Mass Media and Memory Traces: Multilevel Explanation of Encoded Exposure to Television Content

One construct that is useful when discussing media effects is the notion of encoded exposure, described here as a retrievable memory trace in an individual. Based on past research, encoded exposure to electronic media content should be associated with a variety of predictors on multiple levels of conceptualization, including variables related to the environmental prevalence of media content in question, individual media use, interest, processing ability and tendency, conversation with others, and formal content features. Past work also suggests that an explicitly multilevel model of encoded exposure including such predictors should be more useful than single-level prediction efforts alone. This volume describes and validates a recognition-based measure of encoded exposure developed as part of an evaluation of a national health communication effort, namely an antidrug mass media campaign sponsored by the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy. In order to test a multilevel model of encoded exposure, this study assesses three types of data. The National Survey of Parents and Youth, administered by Westat and the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication to a nationally representative sample of U.S. adolescents, contributed both the encoded exposure measure and a variety of other individual measures. Television gross rating point estimates from the campaign provided environmental prevalence indicators. Lastly, electronic copies of campaign television advertisements also were a rich source of data concerning formal content features. Not all hypothesized predictors garnered significant coefficients in the final analyses. As hypothesized, nonetheless, a multilevel model of encoded exposure (including significant individual-level predictors and significant content-level predictors) found strong support among a sample of U.S. adolescents with regards to television content from the campaign. In short, encoded exposure appears to be both related to individual-level variables, such as media use and conversation with others, and a function of content-level variables, such an environmental prevalence and formal features related to the depiction of time and space

Future Challenges and Opportunities in Online Prescription Drug Promotion Research Comment on “Trouble Spots in Online Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Promotion: A Content Analysis of FDA Warning Letters”

Despite increased availability of online promotional tools for prescription drug marketers, evidence on online prescription drug promotion is far from settled or conclusive. We highlight ways in which online prescription drug promotion is similar to conventional broadcast and print advertising and ways in which it differs. We also highlight five key areas for future research: branded drug website influence on consumer knowledge and behavior, interactive features on branded drug websites, mobile viewing of branded websites and mobile advertisements, online promotion and non-US audiences, and social media and medication decision

Measuring Everyday Life: Talking About Research and Why It Matters

Why do people act as they do? How can we improve our health and well-being? What can the past tell us about our future? Research can help us address such questions, but the journey to finding answers can be challenging and full of adventure. Curated from interviews featured on the public radio show, The Measure of Everyday Life, this collection reveals ways that we can ask useful questions. The book also offers insights from behind the scenes of social science research, communication campaigns and interventions, and community engagement projects. A wide range of audiences—including anyone interested in applying academic research to practical projects, new graduate students, and undergraduate students learning about research—should find useful material in the collection

Innovations in home energy use: A sourcebook for behavior change

As a collection of essays that explore innovations to encourage reduction in homeowner energy use, this volume reflects a confluence of ideas and initiatives rather than a narrow look at what a single, particular line of academic literature suggests might be possible to shape homeowner behavior. Not only do the contributors represent a wide array of institutions and backgrounds, but the very intellectual infrastructure that encouraged and allowed the summit that inspired this book itself represents a conscious effort to facilitate multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration for the purpose of addressing salient societal concerns. With this volume, we hope to provide a source of ideas for behavior change that will appeal to a range of people charged with curbing residential energy use through communication-based intervention

The reciprocal relationships between changes in adolescent perceived prevalence of smoking in movies and progression of smoking status

Smoking in movies is associated with adolescent smoking worldwide. To date, studies of the association mostly are restricted to the exposure to smoking images viewed by 9–15 year-olds. The association among older adolescents is rarely examined. In addition, the reciprocal effect of smoking behavior on subsequent reported exposure to smoking in movies has not been reported

Prevalence of smoking in movies as perceived by teenagers: Longitudinal trends and predictors

Smoking in movies is prevalent. However, use of content analysis to describe trends in smoking in movies has provided mixed results and has not tapped what adolescents actually perceive

Effects of advertisements on smokers’ interest in trying e-cigarettes: the roles of product comparison and visual cues

IntroductionElectronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered nicotine delivery devices that have become popular among smokers. We conducted an experiment to understand adult smokers’ responses to e-cigarette advertisements and investigate the impact of ads’ arguments and imagery.MethodsA US national sample of smokers who had never tried e-cigarettes (n=3253) participated in a between-subjects experiment. Smokers viewed an online advertisement promoting e-cigarettes using one of three comparison types (emphasising similarity to regular cigarettes, differences or neither) with one of three images, for nine conditions total. Smokers then indicated their interest in trying e-cigarettes.ResultsAds that emphasised differences between e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes elicited more interest than ads without comparisons (p<0.01), primarily due to claims about e-cigarettes’ lower cost, greater healthfulness and utility for smoking cessation. However, ads that emphasised the similarities of the products did not differ from ads without comparisons. Ads showing a person using an e-cigarette created more interest than ads showing a person without an e-cigarette (p<0.01).ConclusionsInterest in trying e-cigarettes was highest after viewing ads with messages about differences between regular and electronic cigarettes and ads showing product use. If e-cigarettes prove to be harmful or ineffective cessation devices, regulators might restrict images of e-cigarette use in advertising, and public health messages should not emphasise differences between regular and electronic cigarettes. To inform additional regulations, future research should seek to identify what advertising messages and features appeal to youth