M.A. Student Theses
The thesis represents the author’s first major independent academic study and often is completed in preparation for further study at the graduate level (e.g., admission to a Ph.D. program).
2021
EMILEE AUSTIN
Title: COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout: Examining COVID-19 Vaccination Perceptions and Intention Among Nurses
Committee: Totzkay (Chair), Rittenour, Dillow
MADELEINE DIANE BUTCHER
Title: "Geeks and She-eks:" The Relationship Between Younger Women's Experiences in Popular Geek Culture and Their Interest in STEM Fields
Committee: Cohen (Chair), Rittenour, Totzkay
CHRISTIANA ROBEY
Title: Language Choice in Psychological Reactance in Instructor/Student Email Exchanges
Committee: Goodboy (Chair), Dillow, Totzkay
2020
RACHAEL E. PURTELL
Title: Interpersonal Influences on Interpretation of Workplace Sexual Harassment
Committee: Rittenour (Chair), Cohen, Myers
2019
ERIN C. SHELTON
Title: The Role of Accommodation in Mother-in-law/Daughter-in law Relationships
Committee: Rittenour (Chair), Martin, Myers
KOJI YOSHIMURA
Committee: Bowman (Chair), Banks, Cohen
2018
JANELLE VICKERS
Title: Communicated Sex Roles and Gender Identity Gaps
Committee: Rittenour (Chair), Dillow, Martin
2017
ANDREW NICHOLSON
Title: Fit to be Tied: Social Network Structures and Evaluation Apprehension
Committee: Banks (Chair), Bowman, Martin
MATTHEW J. THOMAS
Title: Identity Gaps and Perceived Racial Prejudice in the Grandparent-Grandchild
Relationship
Committee: Rittenour (Chair), Martin, Myers
2016
LEA SCHLUE
Title: Music Videos as Meaningful Entertainment?: Psychological Responses to Audio-Visual
Presentation of Song Narratives
Committee: Bowman (Chair), Cohen, Weber, Ed.D.
JOE A. WASSERMAN
Title: Board out of Your Mind: Mapping Players’ Mental Models of Game Systems and
Potentials for Systems-Thinking Instruction
Committee: Banks (Chair), Cohen, Martin
2014
ELZBIETA KLEIN
Title: Desired Leadership Styles in Classroom and Court: Comparing Ideal Coaching
& Teaching Styles of Collegiate Student-Athletes
Committee: Martin (Chair), A.Weber, K.Weber
2012
GREGORY A. CRANMER
Title: Color Blind?: The Use of Brawn and Brain Frames in the Framing of White and
Black Heisman Candidates
Committee: Bowman (Chair), Chory, Weber
2011
KELLY G. ODENWELLER
Title: Father-Son Family Communication Patterns and Gender Ideologies: A Modeling
and Compensation Analysis
Committee: Rittenour (Chair), Brann, Myers
2010
C. KYLE RUDICK
Title: Students’ Perceptions of Classroom Justice and Their Use of Politeness Strategies
Committee: Myers (Chair), Dillow, Rittenour
2009
COLLEEN C. MALACHOWSKI
Title: Stay or Leave? The Effects of Communicative Infidelity on Relationship Outcomes
Committee: Dillow (Chair), Brann, Weber
THOMAS L. MEADE
Title: The Dating Game: Cultivation Effects on Relational Investment
Committee: Westerman (Chair), Patterson, Cole
2008
TYLER M. LOUK
Title: An Intergroup Perspective on Family Targeted Hurtful Messages Used in Romantic
Relationships
Committee: Myers (Chair), Dillow, Martin
MEREDITH A. MITCHELL
Title: Muted Group Theory and U.S. Politics: Examining Third Parties and their Supporters
Committee: Martin (Chair), Weber, Cole
2007
KIMBERLY LEEZER
Title: Dialectical Tensions in Stroke Survivor Relationships
Committee: Brann (Chair), Dillow, Weber
KARISSA L. ZIGAROVICH
Title: Student-Instructor Conflict: The Impact of Instructor Communicative Characteristics
on Student Conflict-Handling Styles
Committee: Myers (Chair), Weber, Martin
2006
JUAN M. D’BROT IV
Title: Development of A Typology of Interracial Relationships
Committee: Avtgis (Chair), Weber, Myers
DAVID W. TIBBLES
Title: Communication Organizational Orientations in an Instructional Setting
Committee: Richmond (Chair), McCroskey, Weber
2005
VICKI E. BENNETT
Title: The Relationship between Relevance and Teacher Communication Behaviors
Committee: McCroskey (Chair), Richmond, Myers
MATTHEW LUKE SUTTON
Title: A Candidate’s Use of Aggressive Communication and the Electorate’s Response:
Predicting Presidential Election Outcomes
Committee: Avtgis (Chair), Martin, Weber
ELYCIA M. TAYLOR
Title: Gossip as an Interpersonal Communication Phenomenon
Committee: Weber (Chair), Martin, Myers
2004
DANIEL W. BREWSTER
Title: Stereotypical Perceptions of the Communication Behaviors of Gay Males
Committee: McCroskey (Chair), Richmond, Myers
VINCENT J. CICCHIRILLO
Title: The Effects of Personality Traits and Playing Video Games on Aggressive Thoughts
and Behaviors
Committee: Chory-Assad (Chair), Weber, Booth-Butterfield
KATIE NEARY DUNLEAVY
Title: Application of Turning Point Theory to Communication Following an Acquired
Disability
Committee: Booth-Butterfield (Chair), Martin, Myers
CHRISTINE E. KUNKLE
Title: Adolescents’ Perceptions of Interparental Conflict and the Impact on Their
Aggressive Communication Traits
Committee: Myers (Chair), Weber, Booth-Butterfield
2003
SARA R. BANFIELD
Title: The Effect of Teacher Misbehavior on Teacher Credibility and Affect
Committee: Richmond (Chair), McCroskey, Patterson
LEEANNE M. BELL
Title: Instructors’ Message Variables and Students’ Learning Orientation/Grade Orientation
and Affective Learning
Committee: Myers (Chair), Booth-Butterfield, McCroskey
ANDREW D. DOHANOS
Title: Fraternity and Sorority Member Perceptions of Homophily, Supportive Communication,
and Group Behavior as a Function of Control Expectancies
Committee: Avtgis (Chair), Weber, Booth-Butterfield
ANDREW J. MEROLLA
Title: The Impact of Past Dating Relationship Solidarity on Commitment, Satisfaction,
Investment, and Maintenance in Current Relationships
Committee: Weber (Chair), Booth-Butterfield, Myers
MARISSA F. RODGERS
Title: The Influence of Birth Order on Verbal Aggressiveness and Argumentativeness
Committee: Myers (Chair), Weber, Avtgis
ABIGAIL L. SOPKO
Title: Communication Apprehension and Accuracy of Decoding Nonverbal Signals: A Replication
and Extension of Schroeder and Ketrow (1997)
Committee: Martin (Chair), Myers, Weber
ALICIA M. VANDINE
Title: The Effects of Cancer on Interpersonal Relationships
Committee: Booth-Butterfield (Chair), Chory-Assad, Weber