Abstract This study examined how highly under-resourced Latina/o/x/e families used technologically mediated communication to maintain their relationship when experiencing migration-based family separation. Drawing on relational maintenance literature, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 family triads, each including a father, mother, and child (children between 9 and 17 years old). The findings extend past research on relational maintenance by elucidating how structural barriers and culture contribute to tensions in relational maintenance and by providing within-family and between-family triangulated perspectives. Across families, three recurring relational maintenance strategies were consistently tensional: (a) sustaining routine contact, (b) prioritizing real-time interaction, and (c) practicing selective disclosure. The findings from within-family and between-family analyses showed how relational maintenance, which was primarily mediated by technology, became highly tensional under structural barriers and cultural norms and had unevenly distributed costs for family members.
Organizational socialization is challenging for anyone, but especially for individuals with stigmatized identities, such as autistic people. Although the modern workforce is increasingly neurodiverse, autistic individuals continue to face persistent socialization challenges rooted in neuronormative expectations embedded in the social, cognitive, and sensorial environments of the workplace, which often conflict with autistic ways of relating, thinking, and feeling in organizations. Drawing on literature on organizational socialization and assimilation, stigma, autism, and neurodiversity, and interviews with 31 autistic workers, we theorize assimilation labor: the deliberate, sustained, and often invisible efforts individuals with stigmatized identities expend to adapt to normative expectations. We identify the structural conditions that give rise to assimilation labor, describe the individual practices through which it is enacted, and discuss theoretical and practical implications for understanding and recognizing the disproportionate burdens stigmatized individuals face "behind the scenes" during organizational socialization.
Current explanations for political divides in entertainment media use identify divergent preferences for or evaluations of content. According to the theory of normative social behavior (TNSB), extratextual information such as cues about the audience may also influence exposure intentions due to viewers' perceptions of ingroup norms. Social media users discuss and form communities around entertainment content while conveying partisan and racial identities. A preregistered experiment exposed Black and White partisans (N = 1,259) to tweets in which a television show was endorsed by co- or out-partisans who were racial in- or out-group members. Exposure intentions were stronger when endorsement came from co-partisans; however, this effect was stronger for White partisans. Treatment effects were mediated by perceived ingroup norms and perceptions of how much of the audience consisted of ingroup members. Implications of multiple identities (i.e., race and partisanship) for the TNSB and the study of partisan entertainment divides are discussed.
This daily diary study examined dynamic processes of relational turbulence theory. Dating partners (N = 202) completed measures of pretest relationship uncertainty, followed by 30 days of daily rumination and relational turbulence, and then posttest collaborative planning. Using dynamic structural equation modeling with random effects, we found that for the typical partner: (a) on days when they ruminated more about their relationship than usual, they experienced greater than usual relational turbulence; and (b) when partners experienced more than typical turbulence on a day, the next day they ruminated more than usual. We found that partners who had higher (c) month-long averages in rumination, (d) ruminative inertia, and (e) ruminative volatility had higher averages in month-long relational turbulence. We also found that individual differences in partners' relationship uncertainty predicted person-specific daily rumination (means, volatility) and relational turbulence (means, inertia, volatility), but only relational turbulence averages, in turn, predicted future collaborative planning.
Scholars have worried that messages about racial equity can produce backlash from White respondents. Drawing upon psychological reactance theory, we compared cognitive and affective responses to a message emphasizing how a redistributive policy would benefit everyone (universalist message) to a message that also emphasized how the policy would especially benefit minoritized racial groups (targeted universalist message) among a sample of 871 White Americans. Participants in the targeted universalist condition experienced more anger, endorsed more harmful stereotypes about racial outgroups, and saw the government as less responsible for addressing poverty than participants in the universalist condition. Mediation analyses suggest that anger, stereotyping, and perceived government responsibility have a negative, indirect effect on policy support. Our findings underscore the need for future work to identify strategies for communicating about racial equity that avoid activating harmful stereotypes.
In times of diverse media choices, the context in which choices are made can influence news exposure and opinion change. Inspired by the marketing concept of the choice set, we conducted two experiments in the US (N1 = 731; N2 = 396) to examine how choice set size (number of articles presented at a time) and composition (ratio of supportive "pro" to opposing "anti" articles) affect news exposure, attitudes, and intentions. Smaller choice sets with fewer articles led individuals to select fewer articles overall and fewer cross-cutting articles that challenged preexisting attitudes. Choice set composition did not affect whether individuals engaged with articles or their overall news exposure, but it shaped which articles they chose: the selection and browsing of cross-cutting news differed notably between homogeneous (all pro or all anti) and mixed sets. Neither choice set size nor composition systematically affected attitudes or behavioral intentions in the short term.
A large body of experimental evidence has contributed to our understanding of Mood Management Theory (MMT) in the context of music. Extant research, however, lacks insights into everyday mood regulation through music listening, especially on music streaming services, where users' choices are shaped by both self-selection and algorithmically personalized recommendations. Hence, we tested MMT using a novel in situ approach and investigated whether variations in self- versus algorithmically personalized music choices would moderate MMT's proposed relationships between mood and music use. In a preregistered, two-week study, we combined experience sampling surveys with logged music streaming and audio feature metadata obtained via the Spotify API, utilizing 6,864 surveys from 144 listeners. Results largely indicated no support for MMT's predictions. In addition, higher algorithmic personalization did not reinforce or distort MMT-related patterns. Our findings suggest re-specifying classic entertainment theories, such as MMT, for novel technological and methodological conditions.
People prefer attitude-consistent information over attitude-inconsistent information (congeniality bias). Connecting theory on the processing of stories to selective exposure theory, we assumed that the congeniality bias is reduced or even nullified when it comes to fictional messages. Across two experiments examining two different, polarizing topics (refugees, N1 = 1,326; theistic faith, N2 = 1,316) a highly consistent pattern of results could be observed: Participants were more willing to read a narrative message (exposure preference) in which the story events were in line with their attitudes rather than a message contrasting attitudes. This congeniality bias was unaffected by the fictionality of the information (i.e., whether the events were introduced as a fictional short story or a non-fictional journalistic reportage). Interestingly, the congeniality bias emerged for positive characterizations of refugees or theistic faith but not for negative characterizations. Implications regarding the role of fictionality and congeniality in selective exposure are discussed.
Body-focused influencers are ubiquitous on social media, promoting diverse messages around physical appearances, fitness, and self-acceptance. This longitudinal study investigates how repeated exposure to body-positive, fitspirational, and nonbody-focused influencers shapes users' parasocial relationship development, wishful identification, appearance-based social comparison, and body satisfaction over a 3-week period. Using a mobile-based experience sampling method, participants were exposed to daily influencer content and completed surveys at four time points (Nt1(Day 1) = 181, Nt2(Day 8) = 155, Nt3(Day 15) = 142, Nt4(Day 22) = 112). Findings show that parasocial relationships developed most strongly with the body-positive influencer, while no significant increase was found for the fitspirational and control conditions. Over time, exposure to body-positive content led to increases in wishful identification and body satisfaction, whereas fitspirational content did not produce significant longitudinal effects. Social comparison intensity was higher in both body-focused conditions compared to the control, but remained stable over time.
This paper proposes a framework for understanding people’s relational introspections with machines. Through a social information processing lens, we argue that such introspections begin with relative perceptions of two basic traits: communion (prosocial intentionality) and agency (goal-pursuit capacities) for both machine and user. These relative perceptions are then interpreted through relational schemas in the short term and regulated by trust in the long term––jointly shaping relational behaviors toward the machine (e.g., intention to use). We surveyed three US samples of various AI-technology users (college students, N = 438; MTurk participants, N = 1,023; Prolific participants, N = 726, matched to census demographics). Results consistently showed that (a) intention to use such a machine was driven by self-agency followed by machine-communion, whereas machine-agency and self-communion had no direct impact, and (b) the relative importance of these trait perceptions was mediated by certain relational schemas and moderated by trust across respondents.
Exiting the totalistic and intensively focused structure of missionary service prompts sense-making as missionaries return and adapt to life at home. Drawing from organizational, religious, and interpersonal communication literature, we use the communicated sense-making model to explore how 26 Christian missionaries made sense of their experiences and post-missionary identity. Our findings suggest that missionaries used three sense-making devices-metaphors, memorable messages, and personifications-to find certainty in uncertainty, mobilize identity work, and position themselves toward others. We extend the communicated sense-making model by clarifying the functions of sense-making devices, introducing personification as a novel sense-making device, and proposing in-group vernacular as a shared set of linguistic and ideological resources that can enable or constrain sense-making surrounding difficult life events and transitions.
Using internet technologies exposes individuals to constant surveillance by companies and other actors. Perceptions of constant surveillance—termed “dataveillance”—are theorized to induce chilling effects (i.e., inhibiting legal and legitimate online activities) posing risks to individuals and societies. In this preregistered longitudinal 3-wave experiment (N = 774), we investigate whether news articles addressing constant online surveillance induce feelings of dataveillance and behavioral inhibitions. Moreover, we extend theoretical notions of dataveillance by examining whether perceived dataveillance relates to other factors that drive privacy behaviors—privacy resignation and critical privacy literacy. Results of Bayesian random-effects within–between models indicate that perceived dataveillance is positively associated with inhibited behaviors, resignation, and literacy. However, these relations only pertain to the between-person level as the within-person associations are possibly too small to be meaningful. Critical privacy literacy might be central for privacy behaviors as we find both between- and within-person associations with self-inhibition.
Social media activities do not occur in isolation, and it is possible that the well-being effects of an initial activity modify the effects of a subsequent one. This article examines this possibility by focusing on a specific, theoretically grounded sequence of social media activities: engaging with one's own profile self-presentation (i.e., a self-affirmational activity) followed by browsing a superior peer's profile (i.e., an activity eliciting upward social comparison). Two pre-registered experiments were conducted. Study 1 confirmed that both reviewing and crafting one's own Instagram self-presentation provided self-affirmational benefits, reducing participants' defensiveness and inducing positive affect. Study 2 showed that becoming self-affirmed by engaging with one's own Instagram self-presentation diminished feelings of envy resulting from browsing a superior peer's self-presentation. By conceptualizing and empirically testing the interdependence of social media activities, this research offers a framework for examining how sequences of social media activities jointly shape users' psychological experiences.
The belief in the capabilities of one's own group is crucial for joining collective action aimed at addressing large-scale societal crises like climate change. Drawing from the two-step flow of communication theory and behavioral models of collective action, we conducted two experimental studies and an innovative quasi-experimental field study (total N = 2,960). Across these studies, influencer messages increased collective response efficacy beliefs and political action intentions, particularly among followers with strong parasocial ties. Moreover, repeated exposure to an influencer's message reinforced these effects. Our research underscores the potential of influencers in mobilizing collective political action within digital media environments.
As political campaigns increasingly use social media to reach voters, scholars debate whether users actually acquire election-related knowledge or merely perceive themselves as more knowledgeable. It remains unclear whether social media enhances voting that aligns with users' political attitudes ("correct voting"). Previous studies suggest social media effects vary substantially based on whether exposure is intentional or incidental. In a between-subject online experiment (N = 1,460), participants scrolled through a social media feed exposing them to policy statements either intentionally, incidentally, or not at all before voting in a mock election. We found that both intentional and incidental exposure increased objective knowledge, whereas only intentional exposure enhanced subjective knowledge. Yet, participants did not translate the acquired knowledge into aligned voting. However, those who intentionally sought election information felt more confident in their voting decision. Our findings suggest social media may mobilize voters more effectively than it enables them to make "good" decisions.
This study explored the role of (dis)confirmation in family mental health conversations. One hundred sixteen parent-young adult child dyads from Black, Latinx, Asian, white, and multiethnic-racial families in the United States participated in a Zoom conversation about mental health. These conversations were analyzed using a phronetic iterative approach. The findings expand upon the concepts of acceptance and challenge to introduce further nuance to confirmation theory. Specifically, the authors proposed the constructs of strict and gentle challenge and considered the role of explicit, absent, and implicit acceptance in these conversations. Both individually and together, these constructs appeared to correspond with varying degrees of (dis)confirmation. The authors considered factors that corresponded with the appearance of (dis)confirmation, including openness as a precursor for confirmation, (dis)confirmation reinforcing or redefining normative beliefs, and the role of confirmation gaps. The authors explored the implications of these findings on confirmation theory and family mental health communication research.
As Human Communication Research begins a new editorial chapter, this editorial reaffirms the journal's longstanding commitment to theory-driven scholarship while addressing recurring challenges that shape how communication research is conceptualized, designed, and interpreted. Drawing from editorial experience and field-wide observations, I identify ten patterns-such as sidelining theory, prioritizing statistical effects over explanatory mechanisms, and equating analytical complexity with conceptual rigor-that signal misalignments between empirical practice and theoretical ambition. These challenges are mapped onto Chaffee and Berger's classic evaluative criteria to clarify where theoretical contributions often falter. In response, I outline an editorial vision centered on conceptual coherence, methodological alignment, and integrative theorizing. The editorial also introduces Commentaries and Catalysts, a new column designed to foreground theoretical insight and foster cross-paradigm dialogue. Together, these reflections aim to support authors and reviewers while inviting engagement with the standards, possibilities, and evolving responsibilities of cumulative theory-building in communication research.
This meta-analysis reviews the findings from 49 studies (N = 23,336) examining the association between interparental conflict and children feeling caught between parents (also referred to as parent-child triangulation). The cumulative evidence indicates a moderate, meaningful relationship between interparental conflict and children feeling caught (r = .402, 95% confidence interval: .366, .437). On average, the positive association was stronger when researchers used: (a) samples that included both intact and post-divorce family members as opposed to only intact or post-divorce families; (b) samples that included young adult children as opposed to adolescent children; (c) cross-sectional as opposed to longitudinal research designs; (d) children's reports of interparental conflict as opposed to parents' reports or observational ratings; and (e) individuals as the unit of analysis as opposed to triads. Implications for developing a communication theory of feeling caught are discussed.
Psychological reactance is one of the underlying mechanisms of message effects on persuasion outcomes. We conducted meta-analyses across 28 articles, comprising 33 studies and 146 effect sizes (2005-2024), to examine (a) message effects on psychological reactance and (b) the influence of psychological reactance on persuasion outcomes. Results showed that high freedom-threatening language increased anger (k = 28, r = .21), negative cognitions (k = 25, r = .17), and psychological reactance (k = 53, r = .20) compared to low freedom-threatening language. These effects were moderated by behavior repetitiveness and communication modality. However, gain vs. loss framing showed no significant differences in anger (k = 6, r = -.03), negative cognitions (k = 6, r = -.01), or psychological reactance (k = 12, r = -.02). Both anger (r = -.23, k = 42) and negative cognitions (r = -.18, k = 39) were negatively associated with persuasion outcomes.
In an online experiment, 498 U.S. Black parents (child aged 3-5, 9-11, 15-17) were randomized to imagine their child had "an okay day" or experienced peer racism. They watched four age-appropriate video trailers that varied in affective tone (positive vs. mixed) and theme (race-related vs. not), rated their likelihood of encouraging their child to watch each and selected one. Regardless of condition and child age, encouragement was higher for race-related versus "nonracial" videos. Parents in the racism (vs. okay day) condition had greater odds of selecting race-related content, including racism depictions. As such, results were more consistent with the Selective Exposure Self- and Affect-Management model than Mood Management predictions. Perceptions of child identity strength and parent identity strength predicted encouragement; parent identity strength predicted selection; child age group mostly did not predict outcomes. Effects of condition on selection of racial vs. entertainment content were mediated by three types of goals. Public significance This study suggests U.S. Black parents can see value in showing their child age-appropriate content featuring racial pride messages and youth racism experiences. Following a child racism experience, Black parents had greater inclinations to select both types of race-related content over race-unrelated content, with little differences by child age.
