Marianne Dainton, Ph.D.

Marianne Dainton found a way to integrate two of her passions—cooking and communication—in her La Salle TV show Say it With Food. In the show, she translates common relationship into recipes that express those messages. As a result, she teaches communication concepts as she prepares delicious foods. For example, in the segment entitled, “I’m still bitter about that,” Marianne discusses sibling rivalry while she prepares dishes like lemon chicken, and she shares the recipe for braised beef as she talks about the complications of “friends with benefits.”

A nationally known communication researcher and winner of the Faculty Distinguished Scholarship Award, Marianne loves teaching Interpersonal Communication, Communication Theory, and Communication Research—as she finds people and their relationships fascinating. She has authored the book Maintaining Relationships through Communication and is the lead author of Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life: A Practical Introduction.

A native of East Brunswick, N.J., Marianne has lived in seven different states and now calls Philadelphia her home.

Areas of Expertise

• Communication Theory
• Interpersonal Communication
• Communication Research

Education

• M.A., Ph.D., The Ohio State University
• B.A. Villanova University

Teaching

• Applied Communication Theory
• Applied Communication Research
• Organizational Communication

Research

Recent Publications

Dainton, M. (2019). Equity and relationship maintenance in first marriages and remarriages. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage.

Dainton, M. (2019). Interpersonal communication and relationship maintenance. In S. R. Wilson and S. Smith (Eds.), Reflections on interpersonal communication (pp. 355-374). San Diego, CA: Cognella Publishing.

Dainton, M., Goodboy, A., Borzea, D., & Goldman, Z. (2017). The dyadic effects of relationship uncertainty on negative relational maintenance. Communication Reports, 30, 170-181.

Books

Dainton, M., & Dunleavy, K.N. (forthcoming). Advanced interpersonal communication: Managing communication goals. San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing.

Dainton, M., & Lannuti, P.J. (2020). Strategic communication research. San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing.

Dainton, M. & Myers, S. A. (2019). Communication and relational maintenance. San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing.

Dainton, M., & Zelley, E. D. (2018/2015/2010/2005). Applying communication theory for professional life: A practical introduction, 4th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Dainton, M. (2017). Maintaining Black marriages: Individual, interpersonal, and contextual dynamics. Washington, DC: Lexington Books.

Recent Presentations

Dainton, M., & Daily, K. M. (2020, April). Measuring maintenance redux: Frequency and equity. Presented at the Eastern Communication Association, Baltimore, MD.

Dainton, M. (2019, April). Further explorations in predicting the use of negative maintenance behaviors: Sex, gender, relationship length, and communal versus exchange orientations. Presented at the Easter Communication Association, Providence, R.I.

Dainton, M. (2018, April). Equity and relationship maintenance in first marriages and remarriages. Presented at the Eastern Communication Association, Pittsburgh, PA.

Dainton, M. (2017, March). Black love matters: Race and the experience of marital maintenance. Presented at the Eastern Communication Association, Boston, MA.