Interpersonal Confirmation: A Paradigm for Conceptualization and Measurement.

Abstract

This paper is a preliminary attempt to specify what is by classifying and categorizing its observable phenomena as they occur in human interaction. It considers the problems in defining operationally this highly significant, but nebulous, aspect of communication and reviews the literature which alludes to confirmation and disconfirmation or provides descriptive material from which empirical indicators can be derived. Finally, it synthesizes and systematizes the indicators into a paradigm of four hierarchical levels, which permits testing of posited relationships and outcomes. The paper reports research procedures that refined and validated the model, as well as related research which has utilized the concept of interpersonal Confirmation. (Author) U S OEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION & WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE Of EOuCAT ION t1.4,` DO( UNit NT mA, NEE N REPRO DucED 14 AC TLY A' RtCFIvED FROM THE pt R$ON OROANIZAT tON ORIGIN ATING11 poiNts oF yiE Ou OPINIONS STATED DO NOT .,E %%ARIL y REPRE 'ENT OF F 1AL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION PO'Si I ION Ok POLICY INTERPERSONAL CONFIRMATION: A PARADIGM FOR CONCEPTUALIZATION AND MSASUREKENT Evelyn Sieburg In his Presidential Address to the 1973 International COMMUli cation Convention, Malcolm MacLean commented that There are many ways to kill the of man. It might be added that, aside from the finality of Killing man's spirit, there are even more ways to damage, mutilate, or cripple it. The awareness that man, through his communication, is capable of inflicting emotional damage on others of his kind has long been a stook -in -trade of theologians, poets, psychiatrists andcore recentlyhumanistic psyohologists, but has received scant attention fro* the speeoh communication discipline, in spite of its seeming relevanoe. Empirical data are especially lacking about painful or pleasurable outcomes of faceto-face interaction between persona. It is the purpose of this paper and of the research upon Whieh it is based, to take a preliminary step into this relatively untouched territory of our disoipline by examining a oonatrzot that nay be more closely related to man's spirit than to his tatellect. The specific goal of this undertaking is to identify the oommunicative components of confirmation, and to systematize the identified components into a oonoeptual paradigm that will permit empirical testing or posited relationships and outcomes. This paper summarizes the work done to date in developing a method for observing 'PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL P .S SEEN GRANTED BY rue] yn_ SiPbury to ERIC AND ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION FURTHER REPRO. DUCTION OUTSIDE THE ERIC SYSTEM REWIRES PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT OWNER 6. Evelyn Sieburg (Ph.D., University of Denver, 1969) is Assistant Professor of Speeoh Communication at the United States International University, San Diego, California. v'e BEST COPY AVAILABLE