Threats to generalization in the use of elicited, purloined, and contrived messages in human communication research
- 1 January 1986
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Communication Quarterly
- Vol. 34 (1) , 55-65
- https://doi.org/10.1080/01463378609369620
Abstract
This paper discusses threats to valid generalization in the study of messages, focusing upon problems of external validity. Three classes of messages are examined and the special threats associated with each are described. Additionally, general problems which cut across these classes are indicated. It is suggested that replication of research efforts is the best procedure for exploring the limits of message generalization and that the discovery of such limits can be theoretically fruitful.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- On Generalizing Cabbages, Messages, Kings, and Several Other Things: The Virtues of MultiplicityHuman Communication Research, 1983
- DISCLOSURE STYLES AND A HINT AT THEIR GENESISHuman Communication Research, 1980
- Grammatical variations in persuasion: Effectiveness of four forms of request in door?to?door solicitations for fundsCommunication Monographs, 1979
- Diversity and density: Lexically determined evaluative and informational consequences of linguistic complexityCommunication Monographs, 1977
- Verbal behavior of interviewees: The effects of several situational variables on verbal productivity, disfluency, and lexical diversityJournal of Communication Disorders, 1976
- Two studies of the effects of linguistic diversity upon judgments of communicator attributes and message effectivenessCommunication Monographs, 1976
- TOWARD A MESSAGE-CENTERED THEORY OF PERSUASION: THREE EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF LANGUAGE INTENSITY1Human Communication Research, 1975
- THE EFFECTS OF OBSERVER EXPECTATIONS, TASK AMBIGUITY, AND MEDIUM OF PRESENTATION ON LOW- AND HIGH-INFERENCE JUDGMENTS OF COMMUNICATIVE BEHAVIOR1Human Communication Research, 1975
- The language-as-fixed-effect fallacy: A critique of language statistics in psychological researchJournal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 1973
- Prior attitude and language intensity as predictors of message style and attitude change following counterattitudinal advocacy.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1971