Gordon Abra

Biographic Data

ID134983
NAMEGordon Abra
GIVEN NAMESGordon
FAMILY NAMEAbra
SIGNATUREABRA G
AFFILIATIONSUniversity of Oklahoma
VERIFIEDNo
TOTAL WORKS5
TOTAL CITATIONS11
AUTHOR COUNT5
EDITOR COUNT0
FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR2010
LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR2025
H-INDEX2

  • Face Masks and Interpersonal Perceptions: Null Effects on Perceived Trust and Credibility

    Open AccessNorah Dunbar, Norah E Dunbar et al.ARTICLEJournal of Nonverbal Behavior2025

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, many courtrooms implemented physical distancing protocols, including face-mask requirements for testifying witnesses. These precautions prompted debate among academics and practitioners about whether face coverings might impair jurors’ ability to assess a witness’s credibility. To examine this question, we conducted two experimental studies using simulated video-recorded testimony. We hypothesized that face masks wou…

  • A dyadic power theory explanation of the demand‐withdraw interaction pattern

    Open AccessNorah E Dunbar, Gordon AbraARTICLEPersonal Relationships2021

    This study explores how dyadic power theory (DPT) can explain the demand/withdraw interaction pattern (in which one partner raises an issue and the other partner avoids discussion) in a wide range of relationship types (e.g. friends, romantic partners, family, work relationships). Two surveys were conducted ( N = 155 and 91 of student and non‐student samples, respectively) where participants reported on either an unequal‐power or an equal‐power r…

  • Humor use in power-differentiated interactions

    Norah E Dunbar, John A Banas et al.ARTICLEHumor - International Journal of…2012Cited by: 4

    Humor serves a variety of functions in interpersonal communication, including the release of tension and the diffusion of conflict. Based on Dyadic Power Theory (Dunbar 2004; Dunbar and Abra 2010), it is predicted that interactants of equal power will use more humor and different types of humor than those either relatively high or low in power as compared to their partners. The present study analyzed experimentally manipulated problem-solving int…

  • Dyadic Power Theory, Touch, and Counseling Psychology: A Response to Smith, Vogel, Madon, and Edwards (2011)

    Open AccessNorah E Dunbar, Gordon AbraARTICLEThe Counseling Psychologist2012References: 15

    Smith, Vogel, Madon, and Edwards’ (2011) recent article tested dyadic power theory (DPT) by examining the use of touch as a compliance-gaining tactic in the conflicts of married couples. In this response, we raise a methodological issue about the touch behaviors examined by Smith et al. and also pose a theoretical critique that their test of DPT violates an important scope condition of the theory. They did not examine differences between power-eq…

  • Observations of Dyadic Power in Interpersonal Interaction

    Norah E Dunbar, Gordon AbraARTICLECommunication Monographs2010Cited by: 7References: 31

    Power and dominance are widely recognized as fundamental concepts in the study of human relationships. A theory of power, Dunbar's dyadic power theory (DPT), was tested experimentally by manipulating power in interactions with confederate strangers. Participants' verbal and nonverbal dominance behaviors were coded from videotapes of their interactions. DPT proposes that individuals will display more dominance in equal power relationships than in …