Does Testosterone Influence Young Adult Romantic Partners' Accommodation During Conversations About Stressors? | PDF
Dhillon A, Denes A, Crowley J, et al.
#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue

Abstract The present study contributes to a growing line of research exploring the associations between physiology and communication behavior. Specifically, this study investigated the influence of testosterone (T) on perceptions of partners' accommodative and nonaccommodative behaviors during a conversation about a relational stressor, and their subsequent association with satisfaction with the conversation. One hundred individuals participated in the study, which included a pre-survey, lab visit, and post-survey. Results revealed that for women, T was negatively associated with perceived partner accommodation and satisfaction with the conversation. Findings uncovered significant mediation effects of women's perceived partner (non)accommodation, while revealing several partner effects. Furthermore, the study found that satisfaction with the conversation was positively predicted by partner accommodation and negatively predicted by partner nonaccommodation for both women and men. These results indicate the utility of communication accommodation theory in examining conflict conversations and imply that T may influence communicative behaviors during conversation about a relational stressor.

Sharing the Fun? How Social Information Affects Viewers’ Video Enjoyment and Video Evaluations | PDF
Möller A, Baumgartner S, Kühne R, et al.
#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue

Abstract Online video platforms often present videos together with social information in the form of user comments and likes. This study tested two hypotheses about how this merger of mass and interpersonal communication on online video platforms shapes viewers’ evaluations and enjoyment of online videos. Whereas the judgement effect hypothesis states that social information alters viewers’ video evaluations, the processing effect hypothesis poses that it influences viewers’ enjoyment while they are watching videos. Using real-time response measures, this experiment pitted both hypotheses against each other. The results indicate that if viewers are exposed to social information before watching a video, a processing effect emerges on their enjoyment as they are watching. If viewers are exposed to social information after watching a video, a judgement effect on their retrospective video enjoyment occurs but not on their video evaluations. These new insights advance our understanding of how social information affects video viewers.

Transformative or Not? How Privacy Violation Experiences Influence Online Privacy Concerns and Online Information Disclosure | PDF
Masur P, Trepte S.
#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue

Abstract Previous research has shown that people seldom experience privacy violations while using the Internet, such as unwanted and unknown sharing of personal information, credit card fraud, or identity theft. With this study, we ask whether individuals’ online privacy concerns increase and online information disclosure decreases if they experience such a worst-case scenario. Using representative data from a five-wave panel study (n = 745), we found that people who generally experience more privacy violations also have stronger privacy concerns (between-person differences). However, people who experienced more privacy violations than usual in the last 6 months were only slightly more concerned afterward and did not change their disclosure behavior afterward (within-person effects). The need for privacy moderated these processes. We untangle under which circumstances such experiences may be transformative, and discuss practical and conceptual consequences of how experiences translate into concerns, but not necessarily behaviors.

When I Learn the News is False: How Fact-Checking Information Stems the Spread of Fake News Via Third-Person Perception | PDF
Chung M, Kim N.
#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue

Abstract While fact-checking has received much attention as a potential tool to combat fake news, whether and how fact-checking information lessens intentions to share fake news on social media remains underexplored. Two experiments uncovered a theoretical mechanism underlying the effect of fact-checking on sharing intentions, and identified an important contextual cue (i.e., social media metrics) that interacts with fact-checking effects. Exposure to fake news with fact-checking information (vs. fake news without fact-checking information) yielded more negative evaluations of the news and a greater belief that others are more influenced by the news than oneself (third-person perception TPP). Increased TPP, in turn, led to weaker intentions to share fake news on social media. Fact-checking information also nullified the effect of social media metrics on sharing intentions; without fact-checking information, higher (vs. lower) social media metrics induced greater intentions to share the news. However, when fact-checking debunked the news, such an effect disappeared.

Ecological Influences on Network Tie Dissolution in the Evolution of Affiliation Networks in the International Communication Association, 2009–2015 | PDF
Xu Y, Fulk J, Monge P.
#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue

Abstract This study examined the influences of ecological factors on the dissolution of affiliation ties in the International Communication Association (ICA). The affiliation network in this study represented the connections between ICA members and ICA divisions and interest groups. Guided by insights from organizational ecology and network theory, this research used a multilevel discrete-time event history analysis to test how ecological factors influenced active ICA members’ decisions to drop affiliation ties. An empirical analysis was conducted using a longitudinal sample of 1,282 active members and 23 divisions and interest groups from 2009 to 2015. The results showed that the likelihood of tie dissolution was significantly constrained by the length of an individual’s organizational membership, the division or interest group’s fuzzy density (generally considered as a proxy for legitimacy perceptions), and the group’s contrast (one measure of the level of clarity vs ambiguity of a group’s identity). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Political Comedy as a Gateway to News Use, Internal Efficacy, and Participation: A Longitudinal Mediation Analysis | PDF
Long J, Jeong M, Lavis S.
#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue

Abstract Despite a great deal of research, much about the effects of political comedy programming on its viewers remains uncertain. One promising line of work has focused on increased internal political efficacy—the sense that one is competent to engage with politics—as an outcome of exposure to political comedy programs. This may explain results showing that viewers are more likely to participate in politics. We extend this approach by considering the role of political comedy’s “gateway” effect in encouraging political media consumption, which can promote additional increases in efficacy and participation. This study provides a theoretical synthesis of prior research and a rigorous empirical test using a representative panel survey of adults in the United States, providing evidence of a relationship between political comedy and participation with both news use and internal efficacy serving as mediators. Furthermore, we find that only political satire, not late-night talk shows, appear to produce these effects.

Permanently Online—Always Stressed Out? The Effects of Permanent Connectedness on Stress Experiences | PDF
Freytag A, Knop-Huelss K, Meier A, et al.
#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue

Abstract Concerns have been expressed that permanent online connectedness might negatively affect media user’s stress levels. Most research has focused on negative effects of specific media usage patterns , such as media multitasking or communication load. In contrast, users’ cognitive orientation toward online content and communication has rarely been investigated. Against this backdrop, we examined whether this cognitive orientation (i.e., online vigilance with its three dimensions salience, reactibility, monitoring) is related to perceived stress at different timescales (person, day, and situation level), while accounting for the effects of multitasking and communication load. Results across three studies showed that, in addition to multitasking (but not communication load), especially the cognitive salience of online communication is positively related to stress. Our findings are discussed regarding mental health implications and the origins of stress.

Self-Conscious Emotions and Esteem Support: The Effectiveness of Esteem Support in Alleviating State Shame and Guilt | PDF
Holmstrom A, Shebib S, Mazur A, et al.
#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue

Abstract This experiment examines state shame and guilt responses to esteem support messages, testing predictions derived from the cognitive-emotional theory of esteem support messages (CETESM). Participants ( N  = 852) chose one of eight hypothetical scenarios designed to induce shame and/or guilt. Next, participants were directed to a randomization of emotion-focused (EF) and problem-focused (PF) esteem support messages and were asked to rate how the message would affect their feelings of state shame and state guilt. EF messages were expected to alleviate feelings of shame more so than guilt, but results indicated that they did not consistently do so. However, as expected, PF messages were rated as more likely to alleviate feelings of guilt (in five of eight scenarios) than shame. When comparing the messages to each other, EF messages were rated as better at alleviating both shame and guilt compared to PF messages. Theoretical and pragmatic implications are discussed.

Pornography and Sexual Dissatisfaction: The Role of Pornographic Arousal, Upward Pornographic Comparisons, and Preference for Pornographic Masturbation | PDF
Wright P, Paul B, Herbenick D, et al.
#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue

Abstract Research finding that pornography use is associated with lower sexual satisfaction is common; evaluation of the mechanisms hypothesized as underlying the association is not. Informed by multiple theoretical perspectives, the present study tested a conceptual model positing that (a) regularly consuming pornography conditions the user’s arousal template to be particularly responsive to pornographic depictions, (b) this amplified arousal to pornography increases both (c) upward comparisons between one’s own sex life and sex as it is represented in pornography and (d) a preference for masturbation to pornography over partnered sex, which in turn (e) weaken perceptions of how satisfying it is to have sex with one’s partner, and ultimately (f) decreases perceptions of how satisfying one’s relationship is with one’s partner. Path-analytic results were supportive of the hypothesized linkages for both men and women. Discussion focuses on the implications of the present study’s findings for current debates in the literature and theoretical development.

Countering Biased Judgments of Individuals Who Display Autism-Characteristic Behavior in Forensic Settings | PDF \nLogos K, Brewer N, Young R. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n Abstract According to expectancy violations theory, displays of behavior considered “unusual” during an interaction will trigger scrutiny of an individual. Such scrutiny may be detrimental in forensic contexts, where deception detection is emphasized. Autistic individuals, in particular, may be scrutinized unfavorably given unusual nonverbal behavior associated with the condition. Across two experiments using between-subjects’ designs, participants (overall N = 3,342) watched a scripted police-suspect interrogation, randomized to view the suspect display autism-related behaviors or none of those behaviors. Autistic behavior biased evaluations of deception and guilt as a function of violating individual behavioral expectations, regardless of whether decisive or ambiguous evidence framed the suspect as guilty or innocent. Promisingly, however, providing an autism information card attenuated such evaluations. Our research extends expectancy violations theory, advances understanding of determinants of forensic judgments, highlights important applied implications for nonverbal behavior displays in the justice system and recommends methods to protect against bias.

High-Quality Listening Supports Speakers’ Autonomy and Self-Esteem when Discussing Prejudice | PDF \nItzchakov G, Weinstein N. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n Abstract We examined how the experience of high-quality listening (attentive, empathic, and nonjudgmental) impacts speakers’ basic psychological needs and state self-esteem when discussing the difficult topic of a prejudiced attitude. Specifically, we hypothesized that when speakers discuss a prejudiced attitude with high-quality listeners, they experience higher autonomy, relatedness, and self-esteem than speakers who share their prejudiced attitude while experiencing moderate listening. We predicted that autonomy need satisfaction would mediate the effect of listening on speakers’ self-esteem even when relatedness, a well-documented predictor of self-esteem, is controlled for in mediation models. Two experiments that manipulated listening through in-person interactions with high-quality or moderate listeners supported these hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, with a focus on the role of experiencing high-quality listening for speakers’ state self-esteem during difficult conversations.

The Cultivation of Parent and Child Materialism: A Parent–Child Dyadic Study | PDF \nRussell C, Shrum L. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n Abstract Research has shown that television viewing cultivates a materialistic worldview in children. However, other socialization factors may also influence children’s materialism. The current research tests two socialization pathways of parental influence: (a) an indirect path in which parents pass on their own materialism to their children, and the parent’s materialism is at least partly the result of a parent cultivation effect (parent cultivation); (b) an indirect path in which parents pass on their television viewing behavior to their children, which in turn positively predicts the children’s level of materialism (child cultivation). The results of two studies (initial study plus direct replication, N  =   818) of U.S. parent–child dyads with 14- to 17-year-old children support the first path but not the second: The relation between parent TV viewing and child materialism is mediated through parent materialism. Child TV viewing is positively correlated with child materialism, but is nonsignificant when parent materialism is controlled.

Staying-at-Home with Tragedy: Self-expansion Through Narratives Promotes Positive Coping with Identity Threat | PDF \nKhoo G, Oh J, Nah S. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic created a historic opportunity to study the link between identity threat and individuals’ temporary expansion of the boundaries of the self (TEBOTS) through stories. Concurrently, the relationship between eudaimonic entertainment processes and self-expansion, particularly feeling moved and self-awareness, was examined. A quasi-experiment was conducted with an online sample (N = 172) that was randomly assigned to watch either a tragic drama or comedy. Results showed that key TEBOTS predictions were largely confirmed for boundary expansion and the outcomes of narrative engagement and entertainment gratifications. Although identity threat was negatively associated with positive coping with the pandemic, this relationship turned positive when mediated by boundary expansion. Further, exposure to tragedy raised feelings of “being moved,” which, in turn, was linked to self-perceptual depth and expanded boundaries of the self downstream. The present findings suggest that self-expansion through story consumption could benefit viewers’ positive reframing of challenging life experiences.

Immersive and Interactive Awe: Evoking Awe via Presence in Virtual Reality and Online Videos to Prompt Prosocial Behavior | PDF \nKahn A, Cargile A. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n Abstract Awe is a widely researched, self-transcendent emotion with a robust ability to prompt prosocial behavior. Within the communication and media disciplines, however, the effects of awe have received only limited empirical attention. Moreover, extant research has ignored the role that media affordances may play in engendering awe and prosocial outcomes. This article presents two studies that explore the prosocial consequences of awe, as mediated by presence and when engendered by immersive features of various media, including virtual reality (VR). Study 1 (N = 154) found that awe content presented in highly immersive VR induced awe via an effect entirely mediated by presence, though impacts on subsequent prosocial outcomes were inconsistent. Study 2 (N = 188) attempted to replicate and clarify the prosociality results from Study 1, as well as contextualize them with respect to eudaimonic appreciation and hedonic enjoyment. Results demonstrated awe effects across all three measures of prosociality.

Reducing Resistance: The Impact of Nonfollowers’ and Followers’ Parasocial Relationships with Social Media Influencers on Persuasive Resistance and Advertising Effectiveness | PDF \nBreves P, Liebers N, Motschenbacher B, et al. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n Abstract Although social media influencers have become popular brand endorsers, previous research on this new form of advertising has neglected to analyze how the followers of these influencers are persuaded. Based on a key mechanism proposed by the entertainment overcoming resistance model, long-term parasocial relationships (PSRs) should reduce the amount of persuasive resistance in the forms of reactance and counterarguing. Consequently, the persuasive effects should be enhanced. To empirically test these assumptions, two online studies were conducted. The first experimental study ( N  =   151) confirmed that followers experienced stronger PSRs than did nonfollowers, which resulted in higher perceived source trustworthiness and reduced levels of both perceived freedom threat and counterarguing after exposure to a sponsored Instagram post. The second study ( N  =   225) further confirmed the enhanced persuasive impact of PSRs in terms of brand evaluations and behavioral intentions. The theoretical and practical implications for advertisers, consumer advocates, and future research are discussed.

Assessing the Russian Troll Efforts to Sow Discord on Twitter during the 2016 U.S. Election | PDF \nRains S, Shmargad Y, Coe K, et al. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n Abstract Although experts agree that the Russian Internet Research Agency deployed trolls on Twitter to disrupt the 2016 U.S. presidential election, questions remain about the nuances of their efforts. We examined almost 350,000 original tweets made during the two-year electoral cycle to investigate the emphasis, timing, content, and partisanship of the trolls’ efforts targeting leading candidates. Despite only dedicating a fraction of their tweets to candidates, troll behavior generally tracked the relevance of Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Ted Cruz during the election cycle. Trolls were significantly more likely to engage in name-calling in tweets about Trump, Clinton, and Cruz than in tweets about other topics. Name-calling peaked in tweets addressing Clinton during the general election. Right trolls were more likely to focus their attention on Trump, Clinton, and Cruz than were other partisan trolls.

A Recipe for Success: The Effect of Dyadic Communication and Cooperative Gameplay on Subsequent Non-gaming Task Performance | PDF \nVelez J, Schmierbach M, Sherrick B, et al. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n Abstract Cooperative game play has been associated with a growing list of prosocial benefits. However, less research has examined its constituent parts to determine their contribution to subsequent positive outcomes. The current study examined partners’ communication as a common and even imperative aspect of cooperative play that may largely account for its positive effects on cooperative behaviors and effective teamwork. Partners played a cooperative game (Overcooked 2) alone or with a partner, and in the latter case with or without the ability to communicate, before engaging in two puzzle-solving tasks that required effective and efficient communication for successful performances. Results suggest communication is unnecessary, and may even be detrimental to, subsequent team performances on non-gaming tasks, and that it seems unlikely to account for the cooperative norms proposed to be the theoretical mechanism behind cooperative play’s positive effects. The conclusion discusses theoretical implications and potential future research.

Editorial Statement | PDF \nTsfati Y, Wilson S. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n We are proud to serve as new co-editors of Human Communication Research ( HCR ). As a flagship ICA journal, HCR aims to publish high-quality empirical work in any area of the communication discipline—work that develops, extends, and critiques theory. From its founding editor (Gerald R. Miller, 1974–1976) to the most recent (Eun-Ju Lee, 2017–2020), HCR has promoted theoretical development and methodological innovation regarding human symbolic processes in a variety of areas including health, intercultural, intergroup, interpersonal, mass, organizational, and political communication. We aim to maintain the high-quality and international reach of this prestigious ICA journal by ensuring that the journal reflects the best work done in various regions of the world and that the work published addresses issues that are of interest to the journal’s diverse readership.

Do Audiences Judge the Morality of Characters Relativistically? How Interdependence Affects Perceptions of Characters’ Temporal Moral Descent | PDF \nGrizzard M, Matthews N, Francemone C, et al. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n Abstract In two pre-registered studies, we leveraged recent advances to disposition theory to examine whether character judgments are relative. We used a Pilot Study to develop a moral continuum of behaviors for a hypothetical television series. We referenced our established moral continuum to create behavioral sequences that represented two characters descending into immorality. We manipulated whether one or both characters were present in the narrative. The simultaneous presence of both characters polarized participants’ moral evaluations of character behavior, categorization of the characters as heroic/villainous, and character liking. Our findings substantiate the systematic effects that character interdependence has on disposition formation. An improved understanding of narrative context can specify when between- and within-character comparisons occur and what effects character interdependence has on disposition theory’s processes. We discuss how narrative schemas, character schemas, and character networks can serve as the elements for explicating the role of narrative context in disposition theory.

Embodied Cognition and Media Engagement: When the Loneliness of the Protagonist Makes the Reader Sense Coldness (and Vice Versa) | PDF \nTal-Or N, Razpurker-Apfeld I. \n#HCR Human Communication Research Latest Issue \n\n Abstract Embodied cognition research documents the interplay between physical sensations and corresponding psychological experiences within the individual. Accordingly, physical warmth leads to a sense of social inclusion, and being socially rejected leads to physical coldness. In the current research, we demonstrate that these embodied cognition relationships also apply to a media consumer and a media character with whom the consumer identifies. In Study 1, participants ( N   =  120) read one of four narratives in which we manipulated identification with the protagonist and her social exclusion/inclusion situation. In Study 2 ( N   =  120), the narrative described the protagonist experiencing coldness/warmth in high/low identification conditions. The findings suggest that when the character experiences either the physical or the psychological state, the identifying consumer consequently experiences either psychological feelings or physical sensations, respectively. We discuss potential limitations of the study and also its contribution to media psychology and to embodied cognition research.