The #1 Resource for the Communication Field
Do you think male politicians have bigger heads than female politicians? If you answered yes, you’d be correct. But not if you were referring to ego. A new study published in the Psychology of Women Quarterly found that male politicians literally have bigger heads when portrayed in photographs. More specifically, the study found “face-ism” bias [...] Read more »
We know that nonverbal communication affects the way that other people perceive us, but social psychologist Amy Cuddy says that body language can also affect how we see ourselves. Nonverbal communication affects almost every aspect of our lives and often determines the people that we elect to public office, the grades that we receive in [...] Read more »
Tech blog Gizmodo has reportedly received a copy of the Apple Store’s closely guarded training manual, which introduces new employees (“Geniuses” in Apple parlance) to Apple’s empathetic customer service routines and policies. Apple has not confirmed that Gizmodo has a legitimate copy of the manual, however. The guide contains a list of “positive” and [...] Read more »
In a recent study, Stirling researcher Dr. Ana Roberts found that the chimpanzees used from 20-30 hand gestures as a means of communication. Roberts’ findings could reshape how we think about language evolution. “Chimpanzees use the gestures intentionally to elicit a desired response from other chimpanzees,” said Roberts. Read more »
There was a time when a school uniform on a student was proof of private school attendance. More and more, however, public schools have instituted dress codes that require uniforms. In many cases, these policies are based on the belief that uniforms are a quick and easy fix for school violence, bullying, inattention and a [...] Read more »
The pen is mightier than the sword, so they say. But did you know that the humble pen can also reveal hidden insights into your personality? The study of handwriting is known as ‘graphology’ and is taken very seriously in some circles. It is said that things like the roundness of your Ss and the [...] Read more »
With computer-mediated communication, reading and writing have become a tango. Text is ephemeral, disposable, spontaneous – much like real-time natural language. In fact, texting occurs at near-conversation rates. How does this alter our experience of the written word? When text communication approaches this rate of exchange, something new kicks in: emotions and fleeting thoughts get mingled with the generation of words. Read more »
With the selection of Howard Stern as a new panel member on America’s Got Talent, it made me realize that behind all his controversy, he’s doing something right. As a radio personality, talk show host, and prominent media figure, Howard Stern knows a few things about the world of communication. It makes sense considering he graduated magna cum laude with a communications degree from Boston University. Read more »
Credibility is everything. Newspapers that get the facts wrong are torn to shreds and politicians lacking experience don’t get elected, while people in lab coats command our respect immediately. Communication scholars define credibility as being the perception of one’s competence, trustworthiness, and goodwill. But as you probably know, perceptions can be hacked. Read more »
According to a report published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, voters may naturally prefer politicians who have deeper voices. Biologists from Duke University collaborated with a political scientist from the University of Miami to determine voter preferences regarding the pitch of a candidate’s voice. Read more »