readers understand your position and how that position affects both your selection of the topic and your analysis within the paper. You can make your argument more persuasive by knowing what is at stake, including both objective research and personal knowledge in what you write.

Using evidence to support your ideas

Your argument should be supported with evidence, which may include, but is not limited to, related studies or articles, films or television programs, interview materials, statistics, and critical analysis of your own making. Relevant studies or articles can be found in such journals as Journal of Communication , Quarterly Journal of Speech , Communication Education , and Communication Monographs . Databases, such as Infotrac and ERIC, may also be helpful for finding articles and books on your topic (connecting to these databases via NC Live requires a UNC IP address or UNC PID). As always, be careful when using Internet materials—check your sources to make sure they are reputable.

Refrain from using evidence, especially quotations, without explicitly and concretely explaining what the evidence shows in your own words. Jumping from quote to quote does not demonstrate your knowledge of the material or help the reader recognize the development of your thesis statement. A good paper will link the evidence to the overall argument by explaining how the two correspond to one another and how that relationship extends our understanding of the communication phenomenon. In other words, each example and quote should be explained, and each paragraph should relate to the topic.

As mentioned above, your evidence and analysis should not only support the thesis statement but should also develop it in ways that complement your paper’s argument. Do not just repeat the thesis statement after each section of your paper; instead, try to tell what that section adds to the argument and what is special about that section when the thesis statement is taken into consideration. You may also include a discussion of the paper’s limitations. Describing what cannot be known or discussed at this time—perhaps because of the limited scope of your project, lack of new research, etc.—keeps you honest and realistic about what you have accomplished and shows your awareness of the topic’s complexity.

Communication studies idiosyncrasies

• Using the first person (I/me) is welcomed in nearly all areas of communication studies. It is probably best to ask your professor to be sure, but do not be surprised if you are required to talk about yourself within the paper as a researcher, writer, and/or subject. Some assignments may require you to write from a personal perspective and expect you to use “I” to express your ideas.
• Always include a Works Cited (MLA) or References list (APA) unless you are told not to. Not giving appropriate credit to those whom you quote or whose ideas inform your argument is plagiarism. More and more communication studies courses are requiring bibliographies and in-text citations with each writing assignment. Ask your professor which citation format (MLA/APA) to use and see the corresponding handbook for citation rules.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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178 Communication Research Topics For Your Paper

Imagine what the world would be without communication! How would we get along? I guess there would be no sense in existing after all. That is just a tiny snippet of how important communication is in everyday life. Exchanging information is a key component of coexistence as it creates order and a sense of satisfaction in the end.

However, communication as a discipline cuts across all other niches in the academic world. Students from an Engineering course would also take up communication as a unit of study. Students delve into the transmission, representation, reception, and decoding of information communicated to a greater extent.

Situations When You May Need To Write A Communication Paper

Various scenarios call for a communication paper either as an assignment or a research project in college. The communication papers needed for every situation vary in format and outline. Here are some of the cases when communication papers are necessary:

When writing a resume or cover letter In presentations and reports Internal or external communication in a company Writing a thesis statement

When writing communication papers in these different scenarios, students can develop the following aspects:

Understand the various communication phenomena Ability to direct communication messages towards accomplishing individual and organizational goals Understand various types of communication such as rhetoric, interpersonal or organizational

Such an assignment is peculiar because it deals with students’ communication processes. Therefore, the student can easily relate a communication assignment to the real-world environment.

You will have to conduct extensive digging before writing your paper like any other research project. In writing a communication research paper, you will benefit from the importance of communication in general, such as building better relationships and finding the right solutions to various problems.

It takes a lot of time to create a high-quality writing, so you have all the right to ask dissertation writers for hire to help.

Guidelines On Structure And Step By Step Tips On Writing

To have an award-winning communication paper, you need to understand that structure is always at the heart of it all. A great communication paper follows the structure below:

Solid intro : Begin by presenting a captivating introduction by highlighting the facts, questions, or problems that you will explore in the body. The reader should find more than a million reasons to proceed with your essay by reading the first two lines. A strong thesis statement is also necessary for the introduction. An insightful literature review : It shows the theoretical basis of your research project, thus giving it validity. An in-depth literature review will give room for exploration and further research. Main body : This is where we expect to find all your findings, methodological steps, concepts, analyses, and the outcome. Discussion and conclusion : Depending on your professor’s instructions, you can divide this into two parts or put it as one. In either case, this section will consist of the strengths and weaknesses of your research and any future development or improvements. You could also compare the results found in your research with what other authors have discovered.

Provided you have all your facts at hand, a communication research paper will be the easiest you will ever handle in college. Nonetheless, you can order a custom paper from various online writing experts.

If you want to make an impression with your communication research paper, here are some tips to consider:

Select a thought-provoking and captivating research topic Have a working outline with all the arguments and examples/evidence in place Ensure that you exhaust reading all the possible research materials on your topic Such papers are always in the first person except in unique cases

You can review some of the samples on our essay writer to familiarize yourself with the structure and outline of a communication research paper.

Let’s now explore 178 of the hottest communication research topics to ace your project:

Top Interpersonal Communication Research Topics

• Evaluate the different relational patterns of interaction theory
• How to achieve coordinated management of meaning
• Discuss the fundamentals of pedagogical communication
• How does technology relate to interpersonal communication?
• Key constructs of openness and closeness
• Establishing identities in the identity management theory
• Evaluate the contribution of interpersonal communication scholars
• How mental representations influence how people interpret information
• Conceptualizing the process of social interaction
• Discuss the various behavioral interaction patterns among siblings
• Why do individuals modify their communicative behavior?
• Describe why new environments present a challenge for most people to communicate effectively
• The role of eye contact and gestures in interpersonal communication
• Varying effects of nonverbal and verbal acts of interpersonal communication
• Effects of different cultures on interpersonal communication strategies

World-Class Communication Research Topics For College Students

• Understanding the historical research methods in communication
• Discuss the relationship between technology, media, and culture
• Evaluate the various revolutions in human communication
• Discuss the developments made in the invention of human speech and language
• The role of image-making, cinema, and media entertainment in communication
• How to overcome communication barriers among students
• Steps in encouraging participation in meetings
• How employees contribute to the information flow in organizations
• How to evaluate a report based on its findings
• Sources of error during nonverbal communication
• How the media can match the channels of communication to their audience
• Ensuring audience attention during a presentation
• The impact of graphics in communication strategies
• How to interpret non-verbal signals
• Developing communication methods that match a given purpose

Possible Topics For Communication Research

• How to develop realistic communication strategies
• Discuss the economics of finance in communication processes
• How exposure to radio and TV impacts communication
• How to manage controversial issues in communication
• Why speaking with confidence is still difficult for many people
• The effectiveness of communicating with words and body language
• Why defining your purpose is key in any communication process
• Why explanatory communication is more difficult than informative communication
• The place of communication in long-distance relationships
• Communication strategies that influence people
• How to use communication effectively for conflict resolution
• Developing your self-esteem for effective communication
• Effects of redundancy in communication processes
• The place of responsibility in developing communication messages
• How to acquire effective communication skills in college

Latest Communication Topic For Research

• The role of persuasive dialogue in negotiations
• Why everyone must learn proper expression strategies
• Effects of emoji and other characters in enhancing textual conversations
• The role of propaganda in shaping communication tones
• Evaluate the unique political language used in America versus Africa
• The continuing impact of the internet on interpersonal communication
• How images are enhancing communication
• Discuss the effects of gender victimization on communication
• Evaluate the development of modern digital communication
• How to effectively communicate during a war or crisis
• How hacking is transforming communication of encrypted messages
• Effects of stereotyping in developing communication messages
• Is virtual reality ruining effective communication?
• Evaluate language as a barrier in communicating messages
• The role of empathy in communicating to victims of a disaster

Top-Notch Communication Research Paper Topics

• The role of diplomacy in fostering better relations among countries
• Why aided communication may not achieve the intended purpose
• Effects of using a translator in the communication of critical messages
• Evaluate the development of audio-visual devices for communication
• The dangers of failing to notice barriers to communication
• How stigma and prejudice impact effective communication
• Discuss the impact of having a common language in a country
• How social classes affect communication messages
• Factors that hinder communication between fighting political sides
• How to develop strong communication skills in a marketplace
• Why opinions may prevent one from seeing the true picture
• Discuss the role of fantasy and exaggeration in communication
• Differences between oral and verbal messages in conveying information
• The role of attitude and mood in enhancing effective message delivery
• How the media sets the communication pattern of a given society

Highly Rated Mass Communication Research Topics

• Discuss the essence of social media among PR practitioners
• The role of mass media in rebranding a nation
• Challenges to media freedom and their impact on proper communication
• Discuss the effects of news commercialization and their credibility
• How TV advertisements impact children and their development
• Compare and contrast between animation and real-people adverts in mass media
• How the internet affects professionalization in news media
• How mass media messages contribute to the development of religion in Africa
• Evaluate the radio listenership patterns between men and women
• How does mass media contribute to an emerging democracy
• Discuss how the media enlightens the public on issues of concern
• The role of mass media in communicating development messages
• Why mass media is critical before, during, and after elections
• Assess the influence of community radio in remote areas
• How mass media contributes to national integration

Good Communication Research Topics

• What determines consumer preference patterns in the 21 st century?
• Effective communication strategies for creating awareness against drug abuse
• Prospects and challenges of local dialects in communication
• Evaluate the influence of television on public opinion
• Discuss the growing cyberactivism in the digital age
• How social media is contributing to misleading information
• Challenges facing teachers when communicating to pre-school students
• Discuss the impact of information overload on the credibility of information
• Evaluate communication patterns among the youth in the US
• Assess the effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on communication patterns
• How public perception influences communication strategies
• Explain how mothers learn to communicate with and understand their babies at such a tender age
• The role of music in shaping communication models
• How to overcome the challenge of top-down communication in companies
• Management of information on online media for effective use

Business Communication Research Paper Topics

• Discuss the increasing role of influencers on brand marketing
• Why company blogs are essential in attracting new clients
• Evaluate the differences between face to face and virtual business meetings
• The growing popularity of social media in business marketing
• Why every company should have a partner relations department
• Dealing with complaints in a relaxed and useful manner
• Why online project management is the future of business
• Discuss why it is necessary to have company retreats
• Explore the role of digital document sharing in speeding up business communication
• Effects of relying on online communication at the expense of physical meetings
• The role of effective business management in the performance of an organization
• How staff motivation improve the overall working environment
• Discuss the place of corporate social responsibility in a company
• Effective ways of handling crisis in a large company
• Explain why trust is important in any business partnerships

Intercultural Communication Research Topics

• Discuss how Muslims interact with Christians at a social level
• Evaluate the reception of instructions from a man to a woman
• How Americans interact with Africans at the basic level
• Discuss how an American Democrat would associate with a Chinese politician
• Discuss the impact of marginalization in developing communication messages
• How migration and immigration affect communication patterns
• Effects of social stereotyping in communication
• How do Western communication models differ from those of Africa?
• Impact of discriminatory communication messages
• How to organize an effective intergroup come-together
• How the media represents various groups in its communication
• Effects of the growing intercultural norms
• The role of language attitudes in inhibiting effective communication
• Evaluate how ethnographic perspectives affect communication messages
• Why it is difficult to solve intercultural conflicts

Additional Interpersonal Communication Topics For Research Paper

• The role of interpersonal communication in team member satisfaction
• How collaboration and teamwork enhances business success
• Discuss how interpersonal communication enhances problem-solving skills
• The role of trust in interpersonal communication
• Effects of confusion, negativity, and conflicts on interpersonal communication
• How to deal with workplace miscommunication effectively
• The role of personalizing information
• How to improve internal communication channels in a company
• Discuss the role of interests in communication patterns
• Challenges when implementing modern communication solutions
• Evaluate how jargon and inattention make internal communication difficult
• The role of feedback in interpreting messages correctly
• Discuss the influence of environmental factors in communication
• Why miscommunication may result in a disconnect among a group of people
• Discuss the role of skills and knowledge in effective communication among leaders

Interesting Communication Research Topics

• How can effective interpersonal communication be a catalyst for action
• Why a focused and intentional approach is necessary for effective communication
• Discuss why online dating is not successful in most cases
• Evaluate the role of non-verbal communication and customer satisfaction
• Why is it important to have a list of communication networks?
• Effects of lack of personal contact when it comes to communication
• Discuss the various forms of human interactions and their influence on communication
• The role of clear communication during an organizational change process
• Why online communication is not as effective as physical meetings
• Evaluate the roles and issues involved in a nurse-patient communication
• The role of TV shows in determining how people relate to each other in the society
• Effects of the digital divide in communication paradigms
• The relationship between quality leadership and effective communication
• Why is email still not yet an effective communication medium?
• Effects of integrating marketing communication

General Communication Studies Research Topics

• Discuss the differences in body language between male and female
• The role of communication in familiarizing with someone
• How online gaming communication affects one’s interpersonal communication
• Why a leader without proper communication skills may not succeed
• The role of communication in achieving an organization’s vision
• How mobile phone conversations are turning around interpersonal communication
• Discuss the role of different personality types in communication
• Is there a difference between language and communication?
• Discuss how communication in the military is different from that in a normal setting
• Compare and contrast between written and spoken forms of communication
• Why family communication is critical for a peaceful coexistence
• Shortcomings to understanding foreign languages
• Discuss the effectiveness of web-based communication

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Communication, the Heart of a Relationship: Examining Capitalization, Accommodation, and Self-Construal on Relationship Satisfaction

Priscilla maria de netto.

1 Department of Psychology, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia

Kia Fatt Quek

2 Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia

Karen Jennifer Golden

Associated data.

The raw data of this research will be made available by the corresponding authors upon request. Further enquiries can be directed to the corresponding authors.

The study of processes that enrich positive relationships has been an under-researched area within positive psychology practice. The way an individual responds during couple conflicts (accommodation response) and toward the disclosure of good news of a partner (capitalization response) has been linked to relationship quality. Although the accommodation and capitalization communication processes are part and parcel of our everyday lives, the two processes have been examined separately and dominated by the Western perspectives in past research. Prior work has suggested that Western and Asian cultures differ in expressing and perceiving beneficial communication behaviors. Yet, it is still unclear which accommodation and capitalization responses matter the most from an Asian lens. To date, there is no research examining these interconnected variables simultaneously in Asia, specifically in Malaysia. In this study, two forms of communication processes, namely, (1) accommodation and (2) capitalization, were explored concurrently to disentangle the unique associations and influence on relationship satisfaction. This study also sought to understand the moderating effects of culture in terms of interdependent self-construal on the link between these two communication processes and relationship satisfaction. Responses of 139 Malaysians in dating relationships between the age of 18 and 30 years ( M age = 23.15) were collected through online surveys. An active and constructive reaction was captured as the most favorable response through both the capitalization and accommodation processes. Prominently, an active-constructive capitalization response bore the strongest influence on relationship satisfaction above and beyond other responses. A passive and constructive response was revealed only fruitful for disclosures of positive news and not during conflicts. Conversely, in the destructive paradigm, passive-destructive responses were the most detrimental factor in relationships compared to other destructive responses. The results also uncovered that interdependent self-construal did not moderate the two forms of communication processes. However, the findings discovered unexpected individual and cultural variations. This pioneering study is a noteworthy addition to the positive psychology literature from an Asian standpoint. It highlights the significance of not only protecting relationships through better conflict management but also enriching relationships by capitalizing on the positive aspects across the lives of the couple, ultimately providing a greater holistic insight into cultivating flourishing lives.

Introduction

“ Man is by nature a social animal … Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of society, is either a beast or a god .” –Aristotle

The long-asserted avowal of Aristotle is not an unfamiliar statement to society. As social beings, we are wired to connect (Lieberman, 2013 ), and our relationships are the essence of a happy and flourishing life (Valliant, 2002 , 2012 ). Lieberman ( 2013 ) unmasked that our need to connect is as fundamental as our need for food, water, and shelter. Neuroscientists discovered that our brain responds to social pain and pleasure in the same powerful way as to physical pain and pleasure (Eisenberger, 2012 ; Hsu et al., 2015 ). The fact that we are wired as such means that our physical, emotional, and mental well-being depends on the positive interpersonal relationships in our everyday lives (Fishbane, 2007 ; Luong et al., 2011 ). In particular, our romantic relationships, which are seen as a near-universal need across cultures and various ages, have a powerful influence on our well-being (Jankowiak and Fisher, 1992 ; Kansky, 2018 ; Fletcher et al., 2019 ).

Evidence also recognizes that the impact of the relationship of an individual on well-being is contingent on the cultural values, orientation, and norms of a person germane to the social and interaction context in which the relationship exists (Kim et al., 2008 ). In general, positive psychology research studies around the world have been largely based on Caucasian samples, and more research is recommended to explore diversity in the science of positive psychology (Rao and Donaldson, 2015 ). Yet, the influence of culture on specific patterns of positive interactions regarding the realm of dating relationships in Malaysia and throughout Asia is relatively untapped. Notably, there has been a gap with limited positive psychology research and practice in Malaysia (Hashim, 2013 ; Hendriks et al., 2019 ).

The way an individual responds during couple conflicts (accommodation response) (i.e., Rusbult et al., 1991 ; Crowley, 2006 ) and toward disclosure of good news by a partner (capitalization response) (i.e., Gable et al., 2004 , 2006 ) has been linked to relationship satisfaction and stability. More specifically, constructive accommodation and capitalization responses through couple conflicts and triumphs are associated with greater relationship well-being (Gable et al., 2004 ). Although the accommodation and capitalization communication processes are part and parcel of our everyday lives, these two processes have been examined separately and dominated by the Western perspectives in past research. Prior work has suggested that Western and Asian cultures differ in expressing and perceiving beneficial communication behaviors (e.g., Wang et al., 2010 ; Choi et al., 2019 ). Of concern, it is still unclear which accommodation and capitalization responses matter the most from an Asian lens thus far. To date, there is no research examining these interconnected variables simultaneously in Malaysia and across Asia. In this exploratory study, two forms of communication processes, accommodation, and capitalization were explored to disentangle the unique associations with relationship satisfaction, contributing to positive psychology insights for enriching relationships in an Asian context, specifically in Malaysia. Since Malaysia is a country with a melting pot of ethnicities and unique historical influences (Nagaraj et al., 2015 ; Park, 2015 ; The Malaysian Administrative Modernisation Management Planning Unit, 2016 ), this study may offer a different and novel positive psychology perspective to the constructs understudied. This study also sought to understand the moderating influence of culture in terms of self-construal on the link between these two communication processes and relationship satisfaction.

Literature Review

Romantic relationships, satisfaction, and communication.

There has been a great deal of literature examining overall relationship satisfaction and its consequences due to the considerable impact of romantic relationships on well-being (Karney and Bradbury, 1995 ; Bradbury et al., 2000 ; Dush and Amato, 2005 ; Fincham and Beach, 2010 ; Gomez-Lopez et al., 2019 ). When relationships are satisfying and fulfilling, couples are happier and healthier (Proulx et al., 2007 ), but when thwarted, other pillars of well-being can be jeopardized, such as mortality (Robles et al., 2014 ) and mental health, for example, increase in depression and anxiety symptoms (Snyder et al., 2005 ). Notably, the most prominent research on relationship satisfaction has been The Harvard University Adult Study of Development, the lengthiest longitudinal study in the positive psychology literature of the world with more than 80 years of research. This research called to the attention of audiences widespread regarding the importance of relationship satisfaction for flourishing lives as they found individuals in more satisfying marriages at age 50 had greater mental, emotional, and physical health at age 80 (Valliant, 2002 , 2012 ; Waldinger and Schulz, 2010 ; Waldinger et al., 2014 ). Hence, not surprisingly, couple satisfaction has been viewed as the gold standard for assessing interventions to alleviate relationship distress and sustain thriving relationships (Fincham et al., 2018 ).

Relationship satisfaction has often been referred to as the global relationship measure (Tam et al., 2011a ) and tends to be used interchangeably in the literature with terms such as relationship success, well-being, happiness, adjustment, and quality of a relationship (e.g., Vangelisti, 2004 ; Fincham and Rogge, 2010 ; Fincham et al., 2018 ). A satisfying relationship has been identified as a significant predictor of relationship well-being and longevity (Barnes et al., 2007 ; Ruffieux et al., 2014 ), yet it can feel like an unsolvable riddle to many couples. Given the strong predictive connection between relationship satisfaction and important life implications, it is critical to explore why some relationships lead to satisfaction and some fail? Why does a once loving and promising relationship break down over time? Interestingly, longitudinal (Karney and Bradbury, 1995 ; Gottman and Silver, 1999 ; Byers, 2005 ) and cross-sectional (Woodin, 2011 ) studies have unearthed that communication is pivotal in solving this riddle.

Communication has been found to be the bedrock or the “heart” in supporting and promoting relationship satisfaction (Gottman and Krokoff, 1989 ; Gottman and DeClaire, 2002 ; Markman et al., 2010 ; Hiew et al., 2016 ; Ogolsky et al., 2017 ), with recent findings linking satisfaction with constructive responses in conflicts (accommodation) and sharing of personal triumphs (capitalization). Within the Malaysian context, good communication has been reported as a core contributing factor to harnessing a happy and satisfying marriage (Abidin, 2019 ; Noor et al., 2019 ), thereby making a lack of effective communication and misunderstandings being one of the main reasons for relationship dissolutions (National Population Family Development Board Malaysia., 2016 ). On top of that, marital research experts have suggested that it is not the sheer frequency of positive to negative communication behaviors that influences the satisfaction of a couple, but the ratio of positive behaviors outweighing negative behaviors, 5:1, that leads to satisfaction (Gottman and Levenson, 1992 ; Gottman and Gottman, 2017 ). However, what is viewed as positive communication and rewarding in Western cultures may look different in Asian cultures.

Researchers over the years have argued that Western and Asian cultures differ in how they express and perceive beneficial communication behaviors (e.g., Wang et al., 2010 ; Williamson et al., 2012 ; Yum et al., 2015 ; Wang and Lau, 2018 ; Rajaei et al., 2019 ). Further, Finkle et al. ( 2017 ) have also surmised that favorable responses need to be tailored to the unique situational context of the couple and that responsiveness (i.e., showing understanding, care, and validation) would not be entirely universal to all circumstances. Thus, the maintenance of a satisfying relationship cannot be fully understood and appreciated without sufficient knowledge of the cultural underpinnings of communication in romantic relationships and specific situational contexts. While a few studies have examined certain variables and couple satisfaction in Malaysia (e.g., Hoesni et al., 2016 ; Abdullah et al., 2017 ; Abidin et al., 2018 ), knowledge about the psychology of positive communication processes through conflicts and triumphs and how culture impacts these interactional processes are rather oblique.

Communication and Self-Construal

An underlying assumption of this current research was that individuals who vary in culture in terms of self-construal also differ in the way they perceive beneficial responses of their partner. Culture influences the behavior of an individual indirectly through molding personality dispositions such as self-construal (Yum, 2004 ), and research has shown that the variations in communicative behaviors could be explained by considering self-construal (Markus and Kitayama, 1991 ). Self-construal signifies the culturally contingent beliefs, feelings, and actions of an individual related to the understanding of the self as associated to others, in terms of members of in-groups (interdependence; InterSC) or separate from others (independence; IndSc) (Markus and Kitayama, 1991 ; Cross et al., 2011 ). The dominant self-construal of an individual is fundamentally driven by an individualism-collectivism cultural environment (Triandis, 1995 ). Generally, Western cultures adopt individualistic values while Eastern cultures are described to hold collectivistic values (Hofstede, 2001 ). In individualistic societies, people lean toward developing an independent self (IndSc) and value unique feelings and ideas, where asserting personal desires, goals, and emotions are favorable (Markus and Kitayama, 1991 ). Contrarily, people in collectivistic societies tend to view the self as interdependent with values of relational harmony and are socialized to accommodate groups and subordination of personal desires (Morling et al., 2002 ).

While verbal expression and direct communication is common practice in IndSc dominant cultures (Kim and Markus, 2002 ), indirect and less expressive communication is preferred by InterSc cultures as verbalizing internal states may be seen as disruptive to group harmony (Kim and Sherman, 2007 ; Ma-Kellams and Blascovich, 2012 ). Therefore, people in Malaysia who are traditionally in a collectivist society (Hofstede, 2001 ; Ting and Ying, 2013 ) would presumably hold a more dominant InterSC and may use and prefer different communicative behaviors compared to individualistic societies. Evidently, Yum et al. ( 2015 ) found that Malaysians use less direct communication and self-disclosure to express their commitment and affection compared to Americans. Moreover, Malaysians place great weight on the collective well-being (Kennedy, 2002 ) and tend to practice caution and indirectness in daily communication (Bakar et al., 2007 , 2014 ). Thus, the Malaysian culture inhibits assertiveness and confrontational behaviors to maintain harmony within relationships (Kennedy, 2002 ). This knowledge suggests that the culture of an individual with respect to the dominant self-construal may impact the type of approach and how efficacious communication behaviors are anticipated to be. Thus, the positive association between active communication behaviors (e.g., positive verbal expression) and the negative association between passive communication behaviors (e.g., withdrawal from the conversation), with relationship satisfaction in Western societies, may not be universal to Asian societies, particularly in the Malaysian cultural atmosphere.

Communication Through Conflicts: Accommodation, Self-Construal, and Satisfaction

Unraveling the mystery surrounding the riddle of achieving satisfying relationships is even more perplexing when communicative behaviors may operate differently in a different context. A growing body of literature has examined communicative processes within conflictual contexts, namely, accommodative behaviors, which is described as inhibiting natural reflexes of reacting negatively to the transgressions of a partner and instead respond positively (Rusbult et al., 1991 ; Overall and Sibley, 2008 ; Overall et al., 2010 ). Irrespective of how compatible partners are in a relationship, conflict is inevitable (Rusbult et al., 1991 ), and all partners will occasionally behave in an unpleasant manner such as yelling or saying hurtful remarks (Yovetich and Rusbult, 1994 ; Kilpatrick et al., 2002 ; Crowley, 2006 ). To protect the quality of the romantic relationship in the long run, couples must override the urge to act destructively during conflicts, hence the term accommodation (Campbell and Staton, 2013 ). The accommodation model is measured along two dimensions and is differentiated into four types of responses: active-constructive (discussing problems and attempts to resolve the problem), passive-constructive (silently forgives and waits for things to improve), active-destructive (criticizing and threatening to leave the partner), and passive-destructive (ignoring the partner and problem) (Rusbult et al., 1982 , 1991 ; Overall et al., 2010 ).

Consider this example scenario in daily life where Liam raises his voice toward Camelia in a conversation after a long day at work. Camelia “bites the bullet” and reacts active-constructively or passive-constructively by either asking him whether he needs to talk about his day or calmly shrugging it off. Constructive responses, like that of Camelia, have been linked to better couple functioning in prior work (Rusbult et al., 1982 , 1991 ). To elaborate more, the pioneer study by Rusbult et al. ( 1991 ) revealed that responding in both an active or passive constructive manner during conflicts and toward the transgressions of a partner preserves relationship satisfaction and stability. However, a later study discovered that only active-constructive responses were associated to elevated feelings of closeness, value, relationship stability, and satisfaction (Overall et al., 2010 ). Conversely, passive-constructive responses did not produce the same benefits, were less noticed, and results were parallel to harmful implications of destructive responses (Overall et al., 2010 ). Such counterintuitive findings carry doubts and uncertainty surrounding the passive-constructive communication in conflicts within Western society. There is even greater ambiguity regarding these communicative behaviors in Asian society, whereupon the accommodation research is rather scarce.

When discussing problems, those with InterSc (i.e., Asian societies) have been typically associated with an indirect communication style (Gudykunst and Matsumoto, 1996 ), where the listener is expected to deduce the unexpressed meaning of the speaker through non-verbal cues (Ting-Toomey, 1999 ). In contrast, those with IndSc (i.e., Western societies) tend to disclose thoughts and feelings more explicitly (Ting-Toomey, 1999 ). Other empirical support exists in the view that members from Asian cultures deter from expressing distress as it may threaten relationship ties due to the possibility of burdening others or conflicts (Wang et al., 2010 ), which prompts them to oblige to others more (Oetzel and Ting-Toomey, 2003 ). Of the few studies regarding accommodation in Asia, the only exception in the literature examining self-construal in accommodative dilemmas is by Yum ( 2004 ) on 397 individuals from the United States, Hawaii, and Korea. Yum ( 2004 ) found that both IndSC and InterSC were inclined to respond in an active-constructive and passive-constructive manner in dating relationships, suggesting that accommodation may be a culturally universal behavior in dating relationships. However, those with InterSC enacted more passive-constructive communicative behaviors. Interestingly, Yum ( 2004 ) also found that some participants were bicultural (high in both InterSC and IndSC) and marginal (low in both InterSC and IndSC), with biculturals being better communicators compared to those with high InterSC. Yum ( 2004 ) explained that the disparities and new findings may be due to modernization, implying that behaviors of people are influenced by the degree of democratization, industrialization, and westernization within the environmental culture they live in. While a few studies in Malaysia have investigated couple communication tactics in conflicts (e.g., Tam et al., 2011b ; Abdullah et al., 2017 ), there is no literature focused directly on accommodation processes. It is also not yet known to what extent dating partners in Malaysia may perceive beneficial responses in managing conflicts. Henceforth, based on the findings and reasoning above, Malaysians may find both active and passive constructive accommodation responses as favorable reactions during conflicts, which would positively relate to their relationship satisfaction.

Communication Through the Good Times: Capitalization, Self-Construal, and Relationship Satisfaction

Similar desirable relationship outcomes exist for positive relational communication. A wealth of research has focused on negative relational processes such as conflict, problem solving, and criticism (e.g., Rusbult et al., 1991 ; Gottman, 1998 ; Johnson et al., 2005 ), while the positive relational processes have often been left to lie fallow. Recent work has finally stressed the advantages of the positive side of relationships (Gable et al., 2004 , 2006 ; Lambert et al., 2012 ; Pagani et al., 2020 ), providing a fresh positive psychology perspective of not only minimizing threat or lasting harm to satisfaction (i.e., conflict management) but also integrating relationship enhancement processes (i.e., positive communication, and responsiveness) (Ogolsky et al., 2017 ; Warren et al., 2017 ). In particular, the process of capitalization, which is a practice of communicating personal positive events to others (Langston, 1994 ; Gable et al., 2004 ), has begun to gain much attention and is a focus of this current study. This gap is noteworthy as past studies have established that individuals share more positive events with others daily, with an estimation of 60 to 80% more compared to negative events. Hence, showing that capitalization opportunities and positive events occur more often than negative events and conflicts in everyday life (Gable et al., 2004 ; Gable and Haidt, 2005 ; Gable and Reis, 2010 ). In fact, responses toward positive events were a better predictor for relationship well-being than responses toward negative events (Gable et al., 2006 ).

Happy events (e.g., a promotion, a great cup of coffee, and compliments from others) usually motivates social retelling of those positive circumstances (Peters et al., 2018 ). For example, when Camelia receives a promotion at work, she would be motivated to share this news with her partner Liam. Provided that the reaction of Liam to the good news of Camelia was responsive, the capitalization process can be contagious, benefiting both parties and would promote future capitalization attempts, positive responses, and lasting relationship well-being (Peters et al., 2018 ). Among the various ways of responding to positive events, Gable et al. ( 2004 ) adapted the accommodation model to four types of capitalization responses. Hence, constructive capitalization responses can either be active (showing interest and enthusiasm) or passive (understating the event), whereas destructive capitalization responses may be either active (criticizing and invalidating event) or passive (showing disinterest and ignoring the event) (Gable et al., 2004 , 2006 ). To provide more context, the first investigation of capitalization in dating couples found that only an active-constructive response of a partner had a positive correlation with relationship satisfaction while active-destructive, passive-destructive, and passive-constructive responses showed an opposite effect for relationship satisfaction (Gable et al., 2004 ). Other studies have also found an association between relationship satisfaction and enthusiastic responses to the triumphs of a partner (e.g., Logan and Cobb, 2013 , 2016 ; Woods et al., 2015 ), but are all skewed to the Western perspectives.

Of note, a favorable response in one culture may not look the same in another as cultural differences could facilitate or impede capitalization processes (Choi et al., 2019 ). Wang et al. ( 2010 ) documented that Asian-Americans utilized support and perceived support for positive events as less helpful than their European-American counterparts. This result may be due to East Asian cultures viewing humility as prosocial, whereas capitalization can be seen as an individual “showing off,” being boastful, and threatening harmony (Markus and Kitayama, 1991 ; Yamagishi, 2011 ; Choi et al., 2019 ). Nevertheless, considering that being understood and validated by other people is considered the quintessence of the interdependent self (Markus and Kitayama, 1994 ), supportive and constructive responses may still carry weight for East Asians (Choi et al., 2019 ). A less emotionally expressive response, such as a passive-constructive response, could allow people from a collective culture to capitalize and experience appropriate emotional support without being overzealous, which might make them feel uncomfortable (Taylor et al., 2007 ). Accordingly, research by Kim ( 2015 ) on cultural distinctions in capitalization responses between Asian-Americans (AAs) and European-Americans (EAs) revealed that there were no differences in InterSC and only marginal significant differences in IndSC between cultural groups. For a satisfying relationship, both cultural groups favored active-constructive responses the most, implying the global advantages of active-constructive responses. Moreover, AAs did not respond adversely to passive-constructive responses, presumably indicating that a passive-constructive response may not be a detrimental response for AAs. Currently, it is unclear if replicable findings will be seen for individuals who are in dating relationships in Malaysia. To our knowledge, there is no research identified examining capitalization and romantic relationships in Asia, but there was one research that utilized a Chinese translated capitalization scale within father-child relationships of college students in China (Guo et al., 2018 ). Guo et al. ( 2018 ) reported both active and passive responses of fathers were positively linked to the intrapersonal health and well-being of their children, whereas the reverse impact was found for the two destructive responses. Thus, based on prior empirical and theoretical work, it is fair to say that there could be possible differences between perceived favorable responses for capitalization processes in romantic relationships between the Western and Asian cultures.

Current Study

Taken together, these lines of studies suggest that relationship satisfaction is not governed by the simple occurrence of conflict or positive events in the lives of a couple but by the capability of the couple to communicate about those events effectively. As evident from prior literature, the communication processes of both accommodation and capitalization responses may vary across cultures. Each form of communication process provides an important piece to move closer to understanding the relationship satisfaction enigma. However, both accommodation and capitalization have been researched independently and dominated in Western countries, which creates a drawback in comprehending the full picture of relationship functioning in Asian countries. Correspondingly, self-construal is also seen to be a moderating influence on both accommodation and capitalization processes. To the best knowledge of the researchers, to date, there is no identified research investigating these variables simultaneously, and the only study found in peer-reviewed publications was by Gable et al. ( 2004 ). On the one hand, the researchers discovered that only responding in an active-constructive manner toward the capitalization attempts of a partner correlated positively with satisfaction, while the other three responses yielded opposite effects. On the other hand, Gable et al. ( 2004 ) uncovered that both active and passive constructive accommodation responses during conflicts were positively linked to satisfaction with good agreement to the initial findings of Rusbult et al. ( 1991 ). Thus, results suggest that these communicative behaviors may not be parallel to each other and may depend on the situational context.

However, Gable et al. ( 2004 ) did not examine any cultural aspects, and their results were weighted toward the Western perspective. Thus, this current study would be the first not merely in Malaysia but the overall literature to further deepen the results of Gable et al. ( 2004 ) on “good relationship behavior.” Herewith, this present study conducted both correlations and hierarchical analyses. At first, accommodation and capitalization responses were analyzed separately to examine how each response uniquely predicted satisfaction. Subsequently, both accommodation and capitalization were examined simultaneously in the regression model to ascertain which responses are better predictors of satisfaction. Using these methods would allow a better understanding of the unique effects of each accommodation and capitalization response on relationship satisfaction with the complements of culture. It is also the hope of this exploratory study to shed light on how the distinct culture of Malaysian young dating individuals influences their communication behaviors to augment thriving relationships, withal providing an Asian comparative data. Furthermore, most studies have researched on the self-evaluation of an individual to their own communication; though often, one is a very poor judge of one's own communicative behavior (Rusbult et al., 1991 ). Therefore, this present study would investigate how one perceives the accommodation and capitalization responses of their partner and how these perceptions relate to their overall relationship satisfaction.

With the limitations and dearth of literature, the present study aimed to bridge the gaps by exploring the relationship between the two communication processes, (1) accommodation and (2) capitalization, on relationship satisfaction in Malaysian young adults. This study also aimed to examine whether interdependent self-construal moderates and explains the differences in perceived communication behaviors, which in turn effects the level of relationship satisfaction. In broader terms, this research anticipated that active and passive constructive responses would positively predict satisfaction, whereas active and passive destructive responses would negatively predict satisfaction for both accommodation and capitalization processes. With greater depth, the following research questions and hypotheses are postulated:

• Research Question 1
• Hypothesis 1a (H1a) : Perceived active-constructive accommodation responses will positively predict relationship satisfaction.
• Hypothesis 1b (H1b) : Perceived passive-constructive accommodation responses will positively predict relationship satisfaction.
• Hypothesis 1c (H1c) : Perceived active-destructive accommodation responses will negatively predict relationship satisfaction.
• Hypothesis 1d (H1d) : Perceived passive-destructive accommodation responses will negatively predict relationship satisfaction.
• Hypothesis 1e (H1e) : Perceived active-constructive capitalization responses will positively predict relationship satisfaction.
• Hypothesis 1f (H1f) : Perceived passive-constructive capitalization responses will positively predict relationship satisfaction.
• Hypothesis 1g (H1g) : Perceived active-destructive capitalization responses will negatively predict relationship satisfaction.
• Hypothesis 1h (H1h) : Perceived passive-destructive capitalization responses will negatively predict relationship satisfaction.
• Research Question 2
• Hypothesis 2a (H2a) : As an exploratory hypothesis, interdependent self-construal will moderate the relationship between the four perceived accommodation responses and relationship satisfaction.
• Hypothesis 2b (H2b) : As an exploratory hypothesis, interdependent self-construal will moderate the relationship between the four perceived capitalization responses and relationship satisfaction.

Participants

Participants were 139 individuals (46 males, 93 females) recruited on a voluntary basis with online advertisements. A priori power analysis and F-test, linear multiple regression with a fixed model, and R 2 deviation from zero was calculated through the G * Power 3.1 software. The results demonstrated that the sample size was sufficient to detect a significant effect size with 80% power ( f 2 = 0.15, α = 0.05, two-tailed) (Faul et al., 2007 ). Eligibility criteria included the criteria for participants to be Malaysian, above 18 years old, fluent in English and in a romantic relationship for a minimum of 3 months. Initially, there were 179 participants, however, 40 participants were excluded as they did not meet the required criteria for the survey (e.g., minimum 3 months of relationship length) and possibly due to the length of the survey and lack of compensation and token of appreciation. Participants ranged from 18 to 30 years of age ( M = 23.15, SD = 2.42) and age of partners ranged from 18 to 35 years old ( M = 23.93, SD = 3.39). The average romantic relationship length of participants was 2.73 years ( SD = 2.34). Other demographic information of participants is summarized in Table 1 .

Participant demographics ( N = 139).

Subsequent to approval of the study from the Human Research Ethics Committee of the university (MUHREC, Project Number 10606), the study was advertised online through voluntary and snowballing, non-probability sampling methods from December 2017 to January 2018. Numerous organizations and online mediums such as forums, discussion groups, non-governmental organizations, and health and education professionals were approached to advertise the research widely and recruit participants to promote sample diversity. Efforts were also made to foster inclusivity in several manners, for instance, by recruiting participants of different genders, relationship lengths, sexualities, and ethnicities. Additionally, participants were recruited on a voluntary basis instead of providing compensation for taking part in the study to minimize biases.

Participants were given an explanatory statement comprising the aim of the research, confidentiality and the anonymity of information collected. The explanatory statement also stated the rights of participants to withdraw from the study at any time before submitting their responses anonymously. Participants who voluntarily agreed to participate with consent implied, completed the research survey online through the Qualtrics site of the university. The research survey encompassed demographic background, relationship satisfaction, capitalization, accommodation, and self-construal questions. The duration time to complete the survey was ~30 min. Data of each participant was then merged into one data file and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 software.

Exploratory cross-sectional research was conducted as an observation of variables at a single point of time. There were:

• Active-constructive accommodation
• Passive-constructive accommodation
• Active-destructive accommodation
• Passive-destructive accommodation
• Active-constructive capitalization
• Passive-constructive capitalization
• Active-destructive capitalization
• Passive-destructive capitalization
• Interdependent self-construal
• Relationship satisfaction

Assessment Tools

Relationship satisfaction measure.

The Couples Satisfaction Index (CSI-16) has 16 items and measures the level of relationship satisfaction of an individual (Funk and Rogge, 2007 ). The CSI-16 has a variety of questions, all with a 5-point Likert-type scale (Funk and Rogge, 2007 ). The scores are calculated by tallying up the total points of the items, which can range between 0 and 81 (Funk and Rogge, 2007 ). Scores below 51.5 suggest distress in the relationship (Funk and Rogge, 2007 ). The CSI-16 showed high reliability with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.94 for both genders in European, Asian, and American cultures (Graham et al., 2011 ; Lee, 2013 ). It also showed strong convergent, construct validity, and greater power in recognizing different levels of satisfaction compared to other measures (Funk and Rogge, 2007 ). The Cronbach alpha for the overall scale in this present study was 0.95.

Capitalization Measure

The perceived responses to capitalization attempts (PRCA) scale consists of 12-items measuring the perceptions of the responses of a partner when shared with a positive event (Gable et al., 2004 ). The scale consists of three questions of each response type and are computed by tallying up each subscale, namely, active-constructive (3 items; e.g., “ My partner usually reacts to my good fortune enthusiastically .”), passive-constructive (3 items; e.g., “ My partner tries not to make a big deal out of it, but is happy for me .”), active-destructive (3 items; e.g., “ My partner often finds a problem with it .”), and passive-destructive (3 items; e.g., “ My partner doesn't pay much attention to me .”) responses (Gable et al., 2006 ). Participants rate each item using the line, “When I tell my partner about something good that has happened to me...”, using a 7-point scale from 1 ( not at all true ) to 7 ( very true ). PRCA demonstrated good reliability with men (α = 0.84) and women (α = 0.81) (Gable et al., 2006 ). Reliability analyses for this present study revealed an acceptable coefficient for the items devised to measure active-constructive (α = 0.61), passive-constructive (α = 0.65), active-destructive (α = 0.72), and passive destructive (α = 0.82), respectively.

Accommodation Measure

The accommodation scale is a 16-item measure that evaluates four perceived responses of a partner for each category: active-constructive (e.g., “ When I am rude to my partner, he/she tries to resolve the situation and improve conditions .”), passive-constructive (e.g., “ When I do something thoughtless, my partner patiently waits for things to improve .”), active-destructive (e.g., “ When I say something really mean, my partner threatens to leave me .”), and passive-destructive (e.g., “ When I do something thoughtless, my partner avoids dealing with the situation .”) to an individual's own adverse behavior (Rusbult et al., 1991 ). Items are scored on a 9-point Likert scale from 1 ( never does this ) to 9 ( constantly does this ). Total scores are calculated by totaling the four items of each subscale to gain the totals of each active-constructive, passive-constructive, active-destructive, and passive destructive responses (Gable et al., 2004 ). High reliability was shown with Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.83) (Crowley, 2006 ). Reliability for each item for this present study was also acceptable with active-constructive (α = 0.88), passive-constructive (α = 0.78), active-destructive (α = 0.73) and passive-destructive (α = 0.61), respectively.

Self-Construal Measure

The Singelis Self-Construal Scale (SCS) assesses the interdependent and independent self-construal of an individual (Singelis, 1994 ). The 30-item SCS has 15 interdependent and 15 independent items each. These 30 items are measured on a 7-point Likert scale from 1 ( strongly disagree ) to 7 ( strongly agree ). Responses on each subscale are averaged to obtain interdependent and independent scores separately with greater scores signifying greater self-construal (Hardin et al., 2004 ). A range of 0.60–0.73 Cronbach alpha reliabilities were found in Malaysia (Miramontes, 2011 ). Reliability coefficients in this present study were high for interdependent and independent self-construal with 0.83 and 0.76, respectively.

Data Analysis

All data collected were analyzed descriptively through SPSS. Data cleaning was performed to check for outliers and missing values. Hierarchical multiple regression and moderation were conducted following discussion with statistical consultants knowledgeable about cross-cultural social psychology research. The assumptions for hierarchical multiple regression and moderation were assessed. After preliminary correlations were conducted, hierarchical multiple regressions were run to examine how capitalization and accommodation responses explain the variances in the relationship satisfaction score. Lastly, moderation analyses were run to assess whether interdependent self-construal moderates the relationship between the capitalization and accommodation responses and relationship satisfaction.

Given the theoretical and exploratory nature of this research, formal sensitivity analyses were not conducted as there was limited comparative data and models to compare the results. In preliminary analyses, the researchers have explored the results by entering only significant accommodation and capitalization responses from the correlations to the hierarchical regression and found little change in the R 2 compared to the current findings with all eight responses in the model. These results may be due to the additional responses not indicating a substantial predictive value, in which the rationales have been explained in the discussion section. Additionally, the researchers have inspected the results by changing the order of the input stages for the hierarchical regression, and similar results were demonstrated.

Assumption tests were run prior to inferential analysis. Missing values analysis found missing data and these participants were omitted from further analysis. A 22.3% rate of non-participation was discovered due to participants not meeting the requirements of the research survey. Two univariate outliers were identified for passive-destructive capitalization based on the criteria of z-score ± 3.29 and were winsorized (Field, 2013 ). Normality analysis revealed that multiple variables violated normality; however, based on the central limit theorem, the sample size was deemed adequately large to assume normality (Field, 2013 ). Assumptions of multicollinearity and singularity were assumed to be met, established upon the criteria of Tolerance not lower than 2 and VIF not >10 (Field, 2013 ). Lastly, visual inspections of residual scatter plots showed that data were both linearly distributed and homoscedastic.

Table 2 presents the descriptive statistics of the full sample ( N = 139). Despite targeted efforts to include both genders, it is also important to note that this sample had a higher percentage of female to male participants (66.9–33.1%). Additionally, the cut-off score for relationship satisfaction is 51.5 whereby anything below this score suggests notable relationship dissatisfaction (Funk and Rogge, 2007 ). 73.4% of participants were above this cut-off score signifying that most participants in this sample are in relatively satisfied relationships.

Descriptive statistics of all main variables.

The Relationship Between Perceived Accommodation and Capitalization Responses on Relationship Satisfaction

Bivariate correlations were conducted for the accommodation and capitalization variables with relationship satisfaction, shown in Table 3 . The examination of correlation between perceived accommodative responses and relationship satisfaction showed that there was a positive correlation between Active-constructive accommodation responses and relationship satisfaction ( r = 0.39, p < 0.001). The Passive-constructive accommodation responses had a r = 0.14, p = 0.056. Both Active-destructive ( r = −0.36, p < 0.001) and Passive-destructive ( r = −0.40, p < 0.001) accommodation responses had a negative correlation with relationship satisfaction. Thus, in this preliminary analysis, out of the four accommodation responses, only three responses (active-constructive, active-destructive, and passive-destructive) appeared to have a significant association with satisfaction.

Correlations for accommodation and capitalization responses with relationship satisfaction.

Correlations for perceived capitalization responses and relationship satisfaction revealed that only two responses, Active-constructive and Passive-destructive capitalization responses indicated a significant link to satisfaction. Active-constructive responses ( r = 0.44, p < 0.001) and Passive-constructive responses ( r = 0.02, p = 0.429) had a positive correlation with relationship satisfaction. Both passive-destructive responses ( r = −0.39, p < 0.001) and active-destructive responses ( r = −0.13, p = 0.060) had an inverse association with relationship satisfaction. Moreover, correlations between accommodation and capitalization were assessed and revealed the strength of association ranging from 0.01 to 0.52.

Addressing research question and hypotheses 1, hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to further investigate the directionality of the eight accommodation and capitalization communicative responses and determine which of those communication variables uniquely contributed to the prediction of relationship satisfaction. At first, accommodation and capitalization responses were analyzed separately to examine how each response uniquely predicted satisfaction. Subsequently, both accommodation and capitalization were examined simultaneously in the regression model to ascertain which responses were better predictors of satisfaction. In order to accurately examine their unique influence of relationship satisfaction, demographic variables of age, gender, and relationship length which may have effects on relationship satisfaction were controlled by entering them first in stage one of all the hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Gender was held constant because the ratio of female to male participants was larger.

The first hierarchical regression executed was on the four accommodation responses as predictors and relationship satisfaction as the outcome variable (see Table 4 ). As aforementioned, in stage 1, gender, age, and relationship length were entered and did not contribute significantly to relationship satisfaction, F (3,127) = 1.67, p = 0.176, only accounting for a difference of 0–3.8% in the variability of relationship satisfaction. Next, Active-constructive accommodation, Passive-constructive accommodation, Active-destructive accommodation, and Passive-destructive accommodation were entered in stage 2, which suggested an increase in predictive capacity of relationship satisfaction by 26.3%, F (4,123) = 7.56, p < 0.001. A large effect size, Cohen's f 2 = 0.38 was demonstrated between the set of predictors in stage 1 and stage 2 (Cohen, 1988 ). Among the four accommodation responses, only two responses, Active-constructive and Passive-destructive accommodation, emerged as unique predictors of satisfaction, with Active-constructive accommodation [β = 0.34, 95% CI (0.19, 0.87), p < 0.05] recording a stronger relationship with satisfaction compared to Passive-destructive accommodation [β = −0.24, 95% CI (−0.87, −0.09), p < 0.05]. In contrast, Passive-constructive accommodation [β = −0.05, 95% CI (−0.42, 0.25), p = 0.617] and Active-destructive accommodation [β = −0.15, 95% CI (−0.65, 0.07), p = 0.118] revealed to have less predictive value toward relationship satisfaction.

Accommodation responses as predictors of relationship satisfaction.

The second hierarchical regression model explored the unique association of the four capitalization responses on relationship satisfaction (see Table 5 ). Similarly, age, gender, and relationship satisfaction were entered in stage 1 [ R 2 = 0.03, F (3,135) = 1.44, p = 0.234]. Introducing the Active-constructive capitalization, Passive-constructive capitalization, Active-destructive capitalization, and Passive-destructive capitalization responses to stage 2 explained an additional 24.3% of variability of relationship satisfaction, significantly increasing the predictive capacity of relationship satisfaction, F (4, 131) = 7.05, p < 0.001. A Cohen f 2 = 0.33 value was found, signifying a moderate effect size between the set of predictors in stage 1 and stage 2 (Cohen, 1988 ). Both constructive responses showed contributing value in predicting relationship satisfaction, with Active-constructive capitalization [β = 0.33, 95% CI (0.52, 1.65), p < 0.001] demonstrating a stronger relationship than Passive-constructive capitalization [β = 0.17, 95% CI (0.00, 0.92), p < 0.05]. For the two destructive responses, Active-destructive capitalization [β = −0.04, 95% CI (−0.66, 0.41), p = 0.648] displayed low predictive capacity for satisfaction, while Passive-destructive capitalization [β = −0.25, 95% CI (−1.42, −0.16), p < 0.05] indicated strong predictive value toward relationship satisfaction.

Capitalization responses as predictors of relationship satisfaction.

Independently, accommodation and capitalization demonstrated to contribute to relationship satisfaction. However, the next part of the analysis was to explore all eight accommodation and capitalization responses simultaneously. Analogous to the two previous regression models, gender, age, and relationship length were entered in stage 1 and appeared non-significant with R 2 = 0.3, F (3,127) = 1.67, p = 0.176. Introducing the four accommodation responses to stage 2 explained an additional 26.3% of variation in satisfaction, F (4,123) = 7.55, p < 0.001, and a large effect size of Cohen f 2 = 0.38 was found between stage 1 and stage 2 (Cohen, 1988 ). Finally, adding the four capitalization responses to the regression model explained an additional 5.6% of variation in satisfaction and this change in R 2 was also significant with F (4,119) = 6.01, p < 0.001. The effect size between the set of predictors of stage 2 and stage 3 was small, Cohen f 2 = 0.09 (Cohen, 1988 ). It can be seen in Table 6 that when all eight accommodation and capitalization responses were measured simultaneously as predictors of relationship satisfaction in stage 3, merely an active-constructive capitalization response was found as a strong incremental predictor to relationship satisfaction with β = 0.25, 95% CI (0.18, 1.4), p < 0.05. A marginal positive predictive value was found for the active-constructive accommodation β = 0.22, 95% CI (−0.00, 0.71), p = 0.054. The rest of the accommodation and capitalization responses were found to provide minimal contribution, suggesting less predictive value for satisfaction.

Accommodation and capitalization responses as predictors of relationship satisfaction.

The communication responses were entered in this order given that accommodation is a more well-known process as a contributor to relationship satisfaction than capitalization, which is a rather new concept in research. However, the researchers did extra analyses to confirm the results with changing the order of the stages and entering the capitalization responses in stage 2 and accommodation responses in stage 3 and found the same results where Active-constructive capitalization was revealed as the strongest predictor of relationship satisfaction, indicating that this response is the most important predictor of satisfaction.

The Moderating Effects of Self-Construal on the Relationship Between Perceived Accommodation and Capitalization Responses and Relationship Satisfaction

To test research questions and hypotheses 2, moderation analyses were performed. Firstly, moderation analyses of interdependent self-construal as a moderator for both accommodation and capitalization communicative responses on relationship satisfaction were conducted. As shown in Table 7 , the interaction effects between each of the accommodation responses and interdependent self-construal were Active-constructive accommodation [β = −0.06, 95% CI (−0.39, 0.27), t = −0.38, p = 0.704], Passive-constructive accommodation [β = 0.01, 95% CI (−0.33, 0.36), t = 0.08, p = 0.938], Active-destructive accommodation [β = 0.21, 95% CI (−0.21, 0.63), t = 1.00, p = 0.319], and Passive-destructive accommodation [β = 0.05, 95% CI (−0.39, 0.49), t = 0.24, p = 0.812]. These findings suggested that the relationships between accommodation and relationship satisfaction were not moderated by interdependent self-construal.

Moderation of interdependent self-construal for accommodation and capitalization reponses and relationship satisfaction.

Similar results were revealed for the capitalization responses. Active-constructive capitalization [β = 0.26, 95% CI (−0.41, 0.94), t = 0.77, p = 0.444], Passive-constructive capitalization [β = −0.04, 95% CI (−0.68, 0.61), t = −0.11, p = 0.912], Active-destructive capitalization [β = 0.49, 95% CI (−0.13, 1.11), t = 1.57, p = 0.119], and Passive-destructive capitalization [β = 0.49, 95% CI (−0.03, 1.10), t = 0.1.89, p = 0.62] responses showed that interdependent self-construal did not moderate and explain the relationship between these communication responses and relationship satisfaction.

Although not initially planned in the hypotheses, further exploratory moderation analyses were conducted to broaden the understanding of this current sample and results. Intriguingly, in contrast, independent self-construal appeared to moderate the relationship between active-destructive capitalization [β = 0.64, 95% CI (−0.04, 1.24), t = 2.12, p < 0.05] and passive-destructive capitalization [β = 0.71, 95% CI (−0.19, 1.29), t = 2.68, p < 0.05] responses with relationship satisfaction. The rest of the accommodation and capitalization responses on relationship satisfaction indicated no moderating effects by independent self-construal (see Table 8 ).

Moderation of independent self-construal for accommodation and capitalization reponses and relationship satisfaction.

Hence, the interaction effect of both perceived accommodation and capitalization responses with interdependent self-construal did not moderate and predict relationship satisfaction. The only interacting moderation effects found were between independent self-construal and Active-destructive capitalization and Passive-destructive capitalization responses, which were beyond the scope of this study. Nevertheless, the possibilities of these results will be considered in the discussion section.

Negative communicative behaviors in romantic relationships, such as accommodation in conflicts, have received ample attention in past studies. On the flip side, positive communicative behaviors such as capitalization exchanges toward positive events have been largely overlooked and have not received as much vigor as negative interactional research (Gable et al., 2004 , 2012 ; Smith and Reis, 2012 ). This current study proposed that it is essential to understand the contemporaneous associations of both negative (accommodation) and positive (capitalization) communicative behaviors to unearth the riddle in predicting positive relationship satisfaction. Prior work has highlighted that couple communication takes diverse forms germane to the cultural context whereupon it occurs and have argued that Western and Asian cultures differ in how they express and perceive beneficial communication behaviors (e.g., Wang et al., 2010 ; Williamson et al., 2012 ; Yum et al., 2015 ; Wang and Lau, 2018 ). However, positive psychology research studies around the world have been largely based on Caucasian samples and greater diversity is needed in the science of positive psychology (Rao and Donaldson, 2015 ). Since previous studies were dominated by a Western perspective, exploring both capitalization and accommodation processes may give us a better holistic insight into which communication behaviors are perceived as responsive and fruitful in promoting relationship satisfaction from an Asian viewpoint. In fact, no identified research examining accommodation and capitalization processes has been done in tandem within an Asian context, especially in Malaysia. Therefore, this present study examined the relationship between the two communication processes, (1) accommodation and (2) capitalization, on romantic relationship satisfaction in Malaysian young adults. This study also explored whether interdependent self-construal moderates and explains the differences in communication behaviors, which in turn affects the level of relationship satisfaction.

Do the Eight Types of Perceived Communication Behaviors in Terms of Accommodation (4 Types) and Capitalization (4 Types) Responses Predict Relationship Satisfaction?

The more well-known piece that literature has appraised in solving the conundrum of relationship satisfaction is accommodation in conflicts. This present study hypothesized that Active-constructive (H1a) and Passive-constructive (H1b) accommodation responses toward the transgressions of a partner in conflicts would positively predict relationship satisfaction, whilst Active-destructive (H1c) and Passive-destructive (H1d) responses would negatively predict relationship satisfaction. Findings revealed that responding in an Active-constructive manner such as discussing problems and altering problematic behavior during conflicts positively predicted relationship satisfaction, supporting H1a. These results align with research done by Rusbult et al. ( 1991 ) and Crowley ( 2006 ) who established that the willingness to accommodate to the misbehavior of a partner with Active-constructive responses boosts relationship functioning and satisfaction. This indicates that Active-constructive reciprocity will foster satisfaction as it directly engages one partner to be more aware of the maintenance efforts of the other partner in the relationship, which in turn rejuvenates closeness and perceived regard (Overall et al., 2010 ).

Regarding H1b, it was hypothesized that Passive-constructive accommodation responses during conflicts would positively predict relationship satisfaction; however, the findings did not support H1b. Rather than a significant positive prediction of relationship satisfaction, a slightly negative non-significant result emerged. It was forecasted in this current study that Asians would find forgiving and forgetting the bad behavior of a partner and hoping for things to improve (Passive-constructive) through conflictual circumstances just as beneficial as talking through issues (Active-constructive). This expectation was due to prior work establishing Malaysians and collectivist societies tend to use more indirect and less expressive communication to maintain harmony with others (e.g., Ting-Toomey, 1999 ; Kennedy, 2002 ; Oetzel and Ting-Toomey, 2003 ; Yum, 2004 ; Bakar et al., 2007 , 2014 ; Wang et al., 2010 ; Ma-Kellams and Blascovich, 2012 ). Previous research in Western societies has found unclear and inconsistent results regarding the Passive-constructive accommodation response, making it hard to decipher whether this response is threatening or securing relationship functioning. In their seminal work, Rusbult et al. ( 1991 ) and Gable et al. ( 2004 ) found the Passive-constructive accommodation response desirable, but later studies by Overall et al. ( 2010 ) found the opposite effect. Although not significant, the findings of this current study seem to be more toward the discovery of Overall et al. ( 2010 ) because a Passive-constructive accommodation response may be less salient than an Active-constructive response and lead an individual to feel ignored and unappreciated, which could diminish relationship satisfaction. However, further research should continue to investigate the differences of past work as the results in this current study leaned toward a possible negative direction but were indicative of non-significance.

Furthermore, this study found both active and passive destructive accommodation responses detrimental to the relationship satisfaction of an individual. A Passive-destructive response was unmasked as the stronger negative response in predicting satisfaction within this sample in line with H1d. On the contrary, an Active-destructive response appeared to show lower predictive capacity in reducing relationship satisfaction. The rationales of the strength of Passive-destructive accommodation responses are deferred toward the end of the discussion after the capitalization processes are considered as similar results were replicated for capitalization. Despite this, findings still leaned toward the expected direction of both H1c and H1d, exhibiting near to typical findings of the two destructive responses. These results are congruent with past studies that found active and passive destructive reciprocity to the bad behavior of a partner are unaccommodating and lead to dissatisfaction (Rusbult et al., 1991 ; Crowley, 2006 ). These findings also denote that not inhibiting destructive impulses would further exacerbate issues, hinder movement toward resolving issues, and lead to distressing relationships (Rusbult et al., 1991 ; Overall et al., 2010 ). In short, Active-constructive accommodation responses during conflicts seem to be the most favorable response and allowed dating partners to feel understood, cared for, and validated, which enriched relationship satisfaction. Conversely, Active-destructive, and Passive-destructive accommodation responses seemed unrewarding for dating relationships of Malaysian young adults. The Passive-constructive accommodation responses were the only accommodation results that were not supportive of the hypothesis of this research.

Another complementary yet an understudied communication process in deciphering the relationship satisfaction riddle is capitalization on positive events. Mirroring the hypotheses for accommodation, this study expected that Active-constructive (H1e) and Passive-constructive (H1f) responses to capitalization attempts would positively predict relationship satisfaction whereas Active-destructive (H1g) and Passive-destructive (H1h) responses would negatively predict relationship satisfaction. Consistent with H1e and H1f, results uncovered that providing both enthusiastic support (Active-constructive) and acknowledgment, but an understated support (Passive-constructive) toward the positive events of the partner predicted relationship satisfaction. However, Active-constructiveness had a rather more robust response for satisfying relationships. The findings suggested that the Passive-constructive response stood in contrast to previous research in Western societies as only an Active-constructive response conveyed responsiveness and was associated with higher personal and relationship well-being from the Western lens (Gable et al., 2004 , 2006 ; Pagani et al., 2020 ). Gable et al. ( 2006 ) noted that an Active-constructive response solely highlights the triumphs of the partner and communicates personal significance of the positive event to the discloser. On the other hand, a Passive-constructive response does not convey the same message, which reduces relationship well-being (Gable et al., 2006 ). Albeit the passive-constructive capitalization responses in this current Malaysian study yielded borderline significance in positively predicting satisfaction, the preliminary correlation demonstrated that this capitalization response had a weak but non-significant relationship to satisfaction. Hence, the results of the passive-constructive capitalization responses should be approached with caution.

Having said that, the results in this current study still appeared to encapsulate the aspect that a Passive-constructive capitalization response such as providing a warm smile and just expressing “ That's nice dear ” toward good news of a partner also tends to be supportive and positive from an Asian perspective. Thus, this finding appears to dovetail nicely with the results of Guo et al. ( 2018 ), the only research found in Asia using the perceived capitalization attempts scale of Gable et al. ( 2004 ) thus far. They studied familial relationships and demonstrated that both constructive responses of fathers were advantageous for the intrapersonal health and well-being of their children. Therefore, this present research seemed to capture some differences between preferable responses toward personal triumphs of dating couples in Western and Asian countries, echoing the notion that a less overzealous response could still be appropriate and desirable in collectivist cultures (Taylor et al., 2007 ). According to Choi et al. ( 2019 ), Asians also have greater worries about possible repercussions of disclosing personal positive events as it has higher stakes in threatening relational harmony and negative reputations because sharing good news can seem boastful. However, as aforementioned, the findings for the passive-constructive response in this current study narrowly achieved significance. Thus, future research should broaden the sample size and examine other cultural aspects (i.e., harmony values) to better capture the cultural differences for the capitalization process.

Regarding the destructive capitalization reactions, a Passive-destructive response, which is showing disinterest and changing the topic of discussion indicated the strongest predictive value in lowering relationship satisfaction, in tandem with H1h. The same, albeit non-significant trend, was displayed for the active-destructive response (i.e., criticizing and invalidating the partner's good news) leaning toward the anticipated direction of H1g. It can thus be suggested that both destructive responses undermine relationship health as they reject the attempt to develop self-confidence, bids for connection, and engagement of the discloser, which leads to dampening of positive feelings about the event and the relationship (Gable et al., 2004 ). Repeated destructive responses could also deter the discloser from making capitalization attempts in the future, which may impact the relationship well-being drastically in the long run (Peters et al., 2018 ).

Furthermore, examining both accommodation and capitalization processes simultaneously provided striking but not surprising results as the most impactful positive response to satisfaction was the Active-constructive capitalization response. This indicates that perceiving that a partner validates the strengths and accomplishments of the discloser in an enthusiastic and encouraging fashion has benefits above and beyond other responses and the accommodation process. These results conform with prior findings that documented support toward positive events was a better predictor of relationship quality than discussions about other circumstances such as adverse events (i.e., Gable et al., 2006 , 2012 ). Thus, as Gable et al. ( 2006 ) asserted, “ To put it colloquially, they seem to offer a lot more bang for the buck ” (p. 914). Gable et al. ( 2006 ) also found some preliminary evidence that positive event discussions had a greater predictive capacity of couples breaking up at a later point in time. Pertaining to the accommodation process, it can be fairly said that the Active-constructive reaction was also the best response for enriching relationship satisfaction but not as strong as the Active-constructive capitalization response, which seems to be the most salubrious response for dating relationships in Malaysia.

Summary and Rationale of Results

Considering the results as a whole, the notion that Asians perceive Active-constructive responses as unbeneficial, uncomfortable, and distressing (Taylor et al., 2007 ; Wang et al., 2010 ) is not vouched by this study as this response was found as the most ameliorative reaction for flourishing dating relationships in Malaysia. Therefore, this result supports the universal advantage of Active-constructive responses in both, accommodation, and capitalization processes for relationship maintenance and enhancement.

However, when comparing the two communication processes, there were varying outcomes for the passive-constructive response. This type of communicative behavior seems to have contradicting findings across the literature, and its impact is still not completely clear. While responding in a passive-constructive fashion during capitalization processes was suggestive of beneficial relationship outcomes, accommodating in this manner during conflicts seemed to trend toward being unfruitful for relationship satisfaction in this present research. Even so, due care should be exercised with interpreting these findings. Although the results leaned toward these directions, some results did not appear significant. Be that as it may, it could be argued that the capitalization and accommodation processes are not mutually exclusive, and an effective response depends on the situational context, especially when it comes to Passive-constructive responses. Analogously, a passive-constructive capitalization response to good news of a partner emerged to predict satisfaction positively in this Malaysian sample. In contrast, prior researchers have found that Westerners do not benefit from this type of communication behavior (Gable et al., 2004 , 2006 ; Lambert et al., 2012 ; Pagani et al., 2020 ). In light of this, to some extent, this present research unmasked a potential difference in the consequences of the perceived passive-constructive response between Asian and Western countries. On a similar note, scholars have also suggested that perceived responses usually involve a “reality component” (Reis et al., 2004 ), where researchers should also consider other relationship “realities” such as the expectations of the partner, need for approval, and reasons for disengagement toward the discloser (Gable et al., 2004 ). Thus, future research should closely inspect these individual differences and motivation to provide a constructive response to understand the complexity of effective communicative behaviors further.

Moreover, concurring with prior research, destructive responses in accommodation and capitalization communication processes were found harmful, regardless of culture. However, one noticeable difference is that the Passive-destructive response in both accommodation and capitalization processes had a greater predictive magnitude in the deterioration of relationship satisfaction when the two processes were examined independently. Active-destructive responses were in the anticipated negative direction but were revealed to be non-significant in predicting relationship satisfaction. On the one hand, it could be that partners of the participants in this study interact in a more vague and evasive destructive way, laying more truth to Asians communicating passively (Guo et al., 2018 ). On the other hand, the results may indicate that Passive-destructive responses are more detrimental to the receiver than Active-destructive responses (Gottman and Krokoff, 1989 ). These findings may be because Passive-destructive responses inhibit the ability of a couple to resolve conflicts by “bottling up” emotions, prolonging problems, and causing petty disagreements to escalate out of control, which may cause more long-term problems (Gottman and Krokoff, 1989 ; Gottman and Levenson, 1992 ).

Another possible explanation for these results is the stage and status of the relationship of participants in this current study. 73.4% of the sample were in relatively satisfied and happy relationships. Hence, it could be assumed that partners are not reacting in an Active-destructive way, such as showing anger and hostility in conflicts or demeaning and criticizing good news frequently for them to be unsatisfied in their relationships. Besides that, the unintended self-selected bias cannot be ruled out and should be taken into consideration in future research. The results may differ if there was a proportionated balance of participants in the sample who were in satisfying and dissatisfying relationships, which upcoming research needs to obtain and explore.

This research also consists of only dating individuals with an average of 2 years of relationship length. These participants may still be in the “honeymoon” stage of their relationship where trust and intimacy may still be developing, during which they utilize distinctive nature of behaviors such as being more Passive-destructive and more forgiving than couples who have been married for a longer period (Williams, 2012 ). Passive-destructive responses are possibly more apparent, unnerving, and threatening to premarital or dating couples because partners showing disregard and disinterest may make them feel that their partners are not committed. This relates to a relatively frequent phenomenon in modern dating and a new term called “ghosting,” which shares an overlap with the Passive-destructive response as if an individual “ghosts” another person, they withdraw and avoid the partner entirely (LeFebvre et al., 2019 ). In other words, when one partner ghosts the other, the immediate consequence is simply an indirect and ambiguous lack of communication (LeFebvre, 2017 ). As this seems to be a common phenomenon in the current dating atmosphere, it might be another reason why this way of communication had a greater prevalence and strength in declining satisfaction of romantic relationships for this sample. Future research could compare the different phases of relationships and communication behaviors between dating and married couples to understand these results more comprehensively. Despite these rationales, this study suggests a recognition that passive-destructiveness is an unfavorable act to Malaysian dating relationships, maybe more so than active-destructiveness. Further illustrations of the cultural facets, in terms of self-construal and communication are discussed in the subsequent section.

To What Extend Does Interdependent Self-Construal Moderate the Relationship Between Perceived Capitalization and Accommodation Communication Behaviors on Relationship Satisfaction?

As noted earlier, the present study anticipated Malaysia to be a collectivist country with individuals generally having a dominant interdependent self-construal based on prior studies and was treated as such in hypotheses 2 (Hardin et al., 2004 ; Amir, 2009 ; Ting and Ying, 2013 ). Nevertheless, these current findings did not bear the resemblance of previous discoveries as the interdependence self-construal seemingly did not moderate and explain the differences in both accommodation and capitalization communication behaviors with relationship satisfaction. Thus, these results did not endorse H2a and H2b, suggesting other important factors are at play.

Consequently, given the equivocal findings, further exploratory analyses were conducted though not tested in the hypotheses of this study. It was discovered that independent self-construal instead seemed to moderate the relationships between both perceived active and passive destructive capitalization responses and relationship satisfaction. However, no other significant results were found for accommodation responses. Hence, self-construal appeared to affect the expectations and preferences of perceived responsiveness of sharing good news, just not in the expected direction for Malaysians in this study. The sample in this study also obtained relatively higher mean scores for interdependent and independent self-construal compared to Asian samples in America. These results concur with the findings of Yum ( 2004 ) that other self-construal types exist and may explain behavioral variations with greater consistency than the bipolar interdependent-independent self-construal model. One of which is the bicultural self-construal, that is individuals who are high in both interdependent and independent self-construal and are products of modernization and multicultural societies (Kim et al., 1996 ; Yum, 2004 ). Given that Malaysia is a melting pot of races, ethnicities, and cultures with unique historical influences (Nagaraj et al., 2015 ; Park, 2015 ; The Malaysian Administrative Modernisation Management Planning Unit, 2016 ), one could speculate that some of the participants in this study could be bicultural. Prior work has asserted that bicultural individuals have rather complex and adaptable identities and are less culturally typical than other self-construal types (Kim et al., 1996 ; Yum, 2004 ). They are more flexible and capable of adapting to interactional demands by responding effectively not only to protect their own needs but also the needs of their partner better than other self-construal types. However, this is beyond the scope of this research; thus, future studies could investigate other types of self-construal and whether they moderate the relationship between accommodation and capitalization processes and satisfaction.

Another plausible explanation would be the “modernization hypothesis,” which infers that the behavior of an individual in personal relationships is influenced by the degree of industrialization, westernization, and democratization of the country (Goodwin, 1999 ). It is also imperative to emphasize that Malaysia was formerly colonized by Western powers such as Britain and, inherently, the Malaysian regime adopted some of the British laws and educational practices which would influence Malaysia's culture (Aziz, 2009 ; Lee and Low, 2014 ). Therefore, Malaysians may be affected by social change, modern capitalism and globalization and hold values that are assumed with moving toward individualism, which could explain why the moderating effects of independent self-construal instead of interdependent self-construal were shown in this current study (Goodwin, 1999 ; Park, 2015 ). Further, the behavior of an individual could also be influenced by regional subcultures. This current study presumed the national culture of Malaysians to be collectivistic and are governed by interdependent self-construal. However, according to Schmitz ( 2012 ), regional sublevels within a country influences the difference in cultural characteristics of various states. This may explain the inconsistency in results of the interdependent and independent self-construals affecting the communication behaviors as participants originated from different states in Malaysia.

Moreover, other scholars have argued that individualist-collectivist stereotypes are becoming meaningless due to other confounding variables such as degree of industrialization, education, and occupation, especially for the younger generations (Kagitçibaşi, 1996 ; Goodwin, 1999 ; Matsumoto, 2002 ; Park, 2015 ). The sample in this present study represents people of the younger generation who live in urban areas and have relatively high education and economic status. According to Fung ( 2013 ), older individuals have a higher tendency to internalize their cultural values compared to younger individuals. Thus, since the participants in this study are of relatively younger ages, there may be a possibility that they have yet to internalize their cultural values (Ho, 2021 ), explaining the disparities of the interdependent-independent self-construal types. Additionally, Yum et al. ( 2015 ) have discovered that although countries are geographically close and in Asia, it does not necessarily mean they have similar values. For instance, Singaporeans were found to adopt traditional and preindustrial beliefs. Conversely, Malaysians reported to hold greater self-expressive and liberal post-industrial beliefs similar to people living in the United States (Yum et al., 2015 ). Hence, further studies would need to scrutinize the impact of other cultural aspects (e.g., harmony values, and self-expressive values) and widen the range of ages, education, and economic status of participants to truly capture the cultural evolution and communication processes in this modern era.

Research Implications

Taken together, this current research has highlighted some important implications of romantic relationship communication behaviors, particularly in the realm of dating relationships. This work is the first step toward enhancing our understanding of the accommodation and capitalization processes by looking through an Asian cultural lens. In the overall literature and Malaysian context, there are no identified peer-reviewed studies found investigating the accommodation and capitalization processes and relationship satisfaction simultaneously. Integrating the 2 everyday life communication processes into research provides a better holistic view of how romantic relationships unfold. An active and constructive response was captured as the most salubrious response through capitalization and accommodation processes from a Malaysian standpoint. Prominently, an Active-constructive capitalization response bore the strongest influence on relationship satisfaction above and beyond other responses. A passive and constructive response was suggestive of a positive direction for disclosures of good news but not during conflicts. In contrast, destructive responses in both instances displayed a negative pattern which could steer couples in a downward spiral, irrespective of culture.

The findings of this pioneering study would be a noteworthy addition to literature while contributing to positive psychology theory. This research investigated not only which communication behaviors were beneficial but for whom they are effective for. This study would provide a good comparative data of an Asian country since most studies are conducted and dominated by Western cultures and were subdue to low population and ecological validity as well as pitfalls of research methods. Furthermore, the results could also be a guideline in counseling practices to enhance the “good relationship behavior” and relationship satisfaction of couples by training and cultivating better communication behaviors (Gable et al., 2004 ), tailored to the preferences and culture of an individual. This knowledge and understanding of human interactional behaviors could be beneficial in designing pre-marital and marriage interventions in Malaysia and other Asian countries. Possible target therapeutic interventions and positive education are fostering constructive communication behaviors, not only to protect relationships with better conflict management but to also enrich romantic relationships by capitalizing on the positive aspects of their lives. Additionally, the findings could serve as a means to educate and create awareness among the general population about good communication practices of which would hope to reduce divorce rates, strengthen relationships and families, and improve the well-being of the society at large, ultimately building flourishing lives.

Caveats and Future Directions

While this study has made novel contributions to the romantic relationship science literature and goes beyond previous researchers in important ways, future studies should interpret the findings with caution as there were limitations notwithstanding. Firstly, although most of the results were in the expected directions, some of the results appeared non-significant, possibly due to various factors beyond the scope of this research. This study also used self-report data which may induce social-desirability bias; for instance, over-reporting good behavior and higher relationship satisfaction and underreporting undesirable behaviors to be viewed favorably. Moreover, this study focused on the perception of an individual to the response of the partner without directly observing the interaction or investigating how both the discloser and responder feel about the same reactions. Future studies should compare perspectives of both partners and use triangulating methods such as observation in natural settings, in-depth field studies, open-ended surveys, and interviews. Granting all this, it should be noted that responsiveness not only mirrors actual behavior but also the eye of the beholder; therefore, it should be approached with prudence (Reis et al., 2004 ).

Additionally, women are more attuned to behaviors of partners in daily interactions (Overall et al., 2010 ). The sample was predominantly female, with 66.9% of females and 33.1% males, making it difficult to accurately compare gender differences. Therefore, future research should assess the complexities of accommodation and capitalization processes in more depth, while examining gender differences. Furthermore, the sample consisted of participants who were relatively young and in dating relationships, of which 73.4% were in satisfying relationships. These participants may also still be in the “honeymoon” relationship phase, during which they utilize and intently focus on different nature of behaviors (Williams, 2012 ). Responses and perceptions in accommodation and capitalization processes may reveal different patterns in an alternative milieu of long-term, long-distance, distressed, marital, and clinical populations. Future research is recommended to obtain a larger sample size, especially accounting for non-completion of online surveys, to gain a better understanding and generalizability of results.

Lastly, this research was susceptible to ecological fallacy because it assumed that all individuals from a specific culture behave similarly (Freedman, 1999 ). Thus, some Malaysians may hold bicultural self-construal or more independent than interdependent self-construal. These findings suggest opportunities for future research to investigate other types of self-construal as well as various values that may impact communicative behaviors, namely self-expressive and harmony values. Observing other aspects could valuably aid in capturing the cultural evolution and communication processes in this modern age.

Conclusively, our need to connect romantically can be ever so fulfilling and enrich our life experiences but can also be arduous and complicated. The contemporaneous associations of both accommodation and capitalization communication processes aids in understanding the complexities of romantic flourishing relationships. This current research has unearthed that attaining relationship satisfaction lies at the heart of responding constructively in romantic relationships as it shows the partner cares and appreciates us. The advantages of active-constructive responses in both relationship processes were more salient and consistent compared to passive-constructive responses. Conversely, in the destructive paradigm, passive-destructive responses emerged as the most unfavorable act in dating relationships in comparison with other destructive responses. This current research has also found that interdependent self-construal did not moderate the communication behaviors. However, captivatingly, unexpected individual and cultural variations were discovered. In the light of these findings, this area of research is essential and further work is necessary to identify additional mediators and effects of these constructs. Regardless, this present research has endowed society one step closer to solving the riddle of achieving relationship satisfaction, and ultimately flourishing romantic relationships. Herein, this study can also serve as a backbone to the knowledge of accommodation and capitalization processes of psychologists and society in Asia and positive psychology literature. Thus, truly strengthening the view of Virginia Satir that “ Communication is to relationships what breath is to life ” (Loeschen, 2017 , p. 89).

Data Availability Statement

Ethics statement.

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC, Project Number 10606). The participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed to the study and approved it for publication.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher's Note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our deep sense of thanks and sincere gratitude to our participants, who were instrumental in the completion of this research. We would also wish to extend our heartfelt appreciation to our family and friends who supported us throughout this research process. This research could not have been completed without all of them.

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Home > Communication Studies > Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Communication Studies, Department of

Department of communication studies: dissertations, theses, and student research.

Public Mediations of Accountability in the #MeToo Era , Amanda Brand

“Evolving Homes, Not Revolving Doors”: Examining Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Foster Parents’ Discursive Construction and Negotiation of Identity Layers and Identity Gaps , Lucas Hackenburg

"Don't Put Restrictions On Us": The Dangers of Conservative and Populist Appeals for Abortion Access in Post-Roe America , Kayla Schmitz

Discursive Struggles Reflected in the Communication of Conservative Christian Parents and Their Adult Children With Differing Religious Beliefs and Values , Braedon G. Worman

BALLOONS, BREADCRUMBS, AND SPOONS: EMERGING ADULTS’ PRIVACY NEGOTIATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE (NON)DISCLOSURE OF CHRONIC ILLNESS-RELATED INFORMATION WITH A FRIEND , Robert D. Hall

Wisdom Narratives: Communicated Sense-making in Emerging Adulthood Autoimmune Disease , Jacqueline Gunning

Tales of Love's Perseverance: Family Bereavement Stories as a Means to Investigating Impacts of End-of-Life Care on Sense-Making , Cassidy Taladay

Fighting For 504: Negotiating Hegemonic Ability Through Verbal Advocacy and Disabled Embodiment , Drew Finney

ETHNIC-RACIAL SOCIALIZATION MAPPING IN ETHNIC-RACIAL MINORITY POPULATIONS: EXPLORING THE EFFICACY OF AN INTERVENTION TO INCREASE WELL-BEING AND SECURE ETHNIC-RACIAL IDENTITY , Mackensie Minniear

Conceptualizing Perceived Parental Communicated Acceptance During Parent-Child Religious Difference , Toni Morgan

Contextualizing Transgender Individuals' Discourses About Health Insurance , Jonathan Troy Baker

Examining the Role of Sibling Interaction in Multiethnic-racial Identity Development , Megan E. Cardwell

Conceal and Carry: Communicating about Trauma, Triggers, and Second Assaults in the Classroom , Amy Arellano

Getting to the Heart of It: Examining Intergenerational Sensemaking of Heart Disease , Sarah R. Petitte

Creating Dialogic Moments in Municipal Deliberation: The Case of Recycling in Nebraska , Janell C. Walther

Investigating Layers of Identity and Identity Gaps in Refugee Resettlement Experiences in the Midwestern United States , Gretchen Bergquist, Jordan Soliz, Kristen Everhart, Lee Kreimer, and Dawn O. Braithwaite

Communication and Family Identity: Toward a Conceptual Model of Family Identity and Development of the Family Identity Inventory , Kaitlin Elizabeth Phillips

The Interaction of Temporal and Spectral Acoustic Information with Word Predictability on Speech Intelligibility , Bahar Somayeh Shahsavarani

Family communication about sex: A qualitative analysis of gay and lesbian parents' parent-child sex communication , Allison Bonander

ENCHANTING MEMES: MEMETIC POLITICS IN THE FACE OF TECHNOCRATIC CONTROL , Jonathan Carter

If We're Mocking Anything, It's Organized Religion: The Queer Holy Fool Style of The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence , Christina L. Ivey

Evaluating Family Caregivers' Memorable Messages of Social Support in the Context of Cancer , Alexis Johnson

The Technological Factors of Reddit: Communication and Identity on Relational Networks , Jennifer Kienzle

From the Gay Bar to the Search Bar: Promiscuity, Identity, and Queer Mobility on Grindr , Chase Aunspach

In(di)visible Dream: Rhetoric, Myth, and the Road in America , Raymond Blanton

Illness Narratives of Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Family Communication: A Mixed Methods Study , Katherine M. Castle

BEYOND CORRUPTION: ASSESSING THE ORGANIZATIONAL POTENTIAL IN ALTERNATIVE DISCOURSES OF STRUGGLE IN NIGERIA , Chigozirim Utah

You Bring Yourself to Work: An Exploration LGB/TQ Experiences of (In)Dignity and Identity , Sara J. Baker

An Examination of the Role of Social Support, Coping Strategies, and Individual Characteristics in Students’ Adaptation to College , Arleen Bejerano

THE RHETORIC OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION: NGOS’ DISCOURSES AND DELIBERATIVE PRACTICES WITH COMMUNITIES IN ETHIOPIA , Getachew Dinku Godana

How Adolescents Perceive their Parents' Communication about Sex: Toward Reducing Adolescent Sexual Risk , Amanda J. Holman

Toward a Global Organizational Public Sphere: Non-governmental Organizing and Democratic Legitimacy in a Postmodern World , Rachel Stohr

Transformative Engagement in Deliberative Democracies: Exploring a Framework for Engagement Using a Creative, Braided Approach , Janell C. Walther

Examining the Role of Family and Marital Communication in Understanding Resilience to Family-of-Origin Adversity , Kristen Carr

Negotiating Forgiveness in Nonvoluntary Family Relationships , Kristen Carr and Tiffany R. Wang

“If You Can Dream It, You Can Achieve It.” Parent Memorable Messages as Indicators of College Student Success , Haley Kranstuber, Kristen Carr, and Angela M. Hosek

Changes in narrative sense-making over time: The role of mother-daughter communication during conversations about difficulty , Haley Kranstuber Horstman

Formational Relational Turning Points in the Transition to College: Understanding How Communication Events Shape First-Generation Students' Relationships with Their College Teachers , Tiffany R. Wang

Risks and Benefits of Seeking and Receiving Emotional Support During the Divorce Process: An Examination of Divorcee Individual Adjustment, Closeness, and Relational Satisfaction with Multiple Partners from a Social Network , Sarah E. Wilder

H-Index , Travis Bartosh

Journal Impact Factor , Scott H. Church

Communicatively Forming Developed Adoptive Identity: Explicating the Association between Parental Communication, Developed Adoptive Identity, and Adoptee Adjustment , Colleen Colaner

SCImago , Getachew Dinku Godana

Extending Intergroup Theorizing To The Instructional Context: Testing a Model Of Teacher Communication Behaviors, Credibility, Group-Based Categorization, and instructional outcomes , Angela Hosek

Scholarly Books , Sarah Jones

Internet Usage Data , Adam Knowlton

Negotiating tensions across organizational boundaries: Communication and refugee resettlement organizations , Sarah Steimel

Web of Science Citation Data , Rachel Stohr

Secular Salvation: Sacred Rhetorical Invention in the String Theory Movement , Brent Yergensen

YouTube Politics: YouChoose and Leadership Rhetoric during the 2008 Election , Scott H. Church

An Intergroup Perspective on Stepchildren's Communication with their Nonresidential Parent's Family , Rebecca DiVerniero

Counter-Mapping as Place-Framing: Naturalized Injustice, De-Naturalized Community and Organizing for Social Change on Google Earth , Joshua P. Ewalt

Contesting Sphere Boundaries Online: Private/Technical/Public Discourses in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Discussion Groups , Kittie E. Grace

The Experience and Expression of Emotion Within Stepsibling Relationships: Politeness of Expression and Stepfamily Functioning , Emily Lamb Normand

Exploring Hurtful Communication from College Teachers to Students: A Mixed Methods Study , Michelle Marie Maresh

COMMUNICATING ETHNICITY: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF CONSTRUCTED IDENTITY , Laura L. Pierson

The Relative Contribution to Meaning of Verbal and Nonverbal Channels of Communication: A Meta-Analysis , Jeffrey S. Philpott

An Evaluation of Transactional Analysis as a Strategy of Organization Development , Gilbert Frank Nykodym II

A Rhetorical Analysis of Political and Legal Speeches of Robert B. Crosby , Gilbert F. Nykodym II

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