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Dr. Melanie Booth-Butterfield

Professor and Peggy Rardin McConnell Chair of Speech Communication
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Contact Information

Department of Communication Studies
Armstrong Hall, Room 108
P.O. Box 6293
Morgantown, WV 26506

Office Phone: (304) 293-3905
e-mail: mbooth@wvu.edu




Research Areas

Interpersonal and Relational Communication, Humor Enactment, Emotion and Cognition

My professional emphasis is on using one-to-one communication to address real-life interpersonal and social problems – both in my research and teaching. This emphasis involves both application of existing communication concepts to new issues as well as developing new approaches, and examining communication using nontypical samples of respondents. I am open to empirical research across various interpersonal areas, such as relational communication, humor enactments, and how personality affects our interactions.

Most recently, Dr. Booth-Butterfield has conducted research in the areas of communication emotion and cognition, processes and outcomes involved with humor enactments (e.g., Humor Orientation), and a variety of interpersonal/relational communication issues. In 2006, Dr. Booth-Butterfield was named the McConnell Chair in Speech Communication and is currently serving her second three-year term with this endowed Chair. She has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles and books, is the immediate past editor of Communication Education, and thoroughly enjoys teaching both undergraduate and graduate students.

Education

Ph.D., University of Missouri-Columbia

Study Abroad in Germany and Hungary

Summer Study Abroad 2013

In Summer 2012, Communication Studies majors and minors had their first chance to study abroad with the Department in two distinct locations in Eastern Europe: Erfurt, Germany and Budapest, Hungary. Nearly two dozen undergraduate and graduate students spent their summer connecting with new cultures in pursuit of their degrees.

Visit the Study Abroad Page
WVUCommMOOC

#WVUCommMOOC

Interested in technology and its impact on our daily lives? Well you may want to visit West Virginia University first MOOC. Never heard of a MOOC, no problem, the Department of Communication Studies in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences wants to introduce you to this new, free way of learning.

Read more about our MOOC

Be a WVU Comm Studies Alumni Mentor!

Serve as an Alumni Mentor

The Department of Communication Studies is piloting a Comm Studies Student-Alumni Mentoring Program. Please consider getting involved. It could consist of as little time as a 30 minute phone conversation with an undergraduate student once or twice a year to as extensive as allowing a student or new graduate to shadow you at work or offer internships for our students. You decide your level of involvement/commitment!

Sign up to be an Alumni Mentor