Communication Research Articles

Pantomimic fossils in modern human communication.

Bodily mimesis, the capacity to use the body representationally, was one of the key innovations that allowed early humans to go beyond the ‘baseline’ of generalized ape communication and cognition. We argue that the original human-specific communication afforded by bodily mimesis was based on signs that involve three entities: an expression that represents an object (i.e. communicated content) for an interpreter. We further propose that the core component of this communication, pantomime, was able to transmit referential information that was not limited to select semantic domains or the ‘here-and-now’, by means of motivated—most importantly iconic—signs. Pressures for expressivity and economy then led to conventionalization of signs and a growth of linguistic characteristics: semiotic systematicity and combinatorial expression. Despite these developments, both naturalistic and experimental data suggest that the system of pantomime did not disappear and is actively used by modern humans. Its contemporary manifestations, or pantomimic fossils, emerge when language cannot be used, for instance when people do not share a common language, or in situations where the use of (spoken) language is difficult, impossible or forbidden. Under such circumstances, people bootstrap communication by means of pantomime and, when these circumstances persist, newly emergent pantomimic communication becomes increasingly language-like.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Reconstructing prehistoric languages’.

Targeting Missed Care Opportunities Using Modern Communication Methods: A Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Access to CT and MRI Appointments

To evaluate the impact of automated text and phone call reminder systems on CT (computed tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) missed care opportunities. This was an IRB (institutional review board) exempt prospective interventional quality improvement study. The proportion of missed care opportunities (appointment made, no imaging performed) related to scheduled CT and MRI examinations were evaluated over 2 months (Month 1: reminder phone calls by staff 48-96 hours prior and mailed letter 1-2 weeks prior; Month 2: no manual call or letter, automated text message 24 hours prior, automated phone call 72 hours prior, automated patient portal message 7 days prior). The proportion of missed care opportunities was calculated in aggregate and by modality. Process control p-charts were generated. An a priori power analysis was performed. Chi-squared tests were performed. p-value < 0.017 was considered significant after Bonferroni correction. Missed care opportunities occurred for 2.82% (292/10348; 95% CI: 2.51-3.16) of all CT and MRI appointments using traditional communication and 2.44% (262/10719; 95% CI: 2.16-2.75) using automated communication (p = 0.09). Automated messaging did not significantly change the proportion of missed care opportunities for CT (traditional: 2.62% [95% CI: 2.23-3.06] vs. automated: 2.06% [95% CI: 1.70-2.48], p = 0.05) or MRI (traditional: 3.1% [95% CI: 2.60-3.66] vs. automated: 2.83% [95% CI: 2.40-3.30], p = 0.43). Process control p-charts showed dominance of common cause variation. Automated messaging did not meaningfully change the overall proportion of missed care opportunities compared to traditional human-initiated phone calls. Automated communications may reduce cost and improve efficiency without adversely affecting access to care.

Public precaution awareness: a case study from Google search trend during Covid-19 outbreak in Indonesia

Objective: The global outbreak of COVID-19 is emerged recently and this poses stress on health and well-being of the people in the worldwide including in Indonesia. Public interest in this new issue largely reflects people’s attention to COVID-19 and their willingness to take precautionary actions. This study aimed to examine public awareness on the prevention of COVID-19 using Google Trend (GT) . Methods: Using GT, we retrieved public query data for the term of (coronavirus, handwashing, hand sanitizer and facemask) between 12 December 2019 and 4 April 2020 in the specific locations of Indonesia nationwide and several provinces. The correlation between daily search volumes on the topic related to COVID-19 and the daily number of people infected with COVID-19 was analyzed. Results: Our studies observed the overall search trend of RSV regarding COVID-19 after the global outbreak and the announcement of first covid-19 case in Indonesia, the search related to COVID-19, and other defined terms in Indonesia increased rapidly. In addition, search related to face mask were gradually increased. Searches for face mask and hand sanitizer is more popular than handwashing. There is a positive correlation between daily RSV on COVID-19 and other defined terms and the daily number of people infected with COVID-19 nationwide ( p <0·05). There are various interest to RSV related to COVID-19, and public awareness of COVID-19 was almost similar in some provinces, particularly searches related to facemask and hand sanitizer. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrates that GT could potentially define the proper timing and location for practicing appropriate risk communication strategies to prevent the spread of emerging disease. The study demonstrates that government should strengthen the publicity of COVID- 19 nationally, reinforce the public's awareness on the prevention of COVID-19 and finally inform the importance of protecting individuals with appropriate and affordable precautionary measures.

The Relationship between EFL Teachers’ Classroom Management Skills and Their Immediacy as Perceived by Their Learners

The Relationship between EFL Teachers’ Classroom Management Skills and Their Immediacy as Perceived by Their Learners

Tibetan Macaques with Higher Social Centrality and More Relatives Emit More Frequent Visual Communication in Collective Decision-Making.

Simple SummaryIt is well known that visual communication plays an important role in collective decision-making. However, there is not much research on the influencing factors of visual signals, especially kinship and social relations. In this study, we not only confirmed the function of visual communication in collective decision-making, but also found the effect of kinship and social relations on visual communication. Tibetan macaques with higher social centrality and more relatives emit more frequent visual communication, providing a reference for further research on decision-making. Understanding the link between communication and decision-making can elucidate the powers of group maintenance in animal societies.Animals on the move often communicate with each other through some specific postures. Previous studies have shown that social interaction plays a role in communication process. However, it is not clear whether the affinity of group members can affect visual communication. We studied a group of free-ranging Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Huangshan Mountain, China, and answered whether and how social centrality or relatives matter in visual signals during group movement using Tobit regression modeling. All individuals emitted the signals of back-glances and pauses in collective movement. The emission of two signals decreased with the number of participants increased. The back-glance and pause signals emitted by the participating individuals were stronger as the position moved backward in the group. Sex, age, and rank had no significant influence on back-glance and pause signals. Individuals with higher social centrality would emit more pause signals, but social centrality had no effect on the back-glance signal. Individuals with more relatives in the group had more back-glance signals, but this had no effect on the pause signal. This study verifies that social centrality and the number of relatives have effects on visual signals in Tibetan macaques. We provide insights into the relationship between communication behaviors and group cooperation in social animals.

A pilot of modified Conversation Analytic Role-play Method for one-to-one clinical communication training

ObjectiveIt can be difficult to identify specific skills to improve communication, particularly if feedback is generalised or vague. With the aim of providing specific feedback for improved doctor-patient communication, we piloted a modified Conversation Analytic Roleplay Method (CARM) for one-to-one training. MethodsWe recorded one surgical registrar during ward rounds in a hospital. These seven consultations were then analysed and an individualised CARM workshop, utilising the findings and related published evidence, was developed and delivered. One month after this workshop, another nine consultations were recorded and analysed. ResultsThere were three “trainables” identified in the initial analysis that formed the basis of the personalised workshop. Analysis of the post-training recordings showed that the verbal behaviours were mostly modified but the non-verbal behaviour generally was not. ConclusionBy facilitating reflection on and close analysis of his own interaction using CARM, we were able to assist this doctor in modifying some of his communication behaviours. Practice implicationsPersonalised video-based training enables the identification of an individual’s practice, allowing for specific feedback and engaging participants with the analysis of their own talk. This makes it potentially an ideal method for helping those struggling to improve with other training methods.

Current innovative trends in the CIS national libraries

The findings of the study of the development strategies of the CIS na-tional libraries with the reference to the national specifics of the innovative ac-tivities are presented. The goal of the study is to facilitate the cooperation of the libraries within the Commonwealth of Independent States. The analyzed vast em-pirical data is based on expert assessments, consultation papers, publications in periodicals, reports and the libraries’ websites. Sociological and statistical me-thods and comparative analysis were applied. The major problem the national libraries are facing is due to their different degree of digitalization. Based on the empirical data analysis, the major trends were revealed: the key projects are aimed at providing online access to the possibly most complete collections of the CIS national libraries. The current data provided in the paper are predominantly about technological innovations. The CIS national libraries are focused on the programs of e-libraries including national electronic libraries (NELs); projects of global academic Open Access, and structural transformations (designing virtual reading rooms, digital resources sections, book museums, etc.), and educational projects. Innovations have been the strategic priority of the CIS national libraries. Implementing modern information communication technologies facilitates buil-ding common library and information space of the CIS states, while innovative activities enables sharing plans and projects for the CIS national libraries.

Microwave Frequency Demodulation Using two Coupled Optical Resonators with Modulated Refractive Index

Traditional electronic frequency demodulation of a microwave frequency voltage is challenging because it requires complicated phase-locked loops, narrowband filters with fixed passbands, or large footprint local oscillators and mixers. Herein, a different frequency demodulation concept is proposed based on refractive index modulation of two coupled microcavities excited by an optical wave. A frequency-modulated microwave frequency voltage is applied to two photonic crystal microcavities in a spatially odd configuration. The spatially odd perturbation causes coupling between the even and odd supermodes of the coupled-cavity system. It is shown theoretically and verified by finite-difference time-domain simulations how careful choice of the modulation amplitude and frequency can switch the optical output from on to off. As the modulating frequency is detuned from its off value, the optical output switches from off to on. Ultimately, the optical output amplitude is proportional to the frequency deviation of the applied voltage making this device a frequency-modulated-voltage to amplitude-modulated-optical-wave converter. The optical output can be immediately detected and converted to a voltage that would result in a frequency-demodulated voltage signal. Or the optical output can be fed into a larger radio-over-fiber optical network. In this case the device presents a compact, low power, and tunable route for multiplexing frequency-modulated voltages with amplitude-modulated optical communication systems. The resulting system requires modest modulation amplitudes and operates at frequencies relevant for modern communication systems. The cavity designs have realistic quality factors that are well within the range of experimental implementation. The role of modulation sidebands in reducing switching contrast is explored, and two methods for mitigating these effects are demonstrated.

Work-related social media use: The mediating role of social media communication self-efficacy

Social media use has become an indispensable part of knowledge work. Employees posting work-related content on social media are considered credible sources of information and have significant importance for how stakeholders, such as potential customers and future employees, perceive the organization. Therefore, employees’ ability to communicate about their work on social media has become a competitive advantage both for individual employees and for their organizations, especially in the professional service sector. Hence, understanding the role of employees’ ability to use these social media professionally is crucial for understanding the communicative behaviors of contemporary knowledge workers. In this study, we draw on social cognitive theory and focus on the antecedents and consequences of self-efficacy in individuals’ work-related communication on social media. The results show that perceived organizational commitment, clarity of communicative role, social media training, and prior experience with social media serve as antecedents of communication self-efficacy and subsequent work-related communication on social media. Thus, organizations and particularly management, have several aspects directly within the scope of their control that may aid employees in engaging in the professional use of social media. The paper contributes to the literature on employees’ communication behavior and provides important and actionable insights for management and the development of human resources.

Factors influencing patient participation in medication counseling at the community pharmacy: A systematic review.

Findings document that patient participation in pharmacy encounters is associated with favorable outcomes. However, there is a need to understand factors that may enhance or hinder patient engagement and pharmacist counseling behaviors during their medication discussions. This review aims to: (1) identify barriers and facilitators for patient engagement in pharmacy consultations, (2) explore the relationship between patient factors (such as demographics and communication behavior) and subsequent pharmacist counseling behavior. A systematic review of literature using PRISMA guidelines examined studies published in English addressing influences on patient participation and the relationship between patient factors and pharmacist counseling behavior. Four databases were used - PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Findings were framed thematically within the constructs of Street's Linguistic Model of Patient Participation in Care (LM). Fifty studies from 1983 to 2019, including 37 using self-reported data, were identified. Patient involvement in patient-pharmacist communication was influenced by enabling factors such as patient knowledge, communication skills, and pharmacy environment. Predisposing factors for participation ranged from patients' beliefs and past experiences to demographic characteristics such as gender and age. Pharmacists' participative behavior with patients was positively associated with patients' engagement and perceived patient cues in the conversation. This systematic review identified predictors of patients' engagement in pharmacy encounters drawing on LM framework. Various predisposing factors, enabling factors, and pharmacist' responses impacted patients' willingness to actively participate in medication counseling at community pharmacies. Equally important, studies documented considerable impact by patients on pharmacists' counseling behavior. Pharmacy encounters should no longer be viewed as controlled simply by pharmacists' expertise and agendas. Patient characteristics and factors such as patient question-asking and expectations also appear to be associated with and influence patient-pharmacist interpersonal communication. Additional research needs to address the identified facilitators and barriers to enhance patient participation and pharmacist counseling behavior.

A Communication Audit Exercise to Enhance Virtual Team and Individual Communication Skills

This article outlines a unique student activity designed to close the gap between students’ perceived and actual communication and team behavior during virtual group meetings. The Communication Audit exercise requires that students record an online small group meeting and then review the recording while categorizing each verbal remark into observable behaviors aligned to the instructor’s learning objectives. The audit delivers objective data to students concerning their team habits and leads to excellent discussions of opportunities to improve team dynamics and individual contributions to a team process.

Health protection messaging for populations susceptible to air pollution during landscape fire smoke events: an integrative review.

Public health communication strategies to protect against the health impacts of air pollution due to landscape fire are becoming increasingly urgent in Australia. How well the public, particularly susceptible populations, are receiving, understanding and acting upon health protection messages related to smoke events is poorly understood. This integrative review sought literature relevant to health protection messaging for smoke events, including appropriate message content and suitable message delivery, with a focus on vulnerable and sensitive populations. Using an exhaustive search strategy of databases and grey literature, 26 relevant articles were identified and thematically analysed to produce a synthesis of findings on key themes. Findings indicated that a variety of traditional and modern communication channels are needed to ensure health messages are received by thosemost at-risk and should consider locally relevant information. A key theme to emerge in this review was the need for health messaging to susceptible populations to commence in advance of bushfire seasons to facilitate health protective actions being taken. During the acute-phase of smoke events, messages that were short with non-technical advice, were recalled and complied with more often. The need to improve the consistency ofmessage content was a recurrent theme in the literature and suggested a need for greater interagency collaboration and communication. Preliminary evidence from smartphone app studies show promising results for targeted communication, however, more robust research is needed on the efficacy of these communication channels. Further research is also needed on the health impacts of smoke events, related compounding issues and strategies to reduce health risks, to better inform health protection messaging to susceptible populations.

INFLUENCE OF RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS ON STUDENTS’ INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION BEHAVIOR

This study sought to provide research results on the limited studies conducted on the influence of religious affiliations and interpersonal communication behavior. Multi-stage sampling was used to survey 202 students at Central Luzon State University. Results were analyzed and interpreted using descriptive and inferential analysis. Most of the respondents are female, 18 to 24 years old, The most dominant religion of the respondents is Roman Catholicism and some of them are members of Lakas Angkan Youth Fellowship (LASO). The religious activity that is most attended by the respondents is church mass. In terms of religiosity, almost all of the respondents strongly agreed that nurturing faith is necessary. The most preferred sources of religious information were as well found to be the most accessible sources of religious information (i.e. television, radio, and online social media and websites). Moreover, the most preferred channel of religious information was as well found to be the most accessible channels of religious information (i.e. small group discussions, large group discussions, and public discussion). The most dominant interpersonal communication behavior that the respondents portray is assertive communication behavior (i.e. respectful, confident, and contented). Results show that there is no relationship between the interpersonal communication behavior of students and their profile and religious background. On the other hand, there is a relationship between assertive communication behavior and flyer as a source of information and small group discussion as a channel of information. There is also a relationship between passive-aggressive communication behavior and flyer and comics as sources of information.

Нейрогенетика мозга: сон и долголетие человека

Human brains are biological, biophysical, neurophysiological and medico-social paradigms of information exchange. Modern communications are multilevel, multi-paradigm and interdisciplinary models of information exchange. The new competencies of psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology and psychoneuroimmunology play a strategic role in interdisciplinary science and interdisciplinary planning and decision-making. The introduction of multi-vector neurotechnologies of artificial intelligence and the principles of digital health care will contribute to the development of modern neuroscience and neuromarketing. Neurogenetics is a center for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research using advanced methods, with the participation of 5P Medicine and 5G technology. Human genome sequencing was an important scientific milestone that revolutionized biology and medicine. The Human Genome Project is a neurogenetic routing from the 20th to the 21st century, numerous discoveries due to the collaboration between discerning clinicians and technically innovative fundamental scientists. Genomic engineering, genome editing and gene editing refer to modifications (inserts, deletions, substitutions) in the genome of a living organism. Modern genome editing is based on clustered regularly alternating short palindromic repeats and associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9). In prokaryotes, CRISPR-Cas9 is an adaptive immune system that naturally protects cells from viral DNA infections. CRISPR-Cas9 has been modified to create a universal genome editing technology that has a wide range of applications in medicine, agriculture and basic gene function research. sleep is the main tool and mechanism in the formation of cognitive memory, its quantitative and qualitative volume, the integration of the transition to a qualitatively new level of self-development and self-improvement, which allows you to create a new intellectual “qualifying mind”. The 21st century Homo sapiens will have the ability to understand physiological and neurophysiological sleep patterns, manage and change their sleep habits. Digitization of sleep is the future for the development of industry, health, science and personalized health.

Psychological Peculiarities of Understanding Communicative Behavior of People from English-Speaking Countries

The aim of this research is to define psychological peculiarities of understanding communicative behavior of people from English-speaking countries. Methods of the research. As for general scientific methods, the method of induction, deduction, analysis and synthesis, comparative and descriptive methods and explanatory one are used. The results of the research. It was shown that the perception and understanding of communicative behavior of people from English-speaking countries in a great degree was actualized through the image. The latter is not just the result of the person’s imagination, but a visual generalization that accompanies the verbal explication of the man’s thoughts through the Englishmen / women pointing gestures. If the pointing gesture is separated from the whole paradigm of perception as a certain object of interest from the environment, especially situational, then the separation, for example, is a part of this object in relations to a specially selected or constructed space indicates the supra-situational attitude of the recipient to a certain object and the creation of the most stable way of existence of the object itself, in addition to its connections with the pointing gesture. Thus, the pointing gesture is transformed into a paradigm of conditional space, further transformations of which facilitates the emergence of the «pointing field» in the system of the perception and understanding of communicative behavior of people from English-speaking countries. Conclusions. The actualization of communicative behavior of people from English-speaking countries by recipients takes place in a conditional space close to a real life. Communicative behavior of people from English-speaking countries contributes to the fact that speech activity will be «grouped» around the image and creative practices. Conditionally, space becomes a paradigm of the most significant and valuable content, which initially embodied a certain image, specially created by the addressee. In other words, the selection of this speech image became the basis for the construction of the individual model of the world by recipients. Ritualized real actions, which contain the «products» of all kinds of creative practices in their structure, represent a symbolic form of the primary image, which is created by recipients from the very beginning of the actualization of communicative behavior of people from English-speaking countries

Changing Negative Personality Protection to Successful Strategies for Coping with Stress in the Psycholinguistic Aspect

The aim of the article. Based on the theoretical analysis of cognitive schemes, scenario matrices of destructive games and their transactions, the author tries to apply his own psychotherapeutic method «Exit from the triangle of S. Karpman». Methods. Theoretical analysis of psychotherapeutic areas of work with the problem of Victim in psychological science is used. The attention is paid to the causes of the stress problem, in particular, the usual ways of human response to stress: schemes, scenarios, scenario prescriptions, scenario matrices. Research of empirical indicators of efficiency of application of a new method: projective technique of O. S. Romanova and T. I. Sitko «Man in the rain»; stress diagnosis, based on Max Luscher’s colour cards; author’s method «Diagnosis of stress resistance of the individual»; E. P. Ilyin’s method of «Transaction analysis»; method of clinical conversation. The results of the research. Most people who need to develop stress resistance in the initial stages raise the issue of interdependent relationships with aggressors or victims and apply negative protections, which generally contributes to inadequate responses to stress. Exemption from the internal causes of dependence, from destructive defences and schemes and the transition to a state of voluntary observer gives a person the opportunity to choose ways to react to stress, coping strategies, life scenarios, plan for the future, live your own life. The author carried out a theoretical analysis of the psycholinguistic aspect of personality development. In particular, the communicative behaviour of the individual is studied: communicative-cognitive schemes, transactional script prescriptions and drivers. The study paid special attention to such psychotherapeutic areas as psychoanalytic, Gestalt, cognitive-behavioural, neurolinguistic integrated programming. They provided an opportunity to reveal the essence and content of the psycholinguistic messages of the Victim, the Persecutor and the Saviour. Conclusion. The results of empirical diagnostics indicate the effectiveness of the method «Exit from the triangle of S. Karpman». Observations and conversations provided an opportunity to state the following: patients achieved the integration of all triangle roles, the level of self-awareness expanded, there was a change of negative programs to successful stress management strategies, the Victim’s role was changed to successful stress management strategies. The projective technique «Man in the rain» revealed elements of security and the absence of anxiety; M. Luscher’s colour test – the absence of internal conflict and the presence of healthy conditions. More than 100 participants of the training on the development of personality stress resistance were tested in the new method

Colour terms: native language semantic structure and artificial language structure formation in a large-scale online smartphone application

ABSTRACT Artificial language games give researchers the opportunity to investigate the emergence and evolution of semantic structure, i.e. the organisation of meaning spaces into discrete categories. A possible issue with this approach is that categories mightcarry over from participants’ native languages, a potential bias that has mostly been ignored. In a referential communication game, we compare colour terms from three different languages to those of an artificial language. We assess the similarity of the semantic structures and test the influence of the semantic structure on artificial language communication by comparing to a separate online naming task providing us with the native language semantic structure. Our results show that native and artificial language structures overlap at least moderately. Furthermore, communicative behaviour and performance were influenced by the shared semantic structure, but only for English-speaking pairs. These results imply a cognitive link between participants’ semantic structures and artificial language structure formation.

Coronavirus Disease 2019-Challenges Today and Tomorrow in Orthodontic Practice: A Review.

From the start of 2020, the world has witnessed the biggest health and humanitarian crisis in the modern century named coronavirus disease 2019. The rapid spread of infection created chaos and confusion across the globe. Like all other health professions, a timely and major reorganization of orthodontic services is challenging. Unlike other medical emergencies, an orthodontic emergency does not require immediate attention in most cases. With advances in the modern web-based communication systems, minor problems can be managed online in orthodontic practice. During an emergency, however, orthodontists have a moral obligation to treat and manage patients under the World Health Organization guidelines and protocol.

Time‐interleaving design of error‐feedback sigma‐delta modulators with infinite impulse response noise transfer function

Transceivers built to modern communication standards tend to be as digital as possible, including the radio-frequency stages. This forces the digital-to-analogue converters (DACs) in the transmitter section to have a large bandwidth. DACs based on sigma-delta (SD) modulation represent a good choice in modern digital technologies as they have a simple analogue circuitry with limited accuracy requirements. Error-feedback (EF) architectures are widely used in the realisation of SD modulators. In many applications, DAC output has a small number of bits. In that case, the noise transfer function (NTF) must be of high order (to achieve a high dynamic range) and of the infinite impulse response (IIR) type (for the sake of stability). Concerning its implementation, one of the main challenges comes from the speed limitation of the technology. In this sense, time-interleaving (TI) allows the designer a trade-off between complexity and speed. Transforming the EF architecture into its TI counterpart is not straightforward for IIR NTFs. A procedure for this transformation is proposed, and a case study is described for a third-order modulator. A method of coefficient rounding is also proposed to simplify the digital implementation of the modulator while avoiding mismatches between the parallel paths of the TI modulator.

“Are You Clean?” Encouraging STI Communication in Casual Encounters through Narrative Messages in Romance Novels

ABSTRACT Rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise among young women, and a key factor in STI prevention is partner communication about STIs. Because entertainment narratives are shown to positively influence behavior change, the current study examined whether exposure to a romance novel excerpt wherein successful STI communication was modeled (versus one without) was associated with increased STI communication intentions. Guided by the Integrative Model for Behavioral Prediction, we also explored potential cognitive mechanisms of narrative exposure (i.e., self-efficacy, attitudes, normative beliefs) on behavioral intentions. Results of an experimental study with single, sexually-active college aged females (N = 166), showed exposure to a narrative including behavioral modeling was associated with increased perceived injunctive norms for STI communication. Self-efficacy and descriptive norms were also associated with STI communication intentions. Results suggest that when developing text-based STI communication narratives, it may be particularly important to build self-confidence and frame STI communication behavior as something others do.