Mark L. Knapp is the Jesse H. Jones Centennial Professor Emeritus and a Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus at the
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin, UT, or Texas) is a public research university in Austin, Texas. It was founded in 1883 and is the oldest institution in the University of Texas System. With 40,916 undergraduate students, 11,075 ...
. He is internationally known for his research and writing on
nonverbal communication
Nonverbal communication (NVC) is the transmission of messages or signals through a nonverbal platform such as eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, Posture (psychology), posture, and body language. It includes the use of social cues, kinesi ...
and communication in developing relationships. He has also done research and published books on
lying
A lie is an assertion that is believed to be false, typically used with the purpose of deception, deceiving or Deception, misleading someone. The practice of communicating lies is called lying. A person who communicates a lie may be termed a l ...
and
deception
Deception or falsehood is an act or statement that misleads, hides the truth, or promotes a belief, concept, or idea that is not true. It is often done for personal gain or advantage. Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda and sleight o ...
. The Mark L. Knapp Award for career contributions to the study of interpersonal communication is awarded annually by the National Communication Association. The Mark L. Knapp Professorship, Moody College of Communication, University of Texas at Austin, was established in 2017.
Knapp served in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
from 1957 to 1959, received his bachelor’s (1962) and master’s (1963) degrees from the
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...
and his PhD (1966) from
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...
. He was employed at the
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee, UWM, or Milwaukee) is a Public university, public Urban university, urban research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the largest university in the Milwaukee metropolitan area and a ...
(1965–1970);
Purdue University
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...
(1970–1980); the
State University of New York at New Paltz
The State University of New York at New Paltz (SUNY New Paltz or New Paltz) is a public university in New Paltz, New York. It traces its origins to the New Paltz Classical School, a secondary institution founded in 1828 and reorganized as an a ...
(1980–1983); the
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont (UVM), officially the University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont. It was founded in 1791 and is amon ...
(1983); and the University of Texas at Austin (1983–2008). He received an Outstanding Alumni Award from the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, Pennsylvania State University in 2018.
He served as the editor of ''
Human Communication Research
''Human Communication Research'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal covering empirical work in any area of human communication and human symbolic processes. It was established in 1974 and the current editor-in-chief is Yariv Tsfati ( Un ...
'' (1980–1983); was an Eastern Communication Association Scholar (1982-1983); was a Fellow in the
International Communication Association
The International Communication Association (ICA) is an academic association for scholars interested in the study, teaching and application of all aspects of human and mediated communication.
ICA communicates within the association and with ot ...
(1980); and was recognized as Distinguished Scholar in the
National Communication Association
The National Communication Association (NCA) is a not-for-profit association of academics in the field of communication.
Organization
NCA is governed by the Legislative Assembly, which meets during the NCA Annual Convention. Between annual me ...
(1993).
Knapp received teaching awards from the Central States Speech Association (1969), the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1969), Purdue University (1974), SUNY-New Paltz (1983), the University of Texas at Austin (1987, 1993, 1999, 2002) and the National Communication Association (2004).
He was the President of the International Communication Association (1975–1976); the National Communication Association (1989–1990); the Association for Communication Administrators (1996–1997); and the University of Texas at Austin chapter of the
honor society
In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the National Honor Society of the Boy Sc ...
of
Phi Kappa Phi
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (or simply Phi Kappa Phi or ) is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study, and to promote the "unity and democracy of education ...
(2001–2003). He was the Chair of the Department of Speech Communication (1989–1996) and the Department of Communication Studies (2000–2001) at the University of Texas at Austin.
Knapp examined a wide variety of topics in his published research, including:
conversational narcissism Conversational narcissism is a term used by sociologist Charles Derber in his book, ''The Pursuit of Attention: Power and Ego in Everyday Life''.
Derber observed that the social support system in America is relatively weak, and this leads people to ...
, behaviors enacted in greetings, goodbyes, and conversational
turn-taking
Turn-taking is a type of organization in conversation and discourse where participants speak one at a time in alternating turns. In practice, it involves processes for constructing contributions, responding to previous comments, and transitioning ...
, memorable messages, regrettable messages, messages people attach to their email signatures, compliments,
play
Play most commonly refers to:
* Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment
* Play (theatre), a work of drama
Play may refer also to:
Computers and technology
* Google Play, a digital content service
* Play Framework, a Java framework
* Pla ...
behavior, the construct of intent, anti-
drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods which are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, ...
commercials, communication in developing relationships, nonverbal and deceptive behavior in close relationships, communicating commitment in close relationships, couples’ personal
idiom
An idiom is a phrase or expression that typically presents a figurative, non-literal meaning attached to the phrase; but some phrases become figurative idioms while retaining the literal meaning of the phrase. Categorized as formulaic language, ...
s, the effects of interaction on appearance, nonverbal communication and aging, communicating with the
terminally ill
Terminal illness or end-stage disease is a disease that cannot be cured or adequately treated and is expected to result in the death of the patient. This term is more commonly used for progressive diseases such as cancer, dementia or advanced he ...
, staff-resident communication in
nursing home
A nursing home is a facility for the residential care of elderly or disabled people. Nursing homes may also be referred to as skilled nursing facility (SNF) or long-term care facilities. Often, these terms have slightly different meanings to in ...
s, and the measurement of conflict in organizations.
He has lectured to, trained, and/or acted as consultant to over 60 different business organizations, voluntary groups,
government agencies
A government or state agency, sometimes an appointed commission, is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an administratio ...
, and
educational institution
An educational institution is a place where people of different ages gain an education, including preschools, childcare, primary-elementary schools, secondary-high schools, and universities. They provide a large variety of learning environments an ...
U.S. Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance. It was established in March 1961 by an executive order of President John F. ...
,
Pfizer
Pfizer Inc. ( ) is an American multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology corporation headquartered on 42nd Street in Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in 1849 in New York by two German entrepreneurs, Charles Pfizer ...
* McCroskey, J.C., Larson, C. E., & Knapp, M. L. (1971). An introduction to interpersonal communication. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
* Knapp, M. L. (1972; 1978). Nonverbal communication in human interaction. NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston. Editions with Hall, J. A. in 1992, 1997, 2002, 2006, & 2010. Edition with Hall, J. A. and Horgan T. G. 2014. Translated into Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, Polish, Japanese, and Spanish.
* Knapp, M. L. (1978). Social intercourse: From greeting to goodbye. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
* Knapp, M. L. (1980). Essentials of nonverbal communication. NY: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston. Translated into Spanish.
* Knapp, M. L. (1984). Interpersonal communication and human relationships. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Editions with Vangelisti, A. L. in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2009.
* Knapp, M. L. & Miller, G. R. (Eds.) (1985; 1994). Handbook of interpersonal communication. Beverly Hills: Sage. Editions with Daly, J. A. replacing Miller in 2002, 2011. Translated into Chinese.
* Knapp, M. L. (2008). Lying and deception in human interaction. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.
* McGlone, M. S. & Knapp, M. L. (Eds.) (2009). The interplay of truth and deception: New agendas in theory and research. NY: Routledge.
* Knapp, M. L. & Daly, J. A. (2010). Sage benchmarks in communication: Interpersonal communication. 4 vols. London: Sage.
* Hall, J.A. & Knapp, M.L. (Eds.) (2013). Handbooks of communication science: Vol. 2: Nonverbal communication. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter Mouton.