An improved form of the artificial diffusion parameter-X

Artificial diffusion mechanisms used to damp post-shock oscillations or to stabilize the computations contain a factor chi which determines the amount of diffusion provided. This paper suggests an improved procedure which consists of (1) varying chi from point to point depending on the local Courant number and (2) employing a value of local chi sub i which is determined from a monotonicity analysis. Results obtained by employing a locally dependent value of chi are compared with those for a global value of ch

Believability and Attitudes toward Alcohol Warning Label Information: The Role of Persuasive Communications Theory

Based on tenets of persuasive communications theory, five recently proposed alcohol warning labels are examined for their differential impact on label believability and attitudes. While all warnings are rated as believable, the ones regarding birth defects and driving impairment are perceived to be significantly more believable than the others. In addition, persons with more favorable attitudes toward alcohol consumption tend to disbelieve specific instance hazards (e.g., birth defects, driving impairment and drug combination warnings), while disliking longterm risks of alcohol consumption and abuse (e.g., hypertension, liver disease, cancer and addiction warnings). Implications for public policy and researchers are discussed

A Cross-National Comparison of Consumers\u27 Attitudes Toward Direct Marketing and Purchase Intention

Existing research indicates that attitudes toward the three elements of direct marketing (the source, mode, and response channel) influence consumers\u27 intentions to purchase directly marketed products. While research investigating attitudes and consumers\u27 response has been conducted in the U.S., there has been no research to date which examines attitude structures and purchase intentions towards direct marketing in a multi-country setting, in spite of the standardized global efforts of direct marketeers. This study presents findings on attitude structures regarding direct marketing for three affluent open markets, the U.S., Singapore, and the Netherlands and empirically investigates the relationships between these consumers\u27 attitudes toward the three elements of direct marketing and purchase intentions

Believability and Attitudes toward Alcohol Warning Label Information: The Role of Persuasive Communications Theory

Based on tenets of persuasive communications theory, five recently proposed alcohol warning labels are examined for their differential impact on label believability and attitudes. While all warnings are rated as believable, the ones regarding birth defects and driving impairment are perceived to be significantly more believable than the others. In addition, persons with more favorable attitudes toward alcohol consumption tend to disbelieve specific instance hazards (e.g., birth defects, driving impairment and drug combination warnings), while disliking longterm risks of alcohol consumption and abuse (e.g., hypertension, liver disease, cancer and addiction warnings). Implications for public policy and researchers are discussed

Advertising Beliefs and Attitudes: Are Students and General Consumers Indeed Different?

Studies of advertising beliefs and attitudes are crucial because these measures are shown to affect brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Previous studies in this area used either student or general consumers samples; no comparisons were made between the two groups. Therefore, it is not known whether and to what extent responses of student samples are likely to differ from those of general consumers. Differences would indicate that the two segments view advertising dissimilarly. However, by applying covariance structure analysis on a sample of students and a sample of general consumers from India, our study found no significant differences between them in their beliefs toward advertising in general, attitudes toward the institution of advertising, attitudes toward the instrument of advertising, or attitudes toward advertising in general