News Stories of Intimate Partner Violence: An Experimental Examination of Participant Sex, Perpetrator Sex, and Violence Severity on Seriousness, Sympathy, and Punishment Preferences

This study experimentally examines the effects of participant sex, perpetrator sex, and severity of violence on perceptions of intimate partner violence (IPV) seriousness, sympathy toward the victim, and punishment preferences for the perpetrator. Participants (N = 449) were randomly assigned to a condition, exposed to a composite news story, and then completed a survey. Ratings of seriousness of IPV for stories with male perpetrators were significantly higher than ratings of seriousness for stories with female perpetrators. Men had significantly higher sympathy for female victims in any condition than for male victims in the weak or strong severity of violence conditions. Men’s sympathy for male victims in the fatal severity of violence condition did not differ from their sympathy for female victims. Women had the least sympathy for female victims in the weak severity condition and men in the weak or strong severity conditions. Women reported significantly higher sympathy for female victims in the strong and fatal severity of violence conditions. Women’s ratings of sympathy for male victims in the fatal severity of violence condition were statistically indistinguishable from any other group. Participants reported stronger punishment preferences for male perpetrators and this effect was magnified among men. Theoretical implications are presented with attention provided to practical considerations about support for public health services

Career Paths of Recipients of a Master\u27s Degree in Health Communication: Understanding Employment Opportunities, Responsibilities, and Choices.

A growing number of institutions offer a master\u27s degree in health communication to prepare individuals for applied work in the field, but there is very little literature on the career paths graduates pursue. The current study reports the results of a national survey that targeted the alumni of five institutions that offer the degree. Of the 522 total graduates to whom the survey was sent, 398 responded (76.2% response rate). Results show that the degree recipients have found employment in a wide variety of organizations across the country, including jobs within very prestigious organizations, such as the National Cancer Institute. Common job titles include manager, coordinator, communication associate/specialist, and program/project director. The most common job responsibilities include research activities, the development of health communication materials, project/program management, communication management, and social media/website management. The results also include stories of graduates across programs that illustrate details of career paths. The discussion of the findings addresses implications for career preparation, curriculum development, and advising