“I’ll Take Commas for $200”: Instructional Intervention Using Games to Help Students Master Grammar Skills • Susan Bullard, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Nancy Anderson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln • Effective writing requires mastering grammar. For journalists, this mastery is especially important because research shows poor grammar erodes media credibility. College writing instructors say students don’t understand basic grammar concepts, and greater numbers of college students are enrolling in remedial writing classes. This quasi-experimental mixed methods study examines whether using games to teach basic grammar skills helps college students understand and retain grammar concepts. It also examines student perceptions of their learning experience.

Strengthening Basic Writing Skills: A Collaborative Approach Between Media Writing Courses and Writing Studio Tutoring • Michael Drager, Shippensburg University of PA; Karen Johnson, Shippensburg University; Rachel Bryson, Shippensburg University • Strengthening journalism students’ basic writing skills has been a challenge for journalism instructors for many years. Various research studies have indicated a concern for that challenge and attempts to address it adequately. This mixed-methods study explores the development of a collaborative program between journalism instructors and writing studio tutors that incorporates a pretest to identify student weaknesses in basic skill sets, proficiency examinations to test student progress, and targeted tutoring to strengthen skills. Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of this collaboration over a three-year period by employing a variety of methods: paired sample t-tests, independent t-tests, descriptive statistics, surveys, interviews, and document analysis. Results indicated that students scored significantly higher than their pretest scores and control groups from previous years. Students acknowledged their improvement and agreed that tutoring helped them develop writing proficiency. This study suggests that mandatory tutoring can benefit students, and guidelines for developing similar collaborations are provided.

The gaps between journalism education and practice in the digital age: A factor analysis • Ying Roselyn Du, Hong Kong Baptist U.; Eric Lo • This study is a twin survey of online journalism professionals and students that examines and compares their perceptions of journalism skills, duties, and concepts. Using samples of online journalists and online journalism students in Hong Kong, Asia’s news media hub, the survey attempts to offer updated insights into the changes taking place in online journalism classrooms and newsrooms, and uncovers the discordance between online journalism education and practice. Through a factor analysis, the study finds that in online newsrooms, traditional journalistic skills such as writing and news judgment remain prioritized over technical skills such as multimedia and website works. The findings also suggest that today’s journalism students are fairly proficient in new media skills. Therefore, journalism curricula should not forgo training students on traditional journalistic skills for computer skills.

MOOCs in the Humanities: Can They Reach Underprivileged Students? • Suzannah Evans, UNC; Karen McIntyre, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been heralded as a democratizing force bringing higher education to the world’s neediest students. But do MOOCs effectively confront the well-documented challenges of online education for underprivileged students? This textual analysis examines current MOOC offerings in the humanities and finds that courses are designed for relatively well-prepared students, not underprivileged students.

Enhancing student learning in knowledge-based courses: Integrating team-based learning in mass communication theory classes • Gang (Kevin) Han, Greenlee School/Iowa State University; Jay Newell, Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, Iowa State Univ. • Using the case of teaching an undergraduate mass communication theory class in a large Midwest research university, this study discusses the adoption and adaption of the team-based learning (TBL) method in knowledge-based and theory-oriented journalism and mass communication courses. This study first reviews the origin and the concept of TBL, the theories relevant to TBL, and then introduces the TBL method and implementation in the particular course, including procedures and assessments. Based on the results, the significance of this study concerning students’ learning effectiveness and outcome, as well as its pedagogical implications for the journalism and mass communication field and beyond, are discussed.

You Can Fix Stupid: An Experimental Game to Teach a Need For News • Kelly Kaufhold, Texas Tech University • A novel, entertaining classroom experiment was devised to augment current events and public affairs knowledge in journalism classes. The experiment featured an interactive news game modeled after two television game shows: Ca$h Cab and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader. The game experiment, conducted across eight classes in two semesters, succeeded in creating a few more avid news consumers among students; strongly conveyed civics knowledge to many students; and is fun and easily replicable.

Cultivating a Professional Ethic in Covering Marginalized Populations: Learning About the Poor Through Service-Learning • Philllip Motley; Amanda Sturgill, Elon University • As mass communications programs teach students to tell stories, it is important that the curriculum includes the significance of covering diverse groups accurately. Scholars have paid some attention to the coverage of different genders and nationalities, and to ethnic and racial minorities. One area that has seen less concern is economic difference and coverage of the poor in particular. This work examines how service-learning might be used to affect students’ ideas about the poor and their sense of responsibility to tell accurate stories about them. Researchers found that students who encountered the poor directly through service-learning changed their attitudes about the poor and causes of poverty and expressed concern about the need to represent the poor fairly and accurately.

<<2013 Abstracts

South Park and the Defense of the Status Quo • Larry Anderson, University of Memphis • Trey Parker and Matt Stone, co-producers of the popular adult cartoon series South Park, have reputations as iconoclastic critics of contemporary culture. This study conducted an examination of the use of literary devices in three episodes of the series to determine whether the duo employ their knowledge of metaphors, symbolism, and other literary techniques to support the status quo in economic issues.

Ghetto Princes, Pretty Boys and Handsome Slackers: Masculinity and Race and the Disney Princes • Guillermo Avila-Saavedra • This essay aims to explore the symbolic interconnections of race and gender through qualitative discourse analysis of the construction of masculinities in the three Disney films with non-White male protagonists. The analysis exposes the performance of gender roles in the context of race and class as established by the narrative. A discursive analysis of these popular movies reveals the mediated construction of multiple forms of masculinities as well as changing notions of masculinity and femininity.

Media-To-Come: Media Literacy, Autoimmunity, and Hope • Ralph Beliveau, University of Oklahoma • A new paradigm has emerged of fluid networks, where connections are temporary, structures are contextualized, relationships are incidental, and the visual, aural and textual integrate temporarily but seamlessly. Descriptions of fluidity have yet to be discussed in terms of their implied potential for realizing a new experience of citizenship. I argue that these notions can be made sensible through the notion of “Democracy-to-Come.” It must also address the notion of “autoimmunity,” where a social formation begins to act as if under attach and begins to destroy itself as a protective response. Resistance to media literacy pedagogy represents such a self-destructive response.

Zombie Messiah: Apocalypticism, Secularism, Semiotics, and Warm Bodies • Jonathan Birkel, Brigham Young University • Using a semiotic Marxist approach, this paper explores science, secularism, and postmodern rhetoric as they are presented through the apocalyptic film Warm Bodies. Results show that by using a Christian narrative structure, anti-Christian ideologies are conveyed which promote doubt in authoritative structures and hostility toward absolutism. Findings suggests that Christian audiences may be persuaded into believing that doubt toward religious structures is not only normal but appropriate.

“The Best I Can Be”: Framing Disability Through the Mascots of the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. • Sim Butler, University of Alabama; Kimberly Bissell, University of Alabama • For the first time ever during the summer Olympic and Paralympic games, the mascots for each game were introduced together, as a pair. The Paralympic mascot, Mandeville, and the Olympic mascot, Wenlock, are strikingly similar in appearance and construction. However, their adventures, established through a website and online movies, highlight striking differences between the mascots and the athletes they represent. As mascots portray physical representations of the ideologies of sporting teams, leagues, and events, producing two mascots for two different sets of athletic competition creates a unique situation through which to compare normative constructions. Through the online mediated representations of Mandeville and Wenlock, the present study used rhetorical analysis to examine the textual and visual stories of the two mascots communicated specific messages to viewers about ability and disability. Within these films, those deemed as disabled are clearly otherized through injury, isolation, and displays of ability. As these films are cartoons for children, their effect has the potential to influence the constructions for a new generation. The lens through which viewers learned about able-bodiedness and disability through the Olympic mascots presents a stereotypical representation of the body at best, but through the animated stories told about the two mascots, dominate frames about disabled athletes being injured, isolated, or being incapable of managing specific tasks are constructed. These and other findings are discussed.

The 2012 “Women’s Olympics”: Striving toward equity in major news and sports magazine coverage • Sara Blankenship, University of North Texas; Tracy Everbach, University of North Texas • This qualitative study examines the coverage of women in Sports Illustrated, Time and Newsweek magazines during the 2012 Olympic Games. These “Women’s Olympics” also marked the 40th anniversary of Title IX. A textual analysis under a feminist framework shows an equitable portrayal of powerful women, defying previous trends that downplayed their agency. We theorize that the effects of Title IX may finally be taking root by exhibiting women’s sports as exciting, entertaining and victorious.

An Examination of the 1967 Michigan Chronicle Through a Politically Responsive Constructionist Lens • Liz Candello, Arizona State University • This article seeks to further the study of dialogue created by colorblindness and multiculturalism in advocacy journalism within the historical context of the civil rights movement, the African-American weekly newspaper the Michigan Chronicle, and its hiring of its only White reporter from 1965 to 1968. I argue that the Michigan Chronicle employed dialogue that was historically situated. I apply the Politically Responsive Constructionist theory to argue that “colorblindness” hinders, rather than advances dialogue about race in the United States.

The Degradation, Defiling, and Decay of Our Gender: Reading Bravo’s “The Real Housewives” Online • Nicole Cox, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College • As a franchise that has survived more than six years, 350 episodes, and seven series locations, Bravo’s The Real Housewives is a formidable force on cable TV. Centered on the lives of wealthy women, this research utilizes critical, feminist political economy to explore how fans negotiate the series’ gendered messages. Examining 71,000 online posts, this research demonstrates how females make sense of gendered messages and how they- through online interactivity- participate in their own commodification.

I am Spartacus: Whiteness’ Power to Liberate in Film and Television Productions • Richard Craig, George Mason University • Spartacus is one of the most recognized names and legends connected to slave revolts, the story of the Thracian slave who led a resistance against the Roman Republic for over two years, 73 B.C. – 70 B.C. The film and television industry have demonstrated an appeal for the story of this slave who revolts against the established order, and have reimagined the life of this rebellion in cinematic and televised retellings of this mythic individual. The narrative situated in the popular media depictions of Spartacus privileges whiteness as a great liberator, strategically and aggressively rebelling against the institution of slavery, in a historically based context. Yet, popular media has ignored the presence of similar narratives featuring Blacks who violently resisted the institution of slavery in the Antebellum south and West Indies, in a historically based context. This paper challenges the lack of popular film and television productions in popular culture recounting the deeds of historical rebellions led by “Others”. The absence of such narratives denies and devalues the historical lived experience of people of color. The popular cinematic and television depictions of Spartacus’ methodical violent uprising preserve the sense of purity connected to whiteness; not through the violence of the man and his followers, but rather embedded in Spartacus’ quest to see an end to the institution of slavery.

Orientalism for a New Millennium: Cable News and the Specter of the “Ground Zero Mosque” • Ruth DeFoster, University of Minnesota • This study uses discourse analysis to examine cable news coverage of the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque,” considering the arguments put forth by those supporting and opposing the center in the politically charged post-September 11 media environment. It found several trends in terms of sources present in cable coverage opposing the center, as well as a narrow set of talking points that underline the presence of an “Islamophobic” network of individuals/organizations present in American media discourse.

The face of multiculturalism in Korea: Media ritual as framing in news coverage of Jasmine Lee • Frank Durham • Racial purity remains a contentious issue in contemporary Korea. In this case study of news coverage of the first non-Korean appointed to national office there, Jasmine Lee, we have applied Turner’s social drama theory as a methodology for a critical framing analysis of coverage by the nation’s three largest English-language media outlets—the Korea Herald, the JoongAng Daily, and the Korea Times. Our ideological analysis focuses on the use of sources in this on-line context.

Breaking the circle: Citizens, journalism, and the statutory divide • Edgar Simpson, Central Michigan University; Aimee Edmondson, Ohio University • What is the definition of “journalist”? This study examined the United States statutes and administrative codes for all fifty states and the District of Columbia for definitions of our profession. Overall, this study found lawmakers and policy writers established specific duties, responsibilities, and exemptions for “journalists,” tending to rest the definitions and privileges on those employed by traditional news outlets. The authors, inspired by Barbie Zelizer’s definitions of journalism through values, routines, and practices, found five primary categories in which journalists were set apart from “citizens.” These are described as 1) official witness 2) promoter 3) town crier 4) chronicler/commentator, and 5) official representative of the people and of journalism. For instance, twenty states make specific provisions for journalists as “official witnesses” for arguably the most solemn acts of government, putting inmates to death and overseeing elections. While the definitions varied substantially, many tied the definition of journalist to employment by a legitimate or “bona fide” news outlet. The study discusses findings within the context of the ongoing debate over “citizen journalism” and offers suggestions toward definitions that incorporate the increasing role of the audience in producing journalism.

Parrhesia as social theory, digital parrhesia as media theory: Notes toward a holistic model for digital communication • Nicholas Gilewicz, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania • An attempt to reformulate discussions of digital communication, this article interpolates Foucault’s articulation of parrhesia into the digital realm while grounding it in wider literature about communication and social theory. Parrhesia implies that those who have the ability to speak freely have concomitant duties to truth and honest self-representation. This article works uses a method that operationalizes parrhesia to understand the work and 2012 death of “citizen journalist” Rami al-Sayed in the Syrian civil war.

Pseudo-Events as a Mesocyclone: Rethinking Pseudo-Events in the Digital Age • Timothy R. Gleason, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh • Daniel J. Boorstin’s concept of pseudo-events has been around almost as long as Queen Elizabeth’s reign as monarch. 2012 was the year of the Diamond Jubilee, a 60th year anniversary, which can be viewed as a giant pseudo-event made from smaller pseudo-events. Compliant media were ready and willing to present images reinforcing the power, authority, and naturalness of the monarchy. This study frames the Diamond Jubilee by reconceptualizing pseudo-events using the analogy of a Mesocyclone.

Escape, Tradition and Gender Discourse: The Neighborhood Gate • Noura Hajjaj, Marist College • The focus of this research is to examine the format, values, and cultural impact of “The Neighborhood Gate” across the Arab region. This iconic Syrian soap opera is enjoying extraordinarily successful runs and reaching very broad Arab audiences. Reflecting on the plot premises, the cultural themes, the representation of characters, and the expected masculine and feminine communication patterns, highlights the revolving messages and the portrayal of Arab women at a time of rising feminist self-determination.

Community Journalism as Community Development: Implications for the Journalistic Field • Gary Hansen, University of Kentucky; Elizabeth Hansen, Eastern Kentucky University Dept. of Communication • Drawing upon community theory, a case is made for viewing community journalism as community development based upon its contributions to both the creation of community solidarity and the development of community agency. Key concepts or “thinking tools” of Bourdieu’s field theory are then outlined, applied to journalism, and used to illuminate both the current position of community journalism within the journalistic field and the implications for the field of viewing community journalism as community development.

The Journalist In-Group: American Journalism Culture’s Promotion of Othering • Jennifer Hoewe, The Pennsylvania State University • This paper argues that the conceptualization of American journalism culture should consider journalists’ strongest source of group membership. Journalists have adopted Said’s definition of Othering by conceiving of themselves as familiar and others as strange. By social identity theory’s standards, they have positioned themselves as the in-group and others as the out-group. Thus, this paper argues that journalists have created the journalist in-group, which is upheld by the standards of many professional news organizations.

Deregulation v. Un-Regulation: A qualitative framing analysis of press releases published by interest groups in the debate over net neutrality • Brett Johnson, University of Minnesota • Net neutrality pits the interests of ISPs and Internet application creators against each other. As described by politics of technology theory (Berg 1998; Gillespie 2007), press releases help craft and sell the political ideals of a neutral or non-neutral Internet. This project will conduct an inductive, qualitative framing analysis (Gamson & Modigliani 1989) of press releases published by interest groups in the debate over net neutrality between 2006 and 2012.

Culture as Constitutive: An exploration of audience and journalist perceptions of journalism in Samoa • Linda Jean Kenix • Much research implicitly suggests that journalism values arise from culturally removed organizational structures or shared occupational training and few studies examine the perspective of journalism from both audiences and journalists. These omissions are important given the essentiality of mutually constructed and culturally embedded normative behaviours within journalism. This research examines audiences and journalists in Samoa, a country purposefully selected as a recently independent, post-colonial, country that relies upon a very traditional, shared national identity for it’s relatively nascent identificatory cohesion. This study aims to gain a better understanding of how local culture can set parameters and expectations for journalism; how journalists negotiate culture into their own professional ideology; and how audiences understand journalism within a cultural context.

Girls’ Generation: Neoliberal Social Policy, Governmentality and Girl Industry in the Age of KOR-US FTA • Gooyong Kim, Temple University; Dong-hyun Byun, Graduate School of Media Communication, Sogang University • This paper argues how the Korean government has been an integral part of Koran popular music’s (K-pop) recent global popularity as a part of state intervention in maintaining national competitiveness in a post-IMF neoliberal society. To be more specific, I will examine how the growing popularity and numbers of idol girl bands are possible in conservative Confucian Korean society, claiming that they are the apex of neoliberal commodity that creates vast surplus value to Korea’s talent management companies and provides the contemporary myth of market competition in the age of Free Trade Agreement between Korea and the United States (KORUS FTA). Foucault’s (2008) notion of biopower and neoliberal governmentality is deployed to understand Korean government’s support of K-pop industry as neoliberal social policy, which is not for social safety-net but for economic growth. I will conclude that contemporary female K-pop idol bands are the latest export item to earn foreign currency and to perpetuate the dominant market ideology of neoliberalism.

Navigating good citizenship in a networked world: The case of Kony2012 • Neta Kligler-Vilenchik, University of Southern California; Kjerstin Thorson, University of Southern California • This paper uses the case of Kony2012 to explore competing citizenship discourses. We propose that the controversy around Kony2012, expressed through online discussions and humorous images, illuminates a moment in which citizenship norms are in flux. Using media artifacts, we explore the tension between proposals that new media enable new kinds of civic action, and critiques of “slacktivism”, grounded in a vision of the informed citizen as the only acceptable model of good citizenship.

News Attention Climax: Does News Framing Create Better Capitalists? • Derek Last • This paper explores the theoretical phenomenon of “News Attention Climax”, and focuses upon the moment when news is first transferred from news producer to news consumer. A news attention climax system champions forms of delivery that are efficient, and that emphasize speed of reception. This is reflective of a neo-Taylorist movement that has guided, and continues to guide news delivery and reception, and which has only been augmented with social media and search engine optimization.

Net is Neutral, But the Media Is not Neutral: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Print News Coverage of Network Neutrality • Ju Young Lee, Pennsylvania State University • Based on Herman and Chomsky’s propaganda model, this study intended to examine whether the media tended to serve governmental purposes to sustain their dominant status or viability in the media market. The print news coverage of the network neutrality policy during the period 2005-2011 was analyzed in terms of framing strategies, structures, and rhetorical devices. The major newspapers have supported the positions of both governments by differently framing the network neutrality issue using diverse rhetorical devices.

Social Conflict and Mistrust: Understanding the Ambivalent Relationship between Journalists and Underprivileged Groups in China • Zhaoxi Liu, Trinity University; Judy Polumbaum • A field research reveals that journalists in a Southwestern China metropolis share the view that helping members of the lower social strata or those in need is a prominent component of the meaning of their work as journalists. At the same time, journalists do not completely trust those they are willing to help. Such ambivalent feeling is deeply rooted in China’s social environment, particularly the widespread social conflict and mistrust. From a cultural studies perspective, this study intends to arrive at an understanding of the mixed feeling journalists have toward a particular social group through a contextualized analysis of journalists’ work. In so doing, this study demonstrates that journalistic practice is in indeed deeply connected with its social context.

Media Errors and the “Nutty Professor”: Riding the Journalistic Boundaries of the Sandy Hook Shootings • Dan Berkowitz, U of Iowa; Zhengjia Liu, The University of Iowa • This study explores dual threats to journalism’s authority and professional paradigm during coverage of the mass shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. One threat concerned widespread errors in early reporting. A second threat came shortly after, when a communication professor blogged that the news media had been complicit in a government conspiracy to further the gun control agenda. This study also addresses how social media became part of journalism’s boundary work.

“The King Is Dead, Long Live The King!” • Rashad Mammadov • Relationships between the Soviet Union and the United States in Cold War have been analyzed from different angles, but primary focus is usually on political events with lack of attention to the role of media as a mirror of politics. Although declared cooperation with the West was the key characteristic of Khrushchev’s Thaw, by examining the cartoons of Krokodil magazine I find evidence that Khrushchev’s position about the US was even more radical than Stalin’s.

Warriors and Witches: Cinematic Constructions of Navajos in “Windtalkers” and “Skinwalkers” • Megan McSwain, Middle Tennessee State University • Analyzing Native Americans in a narrower approach, this study focuses on one tribe. This paper deconstructs the discourses used to define Navajos in the 2002 films Windtalkers and Skinwalkers. Both films are found to portray images of Navajos as the Other, Navajos as devices, Navajo religion as superstition, Romanticized Navajos, and Corrupted Navajos. While the films attempt to depict the Navajo as a distinct tribe, Native American stereotypes are still prevalent in the twenty-first century.

Political Performance, Boundary Spaces, and Active Spectatorship: Symbolic Organization During the 2012 Democratic National Convention • Daniel Kreiss, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Laura Meadows, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • This paper presents an ethnographic study of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. We combine literatures on journalistic and political fields with scholarship on performance theory to provide a framework for understanding conventions as contemporary media events. We detail the layered production of performance in the journalistic and political fields, arguing that performances were directed internally and across fields for strategic advantage, and for co-present spectators and the public at-large. Conventions provide boundary spaces for actors from different fields to coordinate work and mediated, integrative spaces for the polity. We conclude by arguing that media events provide occasions for networked practices of ‘active spectatorship’ that serve as paths to political authority and ultimately consent for citizens, if not necessarily political power.

Connected and Disconnected: Catchphrases on the Chinese Internet From 2003 to 2012 • Guo Mengjun, Tsinghua University • The article examines the trends of catchphrases on the Chinese internet from 2003 to 2012 as a popular form of cultural and political expression and their social, culture and political implications. The development of internet-mediated discourse has strong bearing on the environment that gives birth to it, and it reflects the transformation of social, political, cultural and technical reality. I analyze ongoing social changes in Chinese society through the lens of evolving online catchphrases.

‘Weinergate’ online and on paper: A media insurgent and a mainstream newspaper cover the Weiner story. • Natalia Mielczarek, University of Iowa • This study relied on textual analysis to analyze how a media insurgent, the conservative blog Big Government, inserted itself temporarily into the vertical, top-down traditional media landscape by breaking the story of Congressman Anthony Weiner’s sexting. The blog, however, promptly gave up its story to mainstream media, engaging in ‘horizontal cross-dressing’ and self-incorporation. The project analyzed this dynamic through a framing analysis of the Weiner story in Big Government and the Washington Post.

Hegemony in the White House: An examination of gender portrayals on The West Wing • Ben Miller, Univeristy of Minesota; Tanner Cooke • This study examined the role of women in the hit television program The West Wing. Using a qualitative content analysis methodology, this study dissects the power dynamic of women within the already powerful context of the White House. While in recent years the role and position of women on television has elevated, this study argues that it is not the role that necessarily matters, but the interaction with male counterparts and the resulting relative power. The findings of this study uncover hidden power dynamics within the text of a popular program. Ultimately this leads to a discussion of cultural hegemony and the way in which representation can reinforce rather than eliminate hegemonic messages through television programs.

Man Therapy: Framing Mental Health as Masculine • Richard Mocarski, The University of Alabama; Sim Butler, University of Alabama • To address high numbers of suicides by men in America, the mental health promotion campaign Man Therapy attempts to de-stigmatize mental health as staunchly opposed to masculinity through overtly humorous constructions of “therapy the way a man would do it” (Cactus, 2012). Through a critical analysis of the campaign, including the interactive website, modeled as the fictitious office of Dr. Rich Mahogany, this project addresses the influences of humor within the confines of hegemonic masculinity, mental health, and suicide.

Gateway to the Global City: Digital Media and Mobile Place-making • Erika Polson, University of Denver • Drawing from ethnographic research of expatriates in Paris who use meetup.com and similar websites to organize face-to-face events, this paper engages theories of place and placemaking to argue that digital media are engaged in new forms of ‘digital emplacement’ which are particularly suited for proliferating mobile lifestyles and careers.

Seeing the Other: Sexuality and Gender in the Globalized World • Elizaveta Provorova, Temple University • Transnational sexuality studies, transnational feminism and global queer studies emphasize the importance of seeing sexuality and gender as global phenomena that are constantly shaping and being shaped by interrelationships between nations, cultures and groups of people. In this paper I discuss challenges associated with exploring non-mainstream gender practices and sexuality identities of the Other. As scholars belonging to a certain culture and academic tradition we should always be aware of our positionality and biases.

Exploring the Alternative-Mainstream Dialectic: What ‘Alternative Media’ Means to a Hybrid Audience • Jennifer Rauch, Long Island University-Brooklyn • This study enriches scholarship on “alternative media” by exploring what the category means to audiences. A survey (n=224) revealed a distinct system of alternative-media values and practices supported by users. They valued alternative content (neglected issues, diverse voices, mobilizing information) above forms (being nonprofit, advertising-free, small-scale). Despite criticizing corporate-commercial media, this hybrid audience used many such outlets and considered some “alternative.” I discuss why the alternative-mainstream dialectic remains useful in a converged culture.

Performing Community: Public Television and Library Policy • Camille Reyes, Rutgers University • In 1967, the Carnegie Commission on Educational Television published a report with recommendations that became the foundation for American Public Television policy. The report strongly urged Congress to fund a quality alternative to the commercial broadcasting system, recognizing a need for programming unfettered by the imperative of mass audiences for advertisers. The language of diversity and public service runs throughout the document, yet such rhetoric falls short within the deeper structural recommendations for the nascent network. This paper analyzes the contradictions related to community service in the original report, and argues that policymakers must strengthen the definition of diversity within the system before any argument to increase federal funding will be successful. The paper also offers transferable policy guidance from the field of library and information science. Public libraries have long faced similar challenges to those of PBS in serving the information needs of diverse communities. Literature pertaining to collection development and needs assessment in public libraries provides useful suggestions for media reformers striving to reshape a system that for all its faults has the great potential to fulfill its original and vital public interest mission.

Residents’ Journal: Chicago’s public housing residents take on the news • Loren Saxton; Elli Roushanzamir, University of Georgia • This paper explores how racial, class, and spatial pressures condition the exercise of contingent agency via Residents’ Journal, an online journal that publishes articles pertinent to Chicago’s public and government-assisted housing communities. The critical textual analysis examines how community media provide and limit alternative spaces of social (re)positioning and reclamation of social power. Ultimately, the paper calls for the continued critical analyses of community media as forms of resilience, opposition and platforms for social change.

Framing of Osama bin Laden’s Death: A Global Perspective • Whitney Sessa, University of Miami, School of Communication; Michael North, University of Miami; Katie Lang, University of Miami, School of Communication • Media framing of Osama bin Laden’s death was examined in four international, 24-hour news networks: CNN.com, BBC World News, Al Jazeera English and Al Arabiya English. This study found no association between news network and frames used, suggesting that neither geographical location nor ethnocentrism influenced media frames. In contrast to previous media analyses conducted of bin Laden, this study found the dominant frames of bin Laden to be “neutral figure” or “terrorist leader.”

The “Madness” of Capitalism’s Reckless Warrior/Priest: Jim Cramer as Oracle of the Post-Meltdown Neoliberal Capitalism • John Sewell, The University of West Georgia • This essay is a discursive analysis of “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer’s postings on TheStreet.com in 2010 to understand transnational business masculinity in the wake of the 2008 financial meltdown in terms of myth, fantasy theme, and prophetic stance. For his affluent and primarily white, male subscribers, Cramer functioned as channeler and oracle, providing rhetorical vision and offering “secret knowledge” that spurred risky trading behaviors based on narrative and emotion rather than rationality.

The Poetics of Goodbye: Plot, Change and Nostalgia in Narratives Penned by ex-Baltimore Sun Employees • Stacy Spaulding, Towson University • Using plot and thematic analysis rooted in narrative and organizational studies, this study examines the narratives produced by a group of workers laid off by The Baltimore Sun in April, 2009. This study describes the poetics of “goodbye narratives,” the narratives written by ex-employees regarding their organizational experience. This paper demonstrates that these narratives constitute a unique genre with identifiable poetics. Through narrative devices such as plot, these writers make story choices that reflect differing ideological outlooks on the meanings of The Sun’s 2009 layoffs. This analysis also explores collective memory of organizational changes. These narratives speak dramatically to the impact of organizational decline and the influence of staffing levels, changes in ownership and decline in product quality on employee morale. This paper further theorizes that the presence of nostalgia can be seen as a narrative marker of durational discourse which collects, conserves and curates both individual and collective sense making.

The Blue Approach and Propaganda: Law Enforcement, Indy Media, and the 2008 RNC Protests • Robert Frenzel, Old Dominion University; Burton St. John, Old Dominion University • Law enforcement at the 2008 Republican National Convention (RNC) in St. Paul, MN used a variety of coercive measures to keep independent media under control. This work examines such efforts as evidence of propaganda of the deed – non-symbolic actions that also served to send subtle messages that power centers associated with the RNC would not tolerate disruptions. This work also points to implications for today’s journalism and the challenge to its ability to cover protest.

So says the stars: A textual analysis of Glamour, Essence and Teen Vogue horoscopes • Edson Tandoc, University of Missouri-Columbia; Patrick Ferrucci, U of Missouri • This study examines horoscopes published in three women’s magazines: Essence, Glamour, and Teen Vogue, a magazine for teenage girls. Leaving out race and age, the demographics of all three magazines are very similar. In this textual analysis of more than 400 individual horoscope entries, three dominant themes emerged: love, money and work. Stereotypes associated with race and age—more than zodiac signs—shape the fate of those who read and believe in what horoscopes predict.

Crime of Impossibility? A Critical Examination of Western Obscenity Laws and the Criminalizing of Fantasy • Jason Zenor, SUNY Oswego • Few issues receive the same condemnation as sexual abuse of children. But, unfortunately, harm to minors has become the primary justification for speech censorship throughout the world. In fact, people have been incarcerated for possessing cartoon pictures of fictitious minors engaged in sexual conduct- with little media scrutiny or public outcries of injustice. This attack on the freedom of thought has undoubtedly put the fandom of erotic anime on alert- is their genre protected expression or child pornography? This article examines international attempts to pass new obscenity and child pornography laws and recent efforts to censor erotic anime. First, this paper will examine the development of sexually explicit Japanese animation and the sociological and historical roots of the genre, illustrating the social value that it has for its fandom. Then it outlines the laws for obscenity and child pornography in countries with a large anime fan base. Finally, the article analyzes the western socio-legal ideology that has led to censorship and why they are misguided and antithetical to the free speech values of democratic nations.

<< 2013 Abstracts

A Plain Circle: Imagined Amish and Mennonite Community in the National Edition of The Budget • Michael Clay Carey, Ohio University • This study describes the ways in which one community newspaper attempts to connect a broad, diverse population bound by a common ideal, in this case religious faith. The subject of the research is the national edition of The Budget, a weekly newspaper mailed to Amish and Mennonite readers all over the world. Writers for the national edition are unpaid volunteers who are largely free to write about whatever they like. They pass along local information about the weather, church visits, people who have fallen ill, marriages, and other aspects of community life. This qualitative study of The Budget explores the portrayals of Anabaptist life in those dispatches and how those portrayals unite readers. Using textual analysis, it explores common themes, ideals, and values expressed in letters, and how those expressions help create an “imagined community” (Anderson, 1983) among Budget readers. It builds upon past research that examines the ways in which niche publications with national followings connect with readers.

The New Community Influence: iHigh Producers, Their Communities, and Content Decisions • Sarah Cavanah, University of Minnesota; Julie Jones, Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication • A new form of news producers is emerging in U.S. communities. Although these producers are not journalists in the traditional, professional sense, their content serves a public good for the geographical communities they live and work within. Community journalism scholarship indicates community size and complexity influence the amount of pressure on journalists and how they choose and present content. This work updates that scholarship. Specifically, community producers for iHigh (a commercial web site used to cover youth-related events) were interviewed in-depth to assess how they worked, what pressure they felt from the community, and how they considered the work. Findings mirror traditional notions of the relationship between communities and the journalists covering the community, but with some variations significant for the digital platforms and communities.

A Rural Drought in a National Flood: Washington State Residents’ Assessments of Local News • Doug Hindman; Michael Beam, Washington State University • A surfeit of national-level outlets creates the illusion of an abundance of news even as the number of local outlets declines. This study is a report of state and national surveys assessing local news by rural and non-rural residents of Washington state. The findings point to a lack of locally relevant content, not a lack of skills or interest among rural Washingtonians. Implications for rural Washington state citizens’ political knowledge and civic participation are discussed.

Community journalists and relationships with sources and local organizations • Richard Johnson, Arizona State University • Because of the more intimate setting of a smaller community, many community journalists face ethical challenges in balancing source relationships with traditional qualities of objectivity and detachment. Using qualitative, semi-structured interviews, grounded theory, and constant comparative analysis, this study examines the ways in which community journalism professionals manage their personal relationships with sources and community organizations. The study also sought to explain the differences in relationship management between small weekly newspapers and larger community dailies. The interviews suggested community journalists are aware of conflicts of interest and as such try to exhibit professionalism and limit emotional responses to relationship formation. Community journalism professionals interviewed in the study examine individual situations closely with management. Newspaper size did not seem to be a major indicator of community involvement practices. Instead, a journalist’s training and background and a newspaper’s leadership and demographics weighed equally in responses.”

Patch.com’s online community journalism; Professionalism, localism, and the journalistic field • Burton St. John, Old Dominion University; Kirsten Johnson; Seungahn Nah, University of Kentucky • Patch.com, an online community journalism site, declares that its editors will “report the facts as objectively as possible” and that, “while true impartiality is impossible,” Patch wants its editors to be “ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way.” With this statement, Patch indicates that traditional, major metro professional journalistic attributes are important for their approach to community journalism. In contrast, scholars have observed that community journalists focus more on facilitating a sense of community connection among their readers (Hatcher 2012; Lauterer, 2006; Reader, 2012). This study, through a thematic analysis of news on its sites, shows how Patch exhibits the major metro professional journalistic field markers of objectivity, impartiality, and balance while maintaining it is a community journalism outlet. In the case of Patch.com, this raises some significant concerns about online community journalism’s ability to imagine, and engage, wider communities of interest.

<< 2013 Abstracts

Faculty Papers

Are Alternative Farmers Yielding Success with Online Communication Tools for Their Social Capital and Business Viability • Katie Abrams; Abigail Sackmann • To foster direct-to-consumer marketing, some alternative farmers are shifting to online marketing tools like social media. What is unknown, however, is how they are using them and what impacts use has on their business. The purpose of this study was to characterize and determine influences and outcomes of alternative farmers’ use of various marketing and communication channels to better understand what they stand to gain (or lose) from participation in online media activities as it relates to their farm business viability and social capital. Through survey data of 82 alternative farmers, it was learned that their personal use of social media was highly correlated with their business use. Most of their time on the Internet was spent finding farming information and finding and interacting with customers; these activities (along with several others) were positively correlated with online bridging social capital. Personal uses of Facebook were indicative of greater social capital, whereas business uses of any social media were not. For business viability, the more Facebook Page likes their farm had, the more revenue they had, but no relationships were found between their business use of social media and customer loyalty or customer relationship. In sum, alternative farmers’ use of online communication tools was positively related to their social capital and their use of Facebook Pages was positively related to farm revenue. This study provides critical benchmark data to later determine the impact of effective use of these tools.

Tell Me Who You Are, I Tell How You Use Facebook: Exploring the Relationship Between Motivational Reactivity and Moral Foundations, and the U&G of Facebook • Saleem Alhabash, Michigan State University; Elizabeth Taylor Quilliam, Michigan State University; Geri Alumit Zeldes, Michigan State University • A cross-sectional survey of 854 college students explored the relationship between motivational reactivity and moral foundations, as individual difference factors, and the motivations and uses of Facebook. Results indicated that risk avoiders scored highest on all moral foundations. Additionally, the moral values of harm/care and authority/respect significantly and positively predicted the intensity to use Facebook, yet the results varied among the different groups of respondents as a function of motivational reactivity. Seven motivations to use Facebook (information sharing, self-documentation, social interaction, entertainment, passing time, self expression, and medium appeal) showed different patterns of prediction as a function of moral foundations and motivational reactivity. Findings are discussed within the framework of extending the uses and gratifications theoretical approach to include both cognitive/biological and social differences as predictors of needs, gratifications, and media choices.

Implications of Content, Quantity, and Quality of Mobile Phone-Mediated Social Interactions for Life Satisfaction • Keunmin Bae • Wireless technology-enabled mobile phones these days are equipped with various interpersonal communication channels, such as voice calling, various SNS apps, texting, video calling, etc. Therefore, users are able to make the best use of it for social interactions via those channels, which provides better opportunities to overcome the communication barriers of time and space. Using an online survey technique, this study investigated the causal mechanisms involving individuals’ social interaction motives for mobile phone use, the quantity, the content, and the quality of mobile phone-mediated social interactions, and their implications for life satisfaction, based on the theoretical grounds of relationship theories, uses and gratifications theory and social capital. Results showed motives for contacting close friends were positively associated with mobile phone use and with mobile phone-mediated self-disclosure. Motives for contacting acquaintances were not related to mobile phone use but negatively related to mobile phone-mediated self-disclosure. Mobile phone use was directly, positively associated with perceived social support, but indirectly with life satisfaction via social support. Mobile phone-mediated self-disclosure was directly related to stronger life satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications of the results were discussed.

Harnessing Peer Potency: Predicting Positive Outcomes from Social Capital Affinity and Engagement With Participatory Websites • Valerie Barker, Journalism & Media Studies SDSU; David Dozier; Amy Schmitz Weiss; Diane Borden • A survey of a representative sample of 1,417 U.S. Internet users investigating positive outcomes from three groups of participatory Internet sites: content communities, ecommerce and social networking, showed that flow (intense engagement in and enjoyment of an activity) promotes satisfaction, affirmation, focused and incidental-knowledge gain. Social capital affinity (the value placed on interaction and identification with online peers) was found to facilitate flow. Internet self-efficacy did not significantly moderate the experience of flow.

Posting About Politics: Media as Resources For Political Expression on Facebook • Stephanie Edgerly, Northwestern University; Kjerstin Thorson, University of Southern California; Leila Bighash, University of Southern California; Emily Gee, University of Southern California; Mark Hannah, University of Southern California, Annenberg School • This paper explores political expression on Facebook during, and immediately following, each of the three 2012 presidential debates. Our focus is specifically on the use of media resources (i.e., images, videos, links) and sharing practices in posts about the debates. Based on a hand-coded sample of 583 public Facebook posts, we find that media resources are commonly used in acts of political expression, and that posts with media resources receive fewer comments.

Modeling Reality: The connection between behavior on reality TV and Facebook • Patrick Ferrucci, U of Missouri; Edson Tandoc, University of Missouri-Columbia; Margaret Duffy, U of Missouri • This study investigates how reality television viewing is linked to Facebook. Utilizing a survey of 736 students, researchers examined whether viewers of different genres of reality television were more prone to problematic information sharing on Facebook. The study found that all viewers of reality were prone to problematic information sharing. However, viewers of drama-, competition- and crime-based shows were most likely to share problematic information. These results are interpreted using social cognitive theory.

Mobile phones and participation: An exploration of mobile social media versus mobile social networking • Jill Hopke, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Itay Gabay, University of Wisconsin – Madison; Sojung Kim, High Point University; Hernando Rojas, University of Wisconsin – Madison • Mobile communication technology is nearing one hundred percent adoption globally, with the majority of usage now taking place in developing countries. According to the International Telecommunications Union, mobile broadband in developing countries is cheaper than fixed-broadband services. With these trends, scores of people around the world are going online for the first time via mobile phones, with much of this use happening in a social media environment. In this study we test the relationships between political conversation with heterogeneous and homogeneous ties, political participation, and online expressive communication. Our findings show that using Twitter, a form of microblogging, on mobile phones among the urban adult population in Colombia is associated with a higher likelihood for both online and offline forms of political participation, as well as online expressive communication. Using Facebook, a form of social networking on the other hand, on mobile phones is associated with higher likelihood for online expressive communication only. Implications for future research are discussed.

Development and Initial Assessment of a Measure of General Technological Self-Efficacy • Tobias Hopp, University of Oregon; Harsha Gangadharbatla • The purpose of this study was to develop and assess a measure of technological self-efficacy (TSE). Three samples were collected for this purpose. Sample 1 was used to reduce an 18-item pool down to 12-item pool of potential TSE indicators. Sample 2 was used to reduce the measure to a 9-item scale. Sample 3 was used to test to the validity of the scale. Initial analyses indicated that TSE scale possesses good psychometric properties.

News Media Activity on Twitter as Social Networks • Jiran Hou, University of Georgia; Itai Himelboim • This study takes a social networks approach to examine traditional media use of Twitter. Specifically, it inquires to the extent to which news media organizations take advantage of this social media platform to break from the traditional one-to-many approach, reaching audiences that do not follow them directly. We found that overall national TV networks on twitter – organizational accounts and their affiliated journalist accounts – reached audiences indirectly more than national newspapers. Interestingly, networks created by individual journalists reached more direct audiences, while organizations reached beyond their immediate groups of followers. Examining the hubs that help reaching indirect audiences, TV networks on Twitter were more likely to have non-media hubs tweeting about them, than newspaper networks. We conclude, among others, that TV networks on Twitter taking better advantage of Twitter in terms of reaching audiences that do not follow them directly via non-traditional media actors.

Sex Role Stereotyping is Hard to Kill: A Field Experiment Measuring Social Responses to User Characteristics and Behavior in an Online Multiplayer First-Person Shooter Game • T. Franklin Waddell, Penn State; Jesse Fox; James Ivory, Virginia Tech; Adrienne Holz Ivory, Virginia Tech; Marcela Weber, The University of the South; Kwaku Akom, Virginia Tech; Desmond Hayspell, Southside Virginia Community College • Behaviors that are proscribed in face-to-face communication, such as sex role stereotyping, may be disinhibited in anonymous online environments. A virtual field experiment (N = 520) in an online game examined the effects of player sex and communication style on compliance with friend requests. As predicted by sex role stereotypes, women who communicated positively earned greater compliance than women who communicated negatively, whereas men who communicated negatively gained more compliance than men who communicated positively.

Psychological and Physiological Reponses to Stereoscopic 3D Gaming: Exploring How Experienced and Inexperienced Gamers React to Shifts in Gaming Features • Anthony Limperos, University of Kentucky; T. Franklin Waddell, Penn State; Adrienne Holz Ivory, Virginia Tech; James Ivory, Virginia Tech • Advances in gaming technology have been made over the past 5 years, including the introduction of stereoscopic 3D in commercial gaming. This research employed a mixed factorial design to explore the relationship between type of game played (2D; 3D), game player experience (experienced; inexperienced), and participant sex (male; female) on feelings of presence and arousal. Results show that positive responses to stereoscopic 3D are moderated by game player experience. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Some Like it Lots: The Influence of Interactivity and Reliance on Credibility • Tom Johnson; Barbara Kaye, University of Tennessee – Knoxville • This study examines how interactivity and reliance influence credibility perceptions of 16 sources after controlling for demographic and political variables. Reliance proved a much better predictor of credibility, impacting credibility in 15 of 16 instances as compared to 3 of 16 for interactivity. This study also examined credibility of sources that have received little attention in the credibility literature such as social network sites, Twitter and smartphone news applications.”

The Lure of Grandkids and the Desire for Online Privacy: Why Retirees Use (or Avoid) Facebook • Eun-Hwa Jung, Penn State University; Justin Walden; Ariel Johnson, The Pennsylvania State University; S. Shyam Sundar, The Pennsylvania State University • This study draws upon in-depth interviews (N=46) to evaluate retirees’ perceptions of social networking sites (SNSs). Interviews revealed six primary reasons for using Facebook (keeping in touch, sharing photos, social surveillance, responding to family member requests, convenient communication, curiosity) and six primary reasons for not using Facebook (privacy, need for media richness, preference for familiarity, triviality of communication, time commitment, frustration with site tools). Emergent findings hold implications for future research and SNS design.

Seriously Social: Young Adults, Social Media and News • Kelly Kaufhold, Texas Tech University • A survey of two large college populations found a stark, significant negative correlation between social media use, news use and being informed. Two scenarios were tested: A complementary-use hypothesis in which social media use aids news use; and a displacement hypothesis in which social media use impedes news use. Social media use was found to be significantly related to less news use and being less informed.

Opinion Leaders in Online Cancer Support Groups: An Investigation of Their Antecedents and Consequences • Eunkyung Kim, University of Georgia; Dietram Scheufele, Department of Life Sciences Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Jeong Yeob Han; Dhavan Shah • This study investigates the relationship between opinion leaders and psychosocial health outcomes in online cancer support group by considering two overarching questions: 1) Who are the opinion leaders? 2) What role do these opinion leaders play in explaining health outcomes? The findings suggest that opinion leaders had more psychosocial health benefits than non-leaders. There were different characteristics between opinion leaders and non-leaders in terms of race, personality traits, and psychosocial factors.

Advertising Structure and Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Memberships on Video Sharing Websites • Joonghwa Lee, Middle Tennessee State University; Vamsi Kanuri, University of Missouri; Esther Thorson, University of Missouri; Murali Mantrala • This paper introduces conjoint analysis to examine consumer preferences for how commercials are embedded in online video streaming sites like HuluPlus, Amazon Streaming, and Yahoo Streaming. The advantage of conjoint analysis is that it provides an analytical tool for optimizing the structure of whether consumers have a choice of which commercials they watch, the duration of the commercials, how many of them there are, and the trade-off between these variables and various levels of membership pricing for the video site. Using a novel one limit Tobit regression with repeated measures, we demonstrate that consumers’ willingness to pay, derived using the preferences obtained from conjoint analysis, is significantly affected by advertising structure on online stream sites. However, Ad Enjoyment, a psychological variable measured as a consumers’ general attitude toward advertising, which has been shown in the literature to have a significant effect on consumers’ purchase behavior, did not contribute to the prediction of consumer willingness to pay.

From Media Literacy (ML) to Meida and Information Literacy (MIL): Rationales and Practices • Alice Y. L. Lee, Hong Kong Baptist University • This paper proposes that media literacy should be integrated with information literacy and ICT skills to form a new literacy concept of “media and information literacy” (MIL). MIL is regarded as a set of essential millennial competencies that young people needed in order to operate well in the 21st century. By analyzing the technological revolution, the transition to knowledge society and the participatory culture of the Net Generation, this paper explains the necessity of cultivating young people’s MIL so that they can become competent knowledge workers and responsible citizens in the emerging knowledge society. The practice of MIL in the city of Hong Kong was examined as a case study to explore how the MIL movement can be better launched in the coming years.

Social Media and Strategic Communications: A three-year study of attitudes and perceptions about social media among college students • Bobbi Kay Lewis, Oklahoma State University; Cynthia Nichols, Oklahoma State University • In previous research of college students’ attitudes and perceptions of social media, Lewis (2010) found education and curriculum have a significant impact on college students’ attitudes and perceptions of social media. Through situated learning theory, the current study explores the importance of educating students on how to employ social media strategically in the construction of knowledge and reality. Similar to the first two studies, the findings suggest college students who are exposed to social media in their coursework, rated social media significantly more positively than those who are not educated on how to social media as a strategic tool. The findings have implications for both communications industry and education.

Perceived contextual characteristics of online social networks as predictors of openness, activeness and diversity of information exchange • Xigen Li; Mike Yao; Yang Liu; Heng Lu • This study investigates the effects of perceived network characteristics on information exchange of online social network users. The results revealed that perceived network characteristics partly explain the behavior of information exchange in online social networks. Perceived network density positively and heterogeneity negatively predict the openness of information exchange. Perceived network density and network openness positively predict the activeness of information exchange. Perceived network centrality and network openness positively predict the diversity of information exchange. The findings of this study highlight the importance of communication context and confirmed information exchange as a concept with multiple dimensions. The effects of perceived network characteristics of online social networks on information exchange varied by openness, activeness and diversity.

Exploring Podcast Use Intent: Theory of Planned Behavior and Social Network Communication • Yi Mou; Carolyn Lin • This study incorporated perceived descriptive norm and social-network communication to the framework of the theory of planned behavior to predict podcast-use intent. An online survey was conducted with 396 college students. Results show that social network communication, descriptive norm, injunctive norm and attitude-related-to-podcasting technology significantly predicted podcast-use intent. Perceived behavioral control over podcasting adoption was not a significant predictor of podcast-use intent. Implications for theory building and future research directions are discussed.

Conditional Effects of Digital Media on the Knowledge Gap in the 2010 U.S. Senate Election • Jason Martin, DePaul University • This study analyzed the conditional effects of digital media on political knowledge using a mail survey of a random sample of registered voters in a 2010 U.S. Senate election campaign. The goal was to determine whether six different digital media activities related to campaign news significantly affected voter learning, and whether interactions of digital news use and education privileged knowledge acquisition based on socioeconomic status. Analysis found that after robust controls, news media website use produced a significant positive association with political knowledge in regression estimation, and that education had a conditional diminishing effect on knowledge as news media website use increased. However, other digital news activities, including use of social networking sites, online expression, and blogs, did not produced any significant effects on knowledge. These results indicate that in a Congressional campaign context, digital news holds the potential for producing a more egalitarian distribution of political knowledge, while more socially focused digital media activities tend not to inform voters about candidates and key issues. The implications of these findings and avenues for further research investigating digital media and societal inequalities in a political engagement context are discussed.

Incidental Learning as a Function of Complementary Simultaneous Media Use: The Mediating Role of TV Engagement • Rebecca Nee, San Diego State University; David Dozier • Television audiences are increasingly using portable communication technologies to multitask, lookup information online, check social network sites, and comment on the programs being watched. Although multitasking can distract audiences away from the TV content, the use of a second screen in a manner that complements the mass communication content is a unique phenomenon that may lead to positive outcomes. This study, based upon survey data collected from a national stratified random sample (N = 1,417), supports a theoretical model linking frequency of complementary simultaneous media use to engagement, which mediates incidental learning. Findings may be useful for mass communication scholars and practitioners seeking to understand the effects of dual electronic media use.

Looking for Gendered Privacy: Do Men and Women Differ in Privacy Skill and Confidence? • Yong Jin Park, Howard University • This study investigates whether privacy skill and confidence differ by gender, focusing on data protection and release. Analyses of a national sample revealed that gender had a positive association with confidence and skill in protection; however, gender had no effect on the extent to which data release was managed. Implications are discussed in light of Internet skill required for building privacy, and the role played by gender in signaling the need for policy awareness.

Hyperpersonal recovery from alcoholism: Negotiating social support between online and face-to-face support group settings • David Jackiewicz, Kellogg Community College; Stephen Perry, Illinois State • Members of Alcoholics Anonymous have differing perceptions of the social support received through attending online vs. face-to-face (FtF) AA meetings? An online survey assessed social integration, nurturance, and informational social support. Results indicate that higher CMC meeting attendance provided lower levels of social integration and informational support. CMC meetings did, however, provide the same amount of nurturance support as FtF meetings. AA members who attended more CMC meetings valued transferring knowledge between contexts the most.

Community Characteristics Influencing Municipal Use of Social Media • John Remensperger, UNC; Daniel Riffe, UNC • This study examines community-level characteristics and use of social media by local governments to interact with citizens. A structural pluralism model, and a local media competition model, measuring quantity and diversity of media outlets, were examined in relation to local government’s use of social media to promote deliberative democracy. Local media competition, as well as lack of educational and industrial diversity, had a significant, positive influence on adoption of social media by city governments.

Emerging Mobile Media Platform: Exploring Consumer Perception and Use of Tablets for Media Content • Sylvia Chan-Olmsted, University of Florida; Ronen Shay, University of Florida • This exploratory study utilizes a self-recorded video diary methodology to assess actual tablet users’ entertainment or informational media consumption experiences. It seeks to address: how users use tablets to consume media content traditionally distributed on other platforms; users’ perceptions on tablets’ relative benefits, accessibility, compatibility, usefulness, ease of use, and fun; tablet substitutability and complementarity among other media devices; and what adoption factors are most important to tablet users.

Comparing relationships among self-disclosure, social attraction, predictability and trust in exclusive Facebook and exclusive face-to-face relationships • Pavica Sheldon, University of Alabama in Huntsville; Loretta Pecchioni • The aim of this study was to compare friendship qualities in two types of relationships: exclusive Facebook friendships and exclusive face-to-face friendships. The term exclusive was described as being a very close relationship that is carried out primarily through one means of interaction. Based on Altman and Taylor’s (1973) social penetration theory, Berger and Calabrese’s (1975) uncertainty reduction theory, and Parks and Floyd’s (1996) personal relationship scale, this study measured one participant’s self-disclosure to an exclusive Facebook friend and to an exclusive face-to-face friend, as well as his or her social attraction to each type of a friend, predictability of that friend’s behavior, and finally trust in them. Results show that trust and predictability have the most influence on how much we choose to disclose to both our Facebook and our face-to-face friends. In addition, we will also be more socially attracted to those friends to whom we self-disclose more. Facebook relationships, however, are not “pure” relationships, and individuals disclose more to and have more trust in their face-to-face friends.

“Candy Crush”: Understanding the relationship between sensation seeking, locus of control, life satisfaction, and motivations for playing Facebook games • Pavica Sheldon, University of Alabama in Huntsville • Despite online games’ constant evolvement, there has been relatively little research studying the positive aspects of game-playing. This article explores the motivations for playing Facebook games and individuals’ differences associated with it. Using data from a survey of adults 19-76 years old, results revealed that one-fifth of all participants played Facebook games. The main motive for playing games was the challenge of it. In addition, findings showed that those who spent more time playing Facebook games scored higher in external locus of control and were less satisfied with their lives. Women spent more time playing games than men. Individuals 35 years old and older spent more time than younger adults.

In Control of Enjoyment: Gameplay Difficulty, Performance Feedback, and the Mediating Effect of Presence on Video Game Enjoyment • Brett Sherrick, Pennsylvania State University; Mike Schmierbach, Pennsylvania State University; T. Franklin Waddell, Penn State; Keunyeong Kim, Penn State University; Frank Dardis, Penn State University • Difficulty of video games is often connected to enjoyment, as well as the concepts of competency and presence. This study attempts to extricate game difficulty from perceptions of player performance through separate manipulations of difficulty and performance feedback in the context of a casual puzzle-based game. Results suggest that game difficulty is more important than feedback on player performance in determining enjoyment. Further analysis shows that difficulty works through presence, not competency, in predicting enjoyment.

Coping with Information in Social Media: The Effects of Network Structure and Knowledge on Perception of Information Value • Dongyoung Sohn, Department of Media & Communication, Hanyang University • The explosive growth of social media has intrigued many scholars to inquire into why people willingly share information with others. However, relatively little attention has been devoted to how people determine which information they share in the networked environment. In this study, a 2 (network density – dense vs. sparse) x 2 (knowledge – expert vs. novice) x 3 (information valence – negative vs. neutral vs. positive) online experiment was performed to examine how the three factors interact and cross over in shaping individuals’ perceptions of the value of information for themselves and for others in the network. Results show that individuals’ perceptions of information value are influenced not just by the norms arising from group situations, but also by how the network environment is structured.

Facebook Use and Political Participation • Gary Tang, The Chinese University of Hong Kong; Lap Fung Lee, School of Journalism and Communication, The Chinese University of Hong Kong • Some recent studies have illustrated a positive relationship between social media use and political participation among young people. Researchers, however, have operationalized social media usage differently. This article adopts a multi-dimensional approach to the study of the impact of social media. Focusing on Facebook, the most prominent and widely utilized social networking site in Hong Kong, this study examines how time spent on Facebook, exposure to shared political information, network size, network heterogeneity, and direct connection with political opinion leaders relate to young people’s online and offline political participation. Analysis of a survey of university students (N=774) shows that participation is explained most prominently by direct connection with political opinion leaders, followed by network heterogeneity. These two variables also mediate the impact of network size on participation. The findings thus suggest that the political impact of social media is largely dependent on with whom people are connected via the platforms.

Self-Efficacy and Interactivity: A Content Analysis of Weight Watchers’ Online Discussion Board • Ye Wang, University of Missouri – Kansas City; Erin Willis, University of Memphis • Online discussion boards can facilitate interactive conversation related to self-efficacy within online weight-management communities because of its textual, asynchronic, and anonymous features. Conducting a content analysis of Weight Watchers’ online discussion board, this study examined the relationship between content that may influence self-efficacy and interactivity. Findings showed that discussion threads with stronger focus on self-efficacy were more interactive, suggesting that content related to self-efficacy contribute to a more engaging experience with online weight-management communities.

To Unfriend or Not: Exploring the Interplay of Traits, Self-Presentation, and Voyeurism for Keeping Facebook Friends • Shaojung Sharon Wang, Institute of Communications Management, National Sun Yat-sen University • The goal of this study was to explore the tendency for people to keep friends on Facebook whom they do not maintain frequent or regular contact with. Drawing upon theories on self-consciousness and self-presentation and individual differences, the paths from the Big Five personality traits and the tendency to keep friends through public self-consciousness and Facebook self-presentation were examined. The paths from Facebook voyeurism to keeping friends on the list through public self-consciousness and self-presentation were also assessed. The paths from Facebook voyeurism to public self-consciousness and Facebook self-presentation were particularly salient. The direct and indirect effects further provide empirical support for understanding the fluid and unsettling notion of mediated voyeurism.

The Effects of Game Controllers, 3D, and Dissociation on Presence and Enjoyment • Kevin Williams, Mississippi State University • One hundred and forty-six college undergraduates at a large Southeastern university played a racing video game and completed measures of spatial presence and enjoyment. Controller type (steering wheel and pedals versus traditional handheld controller) and dimension of the display (2D versus 3D) were manipulated. Measures of players’ dissociation experiences were taken prior to game play. Results indicated that controller type increased interaction with the game environment (a subscale of spatial presence) and enjoyment. Dimension significantly influenced neither presence nor enjoyment. Dissociation did positively predict presence but not enjoyment. No interaction effects of any of the independent variables were found.

Usability, Content, Connections: How County-level Alabama Emergency Management Agencies Communicate with their Online Public • Susan Youngblood, Auburn University; Norman Youngblood, Auburn University • Emergency Management Agencies (EMAs) in the U.S. operate at federal, state, and local levels with a common purpose (Homeland Security, 2008). Local EMAs (LEMAs)—which like federal and state EMAs work “to prepare for, prevent, respond to, recover from, and mitigate the effects of incidents”—lay the groundwork for prevention and other activities; they coordinate with nearby LEMAs and local entities, including private and non-governmental organizations (Homeland Security, 2008). LEMAs have been studied little; most research on SEMAs and LEMAs has been limited to content-based research, providing an incomplete picture of how they serve their online publics. Functionality, usability, and accessibility are critical elements in evaluating e-government: if users cannot get to or find the content, the content becomes irrelevant (Bertot & Jager, 2006). This study addresses this gap by evaluating Alabama LEMA websites, based on a combination of existing EMA content rubrics and usability heuristics, factors that can affect user trust, and thus a site’s usefulness. It also looks at how Alabama LEMAs are using social networking on their websites. Among other findings, this study identifies common problems with logos, navigation, and accessibility. Furthermore, it highlights the surprisingly common problem of legacy sites and unofficial sites that seemingly represent LEMAs and compete for users’ attention. Problems within sites could make it more difficult for users to access information about their LEMA; competing sites also could cause problems for users, such as presenting users with inaccurate or out-dated information during an emergency.

The fandom publics: How social media mediate the formation of political collectivities • Weiyu Zhang • This paper investigates how publics are formed in the era of network society, specifically, how socially mediated fans become publics to challenge the power balance. A longitudinal ethnographic work over ten years, supported by online surveys and in-depth interviews, provides a rich description of the process of constructing publics in contemporary China, where a state-initiated marketisation shapes the development of both new and traditional media. This paper tries to empirically examine how a fan object, movies, turns into a public issue and how the fandom around movies becomes activism against censorship and commercial exploitation, through the mediation of social media.

 

Student Papers

Factors Affecting College Students’ Disclosure Intention Of Location-related Information On Facebook: Comparing Three Behavioral Intention Models • Chen-wei Chang, The University of Southern Mississippi • The present study tested three existing behavioral intention models (Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)) to explore which model better explains college students’ disclosure intention of location-based information on Facebook. The findings suggested all three models achieved satisfactory predictions for college students’ behavioral intention, with the constructs of “attitude” and “subjective norms” from TRA & TPB models and “perceived usefulness” from TAM being considered significant factors. On the contrary, “perceived behavior control” from TPB and “perceived-ease-of-use” from TAM did not influence their behavioral intentions. Regarding the explanatory abilities from different models, TPB (R-squared=.536) and TRA (R-squared=.535) predicted students’ intentions to disclose geographic locations on Facebook better than TAM (R-squared=.246). Theoretical and practical implications for social media companies were discussed.

Technology use and interaction: A case study of a coffee shop • Erin Christie, Rutgers University • This study focuses on 3 different locations of a major coffee shop chain in order to investigate the interaction, the work-like activities performed, and the technological tools used by social actors. This study also extends our understanding of how work is conceptualized by accounting for face-work. By observing and interviewing those who work in this space, how technology is used for work-like tasks and the erosion of the boundaries between public and private are explored.

The New Face of Political Engagement? : Factors influencing political activity of users on social networking sites • Priyanka Dasgupta, Nanyang Technological University; Jianxing Chi, Nanyang Technological University; Jinhui Li, Nanyang Technological University • This paper examines the factors that influence political activity of individuals on social networking sites (SNS). Political activity is defined as ‘liking’ a political comment or post of another user, posting a political update or status, responding to another user’s post or comment and ‘friending’ or following individuals with similar political views. Data from a subsample of a 2012 Pew survey about Americans’ Internet use is analyzed. The analysis shows that frequency of use, perceptions of importance of SNS in politics, ideological extremity and offline discussions positively influence political activity on these sites. On the other hand, exposure to dissimilar views has a negative effect. The regression model consisting of the above mentioned variables explain a total of 45.2% of the variance in political activity on SNS. The implications of this study are discussed and future research directions are suggested.

A Tale of Many Tweets: How Stakeholders Respond to Nonprofit Organizations’ Tweets • Jeanine Guidry • While the characteristics of nonprofits’ Twitter use are relatively well documented, researchers have confirmed a lack of academic study into types of Twitter practices that are most effective for nonprofits. Existing studies focus on how organizations use Twitter, not on how publics respond. As a result, it is not known which types of tweets elicit greater engagement from stakeholders. In this paper I examine what types of tweets produce more engagement by nonprofits’ publics.

It was a Facebook revolution: Exploring the meme-like spread of narratives during the Egyptian protests • Summer Harlow, University of Texas at Austin • Considering online social media’s importance in the Arab Spring, this study explores the role of narratives and new technologies in activism. Via a qualitative analysis of Facebook comments and traditional news media stories during the 2011 Egyptian uprisings, this study uses the concept of “memes” to move beyond dominant social movement paradigms and suggest that the telling and re-telling, both online and offline, of the narrative of a “Facebook revolution” helped entice people to protest.

Can Extroversion and Gender Make a Difference? The Effects of HCI and CMC Interactivity • Yan Huang; Zhiyao Ye; Ariel Johnson, The Pennsylvania State University • Based on the difference in interactants, interactivity is broken down into two types: human computer interaction (HCI) and computer-mediated communication (CMC) interactivity. We tested HCI and CMC Interactivity effects with extroversion and gender as two moderators in the context of a movie site. A four-condition (i.e., HCI, CMC, HCI+CMC, and control condition), between-subjects experiment (N = 99) was conducted. HCI interactivity was operationalized by offering hyperlinks on the interface, whereas CMC interactivity was operationalized by providing comment function. Results showed that extroversion significantly influenced the effects of interactivity on web attitude. Gender was also found to moderate the effects of interactivity on user engagement. Moreover, the analysis yielded a three-way interaction between gender, extroversion, and interactivity on perceived interactivity. For example, when comment function was offered, for female users, the more extroverted they are, the higher level of interactivity they will perceive; yet for male users, the more extroverted they are, the lower level of interactivity they will perceive. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Factors Influencing Media Choices for Interpersonal Communication : Comparing Cell Phones, Instant Messaging, and Social Networking Sites • Eun-Hwa Jung, Penn State University • The purpose of this study is to explain how people communicate with each other via different media (i.e., voice call on cell phone, SMS on cell phone, instant messaging, and social networking sites). To explain the communication phenomenon, this study employed the theories of media richness and uses and gratification approach. Based on the concept of these theories, this study primarily discussed the selection of communication media in different motivations through the attributes of a given medium. Additionally, the moderating role of self-monitoring in the relationship between motivations and attitude toward each medium was examined. The findings of this study contribute to understanding the interpersonal communication in the media convergence environment.

The Medium is the Mind: Personalized Algorithms, Habit and the Self-Confirming Cyborg • Amanda Kehrberg, The University of Oklahoma • In 2009, Google effectively universalized search personalization, a trend that many online services were soon to follow. In order to personalize search results to each individual user, Google analyzes data from a number of cues and past selections, including: search history, web history, use of other Google services, previous search and click behavior, location, and language and country restriction (Fox, 2007). Personalization has profound effects on both information access and identity formation in the networked age, suggesting an upheaval of the traditions of technological determinism as explicated by McLuhan (1964) and Postman (1985). Indeed, in an era of algorithms increasingly designed to mirror human neural pathways, it is instead the mind that is the metaphor for the medium. A theoretical framework is proposed for understanding the vast implications of the mind as medium, including key concepts such as: plasticity, memory, the cyborg, artificial intelligence, and Mead’s conception of the self. Potential for future research is suggested on the continued structuring of technology to replicate the mind’s natural tendency toward an epistemology of habit.

Advocacy, Entertainment and News—An Analysis of User Participation on YouTube • M. Laeeq Khan, Michigan State University; Jacob Solomon, Michigan State University • YouTube videos falling in three major classifications—advocacy, entertainment and news were analyzed. This paper studies the role of anonymity in commenting behavior on YouTube videos. Comments were categorized as being appreciative, criticisms, flames and spam. Contrary to the common belief that YouTube videos are characterized by widespread flaming, it was found that even with anonymous user names, a majority of comments posted were appreciative as compared to derisive. Analysis also revealed that anonymity played a key role in the overall frequency of comments. The ratio of comments type varies by video type; whereby criticism is most prevalent in news/politics videos, appreciation is most common in advocacy videos, while flaming is most prevalent in entertainment videos.

Silencing the Mainstream: The Online Public Discourse Constructed by Social Auto-sharing, the Long Tail and the Spiral of Silence • Minjie Li, Louisiana State University • Characteristics of media contribute to the form and direction of public discourse and influence people’s ways of thinking and behaviors. Auto-sharing, as a fundamental opinion expression mechanism of social media, reforms public discourse through transforming previously private activities into a new form of public message. With people’s fear of negative evaluation, the Spiral of Silence offline might be duplicated and strengthened online, which might weaken the Long Tail—the Internet’s ability to bridge non-mainstream products to target audiences—through reducing people’s willingness to share what they really like. The present study examined the existence and relationship of the Long Tail and the Spiral of Silence on the social music platform Spotify to see whether auto-sharing made the Internet more heterogeneous or homogeneous. The findings demonstrate that Spotify’s auto-sharing facilitates the discovery of and revenue from non-mainstream music. Also, the Spiral of Silence only exists when people listen to mainstream music.

Social Media and Civic Engagement in China: Microblogging Revolution and Policy Change • Yang Liu; Dongya Wang • While increased research attention has been given to the rise of the Internet in the context of China, the role played by social media and how it is enhancing the development of civic engagement have been less explored. Intending to fill this gap, this research examines how social media has promoted civic engagement in China and to what extent this new technology can bring changes to policies in this country. Based on first-hand information collected from tweets, the authors applied a qualitative research method to study how civic engagement focusing on the Wenzhou high-speed train collision was initiated and aggregated on Sina Weibo, the leading microblog service provider in China. The study elaborates about how Weibo users in China joined hands with mass media to exert influence policy changes.

Homophily and Proximity of Network Links of Chinese Journalists’ Online Professional Group in the Micro-blogosphere • Yusi Liu, Tsinghua University • The paper focused on the homophily and the proximity of linking patterns in the Chinese journalists’ online professional network in micro-blogosphere. Using the relational and attribute data mining from all 295 journalists in Sina Weibo to examine how the homophily factors, including the same gender, working media type and online discussion interest, and the proximity mechanism in terms of the same geographic location and work unit affected them to connect with each other in three situations of (1) linked network, (2) mutual network, and (3) cohesive network. Results showed that homophily and proximity linking had positive impact on the journalists’ online professional group network significantly. In the linked network, journalists from the same work unit, as well as whom shared the same topic, were the strongest two predicators, while the former one was outstandingly influential to build double-sided connections, the latter predictor became stronger for the journalists to consociate in the same cohesive subgroup, showing the potential of micro-blogosphere for the self-organization based on the same interests among professional group members of the Chinese journalists.

A Floor Analysis of Online News Discussion on Facebook and the New York Times Website • Shuo Tang, Indiana University • Using computer-mediated discourse analysis, this study focuses on how Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 media differ in the floor-taking pattern, especially in user participation and interaction, in news discussion CMC. Four threads of commentary on a news story from the New York Times website and its Facebook page were analyzed and compared. The results suggest that the difference between traditional online media and social media could not fully account for the variance in the floor-taking behavior. The form of CMC, synchronicity, and the format of thread interface also affect how participants take and control the floor. Therefore, social media platform might not necessarily creates more participatory democracy and reduces hierarchy in CMC.

 

Open Competition

Do You See What I See? Partisan Perceptions of Online News • Pamela Brubaker, Brigham Young University • This study explores how hostile media perceptions are influenced by online news sources (blogs and online news sites) with and without source biases aligning with or opposing partisans’ issue positions. Partisans (N = 760) who strongly supported and opposed the issue of legalizing same-sex marriage participated in an online experiment, which was made available to blog readers. The news source’s bias and partisans’ political characteristics played distinct roles in shaping judgments of online media messages.

An Examination of Personality Factors, Motivations, and Outcomes associated with Smartphone Gaming • Hark-Shin Kim; Juliann Cortese • This study explores how motivations for playing smartphone games related to gamers’ psychological antecedents and outcomes of smartphone gaming (playing time and game genre preference). The regression analyses suggested that each motivation was predicted by a different subset of personalities and smartphone gaming behaviors were predicted by instability traits. Different motivations predict inconsistent smartphone gaming patterns between in a typical weekday and weekend. Each genre preference for smartphone games was predicted by different motivations.

Mobile Phone Interference with Life: Texting and Social Media Interruption during Studying • Junghyun Kim, Washington State University; Prabu David, Washington State University; Jared Brickman; Weina Ran; Christine Curtis • The smart phone offers an array of features that make multitasking and task-switching very easy. Though these features could enhance productivity in many ways, excessive task switching can interfere with work and efficiency. In this study we examined the effects of task-switching while studying among 1,053 college students. Specifically, we examined mobile phone interference in daily life (MPIL), which was operationalized as deprived self-control in regulating media use when trying to focus on a required primary task, such as studying or doing homework. Findings indicate that texting, social media, and music are the main activities that students switch to and from when studying. Active listening to music and participation in texting or social media while doing homework were predictive of mobile phone interference. Further, women and owners of smart phones reported higher mobile phone interference as did those with more Facebook friends. Given the lack of consensus measures of task switching of media multitasking, bundles of common multitasking activities, frequency of engagement in specific activities within a bundle, and the allocation of attention to specific activities within a bundle examined as separate measures. While these measures were significantly correlated, the correlation coefficients did not exceed .3, suggesting that these measures capture different aspects of the complex media multitasking experience. The findings underscore the importance of measuring both frequency and attention allocation in tandem for multitasking experiences. The results also raise the possibility that compulsive task switching may be symptomatic of dysfunctional use of technology.

Searching for sickness online: The new world of cyberchondriacs • Carolyn Lagoe; David Atkin, University of Connecticut • This study examined factors which may influence health information seeking intentions among adults. A sample of 245 American adults participated in the study. Most participants reportedly sought information from non-government health websites, online forums, government health websites and/or health professionals online. Results show that information seeking was positively predicted by health anxiety and Internet self-efficacy. By contrast, gender, neuroticism and Internet use were not found to be predictors of online health information seeking.

Using the Technological Acceptance Model to Examine iPad/Tablet Computing Adoption Intentions of K–12 Educators • Ed Madison, University of Oregon; Tobias Hopp, University of Oregon • This study used the technological acceptance model and partial least squares modeling to examine the adoption intentions and investment beliefs of K-12 teachers as they relate to use of iPads/tablet computing devices in the classroom. The results of the study indicated that perceived usefulness played a substantive, direct role on behavioral intentions to adopt iPads/tablet computing devices. Moreover, a mediation analysis indicated that perceived usefulness mediated the relationship between perceived ease of use and behavioral intentions. Finally, behavioral intentions were a significant and substantive predictor of teacher support for district investment in iPads/tablet computing devices.

Is Internet accessibility a complement or a substitute for other forms of communication in rural America? • Adam Maksl, Indiana University Southeast; Esther Thorson, University of Missouri; Seoyeon Kim; Alecia Swasy • This study tests complementarity, substitutability, and enhancement theories of new media use. We discuss how people in small-towns use the Internet, and what effect years of Internet use has on other communication behavior. We found those with more years of Internet experience showed increases in entertainment-based TV viewing, interest in news, interactive participation with news media, and several indicators of social capital. However, there was no change – particularly no decrease – in traditional news media use.

Heavy and Light Tweeters and Non-Tweeters Watch the Presidential Debates • Esther Thorson, University of Missouri; Eunjin Kim; Alecia Swasy; Joshua Hawthorne, University of Missouri; Mitchell McKinney, University of Missouri • This paper asks about the demographics and political orientations of those who tweeted during the 2012 Presidential debates. It also investigates their motivations for tweeting. Finally, it tests whether tweeters watch more of the debates, and whether they engage in other “social watching” behaviors in addition to tweeting. These questions are asked in the context of a developing theory of television consumption that involves “social watching,” that is, communicating with others either in person or digitally while engaging with television programming (Authors, 2013).

Social Media and Mobiles: Examining the Moderating Role of Online Political Expression in Political Participation • Masahiro Yamamoto, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse; Matthew Kushin, Shepherd University; Francis Dalisay, University of Hawaii-Manoa • Results from a web survey conducted during the 2012 U.S. presidential election indicate that the effects of using mobile apps and traditional online media for political information on online political participation were stronger among those who express political opinions online more frequently than those who do not. Also, online political expression enhances the effects of using mobile apps, traditional offline and online media, and social media for political information on offline political participation.

<< 2013 Abstracts

Open Competition

The Impact of Health News on the Social Stigma of Suicide • Soontae An, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea; Hannah Lee, Ewha Womans University • The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of health news content on the stigma of suicide. In particular, this study tested whether the onset controllability and group categorization had a causal effect on peoples’ stigma toward suicide. Results showed that stigma scores were lower for those who read an article explaining the causes of suicide as uncontrollable than those who read an article explaining the causes as controllable. Also, lower stigma scores were observed for those who read an article depicting suicidal people as in-group, compared to those who read an article depicting suicidal people as out-group. Furthermore, stigma scores were the highest for those exposed to an article with the out-group categorization combined with the controllable causes of suicide.

What’s cooking at community newspapers? Gain, efficacy, and goal-framing in nutrition news • Julie Andsager, University of Iowa; Li Chen; Stephanie Miles, University of Iowa; Christina C. Smith, University of Iowa; Faryle Nothwehr, University of Iowa • Obesity rates are high in the rural U.S. Nutrition news in community newspapers may provide helpful or detrimental information to readers. This content analysis of a random sample of nutrition stories from 10 newspapers was guided by concepts from social cognitive, prospect, and goal-framing theories. Results suggest that local sources provided the most content, often food promotion. Efficacy was seldom included. Health improvement, benefits, and gain frames were moderately correlated, suggesting subtle distinctions among them.

Framing of the Global Influenza A (H1N1) Pandemic as a Local Issue in Singapore • Iccha Basnyat, National University of Singapore; Seow Ting Lee, National University of Singapore • This study explored how the global influenza A (H1N1) pandemic was framed as a local health issue, in Singapore. First, the government issued influenza A (H1N1) press releases were examined to identify what kinds of public health information were disseminated. Second, news articles were examined to explore how the global pandemic was framed as a local event through subsequent news coverage, providing a unique exploration of the relationship between public health communication and news media. The analysis found two major themes: battle metaphors and protection versus threat. Thematic analysis revealed that the newspaper mediated the information flow; amplified a positive tone for the government response; and emphasized individual responsibility; to locally construct H1N1 pandemic as a national effort. pandemic.

Making Sense of Medical Pluralism: Biomedical and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practices among Elderly Chinese Singaporean Women • Leanne Chang, National University of Singapore; Iccha Basnyat, National University of Singapore • A dichotomous divide exists between biomedicine, considered to be part of mainstream practices and traditional Chinese medicine, considered to be culture-specific. In practice, the selection of different medical practices is situated within historical contexts and cultural meanings. This study examined elderly Chinese-speaking women’s practice of medical pluralism in Singapore. Through in-depth interviews of thirty-six participants, the study explored elderly women’s negotiation of health choices and their usage of both medical systems influenced by the interactions of structural constraints, culture meanings of health, and agency. Findings suggest that elderly Chinese Singaporean women practiced medical pluralism to navigate between the two medical systems. Medical pluralism is integrative in simultaneous practice through which cultural participants make sense of and continue the usage of traditional medical practices alongside the biomedical system.

Teenagers’ Prosocial / Antisocial Reacting Strategies towards Cyberbullying in SNS • Bolin CAO • This study focuses on teenagers’ prosocial/ antisocial coping strategies when confronting cyberbullying activities in SNS, taking gender, pervious experiences as victim, social interaction and cognitive support from others into careful considerations. Based on the 622 samples from the Pew Internet project, the present study has accordant finding in gender difference in coping strategies towards cyberbullying, that girls conduct more prosocial behaviors than boys. However, seldom research discusses teenagers’ previous experiences as victim, rare studies regarded cyberbullying and being cyberbullied as a possible interaction process either. This paper argues that teenagers’ previous experiences as victim may have a reciprocity effect that they tend to conduct antisocial behavior to others as what they have suffered, or on the other hand, they may have more empathy to the victims and conduct more prosocial behaviors. Derived from these two competing logical derivations, this study finds that teenagers tend to perceive others conduct more antisocial behaviors than themselves; girls are more likely to conduct prosocial behaviors and no gender difference in conducting antisocial behaviors. Furthermore, empathy plays an important role in the relationship between young girls’ previous experience as victims and prosocial behaviors; whereas reciprocity plays a role in the relationship between young boys’ previous experience as victims and antisocial behaviors. In addition, cognitive support has positive effect in increasing teenagers’ prosocial behavior instead of decreasing teenagers’ antisocial behavior, but social interaction with friends online has no effect on both prosocial and antisocial coping strategies towards cyberbullying activities in SNS.

The Press, Social Actors and Suicide: Press Coverage of and Public’s Attitudes toward Suicide • Kuang-Kuo Chang • This study reviewed the current plight of suicide facing Taiwan, conducted a nationwide survey of general public, and content analyzed how four major local newspapers had covered the issue. Findings could broaden the theoretical scope of health communication with the application of social determinants in studying other public health and societal problems. Outcomes also carry significant pragmatic implications for journalists and their audiences, policymakers, and other major stakeholders.

Does Inoculating Negative and Balanced Evaluative Media Literacy Interventions Influence Adolescents’ Processing of Entertainment Narratives? • Yvonnes Chen, University of Kansas • This study investigated whether inoculating negative or balanced evaluative media literacy interventions prior to entertainment narratives exposure would impact adolescents’ processing of anti-alcohol abuse entertainment narratives. A quasi-experiment with 171 adolescents ages 12-18 (M=14.03) found that a balanced evaluative approach increased adolescents’ perceived similarity and emotional engagement, whereas negative evaluative my increase counterarguing as narrative involvement was increased as a result of receiving negative evaluative lessons. Implications for health promotion program planners were discussed.

Evaluating Key Health Decision-making Benchmarks through General Media Literacy Outcomes to Improve Health Program Planning • Yvonnes Chen, University of Kansas; Erica Austin, Wasington State University • Health-promoting media literacy literature rarely discusses how to incorporate media literacy components in program planning. Two separate studies with cross-sectional surveys focusing on alcohol and tobacco behaviors found that emerging adults’ advertising skepticism and critical media thinking significantly predicted alcohol and tobacco desirability and identification, both of which have been linked to behavioral choices. Implications of integrating media outcomes into theory-based media literacy interventions are discussed to advance the planning of future health promotion programs.

Overcoming the Effects of “Falsely Balanced” Media Coverage of Health Risks through Attention to Context • Chris Clarke, George Mason University; Graham Dixon, Cornell University; Brooke W. McKeever, University of South Carolina • Risk controversies often feature debates about which conclusions are supported by scientific evidence. Research on communicating risk via news media has focused on the effects of false balance: when an issue supported by evidence is presented alongside others without support. Our study of the autism-vaccine controversy suggests that providing context (i.e., evidence points to no connection) informs perceptions of certainty about this issue and beliefs about a scientific consensus. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Narratives and the Environment: The Influence of Values and Message Format on Risk Perceptions • Kathyrn Cooper • This study examined how media formats and individual differences interacted to influence risk perceptions about environmental issues. In 3 (news, documentary, fictional entertainment) X 2 (hydraulic fracturing, genetically modified organisms) mixed between-and-within subject experiment, participants (N=133) completed a pretest survey, viewed a video, and completed a posttest survey. Results indicate that the impacts of transportation, identification, and ideology on risk perceptions are mediated by affect. Documentary films were the most effective condition, regardless of ideology.

Risky Business? How Risk vs. Benefit Frames Influence Consumer Attitudes toward Nanotechnology Applications • Lauren Copeland, University of California Santa Barbara; Ariel Hasell, University of California Santa Barbara • How the news media frame scientific issues influences public opinion towards emergent technologies. Research shows that news media in the U.S. portray nanotechnology favorably. Moreover, people who follow the news are more likely to be receptive to nanotechnology applications. However, not much is known about how receptiveness varies across consumer products. In this study, we use a survey experiment embedded in an original, nationally representative U.S. survey to examine consumer attitudes towards products with nanotechnology. We find that people exposed to the risk frame are significantly less willing to purchase products with nanotechnology than are people exposed to the benefits frame. We also find significant effects for age, income, gender, presence of children in the home, ideology, social trust, and environmental concern. Finally, we find that people who use social media for news and information are significantly more willing to purchase products with nanotechnology. Additional findings and implications are discussed.

The role of framing in the verbal and visual reporting of health risks. An overview of previously identified frames and an empirical assessment of their occurrence • Viorela Dan, Free U of Berlin; Juliana Raupp • This study aims to show how framing theory can contribute to the analysis of mediated health risk information. A special emphasis is placed on visual risk information. A critical overview of media frames in relation to health risks is followed by an investigation into their occurrence in the coverage surrounding a recent E.coli outbreak. We show that verbal frames can be conveyed through visuals, too. Interesting correlations between frames conveyed verbally and visually are discussed.

HIV/AIDS and recurrent frames as patterns of information in meaning-making: A systematic review of empirical studies • Viorela Dan, Free U of Berlin; Renita Coleman • In communication research, HIV/AIDS is frequently investigated by using framing or related theories. The objective of this article is to provide a classification of frames in the HIV/AIDS scholarly discourse and, more importantly, to assess the extent to which this literature taps the full potential of framing theory to describe, explain and predict mass communication processes. To this end, 38 carefully selected empirical studies that explicitly relate to frames in the context of HIV/AIDS were subject to an exploratory textual analysis. Eight macro frames pertaining to HIV/AIDS (medical-scientific, conflict, gain/ loss, public health, responsibility, political-legal, morality, and economic consequences), three micro frames pertaining to people living with HIV/AIDS (carrier, victim, survivor) and four micro frames concerning HIV/AIDS (lethal disease/threat, preventable disease, intentional effort to harm, living positively) have been identified across these studies. Our results also indicate that most studies analyzed here (1) were qualitative and inductive, (2) critically analyzed the frames identified, (3) linked the profession and the academe. Moreover, they were (4) largely focused on the verbal channel of communication and (5) did not position themselves in relation to framing research (episodic vs. thematic; micro vs. macro frames, etc). Nonetheless, most studies examined (6) the role of culture and ideology, but not of power, nor of and intentionality in framing. Using framing to its fullest might provide a better understanding of the way HIV/AIDS and people living with it are described and portrayed in campaigns and media, and how this affects audiences and policy.

Cross regional differences in HIV/AIDS prevalence in Tanzania: How socioeconomic and cultural contexts affect perceived individual and group efficacy • James Kiwanuka-Tondo, 9195132274; Sarah Merritt, American University; Katerina Pantic, North Carolina State University; Maria De Moya, North Carolina State University • This study analyzes the cultural and socioeconomic differences that influence the HIV/AIDS prevalence in two neighboring regions in Tanzania with one of the lowest and the highest infection rates in the country: Singida (2.7%) and Iringa (15.7%). From a social cognitive theory perspective, the impact of regional differences on group and individual perceived efficacy was evaluated. Four groups in each region (eight in total) were conducted, providing insights into the factors that affect sexual behavior, and thus, HIV/AIDS prevalence. Additionally, public perception and receptiveness of existing prevention campaigns was garnered. Implications for future research and HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns are discussed.

Weather-Risk Information Seeking and Processing: Synthesizing the RISP Model and Applying it to Weather Risks • Julie Demuth, Colorado State University and NCAR • The Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) model has been applied to study many health, environmental, and industrial risks. Weather risks have scarcely been examined, yet the model offers great potential for understanding people’s seeking and processing of weather risk information. This paper begins with a synthesis of empirical RISP studies to date, including its operationalization and findings. It then proposes ways that the RISP model can be applied and extended to study weather risks.

Increasing Accessibility of Medicaid and Medicare Health Plan Report Cards • Lisa Duke-Cornell, University of Florida; Robyn Goodman, and Adriane Jewett, University of Florida • This study is part of a larger health communication project to provide health plan report cards to state Medicaid and Medicare members. The goal is to present quality of care report card results so that members can make more informed, confident decisions about their health care plans. Focus groups on Medicare and Medicaid members’ interpretations of proposed health plan report cards were conducted to enable a more patient-centered approach to conveying this health care information to people in vulnerable populations.

The power of maps to (mis)communicate: A case study of forecaster’s versus the public’s interpretation of hurricane track maps • Gina Eosco, Cornell University • This study set out to compare forecaster’s communicative objectives of a hurricane track map to the public’s understanding of it. The goal was to explore areas of shared meaning, as well as miscommunications, and why they occurred. This study shows that although some participants share a general scientific meaning of the map, many others were misguided by the power of design features not present, overemphasizing the features that were present, as in drawn boundaries or symbols, and were confused by the lack of labeling. The paper discusses the forecasters lack of awareness of the messages they are conveying when choosing to place or not place a symbol on a map. The decision to convey certain symbols, and yet omit others, shows the power that forecasters have in communicating scientific details. With the goal of the public having an understanding of the map, however, forecasters must pay more attention to these finer graphic design details.

A Threatening Space? Stigmatization and the Framing of Autism in the News Media • Laura Farrell, North Dakota State University; Avery Holton; Julie Fudge • This present study advances current scholarship about portrayals of autism in a key outlet of public information—news media—considering ways in which these outlets frame and stigmatize the diagnosis. The findings here suggest that the news media may be a threatening space for autism, particularly through the perpetuation of stigmatic cues in over two thirds of news coverage of autism, coupled with the selection of certain news frames. Contributions and future research are discussed.

A Content Analysis of Websites Promoting Cures for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, an “Incurable” Disease • Dennis Frohlich, University of Florida; Kristina Birnbrauer, University of Florida • Inflammatory bowel disease, which can take the form of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, is said by most doctors to be incurable, though surgery is sometimes considered a cure for ulcerative colitis, but not Crohn’s disease. However, because of the unpredictable nature of the disease, and the devastating symptoms it can have, many people are driven to search for cures online, despite what their doctors may recommend. This qualitative content analysis looks at the top search results in Google and Bing for IBD cures. The websites generally fall into two categories: those that say no cure exists, and those that advocate for specific cures. The following themes were pulled from the data: an inconsistent definition of a cure; an anti-Western medicine bias; medical disclaimers that are ignored by websites that feature them; a lack of clarity in cure regimens; and inter-article contradictions. Implications for professional practice are discussed.

Policy support for and civic engagement with lung cancer issues: A moderated-mediation analysis of the impact of frames, psychological reactance, and emotional responses • Lesa Hatley Major, Indiana University; Jessica Myrick, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill • According to the National Cancer Institute, lung cancer kills more than 160,000 Americans every year. Smoking is largely to blame, and individual changes in behavior could greatly reduce cases of lung cancer; however, other factors out of the control of individuals are also to blame, such as environmental factors or genetics. In addition to individual changes, changes in public policy could contribute to reducing incidence of lung cancer. This study uses an experiment (N=137) to test how the framing (both gain/loss frames and episodic/thematic frames) of news stories about lung cancer interacts with trait levels of psychological reactance to support for certain public policies and civic engagement intentions. Through a moderated mediation analysis, the authors propose that emotional reactions along with interactions between frames and trait reactance impact policy support and intentions to engage. The authors suggest future direction for research based on these findings.

Climate Change in the Newsroom: Journalists’ Evolving Standards of Objectivity When Covering Global Warming • Sara Shipley Hiles, Missouri School of Journalism; Amanda Hinnant, Missouri School of Journalism • This study investigated how experienced U.S. environmental reporters view the professional norm of objectivity when covering climate change. In-depth interviews (N = 11) revealed a paradox: Most still profess belief in objectivity even as they reject or redefine it. It emerged that journalists should use objective practices and not reveal their own biases, including advocating for the environment. Additionally, participants have radically redefined “balance” now advocating a “weight-of-evidence” approach (Dunwoody, 2005) based on scientific consensus.

Health Journalist Role Conceptions • Amanda Hinnant, Missouri School of Journalism; Joy Jenkins, University of Missouri • Using interview methodology (N = 17), this research examines the role conceptions of U.S. health journalists. Asking journalists from different types of media to define their roles as they relate to public health, the environment, and news values reveals the external demands on journalists as well as internal processes. This paper inventively combines both normative and routine role conceptions as defined by two different sources in order to best capture the nuances of health journalism.

Expanding the Theory of Planned Behavior: The Effects of Media Dependency and Communication on Proenvironmental Behavioral Intentions • Shirley Ho; Youqing Liao; Sonny Rosenthal • Expanding on the theory of planned behavior, this study examines the effects of media dependency, traditional media attention, Internet attention, and interpersonal communication on two types of proenvironmental behaviors—green-buying and environmental civic engagement. Regression analysis of a nationally representative survey of adult Singaporeans (N = 1,168) indicated that attitude, perceived behavioral control, media dependency, traditional media attention, and interpersonal communication were positively associated with green-buying. Notably, traditional media attention moderated the influence of media dependency on green-buying behavior. In addition, attitude, descriptive norms, media dependency, Internet attention, and interpersonal communication positively predicted civic engagement. Findings suggest the importance of communication factors in the adoption of the two proenvironmental behaviors.

Exemplifying Risk: Contrast versus assimilation effects in risk perception and vaccination intentions • Lynette Holman, Appalachian State University; Sherine El-Toukhy; Rhonda Gibson, School of Journalism and Mass Communication — UNC-Chapel Hill • This study was a 2 (type of disease — high susceptibility/low severity, low susceptibility/high severity) x 3 (exemplar condition — extreme, moderate, neutral) factorial between-subjects experimental design that sought to determine whether an exemplar of extreme loss (featuring an individual who died due to an infectious disease) or moderate exemplar (featuring an individual who recovered from an infectious disease) is more likely to trigger contrast or assimilation effects in individuals exposed to a health communication web page. Limited contrast effects were found for responses to a low-severity disease, whereas traditional exemplar assimilation effects were found for some responses to a high-severity disease. Overall, there were strong differences in how students responded to the two types of diseases, an issue that has not been addressed in most exemplification research.

Look who is warning: Individual differences in motivation activation influence behaviors during disasters • Seoyeon Hong, University of Missouri; Eun Park; Glen Cameron, University of Missouri • This study investigated individual differences in responses to disasters based on participants’ motivational reactivity and ethical ideology. Motivational reactivity was measured using the motivational activation measure (MAM), which assesses individual differences in appetitive and defensive system activation. Participants (N = 240) answered survey questions about how they would respond to natural disasters or emergency situations. Responses were analyzed using regression. We found that (1) participants with higher defensive activation scores were more likely to report they would broadcast warnings using text, voice calls, or social networking sites during a disaster situation, (2) high appetitive system activation is associated with high ethical relativism, (3) high defensive system activation is associated with high ethical idealism, and (4) individuals’ personal moral philosophy moderates the effects of MAM score on intention to warn others. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

Does Narrative Have Text Hegemony over Message Frame? Testing the Integrated Effects of Narrative and Message Frame. • Yangsun Hong, University of Wisconsin-Madison • A health campaign message often contains multiple message strategies that combine various categories (e.g., gain-framed narrative message and loss-framed statistical evidence). When the multiple strategies are used in an individual message, the message may produce somewhat different effects from when a single strategy is used. A health campaign message containing multiple strategies may either intensify or diminish the effect of the message on promoting protection behaviors. This study investigates the potential interplay of two combined persuasive message strategies, narrative transportation and message frame, in an individual skin cancer campaign message.

Social Media & Disasters: A Framework for Social Media Use in Disaster Response and Research • J. Brian Houston, University of Missouri; Joshua Hawthorne, University of Missouri; Mimi Perreault, University of Missouri; Eun Park; Rachel Davis, University of Missouri • Through comprehensive literature review a framework of disaster social media is developed that can facilitate the development of disaster social media tools and the scientific study of disaster social media effects. Disaster social media users in the framework include individuals, communities, organizations, government, and media. Fifteen distinct disaster social media uses were identified, ranging from prepare and receive disaster preparedness information and warnings prior to the event to (re)connect community members following a disaster.

The Framing of Online HPV Vaccine Information • Heewon Im • This study examined how various non-news sources’ have framed online human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine information. A content analysis demonstrated that nonstakeholders of the HPV vaccine and activist groups are the most prevalent HPV information providers. Among various health communication frames, both STD and cervical cancer were frequently used as the disease-outcomes, and most sources targeted non-parents, and the target of HPV vaccine was framed for sexually inactive males and females. Among the attribute frames, positive and negative attributes of safety and effectiveness of the vaccine among the attribute frames, and the individual responsibility frame were the most frequently used frames in online HPV vaccine information. Among sources, government agencies provided more disease outcomes than nonstakeholders and activist groups, and nonstakeholders and government agencies tended to target both genders, whereas activist groups and health care providers focused more on females.

The Cancer Information Overload (CIO) Scale: Establishing Predictive and Discriminant Validity • Jakob Jensen, University of Utah; Nick Carcioppolo, Miami University; Andy King, University of Illinois; Courtney Scherr, Purdue University; Christina Jones, Purdue University; Jeffrey Niederdeppe, Cornell University • Objective: Survey data suggests that approximately three-fourths of adults are overwhelmed by cancer information – a construct we label cancer information overload (CIO). A significant limitation of existing research is that it relies on a single-item measure. The objective of the current study is to develop and validate a multi-item measure of CIO. Methods: Study 1 (N = 209) surveyed healthcare and manufacturing employees at eight worksites. Colonoscopy insurance claims data were culled eighteen months later to evaluate the predictive validity of CIO. Study 2 (N = 399) surveyed adults at seven shopping malls. CIO and cancer fatalism were measured to examine the properties of the two constructs. Results: Study 1 identified a reliable 8-item CIO scale that significantly predicted colonoscopy insurance claims 18 months after the initial survey. Study 2 confirmed the factor structure identified in Study 1, and demonstrated that CIO, cancer fatalism about prevention, and cancer fatalism about treatment are best modeled as three distinct constructs. Conclusion: The perception that there are too many recommendations about cancer prevention to know which ones to follow is an indicator of CIO, a widespread disposition that predicts colon cancer screening and is related to, but distinct from, cancer fatalism. Practice Implications: Many adults exhibit high CIO, a disposition that undermines health efforts. Communication strategies that mitigate CIO are a priority. In the short-term, health care providers and public health professionals should monitor the amount of information provided to patients and the public.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Tailored and Narrative Worksite Interventions at Increasing Colonoscopy Adherence in Adults 50 -75 • Jakob Jensen, University of Utah; Andy King, University of Illinois; Nick Carcioppolo, Miami University; Melinda Krakow, University of Utah; Susan Morgan, Purdue University • Research has identified several communication strategies that could increase adherence to colorectal cancer screening recommendations. Two promising strategies are tailoring and narrative-based approaches. Tailoring is the personalization of information based on individual characteristics. Narrative-based approaches use stories about similar others to counter perceived barriers and cultivate self-efficacy. To compare the effectiveness of these two approaches, a worksite intervention (K = 8 worksites) was conducted in Indiana where adults 50 -75 (N = 210) received one of four messages about colorectal cancer screening: stock, narrative, tailored, tailored narrative. The primary outcome was whether participants filed a colonoscopy claim in the 18 months following the intervention. Individuals receiving narrative messages were 4 times more likely to screen than those not receiving narrative messages. Tailoring did not increase screening behavior overall. However, individuals with higher cancer information overload were 8 times more likely to screen if they received tailored messages. The results suggest that narrative-based approaches are more effective than tailoring at increasing colorectal cancer screening in worksite interventions. Tailoring may be valuable as a strategy for reaching individuals with high overload, perhaps as a follow-up effort to a larger communication campaign.

The Influence of Attention to Conflicting News Coverage on Protection Motivation: An Application of Protection Motivation Theory to the H1N1 Pandemic Outbreak • Jehoon Jeon, Wayne State University • In the H1N1 pandemic outbreak, news coverage initially focused on the risk factors of H1N1 and recommend vaccination, but also highlighted the risk of previously recommended behavior later. Using a statewide survey (N = 578), the current study investigates how news consumers’ attention to a series of conflicting news coverage leads to their protection motivation through diverse factors of protection motivation theory (PMT; Rogers, 1983). Our finding indicates that the overall protection motivation process is mediated by experienced fear aroused by attention to conflicting news coverage. In particular, both news coverage that focuses on the threat of H1N1 and the risk factors of preventive vaccination drive the experienced fear about the pandemic outbreak. Moreover, this experienced fear is associated with perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and perceived response-efficacy for all participants. Whereas these cognitive assessments lead to behavioral intention to get the vaccination for those who have not got the H1N1 vaccination yet, coping appraisal was a significant predictor that results post-decisional regret for those who already got the vaccination. Implications for news coverage about the pandemic outbreak and long-term health campaign are discussed.

Understanding the Effectiveness of Ecolabels: Exploring Message Formats, Context-Induced Moods, and Issue-Relevant Determinants • Yongick Jeong, Louisiana State University; Young Kim, Louisiana State University • This study examines how young adults process ecolabels (environmental warning labels) for three environmental products/conditions by determining the effectiveness of warnings in different message formats (ad and public service announcement, PSA) across different context-induced moods (positive and negative) as well as the impacts of various issue-relevant factors. The findings indicate that the evaluations of ecolabels are significantly influenced by various determinants, and these factors showed different patterns of influences for each product category.

Source Diversity Among Journals Cited in Science Times • Vincent Kiernan, Georgetown University • A content analysis of The New York Times’ Science Times section from 1998 to 2012 found evidence of increased source diversity in use of scientific journals as news sources. Science Times increased the frequency at which it cited journals, the number of different journals that it cited, and the number of disciplines represented by cited journals. The results suggest that online availability of a wide array of scientific journals has changed sourcing behaviors.

Barriers to Clinical Trials Participation: A Comparison of Rural and Urban Communities in South Carolina • Sei-Hill Kim; Andrea Tanner; Daniela Friedman, University of South Carolina; Caroline Foster, University of South Carolina; Caroline Bergeron, University of South Carolina • Analyzing data from a survey of rural and urban residents in South Carolina, this study attempts to understand how to better promote clinical trials (CT) in rural areas. In order to explore why participation is lower among the rural population, we examine two groups of potential barriers: structural and procedural (limited accessibility, lack of awareness, lack of health insurance) and cognitive and psychological (lack of knowledge, misperceptions, distrust, fear). We then make a series of comparisons between rural and urban residents to see whether rural residents are significantly different from urban residents in terms of structural/procedural and cognitive/psychological barriers they are facing. Findings indicated that there were no significant differences between rural and urban residents in their willingness to participate in a CT. However, rural residents were more likely to perceive limited access to CTs sites and lack of awareness of available trials. Rural residents also indicated greater lack knowledge about CTs. Finally, we found that distrust and fear were significant predictors of one’s willingness to participate in a CT. Implications of the findings are discussed in detail.

Understanding American and Korean Students’ Support for Pro-Environmental Tax Policy: The Application of the Value-Belief-Norm Theory of Environmentalism • Soojung Kim, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; Wooyeol Shin, University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities • Based on Stern’s (2000) Value-Belief-Norm Theory of Environmentalism, this study predicted American and Korean students’ intentions to support pro-environmental tax policy that can help address global climate change. The results indicate that one’s environmental concern and perceived severity of climate change were significant predictors of one’s intentions to support pro-environmental tax policy. In addition, perceived individual responsibility for addressing climate change played an essential role in mediating the relationship between environmental beliefs (i.e., environmental concern and perceived severity) and tax policy support for Korean students. Such relationship was not observed among American students. The findings contribute to environmental communication research and environmental message development, especially campaigns targeting individuals from different countries.

Psychological Mechanisms Underlying the Effects of Seeking and Scanning Mammography-related Information from Media on Screening Mammography • Chul-joo Lee; Xiaoquan Zhao; Macarena Pena-y-Lillo • To understand how mammogram-related information available in the media may have influences on intention to get a mammogram, we built a theoretical model by combining traditional media-effects models, such as cognitive mediation model (CMM), and theory of planned behavior (TPB). Our media effects model for screening mammogram was largely supported by a survey with a nationally representative survey of U.S. females aged between 40 and 70. As expected, seeking and scanning mammogram-related information from media were positively associated with reflective integration of media health information, which in turn was positively related to attitude and social norm. Then, attitude and social norm was positively linked to intention to get a mammogram. The implications of these findings for public health intervention efforts and communication research were discussed.

Beyond the Blame Game: Cultural Differences in Climate Change Coverage in China and the U.S. • Ming-Ching Liang, University of Texas at Austin; Lee Ann Kahlor, University of Texas at Austin; Z. Janet Yang, SUNY at Buffalo; Anthony Dudo, The University of Texas at Austin; Weiai Xu, University at Buffalo; Jonathan Mertel, University at Buffalo • The current content analysis consists of 493 U.S. news stories and 250 Chinese news stories about climate change published from 2007 to 2011. The results revealed similar patterns of news coverage of climate change and self-serving bias between the two samples. While Chinese articles were more likely to cover solutions to climate change, larger proportion of the U.S. articles attributed causes of climate change to the U.S. and dispositional factors such as greenhouse gas emission.

Cáncer de seno en Twitter: A Network and Content Analysis of Social Support Spanish Language Cancer Twitter Talk • Everett Long, University of Georgia; Itai Himelboim; Raúl López-Vázquez • Network and content analyses are applied to examine the type and network structures of breast cancer support in Spanish on Twitter. Informational support was the most common support. Primary sources were news media. Users expressing support were more likely to interact than users posting non-support messages. Users exhibiting emotional support were more likely to belong to a group than users expressing other support. Implications for researchers and the healthcare community are discussed.

Living with Nuclear Power: Risk Information Seeking and Processing • Hang Lu, Marquette University; Mingbo Xiahou; Xianghu Ke; Hongshan Yu; Zunyi Li; Lian Zhang • As the safety of nuclear power plants has become a heated topic in China after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, this study applied the Model of Risk Information Seeking and Processing (RISP) to examine individuals’ information seeking and processing of the nuclear-related risks from a local nuclear power plant. This study not only employed variables from the RISP model, but also looked specifically at the role of local context factors, such as risk proximity, length of residence, personal benefits, and familiarity with the hazard facility in shaping the risk perceptions among potentially affected populations. A 2 (severity: high vs. low) x 2 (coping strategy: difficult vs. easy) between-subjects experiment was conducted targeting residents (N=324) living near Ling Ao nuclear power plant in China. Key findings indicated the significance of local context factors and a more direct role that informational subjective norms played in risk information seeking and processing. Limitations and future implications are also discussed.

Reassuring the Public after the Fukushima Nuclear Accident: Assessing the Coverage Quality in Chinese Newspapers • Hang Lu, Marquette University; Mingbo Xiahou • Building on the five-dimension conceptualization for “quality of coverage”, the current study sought to examine the quality of the Fukushima nuclear accident coverage in Chinese newspapers, specifically the health risk-related information. This study extended the five-dimension conceptualization by adding a potential sixth dimension, the alarming and reassuring frames, which proved to be especially suitable. The results showed that in terms of general quantitative risk information, risk comparison, worst-case scenarios, thematic frames and reassuring frames, the Chinese newspaper provided a high quality of the Fukushima nuclear radiation-related risk coverage, but needed to offer more quantitative risk information with contextual denominators, more self-efficacy information, and fewer loaded words in order to communicate more clear, useful, and objective risk information. Limitations and future implications are also discussed.

Corn vs. Cane: Newspaper coverage of the sweetener debates • Paige Madsen, University of Iowa • The purpose of this study is to compare the way sweeteners were covered in print news in regional and national newspapers. The content analysis aims to reveal differences in coverage, including frequency, topics, sources, and the way that health, economic, and policy impact is discussed. The findings suggest that the states’ economic interests did relate to the way in which the sweetener debates were covered in their newspapers.

Are Online Comments Good for You? Health Journalism and Its Readers • Kathleen McElroy, University of Texas; Na Yeon Lee, University of Texas at Austin • This study examined the nature of online comments posted on health articles. Through a content analysis, it found that health comments are usually neutral in tone but far more likely to be positive than negative. Readers tend to offer their opinion rather than offer personal narratives, facts, or outside sources to make their point. Health comments were devoid of the incivility usually presumed in general comment discourse. In addition, readers motivated enough to respond to health articles were rarely off topic. This study suggests that journalists take advantage of the instant feedback that reader comments supply for true health communication to take place.

Increasing Early Diagnosis of Autism: Exploring Awareness and Pathways to Information Seeking Among Parents • Brooke W. McKeever, University of South Carolina; Robert McKeever, University of South Carolina; Robert Hock • Using a survey of parents of young children (N=686), this study examines key determinants related to health-related information seeking about early diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). It also explores the role of perceived stigma associated with autism, as well as attitudes toward treatment related to autism. Findings indicated that problem recognition and involvement positively predicted information seeking and processing. Relationships among other variables are discussed, along with theoretical and practical implications.

Through God: Comparing the Effects of Online Emotional and Religious Support Expression on Breast Cancer Patients’ Health • Bryan McLaughlin, University of Wisconsin, Madison; JungHwan Yang, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Woohyun Yoo, University of Wisconsin – Madison; Soo Yun Kim, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Bret Shaw, Department of Life Sciences Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Dhavan Shah; David Gustafson • The growth of online support groups has led to an expression effects paradigm within the health communication literature. While religious support expression is characterized as a sub-dimension of emotional support, we argue these are distinct communicative processes. Using data from an online group for women with breast cancer we test a theoretical expression effects model. Results demonstrate that religious support expression is a distinct construct, which highlights the need to further theorize about expression effects.

Anti-Dating Violence Campaign Effectiveness to African-American Teenage Males • Cynthia Morton, University of Florida • This study attempts to close the gap in information about under-researched adolescent male audiences with research that investigates attitudes and beliefs held by at-risk African-American teenaged males. Focus group research was conducted to examine this group’s beliefs about dating, as well as perceptions of dating gender roles, media influence, and healthy versus unhealthy relationship interactions using constructs from the Theory of Planned Behavior as a framework for examination. The findings suggest opportunities to utilize anti-dating violence campaigns as vehicles for giving at-risk teens scripts for modeling positive behavior and for negotiating relationship conflict.

Use of the PHM Framework to Create Safe-Sex Ads To Mature Women Aged 50+ • Cynthia Morton, University of Florida; Hyojin Kim, University of Florida • The purpose of this research is to apply the Witte’s Persuasive Health Message (PHM) framework to the development of creative concepts that promote sexual health strategies to senior-aged women. The PHM framework proposes an integrated approach to improving message effectiveness and maximizing persuasion in health communication campaigns. A focus group method was used to explore two research questions focused on message effectiveness and persuasion. The findings suggest the PHM framework can be a useful starting point for ensuring that health communicators identify the criteria most relevant to successful ad promotions.

Uses of Microblogging during Chinese Food Safety Crises • Yi Mou • The affordance of microblogging service has made it an ideal tool in communicating risk and crisis. However, due to the novelty of social media, the scholarship on social media and risk communication is still nascent. Under the guidance of uses and gratifications theory, this study attempts to bring some insights by investigating food safety communication on microblogging service in China. A content analysis on 6,187 pieces of microblog posts on 12 recent food-safety incidents was conducted. The results reveal that compared to other types of microbloggers, the lay public tends to express more opinions or comments on food-safety incidents, rather than to simply report incidents or provide scientific research information. Besides, the lay public exhibits less proficiency in employing multimedia but more negative emotions in their microblog posting. In addition, three major themes of posts have been identified; these include 1) a channel to disseminate information, 2) an outlet to vent, and 3) a venue for surveillance. The results of this study have shown signs of a button-up pattern initiated by the Chinese microblog users. As a promise of employing social media in environmental health communication is highly expected, caution needs to be paid at the current stage.

Media Use and Communication Gaps About Science: The Case of Climate Change • Erik Nisbet; Kathyrn Cooper; Morgan Ellithorpe • This study evaluates the knowledge and belief gap hypotheses around climate change across different media genres. Results indicate belief gaps for news and entertainment content and a knowledge gap for edutainment content. Political news attention decreased and science news attention increased knowledge among conservatives. TV entertainment content had the mainstreaming effect of decreasing knowledge among liberals. Edutainment attention led to a widening gap in climate change knowledge based on respondents’ amount of scientific literacy.

Toward a Cultural Cognition Theory of Smoking Risk: An Analysis of Values and Smoking Risk Perceptions • S. Senyo Ofori-Parku, University of Oregon • Using a cultural cognition analysis, this study examines how people’s attitudes toward social norms and orderings (Hierarchy), and individual autonomy (Individualism) manifest in how much risk they associate with cigarette smoking. In a survey of 484 people, this study finds that despite the pervasive scientific consensus on the issues and communication efforts on the subject, individuals perceive smoking risks in ways that affirm their cultural predispositions. Hierarchists and individualist, who have positive attitudes toward free markets and hierarchical social orderings respectively, perceive low risk, while those (egalitarian or communitarian) with negative attitudes toward traditional cultural values and free markets perceive high risks. Health risk communication and public policy implications are discussed.

HIV Onset Controllability and Outcome Valence of Living with HIV Message: Message Framing Effects on Attribution, Emotions and Behavioral Intentions toward PLWHA • Chunbo Ren • Literature indicates that media symbolically stigmatize HIV/AIDS and implicitly frame people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in an immoral and loss state. A better understanding of message framing is needed to explore strategies to reduce HIV/AIDS stigma in media discourse. Guided by Weiner’s attribution model and gain/loss framing theory, the current study systematically manipulated HIV onset controllability and outcome valence of living with HIV in an anti-stigma message design. It explored framing effects of HIV onset controllability (high controllability and low controllability) and outcome valence of living with HIV (gain frame and loss frame) on perceivers’ attribution judgment, emotional reactions, and behavioral intentions toward PLWHA. The results indicated that HIV onset controllability could be a major factor in explaining perceivers’ attributions, emotions and behavioral intentions toward. In most situations, outcome valence was not a significant predictor. However, outcome valence could interact with HIV controllability to elicit anger and influence people’s intentions to interact with PLWHA. Positively framing PLWHA may even backfire and result in some negative emotional reactions and behavioral intentions toward PLWHA.

One Health, Two Minds: The Role of Temporal Frames on Effects of One Health Messages on Partisan Divides • Sungjong Roh, Cornell University; Katherine McComas, Cornell University; Laura Rickard, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry; Dan Decker, Cornell Univeristy • We used a web-based, randomized experiment with a representative sample of U.S. adults (N=460) to investigate framing, psychological distance, and partisan divides on attributions of responsibility for the presence of zoonotic disease risk. Results show that, among Republicans, the “One Health” message emphasizing human, environmental, and animal responsibility and using a temporally proximal frame decreased biocentrism and conservation intentions whereas the One Health message with a temporally distal frame did not produce these effects.

A Meta-Analysis Assessing the Effects of Narrative Persuasion in Health Communication • Fuyuan Shen; Vivian Sheer; Ruobing Li • This meta-analysis assessed the persuasive effects of narratives in health communication interventions. A search of the literature identified 24 studies (N = 6040) that examined the effects of narratives on changing attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. Analyses of the effect sizes, using the random effects model, indicated that overall, narratives had a small but significant impact on persuasion (r = .042). Narratives delivered via audios and videos led to significant effects; text-based narratives, however, did not exhibit a significant impact. Further, not all health issues were effectively intervened with narrative messages. In particular, narratives advocating prevention as well as detection health behaviors (with a loss frame) led to significant effects; whereas, those advocating cessation behaviors did not have significant effects. These findings indicate that the impact of narratives can be significant only under certain conditions. Implications for future research are discussed.

Environmental Health Communication at Organizational Level: Content Analysis of Healthy Homes Program Sites • Yulia Strekalova, U of Florida; Stuart Clarry, U of Florida • Environmental hazards in the homes lead to increases in preventable diseases and injuries and affect poor, minority and vulnerable populations in disproportional rates. This paper reports a content analysis of the CDC-sponsored state-level Healthy Homes program web-sites and focuses on several themes: amount of information available, ease in site navigation, targeting of diverse general audiences as well as health education and housing professionals, availability of materials that prompt self-assessment and encourage action. While government-sponsored web-sites are uniquely positioned to provide reliable information and authoritative information about environmental health risks and self-care methods, the state-level Healthy Homes program sites are not uniform in providing coverage for main topics identified by CDC. Differences exist in types of materials provided, communication approaches used and audiences targeted.

Idiosyncratic responses: The relationship between framing, topic and how readers respond to online health articles • Melissa Suran; Avery Holton; Renita Coleman • Health scholars have given some attention to the role of framing in health news coverage and how certain framing elements may affect the way readers respond. Results have shown an inconsistent relationship at best—sometimes readers respond to the frames the way researchers expect and sometimes they do not. This study focused on one key variable—the topic of health news coverage—and its possible association with the ways readers responds online. Using a content analysis of three major US newspapers’ online health content and attached reader responses, the findings here suggest that certain health topics may be idiosyncratic with the ways readers respond. Regardless of how they were framed, readers responded to articles dealing with well-being with gainful and episodic comments, and were less likely to respond episodically to coverage of politics and government in health. They also responded less thematically to research and breakthrough content and more thematically to issues of mental health. Implications for health communication and media scholarship and practice as well as future research are discussed.

Media sources, credibility, and perceptions of science: Learning about how people learn about science • Bruno Takahashi, Michigan State University; Edson Tandoc, University of Missouri-Columbia • Knowledge about science and technology has become increasingly important in this age of digital information overload, it is also becoming increasingly important to understand what contributes to scientific learning. In this study we test a multivariate model to explain scientific knowledge based on three theories on learning from the news from the fields of political communication, sociology, and media psychology, using the most recent data (2012) from the General Social Survey (GSS).

Clinical Trial Recruitment at Academic Medical Centers: Current Practices and Perceptions about Recruiting Strategies • Andrea Tanner, University of South Carolina; Sei-Hill Kim; Daniela Friedman, University of South Carolina; Caroline Foster; Caroline Bergeron, University of South Carolina • Objective: To describe the current clinical trial (CT) recruiting efforts taking place at academic medical centers in a southeastern state and to explore principal investigators’ attitudes and beliefs about how to successfully recruit for CTs, in the general population and in African American and rural communities. Methods: Using a purposive sample of CT investigators at academic medical centers (N=119), an online survey assessed respondents’ experience with recruitment, perceived difficulty in finding patients to participate in research, and the strategies investigators use to enhance CT enrollment. Results: Rural residents are least likely to be represented in CT research, behind both African Americans and the general public. CT teams most often use traditional recruiting methods, such as personal recruitment, recruitment through local doctors, and patient databases. Conclusion: CT investigators rarely communicate about clinical research outside of the medical setting or partner with community organizations to reach patients in medically underserved communities. Practice Implications: CT teams should be educated about how best to promote awareness and knowledge about CT research in medically underserved communities. There is also a need for communication and cooperation between CT investigators and local physicians who are often involved in the accrual of patients.

The Best of Intentions: Patients intentions to request health care workers cleanse hands before examinations • Debbie Treise, University of Florida; Michael Weigold, University of Florida; Denise Schain, University of Florida College of Medicine; Kristina Birnbrauer, University of Florida • The CDC, in response to tens of thousands of deaths each year from preventable infectious disease, recommends that patients ask their doctors to cleanse their hands in the patients’ presence for each examination. The recommendation presents patients challenges stemming from norms surrounding the doctor-patient relationship. In addition, some personality variables (e.g., interaction anxiety) may make such a discussion difficult while others (e.g., authoritarianism) may make such a discussion seem inappropriate. And little is known about the role that well-known predictors of behavioral intentions (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, efficacy, outcome benefits and costs) will play in intentions to perform this specific behavior. A total of 250 actual patients in a hospital setting were asked questions about their own likelihood of following the CDC’s recommendation and were asked to respond to one of five video depictions of a doctor and patient interaction. The depictions showed an examination in which a doctor did not cleanse, as well as four in which he did. In the videos in which the doctor did cleanse, further manipulations included that he did so of his own accord, he did so agreeably in response to a patient request, he did so disagreeably in response to a patient request, and he did so of his own accord and assured the patient that she should always ask a healthcare provider to cleanse. Results of the study suggest the CDC recommendation, without additional considerations, is unlikely to do much to stem the dangers posed by healthcare worker transmission of infectious disease.

Media, Celebrities, and Breastfeeding: Exploring the Breastfeeding Duration of Working Women. • Rhonda Trust, Boston University • U.S. mothers comprise over 70% of the U.S. workforce. However, many mothers return to work only weeks after giving birth. This study examines media portrayals of breastfeeding, celebrity comments about breastfeeding, and the breastfeeding duration of working women. Women residing in the U.S. who had at least one child completed an online survey. Negative media portrayals of breastfeeding and celebrity comments were the factors significantly associated with the breastfeeding duration of working women. The results suggest campaigns and health interventions targeted for working women must consider the effects of breastfeeding portrayals in the media and celebrity endorsements of breastfeeding.

Risk Perceptions, Worry and Information Seeking Experiences/Behaviors: Evidence From the 2012 Health Information National Trends Survey • JIUN-YI TSAI, University of Wisconsin-Madison • This study investigated the relationships between cognitive (risk perceptions) and affective (worry about getting cancer) motivators and their influences on health information seeking experiences/behaviors. Using the 2012 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), we found absolute risk perception and perceived comparative risk both positively associated with cancer worry; perceived comparative risk had a stronger effect in predicting worry than absolute risk did. In addition, higher levels of perceived absolute risk, comparative risk and cancer worry were associated with more negative experiences with information seeking efforts. Worry mediated the relationship between absolute risk and worse information seeking experiences. Similar mediating role of worry in associations between comparative risk and frustrating seeking experiences was identified. Lastly, we found worry predicted general health and cancer-specific information seeking behaviors whereas risk perceptions showed no significant effect. Results highlight the potential role of worry as an influential predictor of health information seeking.

Environmental Frames: An Analysis of Advertising Content from 1990 to 2010 • Matthew VanDyke, Texas Tech University; John Tedesco, Virginia Tech • This content analysis examined the characteristics of environmental advertisements (N = 449) published in Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News and World Report in 1990, 2000, and 2010. Findings indicate that responsibility frames were dominant as the strategy used in advertisements. The species/habitat protection issue was the dominant issue in 1990, while energy efficiency was the prevalent issue in 2000 and 2010. Advertisements primarily were sponsored by for-profit organizations and had a positive valence over time.

How Well Do U.S. Journalists Cover Health Treatments, Tests, Products and Procedures? • Kim Walsh-Childers, University of Florida; Jennifer Braddock, University of Florida; Cristina Rabaza, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications; Gary Schwitzer, HealthNewsReview.org • This study examined 518 HealthNewsReview.org assessments of health stories from 2011-early 2013. The reviewers assessed stories as satisfactory on all relevant criteria slightly less than 60% of the time. The three criteria least likely to be met were quantifying potential harms an individual might experience as a result of a medical intervention, discussing how much that intervention would likely cost, and quantifying the benefits a patient could expect from the intervention or change. Fewer than 50% of the reviewed stories were deemed satisfactory on these three criteria and two more: discussing the quality of the evidence provided in support of the intervention and discussing alternatives to the intervention. Our comparison of the most recent reviews with analysis of the first 500 reviews showed that journalists’ rate of success in providing satisfactory information had improved on eight of the 10 criteria. However, on two criteria – establishing whether or not the intervention being discussed was truly new and avoiding relying totally on a press release for the story information – journalists’ performance declined between the earliest reviews and this latest set. In general, stories produced by a wire service or syndicate were most likely to be rated satisfactory. The few stories that were focused more on a disease or medical condition were most likely to be rated satisfactory, in general, followed by stories about surgical procedures. Stories about medical devices such as stents and pacemakers were least likely to successfully meet the criteria.

Everyone has questions: Developing a social marketing campaign promoting a sexual health text message service • Jessica Fitts Willoughby, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill • Text message services that provide sexual health information are increasingly popular, but often not well promoted. This paper describes the development of a social marketing campaign promoting a state-based sexual health text message service. In-depth interviews and focus groups (n=35) provided information on perceived benefits and barriers and teen perceptions. Teens were interested in the service and wanted to see relevant settings and relatable teens in advertisements. Implications for promotion of similar services are discussed.

Tell It if You Can: A Study of PTSD in Newspapers and Military Blogs • Lu Wu • This study investigates the differences in the delineation of post-traumatic stress disorder in newspapers and in military blogs. Through thematic analysis of selected newspaper articles and blog posts, the research examines the different categories and themes that exist in newspapers’ and weblogs’ coverage on PTSD among military members and veterans. Marked differences are found among newspaper and blogs. The content of newspaper articles is focused on the overall picture of PTSD in the military society, but overlooks the individual struggles. In addition, newspaper coverage tends to frame PTSD negatively. The blog contents are more personalized and emotion-driven, providing details of daily life and experience, but could not compete with newspaper on quality journalism.

Designing Messages with High Sensation Value: When Activation Meets Reactance • Jie Xu, Villanova University • Based on two health communication models—Activation Model of Information Exposure and Psychological Reactance Theory—this study examines the individual and combined effects of message sensation value and controlling language on young adults’ information processing. Two studies on anti-drunken driving and anti-smoking PSAs were conducted that were conceptual replications of one another. Across the two studies, MSV was found to advance the perceived ad effectiveness, and controlling language contributed to reactance. A consistent interaction was revealed, such that MSV and controlling language interacted to affect perceived ad effectiveness and reactance. People responded positively to the high sensation value messages when presented with low controlling language. The effect of high sensation value anti-smoking ads to advance persuasiveness particularly under the condition of low controlling language was more influential to low sensation seekers. The sensation seeking targeting strategy (SENTAR) approach to risk prevention campaigns did not receive support from either study. The implications for persuasive communication, in general, are considered as well the specific findings for drunken-driving and smoking.

Engendering Support for Anti-Stigma Activities toward People Living with HIV/AIDS: The Interactive Effects of Motivational Systems, Attribute Framing and HIV Onset Controllability • Chunbo Ren; Changmin Yan, Washington State University • A motivation (approach or inhibition) by HIV onset controllability (low vs. high) by attribute framing (positive vs. negative) experiment was conducted to identify the effective messaging strategies to encourage anti-stigma activities toward people living with HIV/ADIS. Several significant effects were observed including a controllability main effect, a motivation by attribute framing interaction and a motivation by attribute framing by controllability interaction. The findings expanded existing motivation theory and framing research and suggested effective messaging strategies.

Managing Dog Waste: Campaign Insights from the Health Belief Model • Eli Typhina, North Carolina State University; Changmin Yan, Washington State University • Aiming to help municipalities develop effective education and outreach campaigns to reduce stormwater pollutants, such as pet waste, this study applied the Health Belief Model to identify perceptions of dog waste and corresponding collection behaviors from dog owners living in a small U.S. city. Results of 455 online survey responses strongly support the HBM and provide evidence for helping municipalities develop dog waste reduction campaigns and its potential application to other environmental issues.

Promoting Preventive Behaviors against Influenza: Comparison between Developing and Developed Countries • Z. Janet Yang, SUNY at Buffalo; Shirley Ho; May Lwin • Applying the Health Belief Model, this study examined young adults’ intention to adopt preventive behaviors against influenza infection in developing countries (Thailand and Cambodia) and developed countries (the U.S. and Singapore). Self-efficacy was the only variable significantly related to behavioral intention in the developing countries. In contrast, perceived threat, expected benefits, and media attention were significant predictors in the developed countries. Trust in information sources also had a consistent impact across the two samples.

Partisan amplification of nuclear energy risk in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi disaster • Michael Cacciatore; Sara Yeo; Dominique Brossard; Dietram Scheufele, Department of Life Sciences Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Kristin Runge, University of Wisconsin – Madison; Leona Yi-Fan Su; Jiyoun Kim; Michael Xenos; Elizabeth Corley • On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 8.4 earthquake, the largest in the nation’s history, occurred off the coast of Japan. The earthquake produced a devastating tsunami that flooded areas of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and resulted in a loss of power to the plant’s cooling system. In the weeks that followed, the world watched as Japanese and international nuclear power safety experts scrambled to contain the damage and prevent a full meltdown. Although the Fukushima Daiichi disaster was heavily covered in media, there is little empirical research on how this coverage impacted audience risk perceptions. This study examines risk perceptions toward nuclear power before and after the Fukushima Daiichi disaster using nationally representative survey samples of American adults. However, our analysis goes beyond examining aggregate risk perceptions, instead focusing on how specific sub-populations responded to the disaster. Specifically, we found that liberals and conservatives responded differently to the events in Japan, with liberals increasing in their risk perceptions after the crisis and conservatives actually decreasing in their perceptions of risk. Moreover, we found that media use exacerbated these effects. We discuss possible explanations for these findings.

Patterns and motivations of young adults’ health information acquisitions on Facebook • Yue Zheng, University of South Carolina • Using in-depth interviews with 32 young adults, this study explores how and why young people seek and scan health information on Facebook. Employing a grounded theory approach, this study constructs a framework using health information desire and Facebook use as two key factors to explain the four identified patterns of health information acquisitions. This study also examines the major motivations for each pattern-knowledge fulfillment, entertainment, sociability, and instrumentality. Practical implications are discussed.

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