Photo manipulation: the influence of implicit visual arguments on dual processing

textIndividuals view an overwhelming number of mediated messages every day, even if most of these messages are merely glanced at or given minimal amounts of attention. It is not possible or advantageous for individuals to critically evaluate all messages they encounter. In that first glance or initial impression, however, our brains process the visual arguments designed by photo manipulation presented in messages. This happens instinctually, almost instantaneously, and most often underneath our radar of consciousness. Following, individuals decide to attend to the information (or not) though conscious processing. Regardless of decisions for elaborative processing, however, the initial visual processing of photo manipulated arguments influences how individuals think, feel, and behave – whether they are aware of it or not. This dissertation contributes to our understanding of the role of implied visual arguments for persuasive message processing in three ways. First, Experiment 1 identified and provided empirical evidence for effects of photo manipulation as a visual persuasion technique. This experiment was a necessary first step in exploring the cause-and-effect relationship of photo manipulation and attitudes to better understand influences on message perception. Second, Experiment 2 tested currently used dual processing approaches for persuasive messages to overcome the gaps that currently exist. Theoretical frameworks widely used in advertising and communication research – ELM and HSM – largely overlook the influence of visual communication and visual processing. These models do not account for the current understand of the brain mechanisms and processes for message processing. Findings from Experiment 2 provide evidence for the need to refine these models to account for influential visual processing variables that are largely absent from the literature. Third, findings from both experiments contributed to the conceptual refinement of visual literacy with evidenced-based support for the boundaries of when this concept is (or is not) influential for assigning meaning to visual messages.Advertisin

Formative research to identify perceptions of e-cigarettes in college students: Implications for future health communication campaigns

This formative study examined perceptions of e-cigarettes in college students with the goal of informing future health communication campaigns. Differences between e-cigarette users and nonusers were also examined. Participants: Thirty undergraduate students were recruited from a large southwestern public university (15 users, 15 nonusers)

Excel@Carolina Summer Research Presentation: Engaging Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer via a Social Support App (Lazard)

Working with the principal investigator and associate professor at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism & Media, Allison Lazard, Ph.D., and team, I served as a research assistant during the summer of 2020 in effort to find ways to facilitate meaningful connections on peer-to-peer social support apps for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer. An often underserved and neglected population, AYAs with cancer tend to struggle to find the appropriate support they need, which can lead to feelings of isolation and inadequate mental health. Many AYAs wish they had found online support way before they did. After analyzing 45 AYA interviews, Lazard and the team have compiled primary findings that can be summarized in this presentation and brief for advocacy groups (designed and co-written by me). This project has received grant funding through the American Cancer Society, as identified below: American Cancer Society (ACS) 133694-PEP-19-154-01-PCSM. “Engaging Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer via a Social Support App.” $144,000. 11% Effort in Years 1-2

Nano-scientists as Consumers and Sources of Information about Nanoethics

To address the communication gap between nano-scientists and ethicists, nano-scientists’ ethical information seeking and sharing behavior are examined. Drawing on Ethics Position Theory (EPT) and Planned Risk Information Seeking Model (PRISM), this study seeks to profile ethical practices among nano-scientists and identify predictors for ethical information seeking and sharin

Engaging Men in Prenatal Health Promotion: A Pilot Evaluation of Targeted e-Health Content

Pregnancy outcomes in the United States continue to rank among the worst in the developed world. Traditional maternal–child health promotion tends to focus exclusively on women, leaving men out of programs that can affect family health. Scholars advocate including men in prenatal health to reduce maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. This study explored the perceived role of men in prenatal health, the use of an e-health application, and participant-suggested ways of improving the application moving forward. This study interviewed men in a large Southwestern U.S. city with an average age of 26.0 years (N = 23). The sample was 52% White, 26% Hispanic, 9% Asian, 9% multiracial or other, and 4% Black. Participants were asked about pregnancy health and used a pregnancy-related e-health application on a tablet computer. Participants provided opinions on content, ease of use of tablets, and recommendations for a stronger application. Despite perceived barriers such as time constraints, financial burdens, and an unclear role, men believe it is important to be involved in pregnancy health. Most found the application to contain useful and interesting information. Participants recommended the addition of videos and interactive modules to make the application stronger. This study explored the use of a targeted e-health application to introduce men to prenatal health education. Results indicate men feel favorable to this type of intervention. Additional refinement of the application could include interactive tools or “push content” to further engage men in this important topic

Reactions to graphic and text health warnings for cigarettes, sugar-sweetened beverages, and alcohol:An online randomized experiment of US adults.

We aimed to examine reactions to graphic versus text-only warnings for cigarettes, SSBs, and alcohol. A convenience sample of US adults completed an online survey in 2018 (n=1,352 in the analytic sample). We randomly assigned participants to view a: 1) text-only warning without efficacy information (i.e., message intended to increase consumers’ confidence in their ability to stop using the product), 2) text-only warning with efficacy information, 3) graphic warning without efficacy information, or 4) graphic warning with efficacy information. Participants viewed their assigned warning on cigarettes, SSBs, and alcohol, in a random order. Across product types, graphic warnings were perceived as more effective than text-only warnings (p<.001) and led to lower believability, greater reactance (i.e., resistance), more thinking about harms, and lower product appeal (all p<.05); policy support did not differ. Compared to SSB and alcohol warnings, cigarette warnings led to higher perceived message effectiveness, believability, fear, thinking about harms, policy support, and greater reductions in product appeal (all p<.05). The efficacy information did not influence any outcomes. Graphic warnings out-performed text-only warnings on key predictors of behavior despite causing more reactance

Design simplicity influences patient portal use: the role of aesthetic evaluations for technology acceptance

Objective This study focused on patient portal use and investigated whether aesthetic evaluations of patient portals function are antecedent variables to variables in the Technology Acceptance Model

Impact of The Real Cost Campaign on Adolescents’ Recall, Attitudes, and Risk Perceptions about Tobacco Use: A National Study

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) The Real Cost campaign advertisements (ads) have targeted U.S. youth with messages designed to prevent and reduce tobacco use. This study examined exposure to The Real Cost campaign, including ad and slogan recall, and associations with attitudes and risk perceptions among U.S. adolescents. We analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of adolescents aged 13 to 17 years (n = 1125) surveyed by phone from October 2014 to June 2015. We assessed aided recall of and attitudes toward four campaign ads and the one slogan. Logistic regression models assessed whether aided recall of The Real Cost ads or slogan was associated with perceived likelihood of serious health consequences of cigarette smoking. Most (88%) adolescents reported seeing or hearing at least one of four ads for The Real Cost, and 54% recalled The Real Cost slogan. The majority of adolescents reported more negative attitudes toward tobacco products after seeing or hearing the ads. Recall of any The Real Cost ad was significantly associated with greater perceptions of serious health consequences of cigarette smoking (Adjusted Odd Ratios (AOR) = 5.58, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.20–25.90). The FDA’s The Real Cost campaign has achieved very high reach and is associated with more negative attitudes toward tobacco products and greater risk perceptions of cigarette smoking among U.S. adolescents

Development and Application of an Interdisciplinary Rapid Message Testing Model for COVID-19 in North Carolina

Introduction From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials have sought to develop evidence-based messages to reduce COVID-19 transmission by communicating key information to media outlets and the public. We describe the development of an interdisciplinary rapid message testing model to quickly create, test, and share messages with public health officials for use in health campaigns and policy briefings. Methods An interdisciplinary research team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assembled in March 2020 to assist the state health department in developing evidence-based messages to influence social distancing behaviors in the state. We developed and iteratively executed a rapid message testing model; the components of the 4-step model were message creation, survey development, survey administration, and analysis and presentation to health department officials. The model was executed 4 times, each during a 7-day period in April and May, and each subsequent survey included new phrasing and/or messaging informed by the previous week’s survey. A total of 917 adults from North Carolina participated in the 4 surveys. Results Survey participants rated messages focused on protecting oneself and others higher than messages focused on norms and fear-based approaches. Pairing behaviors with motivations increased participants’ desire to social distance across all themes and subgroups. For example, adding “Protect your grandmother, your neighbor with cancer, and your best friend with asthma,” to messaging received a 0.9-point higher score than the base message, “Stay 6 feet apart from others when out in public.” Practice Implications Our model to promote social distancing in North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic can be used for rapid, iterative message testing during public health emergencies

Abuse-Deterrent Opioids: A Survey of Physician Beliefs, Behaviors, and Psychology

Objective: Evaluate beliefs and behaviors pertaining to abuse-deterrent opioids (ADFs). Design: Survey in 2019 by invitation to all licensed physicians. Setting: Commonwealth of Kentucky. Participants: 374 physicians. Methods: Descriptive statistics, and hypothesis test that early adopter prescribers would have greater endorsement of opioid risk management. Results: Of all prescribers, 55% believed all opioid analgesics should have ADF requirements (15% were unsure); 74% supported mandating insurance coverage. Only one-third considered whether an opioid was ADF when prescribing, motivated by patient family diversion (94%) and societal supply reduction (88%). About half believed ADFs were equally effective in preventing abuse by intact swallowing, injection, chewing, snorting, smoking routes. Only 4% of OxyContin prescribers chose it primarily because of ADF properties. Instead, the most common reason (33%) was being started by another prescriber. A quarter of physicians chose not to prescribe ADFs because of heroin switching potential. Early adopters strongly believed ADFs were effective in reducing abuse (PR 3.2; 95% CI 1.5, 6.6) compared to mainstream physicians. Early-adopter risk-management practices more often included tools increasing agency and measurement: urine drug screens (PR 2.0; 1.3, 3.1), risk screening (PR 1.3; 0.94, 1.9). While nearly all respondents (96%) felt that opioid abuse was a problem in the community, only 57% believed it was a problem among patients in their practice. Attribution theory revealed an externalization of opioid abuse problems that deflected blame from patients on to family members. Conclusions: The primary motivator for prescribing ADFs was preventing diversion by family members, not patient-level abuse concerns