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- Tom Socha
- Professor
- Communication & Theatre Arts
- 205 Va Beach Higher Ed Ctr
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Virginia Beach,
VA
23453
- 757-368-4114
- tsocha@odu.edu
- Web Page
- 23-year ODU communication scholar and professor specializing in family communication, chlildren's communication, and group communication. Past President of the Southern States Communication Association
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Education
- University of Iowa,
1988
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Major: Communication Studies
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Degree: Ph. D.
- University of Illinois at Chicago,
1982
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Major: Communication
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Degree: M.A.
- Loyola University Chicago,
1979
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Major: Communication
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Degree: B.A.
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Research Interests
- Positive communciation in relationships and groups acorss the lifespan, children's positive communication development, parent-child-socetal communication,
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Expertise
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Communication
- Family Communication; Parent-Child Communication; Lifespan Communication; Positive Communication
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Child Development
- Children's communication development; Humor development
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Family
- Family Communication; Family communciation with society
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Books
- Pitts, M. J., and Socha, T. (2012). Positive Communication in Helath and Wellness. New York: Peter Lang International Publishers.
- Socha, T., and Yingling, J. (2010). Families Communicating with Children. Cambridge: Polity.
- Socha, T., and Pitts, M. J. The Positive Side of Interpersonal Communication. New York: Peter Lang.
- Socha, T., and Stamp, G. (2009). Parents and children communcating with society. New York: Routledge.
- Socha, T., and Diggs, R. H. (1999). Communication, race, and family: Explorations of communication in Black, White, and Bi-Racial families. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Socha, T., and Stamps, G. H. (1995). Parents, children, and communication: Frontiers of theory and research. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
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Book Chapters
- Socha, T., and Pitts, M. J. (2012). Apples and Positive Messages,: Towards Healthy Communication Habits & Wellness.Positive Communication in Helath & Wellnes (pp. 299-304). New York: Peter lang International.
- Pitts, M. J., and Socha, T. (2012). Positive Communication in Creating Healthy Lives, Helathy Relatinships, and Healthy Institutiuons.Positive Communication in Health & Wellness. New York: Peter Lang Internatiional.
- Socha, T. (2012). Humorous communciation and children's social-cognitive development.Humor: Theory, Impact, Outcomes. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt.
- Socha, T., and Pitts, M. J. (2012). Coda: Positive Interpersonal Communication at child's play.The Positive Side of Interpersonal Communication. New York: Peter lang International.
- Socha, T., and Stamp, G. (2009). Expanding the parent-child communication research frontier.. New York: Routledge.
- Socha, T. (2008). Family as agency of potential: Towards a positive model of applied family communication theory and research.. New York: Routledge/Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Socha, T. (2006). Orchestrating and directing domestic potential through communication: Towards a Positive Reframing of “Discipline.”. (pp. 219-236). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
- Socha, T. (2004). Communication, families, and exploring the boundaries of cultural diversity.. (pp. 249-266). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Socha, T. (2002). Towards good global warming: Improvements in Inter-racial communication climate in Departments of Communication... Washington, DC: American Association for Higher Education..
- Socha, T. (2000). Using behavioral similarities to stimulate family conversation... NJ/DE: Kendall-Hunt.
- Socha, T., and Diggs, R. H. (1999). At the crossroads of communication, race, and family: Theory and research... Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Socha, T., and Biegle, J. (1999). Improving life at the crossroads: Family communication education and multi-cultural competence.. (pp. 209-227). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Socha, T. (1997). Group communication across the life span. (pp. 3-28). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.
- Socha, T., and Stamp, G. (1995). Expanding the conceptual frontier: Studying parents, children, & communication.. (pp. iv-xvii). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Socha, T., Sanchez-Hucles, J., Bromley, J., and Kelley, B. (1995). Invisible parents and children: Exploring African American parent-child communication.. (pp. 127-145). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Socha, T., and Socha, D. M. (1994). Children's task group communication: Did we learn it all in kindergarten?. (pp. 227-246). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
- Socha, T. (1991). Conversation analysis.. (pp. 216-224). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
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Articles
- Socha, T. (2012). In a Southern Minute: Messages, Mindfullness & Pie. Southern Communication Journal, 77, (pp. 1-8).
- Socha, T. (2001). Home, family and communication: The horizon through a wide lens.. Journal of Family Communication, 1, (pp. 1-7).
- Socha, T. (1998). Children learning the rules. [A review of Children learning the rules].. Communication Education (pp. 91-92).
- Socha, T. (1998). Developing an undergraduate teaching assistant program in communication: Values, curriculum and preliminary assessment.. Journal of the Association for Communication Administration, 27, (pp. 77-83).
- Socha, T. (1997). Advertising and children. [A review of Harvesting Minds: Advertising and Channel One schools].. Journal of Popular Film and Television, 25, (pp. 139-140).
- Socha, T. (1997). Focus on humor. [Review of Blind men, elephants, and humor].. Communication Booknotes, 29, (pp. 23).
- Socha, T. (1997). Widening the lens on adolescents' relationships. [Review of Adolescents' Personal Relationships]. Contemporary Psychology, 42 (5), (pp. 432-434).
- Socha, T. (1996). TV, Film, and Families. [Review of Living room lectures: The fifties family in film and television].. Journal of Popular Film and Television, 24, (pp. 46).
- Socha, T. (1994). A look at humor. [Review of Conversational joking].. Contemporary Psychology, 30, (pp. 296).
- Socha, T., and Kelly, B. (1994). Children making fun: Humorous communication, impression management, and moral development.. Child Study Journal, 24, (pp. 237-252).
- Socha, T. (1985). The Paideia Proposal. Implications and challenges for communication instruction.. Iowa Journal of Speech Communication, 17 (1), (pp. 35-44).
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Conference Proceeding
- Socha, T., Sanchez-Hucles, J., and Bromley, J. (1995). Cultural parent-child communication: A conceptual model and look at African-Americans [Abstract]... Williamsburg, VA: Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Personal Relationships.
- Socha, T. (1991). The parental guilt episode: Daughters' and sons' orientations [Abstract]... Bloomington-Normal, Illinois.: Proceedings of the Third International Network Conference on Personal Relationships.
- Cooper, V. W., and Socha, T. (1990). Deceptive communication in personal relationships [Abstract]... Proceedings of the International Conference on Personal Relationships.
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Presentations
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Building positive communication pedagogy: Positive experiential learning in human relating
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Conference Name: National Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: San Diego, CA
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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A positive approach to studying the communication of blind parents
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Conference Name: Research Expo 2007
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Sponsoring Organization: Old Dominion University
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Location: Norfolk, VA
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Date: April, 2007
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Toward positive communication ontology: The variable of hope in research and classroom
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Conference Name: Southern States Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Southern States Communication Association
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Location: Louisville, Kentucky
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Date: April, 2007
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Communication and hope
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Conference Name: 2005 Hope at Luther Conference
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: San Antonio, TX
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Date: November, 2006
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Disabilities and the family communication classroom: A positive approach to managing conceptual, theoretical and applied obstacles
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Conference Name: National Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: San Antonio, TX
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Date: November, 2006
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
Basden-Arnold, L.
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Towards a positive ontology of applied family communication theory and research
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Conference Name: Southern States Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Southern States Communication Association
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Location: Dallas, TX
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Date: April, 2006
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Family as agency of potential: Towards a positive ontology of family communication
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Conference Name: National Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Boston, MA
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Date: November, 2005
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Parenting by sound, touch, and scent I: Towards a positive research agenda
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Conference Name: National Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Boston, MA
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Date: November, 2005
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
Staten, C.
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Chances for dialogue—Creating and enhancing applied dialogue in families
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Conference Name: A roundtable presentation, Southern States Communication Association
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Location: Baton Rouge, LA
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Date: April, 2005
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Family as agency of potential: A turn towards positive theorizing
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Conference Name: Applied Communication Division of the Southern States Communication Association
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Sponsoring Organization: Southern States Communication Association
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Location: Baton Rouge, LA
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Date: April, 2005
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Communication’s role in family “problems”: Towards positive applied family communication research
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Conference Name: Old Dominion University Research Day
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Sponsoring Organization: Office of Research
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Location: Norfolk, VA
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Date: April, 2005
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Students’ perceptions and concerns about communicating instructor and course feedback online
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Sponsoring Organization: Southern States Communication Association
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Location: Baton Rouge, LA
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Date: April, 2005
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
COMM 302 Students
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Towards an integrative model addressing the question “Interpersonal versus group” in approaching the study of families
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Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Miami, FL
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Date: 2003
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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The boundaries of diversity
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Conference Name: National Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Miami, FL
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Date: 2003
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Authors/Presenters:
Diggs, R. C.
Socha, T.
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Comments on epistemology and editing JFC
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Conference Name: Pre-conference, “Facing our epistemologies: Reaching In to encourage multiple foundations for studying relationships and interaction”
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Miami, FL
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Date: 2003
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Flying blind: Learning to pilot an introductory communication class as a blind undergraduate teaching assistant
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Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: New Orleans, LA
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Date: November, 2002
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Authors/Presenters:
Staten, C. D.
Socha, T.
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Developing a foundation for the castle: Towards a national research scaffold for Family Communication: A proposal
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Conference Name: Family Communication Pre-Conference
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: New Orleans, LA
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Date: November, 2002
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Publishing journal articles in family communication
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Conference Name: Family Communication Pre-conference
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: New Orleans, LA
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Date: November, 2002
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Teaching communication research methods via satellite: Reflections on the transition into cyberspace (1996 and 2000)
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Conference Name: Southern States Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Southern States Communication Association
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Location: Winston-Salem, NC
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Date: April, 2002
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Children are family communicators too
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Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Atlanta, GA
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Date: November, 2001
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Authors/Presenters:
Yingling, J. T.
Socha, T.
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Teaching communication research methods via satellite: Reflections on the transition into Cyberspace (1996 and 2000)
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Conference Name: Summer Conference of the National Communication Association
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Washington, DC
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Date: June, 2001
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Children's communication and school violence: Towards a conceptual model
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Conference Name: Southern States Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Southern States Communication Association
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Location: New Orleans, LA
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Date: 2000
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Toward improving the status of children in the field of communication: How has Communication Studies viewed children?
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Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Seattle, WA
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Date: November, 2000
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Virginia Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired
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Conference Name: College Awareness Program
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Location: Richmond, VA
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Date: May, 2000
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Family communication-education and race
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Conference Name: Annual Meeting of the National Communication Association
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Chicago, IL
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Date: November, 1999
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
Beigle, J.
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Ethnic diversity and the role of family communication in moving toward cultural pluralism in the future
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Conference Name: Joint meeting of the Southern States Communication Association and the Central States Communication Association
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Sponsoring Organization: Southern States Communication Association and the Central States Communication Association
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Location: St. Louis, MO
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Date: April, 1999
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Family communication: An early training ground for later groups
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Conference Name: National Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: New York, NY
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Date: November, 1998
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Group hate across the life span
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Conference Name: National Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Chicago, IL
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Date: November, 1997
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Research methods retrospective: Lessons learned lived and via satellite.
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Conference Name: National Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: National Communication Association
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Location: Chicago, IL
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Date: November, 1997
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Old Dominion's undergraduate teaching assistant program: Preparing future GTA's
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Conference Name: Virginia Association of Communication Arts & Sciences Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Virginia Association of Communication Arts & Sciences
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Location: Richmond, VA
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Date: September, 1997
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Methodological border issues in the study of personal relationships
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Conference Name: Speech Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Speech Communication Association
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Location: San Diego, CA
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Date: November, 1996
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
Stamp, G. H.
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Overview and progress on family communication & culture project: Works-in-progress panel
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Conference Name: Speech Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Speech Communication Association
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Location: San Diego, CA
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Date: November, 1996
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Teaching communication research methods via satellite
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Conference Name: Virginia Association of Communication Arts & Sciences Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Virginia Association of Communication Arts & Sciences
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Location: Williamsburg, VA
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Date: September, 1996
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Interpersonal communication USA 2032: A reexamination of Carl Rogers' Vision of the future
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Conference Name: Southern States Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Southern States Communication Association
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Location: Memphis, TN
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Date: March, 1996
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Overview and preliminary assessment of an undergraduate teaching assistant program in communication
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Conference Name: Southern States Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Southern States Communication Association
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Location: Memphis, TN
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Date: March, 1996
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Family communication education and African-American families: A selected primer
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Conference Name: Family Communication Pre-conference
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Sponsoring Organization: Speech Communication Association
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Location: San Antonio, TX
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Date: November, 1995
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Cultural parent-child communication: A conceptual model and look at African-Americans
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Conference Name: The Fifth International Personal Relationships Network Conference
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Sponsoring Organization: International Personal Relationships Network
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Location: Williamsburg, VA
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Date: June, 1995
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
Sanchez-Hucles, J.
Bromley, J.
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African-American parent-child communication: A discussion of methods
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Conference Name: Southern States Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Southern States Communication Association
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Location: New Orleans, LA
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Date: April, 1995
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Conceptualizing humorous communication: Old problems and new directions
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Conference Name: Speech Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Speech Communication Association
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Location: New Orleans, LA
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Date: November, 1994
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Communication and Gender issues in Women's Health
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Conference Name: Conference on Women's Health
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Sponsoring Organization: Veterans' Administration
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Location: Hampton, VA
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Date: 1993
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
Joe, S.
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Children's task group communication: Did we learn it all in kindergarten?
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Conference Name: International Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: International Communication Association
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Location: Washington, DC
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Date: May, 1993
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
Socha, D. M.
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Humor message production: Conceptualizations, approaches, alternatives
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Conference Name: Seminar Series on Humor and Communication
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Sponsoring Organization: Speech Communication Association
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Location: Chicago, IL
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Date: November, 1992
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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The parental guilt episode: Exploring parents' messages
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Conference Name: Speech Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Speech Communication Association
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Location: Atlanta, GA
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Date: November, 1991
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Relational counter-intelligence: The communicative disguise of a Soviet spy
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Conference Name: International Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: International Communication Association
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Location: Chicago, IL
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Date: May, 1991
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Authors/Presenters:
Cooper, V. W.
Socha, T.
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The parental guilt episode: Daughters' and sons' orientations
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Conference Name: Third International Personal Relationships Network Conference
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Sponsoring Organization: International Personal Relationships Network
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Location: Bloomington-Normal, IL
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Date: May, 1991
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Deception in personal relationships: Disguising self in everyday life
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Conference Name: International Conference on Personal Relationships
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Sponsoring Organization: Oxford University
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Location: England
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Date: July, 1990
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
Cooper, V. W.
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Wives, husbands, communication, & equality: An investigation of decision topic control and decision conversation control among married couples
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Conference Name: International Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: International Communication Association
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Location: Dublin
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Date: June, 1990
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Symbolic convergence theory, communication and communal living groups: An exploratory study
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Conference Name: Central States Communication Association Conference
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Sponsoring Organization: Central States Communication Association
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Location: Detroit, Michigan
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Date: April, 1990
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
Murphy, B. A.
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Telling teacher a joke: A conversation analytic study of children communicating humor
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Conference Name: International Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: International Communication Association
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Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Date: May, 1987
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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Adding Glamour to theory: Experiencing theory in the interpersonal communication course
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Conference Name: Speech Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Speech Communication Association
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Location: Denver
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Date: November, 1985
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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The Paideia Proposal: Implications and challenges for communication instruction
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Conference Name: Iowa Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Iowa Communication Association
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Location: Newton, Iowa
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Date: May, 1984
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
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The 80s a heroic age: An assessment of the heroes and heroines of youth
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Conference Name: Iowa Communication Association Annual Meeting
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Sponsoring Organization: Iowa Communication Association
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Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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Date: May, 1982
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Authors/Presenters:
Socha, T.
Dawes, D. A.
- 2012: Certificate of Merit, National Association of Academic Advisors
- 2012: ODU Faculty Advisor of the Year, Old Dominion University
- 2012: Excellence in Faculty Advising Annual Award, National Academic Advising Association - Region 2
- 2009: Nominee for the Family Communication Division Annual Book Award, National Communication Association
- 2008: Top Paper Award, NCA Experiential Learning in Communication Division 30th Anniversary , National Communication Association
- 2005: Who’s Who among American Teachers
- 2004: Old Dominion University Inspirational Faculty Member Award , Old Dominion University
- 2003: Bernard J. Brommel Family Communication Award, National Communication Association
- 2002: Distinguished Faculty Achievement Certificate, State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV)
- 2002: Nominee, State Council for Higher Education in Virginia's (SCHEV) Outstanding Faculty Award, State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV)
- 1999: Nominee, State Council for Higher Education in Virginia's (SCHEV) Outstanding Faculty Award, State Council of Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV)
- 1998: University Professor, Old Dominion University
- 1997: Old Dominion University Inspirational Faculty Award , Old Dominion University
- 1996: Honorary Member, Golden Key National Honor Society, Golden Key Honor Society
- 1995: Nominee. Donald H. Eckroyd Award for Excellence in Higher Education, National Communication Association
- 1993: Robert L. Stern Award for Excellence in Teaching, College of Arts & Letters, Old Dominion University
- 1991: Top Paper Award, Family Communication Division, Speech Communication Association
- 1990: Designated a "Most Effective Teacher" , Loyola University Chicago- College of Arts & Sciences
- 1990: Top Three Paper- Interpersonal Communication, International Communication Association
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Contracts, Grants and Sponsored Research