The impact of narrative focus, vividness of product depiction, mental imagery ability, and need for cognition on transportation in narrative advertising

This dissertation explored a relatively new persuasion model, Transportation-Imagery Model, in a narrative advertising context. In particular, the study investigated the impacts of two message factors including narrative focus (process vs. outcome) and vividness of product depiction (vivid vs. pallid), as well as two individual factors including one's dispositional ability to generate vivid mental imagery and need for cognition, on message recipients' degree of transportatedness in response to narrative ads. It was found that narrative advertising featuring the process of product consumption and vivid product depiction tends to elicit greater degree of transportedness compared with that featuring the outcome of the product usage and pallid product depiction. In addition, transportation was also positively influenced by one's mental imagery ability, with high imagers being more transported than low imagers. In response to print narrative ads, transportation was also affected by need for cognition, with individuals high in need for cognition being more transported than those low in need for cognition. Moreover, transportation was found to positively influence one's affective and conative responses to narrative ads. Specifically, highly transported individuals were more likely to exhibit favorable ad attitude and brand attitude as well as stronger behavioral intention than their less transported counterparts. Theoretical and practical implications of the study as well as its limitation were discussed. Directions for future studies were also provided. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

"Hey guys? there's been a change in the raid": information use and social change in World of Warcraft

This study examines public sources of information, their usage and how these factors fect social change in virtual communities, specifically in the MMORPG World of Warcraft. Using the concepts of the "public" and the "public sphere" as developed by Jürgen Habermas, Robert Park, and John Dewey and the weak-tie theory by Granovetter, this study used a loose ethnography coupled with forum monitoring and in-depth interviews to determine public sources of information and information usage by players in in-game decision making. Also, the study seeks to clarify how players use information, and how this information sparks social change both at micro, meso and macro levels within the game and meta-game. This study found that players use internet forums and in-game social tools as their sources of public information to engage in free discussion about issues in the game, their lives and their community. This study also found that social change is influenced by information players retrieve from the forums and that weak ties are often generated in the forums. Guilds that frequently engage in the forums are in the public eye and subject to instability from external pressure. Guilds that do not interact regularly in the forums are less subject to external pressures, but subject to stagnation. These results support that WoW does have a function public sphere, public information sources and weak ties within the game often transmit more information, and with this information a chance for innovation and social change. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

The Tiger Woods sex scandal: an analysis of image repair in sports

In the world of public figures, high-profile athletes may be the most highly scrutinized. These men and women hold the precarious distinction of both celebrity and hero. Many times they are asked and expected to live their lives in the same manner that they play their sports; with extreme discipline and dedication. In today’s world of ubiquitous and viral news coverage the ability of these athletes to escape even the most innocent of human failures is nearly impossible. In this regard, an athlete’s image has become one of his or her most highly volatile possessions. This study attempts to shed more light on the nature of image repair in sports in today’s society by studying and testing the image repair strategies used by Tiger Woods after revelations of multiple affairs surfaced in the fall of 2009. Qualitative and quantitative content analyses were conducted to determine the use of Benoit’s (1995) image repair theory (IRT) strategies and their effects on the perception of Woods as seen through the eyes of YouTube users who commented on the video of his public apology posted by CNN on February 19, 2010. Two thematic analyses were conducted as part of this study. The first pinpointed strategies used by Woods in his apology speech. The second thematic analysis grouped comments into emerging themes to better understand the motivations behind users’ reactions. All user comments were coded for positive or negative reactions, and tests were conducted to determine both frequency distribution and significance. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

The effect of social media communications on positive youth development: an analysis of 4-H Facebook pages and 4-H'ers' positive development

With the hope of raising children and adolescents to become responsible and active citizens with upstanding values, many scholars and educators are paying more attention to youth organizations. Many youth-related organizations have focused their efforts on providing quality programs and opportunities to encourage early participation in civic engagements. These efforts are expected to contribute to positive development of youth and future civic engagements. In order to play a significant role in educating the next generation, youth-related organizations have actively engaged in social media to connect with youth. Social media are believed to promote learning opportunities and communications with youth and educators, which will eventually facilitate positive youth development. Therefore, this study is designed to (1) examine how youth-related organizations communicate with young members through social media in order to educate them, and (2) examine how their young users perceive the effect and impact of such communication on their development. This research consists of a two-step study to enhance understanding of the communications and its effects on positive youth development. The first step analyzed communication patterns of the national 4-H Facebook page through content analysis of posts from 2009 to 2014. For the second step, in-depth interviews were conducted with recent 4-H alumni, who used 4-H Facebook during the period of analysis, in order to find out their perceptions on the 4-H role in positive development. The results show that 4-H Facebook posts increase the organization's interaction with its young members by building more connections and by somewhat facilitating positive development of youth. These findings suggest some insights for youth-serving organizations, providing that strategic communications through social media can increase interactions with youth and potentially impact the development of positive traits that will aid them in becoming more active and responsible citizens. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

Buy or boycott?: an examination of mediated consumer animosity effects on purchase intentions

The purpose of this research was to investigate how consumer animosity directly and indirectly affects buying intentions of foreign brands in the context of the 2008 Beijing Olympic torch relay crisis. Theories of social identity and realistic group conflicts served as a theoretical framework to model the impact of consumer animosity on purchase intentions. The results suggest that the stable and situational animosities led to slightly lower product quality assessment while consumer ethnocentrism did not, indicating that the latter is a less significant predictor of product judgment than both animosities. Furthermore, perceived social pressure from significant others has triple capabilities to significantly influence product quality assessment, boycott motivations, and buying intentions. In addition, the impact of animosity on purchase intentions was completely mediated by boycott motivations whereas the impact of consumer ethnocentrism and subjective norm was partially mediated through boycott motivations. By contrast, product judgment was a weaker mediator and only partially mediated the relationship between subjective norm and the intention of purchase. The present study provides theoretical and empirical insights into direct and indirect effects of consumer animosity on purchase intentions, which may be beneficial for both manufacturers and retailers who suffer from the boycott of foreign merchandise. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

Health and wellness of the postpartum woman based

More than 80 percent of women in the United States will become pregnant and give birth to one or more children and many will experience pregnancy complications that can inhibit postpartum success. Research suggests that proper maternal care should be given prior to, during and after pregnancy. In order to assist in the reduction of maternal risks, identify problem areas in the health and wellness of postpartum women and train healthcare professionals to provide proper assistance and postpartum advice, there must first be an understanding of the needs of a postpartum woman. And, in order to effectively provide care for these postpartum women, knowledge must be gained regarding expectations of the postpartum period. A large problem with postpartum health and wellness lies in the educational focus during pregnancy. Because the media has been suggested to play a substantial role in the development of individual and cultural perceptions and expectations, this study examined health beliefs and expectations as they are fostered through mediated representations of pregnancy and the postpartum period. By assessing the opinions and expectations of 343 postpartum women, this study details ways in which the media, and other factors, influence the health and wellness of postpartum women. Significant findings from this study suggest that personal health beliefs (p = .000), body image (p = .028), mediated representations of pregnancy (p = .039) and pregnancy related education (p = .002) are related to the health and wellness of postpartum women. This study suggests that being knowledgeable of the realities of the postpartum period can positively impact the success of the postpartum period; thus, confirming the necessity of not only postpartum education, but also improvement in postpartum care. A better understanding of the false expectations influencing success in the postpartum period will allow the opportunity to provide better postpartum care as women prepare for the realities of the postpartum period and the transition to motherhood. Better care will provide a greater chance of increasing the health and wellness of postpartum women as they prepare for positive behavior changes necessary to achieve success in the postpartum period. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

University teachers' perceptions and evaluations of ethics instruction in public relations curriculum

This study examined the present state of teaching ethics in university public relations departments in the U.S. and abroad. The results indicated that public relations teachers perceived ethics instruction in public relations education to be essential, and they believed in a close tie between general morality and professional ethics. However, as the results of a quantitative survey suggested, foreign participants believed that ethics instruction helps students make right choices on the job less so than did participants who were born and teach in the U.S. A series of qualitative interviews with communication teachers in Western European universities revealed that the foreign teachers did not perceive themselves as direct contributors to the public relations industry. Instead, they saw themselves as individuals who are responsible for general liberal education of the youth, not specialized training. Multiple regression analysis of a number of respondents' demographics showed that the higher the participants' rank, the less favorable attitude they held toward the value of ethics education to students. This result is a subject of a future investigation. The majority of participants recognized ethics instruction incorporated in courses throughout the PR curriculum as the most valuable format of ethics instruction delivery. The most used pedagogies--teacher lectures, case studies, and group discussion--appeared to be the most effective approaches, whereas the most used resources in teaching ethics--textbooks, trade magazine articles, and newspaper or magazine stories--were perceived as the most effective material in teaching ethics. Future research should focus on the content of ethics courses; theoretical systems (e.g., Judeo-Christian ethics, Kantian deontology, utilitarianism, and others) examined in the course; whether and to what extent ethics is not only a teaching, but also a research interest of public relations teachers; and, the most important, whether and to what extent ethics instruction affects public relations graduates' future as individuals and professionals. This study makes a pedagogical and theoretical contribution to a thin literature on ethics education. Research based on examination of teachers' perceptions and preferences may help public relations educators see trends in contemporary education, better understand their underpinnings, and possibly enhance their own teaching and educational curricula. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

Does tragic drama have hedonic value?: the social aspects of hedonic motivations and media enjoyment

The hedonic principle, approaching pleasure and avoiding pain, governs human behaviors including media selection. However, the enjoyment of tragic drama poses a challenge to the hedonic principle. Two questions arise from this challenge: (1) why do people, particularly lonely individuals, select tragic content, and (2) why is the intensity of sadness positively associated with the degree of enjoyment of such negatively valenced content? Study 1 examined the first question, the selection of tragic drama. Study 2 investigated the second question, the enjoyment of tragic drama. In Study 1, compared to moderate-lonely individuals, high-lonely individuals selected more tragic drama of which the main theme is positive human relationship that can meet the need for relatedness. Low-lonely individuals did not vary from either high- or moderate-lonely individuals in selecting tragic drama. The treatment of social isolation had effects on the selection of tragic drama among moderate lonely individuals, but not among high- and low-lonely individuals. Moderate-lonely individuals in the inclusion condition watched more tragic drama than did individuals in the neutral condition. In Study 2, individuals were placed in two conditions: self- and other-focused motivations. After watching a sad film, other-focused individuals felt more other-centered sadness, experienced more enjoyment, and had better self-regulation than did self-focused individuals. Other-centered sadness correlated with self-centered sadness and enjoyment, whereas self-focused sadness did not correlate with enjoyment. The two studies suggest that other-focused sadness represents the hedonic value of tragic drama. Theoretical implications and limitations were discussed. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

The effects of narrative exemplars and fear appeals on promoting preventive skin cancer behaviors

This dissertation investigated the effects of narrative exemplars and fear appeals on individuals' health-risk perception toward skin cancer, attitude toward the preventive behavior, and coping responses, with need for cognition, self-efficacy and response efficacy as moderators. This dissertation employed a 2 (message type: narrative exemplar vs. base-rate information) × 2 (threat: high vs. low) factorial between-subject design. A total of 251 college students participated in the experiment. A high-threat message describing the severe consequences of not protecting one's skin and the high susceptibility to skin cancer both directly and indirectly impacted individuals' perceptions of skin cancer risk and their intention to perform a coping response. Fear mediated the effects of threat information on individuals' health risk perception and intention for the coping responses. In addition, when they read a high-threat message, high efficacy individuals believed that the recommendation outlined in the messages produced the desired outcome and the threat could be averted, therefore, they were more likely to accept the recommended behavior in the messages than their lower counterparts. Moreover, need for cognition did not have an effect on the reported transportation when processing narrative exemplars, although participants who read the narrative exemplars reported higher transportation than those who read the base-rate information messages. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries

Social cognitive framework for advertising

Drawing from Bandura’s social cognitive theory, a social cognitive framework for advertising, integrating the major tenets of the advertising discipline, is articulated. Unlike the widely-used, and outmoded, behavioral models that frequently appear in advertising scholarship, the social cognitive perspective emphasizes the role of personal agency with regard to thought, affect, and behavior. Social cognitive framework for advertising contends that advertisements influence individuals as determinants that operate within triadic reciprocal structures composed of other personal, environmental, and behavioral factors. Subsequent to formulating the framework, it was used to structure and test the interaction between extraversion and arousal potential of the ad on attitude toward the ad, purchase intention, and memory of the ad. The investigation failed to find any statistically significant results. Despite a lack of findings, implications of shifting to a social cognitive perspective to study advertising effects are discussed and directions for future scholarship are presented. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries