02/25/2026

ECA 2026 Communication Traits Interest Group Convention Programming

Thank you for participating in and supporting the Communication Traits Interest Group! I want to encourage everyone to attend as many of the CTIG sponsored events as your schedule allows. Make it a priority to attend our CTIG Top Competitive Papers panel! You also won’t want to miss the panel we co-sponsored with the Interpersonal Communication interest group, or the discussion panels.

I’d like to offer my sincere appreciation to everyone who served as a reviewer for this year’s conference and in other capacities. Like all organizations, CTIG depends on the dedication of its members to ensure its continued success. As such, I urge you to attend the CTIG Business Meeting and volunteer to serve as a paper reader or reviewer. We will dedicate a portion of our meeting time to honor the memory of Dr. Michael J. Beatty. Professor Beatty (University of Miami) was a prolific scholar for 50 years with a strong emphasis in communication traits. He passed unexpectedly on Jan 31, 2026. Importantly, whether you knew him, you’ve been influenced by his work in one way or another. Come join us to celebrate his many contributions to discipline and to communication traits research in particular.

Thursday, April 9th

104008 | Emerging Perspectives on Communication and Conformity: Culture, Mental Health, and African American Cinema. Thursday, April 9 from 8:30am - 9:45am, Brighton 4.

109007 | Communication Traits Business Meeting. Thursday, April 9 from 11:30am - 12:45p, Waterfront Room.

117004 | Top Competitive Papers in Communication Traits. Thursday, April 9 from 4:00pm – 5:15pm, Brighton 2.

Friday, April 10th

207003 | Emerging Perspectives on Communication and Conformity: From Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, and Self-Awareness, to Trauma, Deviance, and Political Messaging. Friday, April 10 from 10:00am – 11:15am, Brighton 1.

Saturday, April 11

304003 | Emerging From Stigmatized Identities in Close Relationships: Building Bridges with Students, Colleagues, and Relational Partners. (Co-Sponsored by CTIG and IIG). Saturday, April 11 from 8:30am – 9:45am, Brighton 1.

Updates and Reminders

• Early Bird Registration for the conference ends February 28! Register Now if you haven’t already.
• Convention Rates for Sheraton at Station Square end March 10. Rooms are going quickly so don’t wait to reserve your room!
• Presentation rooms are equipped with projectors and WIFI but you if you have slides or visual aids, you will need to bring your own laptop.
•  ECA 2026 swag available for pre-order. All proceeds benefit students. Order deadline is March 10.
• This year’s program features the first ECA Book Club scheduled for Friday, April 10 from 4:30pm - 5:45pm in Elwood. This year’s book is Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, by Amanda Montell. To get the most out of this program, make sure you’ve read the book in advance.