My Research

My research focuses on individuals in interpersonal relationships. I am especially interested in how people (consciously and unconsciously) communicate identities involving "taken-for-granted" societal forces (e.g., sex, gender, relational communication). My goal, with each research program, is to disseminate findings beyond solely academic outlets. Therefore, I strive to apply my research to community organizations, health practitioners, and classroom settings. In my work, I operate on the assumption that individuals shape society; by looking at people one-on-one, I seek to enable social change, even if "only" in minds of individuals in classrooms and communities.

My current programs of research all focus on relational communication (e.g., relational uncertainty, power, conflict, love, and sex occurring in violent & nonviolent relationships) as influenced by societal identities (e.g., gender, family roles, stigma, health norms).

Currently Collecting Data Online...

Publications

• Eckstein, J. J. (2022). Understanding darkness: Age, sex, and tech-proficiency in knowledge and perceptions of technology-mediated abuse. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 27(5), zmac013. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmac013
• Eckstein, J. J., & Cherry, J. (2022). “Bitch-ass pussy!”: Perceptions of abused men predicted by media, educational, and experiential topic exposure. In D. Pompper (Ed.), Rhetoric of masculinity: Male body image, media, and gender role stress/conflict (pp. 205-228). Lexington Books.
• Eckstein, J. J. (2021). To harm and heal: Digital disclosure and support-seeking for IPV victims. Open Info Science, 5(1), 175-189. https://doi.org/10.1515/opis-2020-0120
• Eckstein, J. J., & Sabovik, E. (2021). Still just hegemonic after all these years?: “Worst thing s/he thinks about me” predicts attitudinal risk factors for high school healthy relationships program. Boyhood Studies, 14(1), 6-24. https://doi.org/10.3167/ bhs.2020.140102
• Eckstein, J. J., & Quattro, R. (2021). Does exposure matter?: Influence of media, education, and experience on knowledge, understanding, and perceptions of technology-mediated partner violence. In J. Weist (Ed.), Theorizing criminality and policing in the digital media age (Emerald studies in media and communications, Vol. 20, pp. 3-24). Emerald. https://doi.org/10.1108/S2050-206020210000020007
• Lever, K., & Eckstein, J. J. (2020). “I never did those things they said!”: Image, coercive control, and intrusion from former partners’ technology-mediated abuse. Iowa Journal of Communication, 52(1), 49-67.
• Ribarsky, E., & Eckstein, J. J. (Eds.). (2020). Activate your superpower: Creating compelling communication. Kendall-Hunt. ISBN: 978-1-7924-06928
• Eckstein, J. J. (2020). What is violence now?: A grounded theory approach to conceptualizing technology-mediated abuse (TMA) as spatial and participatory. The Electronic Journal of Communication, 29(3-4). www.cios.org/www/ejc/v29n34toc.htm
• Eckstein, J. J. (2019). "I'm strong for her" versus "I rely on him": Male and female victims' reasons for staying reflect sex-gender conflations. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 47(2), 216-235. http://doi.org/10.1080/00909882.2019.1584403
• Brule, N. J., & Eckstein, J. J. (2019). "NOT my issue!!!": Teaching the applied interpersonal conflict course. Journal of Communication Pedagogy, 2, 17-22. http://doi.org/10.31446/JCP.2019.05
• Eckstein, J. J. (2017). Intimate terrorism and situational couple violence: Classification variability across five methods to distinguish Johnson’s violent relationship types. Violence & Victims, 32(6), 955-976. http://doi.org/10.1891/0886-6708.VV-D-16-00022
• Eckstein, J. J. (2017). Writing a literature review. In M. Allen (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of communication research methods (pp. 1887-1888). Sage. ISBN: 978-1483381435
• Brule, N. J., & Eckstein, J. J. (2017). Vulnerable groups. In M. Allen (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of communication research methods (pp. 1871-1874). Sage. ISBN: 978-1483381435
• Eckstein, J. J. (2017). American Psychological Association. In M. Allen (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of communication research methods (pp. 27-28). Sage. ISBN: 978-1483381435
• Eckstein, J. J. (2016). "The more things change...?": Technology and abuse for intimate partner violence victims. In E. Gilchrist-Petty & S. D. Long (Eds.), Contexts of the dark side of communication. Peter Lang Publishing. ISBN: 978-1433127496
• Eckstein, J. J. (2016). Is love blind to abuse?: Factors affecting victims' preferences for love-communication from abusive partners. In L. N. Olson & M. A. Fine (Eds.), Examining the darkness of family communication: The harmful, the morally suspect, and the socially inappropriate (pp. 175-197). Peter Lang Publishing. ISBN: 978-1433125379
• Brule, N. J., & Eckstein, J. J. (2016). Am I really a bad parent?": Adolescent-to-parent abuse (AtPA) identity and the Stigma Management Communication (SMC) model. Journal of Family Communication, 16(3), 198-215. http://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2016.1160908
• Eckstein, J. J. (2016). IPV stigma and its social management: The roles of relationship-type, abuse-type, and victims' sex. Journal of Family Violence, 31(2), 215-225. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-015-9752-4
• Eckstein, J. J., & Cherry, J. (2015). Perceived characteristics of men abused by female romantic partners: Blaming, Resulting, Blaming-Excuses, or Normal? Culture, Society & Masculinities, 7(2), 140-153. http://doi.org/10.3149/CSM.0702.140
• Eckstein, J. J., Brule, N. J., Wiss, K., Petkanas, W., & Bryant, L. E. (2015). Feature Article: It's all relational: Blinded or aided by our own lens? Relationship Research News, 14(1), 8-13.
• Eckstein, J. J. (2014). Review of The dark side of relationship pursuit: From attraction to obsession and stalking (2nd ed.) by B. Spitzberg & W. Cupach. Relationship Research News, 13(2), 20-21.
• Eckstein, J. J., & Allen, M. (2014). (Eds.). Special Issue: Reclaiming stigma: Alternative explorations of the construct. Communication Studies, 65(2), 1-3. http:// doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2014.893708
• Eckstein, J. J., & Pinto, K. (2013). Collaborative participatory action strategies for re-envisioning young men’s masculinities. Action Research, 11(3), 234-250. http://doi.org/10.1177/1476750313487928
• Eckstein, J. J. (2013). Straus, Murray. In L. L. Finley (Ed.), Encyclopedia of domestic violence and abuse (pp. 483-484). ABC-CLIO. ISBN: 978-1610690010
• Eckstein, J. J. (2013). Social change movements. In L. L. Finley (Ed.), Encyclopedia of domestic violence and abuse (pp. 463-465). ABC-CLIO. ISBN: 978-1610690010
• Eckstein, J. J. (2013). Technology and abuse. In L. L. Finley (Ed.), Encyclopedia of domestic violence and abuse (pp. 489-490). ABC-CLIO. ISBN: 978-1610690010
• Eckstein, J. J. (2013). Being a man: Challenging or reinforcing embodied masculinities in the university classroom. In M. J. Murphy & E. Ribarsky (Eds.), Activities for teaching gender and sexuality in the university classroom (pp. 155-160). Rowman & Littlefield Education. ISBN: 978-1475801804
• Eckstein, J. J. (2012). Sex, gender, and relationship type in the relational uncertainty of victims of partner violence.Partner Abuse, 3(1), 22-42. http://doi.org/ 10.1891/1946-6560.3.1.22
• Eckstein, J. J. (2012). Reasons for staying in abusive relationships: A resource for understanding gendered identities as internally and externally construed. In A. Browne-Miller (Ed.), Violence & abuse in society: Understanding a global crisis. Volume 4: Faces of intimate partner violence (pp. 53-75). Praeger. ISBN: 978-0313382765
• Eckstein, J. J. (2012). Predicting victims’ contact with former abusive partners. In A. Browne-Miller (Ed.), Violence & abuse in society: Understanding a global crisis. Volume 4: Faces of intimate partner violence (pp. 107-123). Praeger. ISBN: 978-0313382765
• Eckstein, J. J. (2011). Going viral in the classroom: Using emerging CMC technologies for social change. In S. Kelsey & K. St. Amant (Eds.), Computer-mediated communication: Issues and approaches in education (pp. 207-223). IGI Global. ISBN: 978-1613500774
• Eckstein, J. J. (2010). Reasons for staying in intimately violent relationships: Comparisons of men and women and messages communicated to self and others. Journal of Family Violence, 26(1), 21-30. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-010-9338-0
• Eckstein, J. J. (2010). Masculinity of men communicating abuse victimization. Culture, Society, and Masculinities, 2 (1), 62-74. http://doi.org/10.3149/CSM.0201.62
• Eckstein, J. J. (2010). “Make it real for me!”: Performing symbolic interactionism as a tool for critical analysis writing. Compendium 2: Writing, Teaching, and Learning in the University, 3(1), 22-25.
• Eckstein, J. J. (2009). Exploring the communication of men revealing abuse from female romantic partners. In D. D. Cahn (Ed.), Family violence: Communication processes (pp. 89-111). State University of New York Press. ISBN: 978-0791493755
• Eckstein, J. J. (2008). Emotional animals: Creating controversy as perspective-taking in the interpersonally-focused classroom. Communication Teacher, 22(2), 39-43. http:// doi.org/10.1080/17404620801935231
• Eckstein, J. J. (2005). Conversion conundrums: Listener perceptions of affective influence attempts as mediated by personality and individual differences. Communication Quarterly, 53(3), 401-419. http://doi.org/10.1080/01463370500101394