Date of Award
1-1-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Specialization
Communication and Leadership
School or Department
School of Leadership Studies
First Advisor
Dr. Carolyn Cunningham
Second Advisor
Dr. John Caputo
Abstract
Paralinguistic cues are powerful non-verbal communication elements that have the ability to make even good news sound horrible or bad news more palatable. Drawing upon the hermeneutical phenomenology communication theory of Dilthey (1961) and Shannon’s (1949) communication channel model, this thesis targeted the six primary paralinguistic cues of fluidity, articulation, sonority, tempo, emotion, and dynamic intensity to discover how these cues interact and affect the credibility and palatability of a leader’s message. To facilitate remembrance of these cues, the acronym F.A.S.T.E.D. was coined and used. Three different groups consisting of managers, non-managers, and media and public relations professionals were surveyed to provide a triangulation of the data that helped identify these relationships. Research showed that these vocal cues were every bit as essential to an accurate understanding of the message as the actual words the leader employed to explain and compel both internal and external stakeholders. Further, the study indicates the importance of learning and applying these skills as well as a universality of their existence that transcends language barriers and cultural differences.
Recommended Citation
Reid, Monte Brian, "Paralinguistic Cues And Their Effect On Leader Credibility" (2013). Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses. 183.
https://repository.gonzaga.edu/comlead_etds/183
Included in
Communication Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Linguistics Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons
Comments
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