Date of Award

1990

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Susan A. Myers

Second Advisor

James D. Evans

Third Advisor

William T. Hancock

Abstract

In an investigation involving 30 subjects. a dichotomous communication-style construct was examined along three dimensions. with the intent to develop a psychometric instrument to measure the placement of individuals on a communication styles continuum . The hypothesized styles of communication were inferential and direct. The construct craws together the verbal. nonverbal. and paralinguistic components of communication into one configuration with some predictability. A single-group research design was used to i:x-oduce a condition in which reception of messages was observable and measurable along a scale. which ranged from extremely inferential to extremely direct. Three converging measurement methods were derived from the observations of the researcher: a behavioral test. a self-reported score. and a psychometric instrument designed to measure traits and/or characteristics which would characterize the direct end of this continuum. Hypnotic suggestibility was originally considered to be the main component of the ability to receive messages inferentially. but had failed to hold up in previous research (See Hoerchler & Holler, 1987). The previous results indicated that the Direct-Inferential dichotomy does exist. The study also indicated that suggestibility is not the primary component of communication style. This study continued the research process through the development of a 130-item psychometric instrument intended to replace the previously successful. but cumbersome behavioral instrument. After item analysis. 44 of the original items were retained. The final version of the psychometric instrument correlated significantly with the behavioral instrument. while the third measure. the self-report. failed to correlate significantly with the other measures.

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