Multiple act criteria in the validation of communication traits: What do we gain and what do we lose?

Recent dissatisfaction with trait explanations of human communication has given rise to the use of multiple‐act criteria in co‐relational studies of trait/behavior relationships. In order to overcome the practical problems of gathering multiple‐act data, researchers have relied on self‐reports. It was hypothesized that the use of self‐reports has led to biased estimates of the utility of the multiple‐act approach. This hypothesis was generally supported and its implications examined.