Digital Commons Network^™

Social Interaction, Support Preferences, And The Use Of Wearable Health Trackers, Natalie Pennington, Linda Dam

Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies Faculty Research

Introduction: Drawing on uses and gratifications theory, social cognitive theory, and related work, this research assessed how social factors relate to reported weekly use and behavioral intentions toward the use of wearable health trackers (WHT).

Methods: Through two studies we surveyed current users of WHT, including smartwatches, to better understand what factors encouraged engagement. Study One (N = 333) consisted of a college student sample. Study Two (N = 319) was conducted through an online panel from Prolific.

Results: For Study One, results suggested that connection, social comparison, and one's comfort with seeking support predicted weekly use, while …

Twitter Trends During The 82nd Session Of The Nevada Legislature, 2023, Annie Vong, Zachary Billot, Mary Blankenship, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Elections & Governance

This fact sheet examines Twitter trends during the 82nd Session of the Nevada Legislature (2023). Data are comprised of tweets posted on Twitter by users located in Nevada addressing the most discussed topics during the session.

Stories To Empower Our Communities: Promoting Diverse Lgbtqia+ Narratives In Picture Book Collections, Amanda Melilli, Alicia G. Vaandering, James W. Rosenzweig

Library Faculty Presentations

Do you want to move past marking that diversity checkbox and take your LGBTQIA+ collection development to the next level? As seen through the work of Diverse BookFinder, how historically underrepresented identities are portrayed in our collections is just as important as increasing the number of books depicting these identities. This presentation moves beyond asking if there is LGBTQIA+ representation in recently published picture books and instead explores the more complex questions of who is being represented, in what ways, to what extent, and why each type of narrative is important to children and their families. Join us to gain …

Teaching Information Literacy In Untrusting Times: Prioritize Research For Understanding (Not Just Knowledge), Mark N. Lenker Iii

Library Faculty Presentations

A recent Pew study suggests that trust in experts is declining, a trend that requires educators to reframe expectations for learning through research. Rather than emphasizing the characteristics of credible sources (which skeptics and partisans seem increasingly eager to dispute), information literacy teachers should redirect their efforts to prioritize research for a more thorough and realistic understanding of how sources relate to one another. We will review teaching practices in college-level instruction in information literacy and composition that promote and obscure understanding as a learning goal for research.

Participants will:

1. Test-drive a discussion exercise that they can use with their …

Computer And Broadband Internet Access In Nevada And The Mountain West, Peter Grema, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Transportation & Infrastructure

This fact sheet examines data on computer and broadband internet access throughout the Mountain West (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah). The original dataset from the United States Census Bureau is comprised of information from the American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates on total households with a computer and broadband internet access for various geographic areas and demographic groups throughout the United States.

2019 Statewide Child Death Report, Nevada Institute For Children’S Research And Policy, Dawn L. Davidson, Elizabeth Holka

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

The purpose of this report is to provide comprehensive information regarding the circumstances by which children die in Nevada in order to prevent future child deaths and improve the health and safety of children in the state.

Pm Me The Truth? The Conditional Effectiveness Of Fact-Checks Across Social Media Sites, Austin Horng-En Wang

Political Science Faculty Research

People use multiple social media daily. Some platforms feature public interactions like Facebook, others emphasize private communications such as Line. Although misinformation is rampant on all platforms, literature on fact-checks (FC) focuses primarily on public ones. This article provides an integrated psychological model and argues that FC is less effective on private platforms. People expect to encounter “unwelcome” FCs (incongruent with their beliefs) on public platforms, but selectively approach the “welcome” FC on private platforms. An experiment (n = 601) and a national survey (n = 1060) were implemented to test these hypotheses in the 2020 Taiwan Presidential …

Ukraine-Russia War: Nevada Twitter And Disinformation Trends, Mary Blankenship, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Elections & Governance

This fact sheet analyzes responses to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia War posted on Twitter by users located in Nevada and identifies the most circulated narratives and disinformation topics.

Topical Analysis Of Nuclear Experts' Perceptions Of Publics, Nuclear Energy, And Sustainable Futures, Hannah K. Patenaude, Emma Frances Bloomfield

Communication Studies Faculty Research

Nuclear energy experts consider commercial power from fission to be a strong contender to help mitigate the increasing effects of climate change, in part due to its low-to-no carbon emissions. Nevertheless, nuclear energy’s history, including meltdowns such as Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, and dumping in sacred Indigenous land such as Yucca Mountain, raises important concerns in public deliberation over nuclear power. These communicative dynamics are crucial to study because they inform larger conversations in communication scholarship about the role of experts in scientific controversies and the complicated nature of public trust in and engagement with science. Thus, this …

Climate Communication And Storytelling, Emma F. Bloomfield, Chris Manktelow

Communication Studies Faculty Research

As part of its Assessment Reports (ARs), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) publishes Summaries for Policymakers (SPMs) that review key findings on climate science and climate change’s potential impacts. We argue that the IPCC could create more engaging SPMs by incorporating narrative features. This project evaluates AR5’s SPM for narrative opportunities, which are elements that could be narratively restructured or strengthened. Storytelling does not compromise the goals of the IPCC but rather helps public audiences understand and relate to the information. We encourage the adoption of storytelling elements to increase public understanding of and engagement with climate science.

Subjective Cognitive Decline Higher Among Sexual And Gender Minorities In The United States, 2015–2018, Jason D. Flatt, Ethan C. Cicero, Nickolas H. Lambrou, Whitney Wharton, Joel G. Anderson, Erin D. Bouldin, Lisa C. Mcguire, Christopher A. Taylor

Social & Behavioral Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) represents self-reported problems with memory, a possible early sign of dementia. Little is known about SCD among sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender or gender non-binary. Methods: Data were weighted to represent population estimates from 25 states’ 2015–2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to describe SCD in adults ≥ 45 years by SGM status. Logistic regression tested associations between demographic and health conditions. Results: SCD prevalence was higher in SGM (15.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI]:13.1–18.2) than in non-SGM adults (10.5%; 95% CI:10.1–10.9; P < .0001). SGM adults with SCD were also more likely to report functional limitations due to SCD than non-SGM adults with SCD, 60.8% versus 47.8%, P =.0048. Differences in SCD by SGM status were attenuated after accounting for depression. Discussion: Higher prevalence of SCD in SGM adults highlights the importance of ensuring inclusive screenings, interventions, care services, and resources for SGM adults.

Communication Outside Of The Home Through Social Media During Covid-19, Natalie Pennington

Communication Studies Faculty Research

This study explored, through quantitative and qualitative survey analysis (N = 307), the role of communication through social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in April 2020 to understand how individuals engaged with their network through social media and the subsequent relationship with subjective well-being, conceptualized as loneliness, life satisfaction, and positive and negative affect. Results identified that passive social media use contributed to greater loneliness and a decrease in life satisfaction. Some active use of social media contributed to an increase in positive affect. However, other active uses increased feelings of loneliness. Results also spoke to …

Social Media, Stress And Sleep Deprivation: A Triple “S” Among Adolescents, Micajah Daniels, Manoj Sharma, Kavita Batra

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

This commentary is aimed to discuss the impact of social media or the internet and engagement on youth development and comprehend these complex interrelationships. The discussion will serve as an important basis for designing targeted interventions to promote the judicious use of social media and meaningful engagement among youth. Problematic social media use (SMU) among adolescents may be associated with sleep deprivation, emotional distress, and adoption of maladaptive behaviors. Depression and stress are most notably connected to online harassment from SMU or cyberbullying. Degradation, threats, fake profiles, cyberstalking and unwanted comments are some examples of cyberbullying. Given the critical developmental …

Comics For Pediatric Oncology Patients And Families: Education And Empowerment, Natalie Johns

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

The major objective is to develop the first book of a boxed set series of comic vignettes that will serve as a clinical educational tool for pediatric patients with a recent cancer diagnosis and their caregivers. These comics are hypothesized to improve patient and family understanding of the disease, its treatment, side effects, and outcomes in an engaging and aesthetically pleasing way. The overall goals of this project are to reduce anxiety and increase health literacy in patients and their families while assisting the oncology team in providing optimal medical care, thus improving the overall quality of treatment. Comics aimed …

Covid-19: Economic Recovery, Twitter, And Public Perception Of Las Vegas, Mary Blankenship, Caitlin Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This Fact Sheet analyzes responses posted on Twitter following an interview conducted by CNN reporter Anderson Cooper, who interviewed Carolyn Goodman, Mayor of the City of Las Vegas, concerning the re-opening of the Las Vegas economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Development Of The Smartphone And Learning Inventory: Measuring Self-Regulated Use, Kendall Hartley, Lisa D. Bendixen, Lori Olafson, Dan Gianoutsos, Emily Shreve

Teaching and Learning Faculty Research

Smartphone use in learning environments can be productive or distracting depending upon the type of use. The use is also impacted by the learner’s view and understanding of the smartphone and self-regulated learning skills. Measures are needed to specify uses and learner understandings to address the implications for teaching and learning. This study reports on the development of a multi-factor inventory designed to measure multitasking while studying, avoiding distractions while studying, mindful phone use, and phone knowledge. The inventory was completed by 514 undergraduate students enrolled in a first-year seminar. The results indicate good reliability and a three-factor structure with …

How Misinformation Spreads Through Twitter, Mary Blankenship

Student Research

While living in the age of information, an inherent drawback to such high exposure to content lends itself to the precarious rise of misinformation. Whether it is called “alternative facts,” “fake news,” or just incorrect information, because of its pervasiveness in nearly every political and policy discussion, the spread of misinformation is seen as one of the greatest challenges to overcome in the 21st century. As new technologies emerge, a major piece of both content creation and the perpetuation of misinformation are social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. As news events emerge, whether be a pandemic, a mass …

Disaster Resilience As Communication Practice: Remembering And Forgetting Lessons From Past Disasters Through Practices That Prepare For The Next One, Rebecca M. Rice, Jody L. S. Jahn

Communication Studies Faculty Research

Communities learn important lessons about their vulnerabilities from disasters. A crucial aspect of resilience is how communities apply past lessons to prepare for future events. We use a practice lens to examine how communities remember and forget lessons through everyday communication surrounding their preparedness activities. We analyze two cases of disaster preparedness in one community. The first site, a local Office of Emergency Management, adapted national policies to the community while also keeping local disaster lessons in mind (i.e. remembering lessons). The second site represented an intractable conflict between the U.S. Forest Service and a community group that inhibited the …

How Musical Artists Can Use Social Media For Successful Careers, Kian Hassankhan, Sutirtha Chatterjee

AANAPISI Poster Presentations

This research paper is about elucidating the current business model of the music industry and how artists or musicians can use it to their advantage through social media, specifically Instagram. Through paid and organic advertising, artists, producers and musicians can create successful music business startups and add an additional source of income to their lives. This paper dives deep into real, tangible goals while expanding the philosophy of the aspiring creative entrepreneur by giving them a road map to creating a successful creative brand through the lens of social media.

Explaining How College-Aged Individuals Provide Information To Friends Experiencing Romantic Relational Uncertainty, Tara G. Mcmanus, Yuliya Yurashevich, Courtney Mcdaniel

Communication Studies Faculty Research

College-aged individuals report having difficulty deciding what and how much information to provide to friends, yet they often turn to one another for information when experiencing relational uncertainty in a romantic relationship. Given the central role friendships have in college-aged individuals’ lives, identifying ways to decrease the difficulty of providing information is necessary. By framing friends’ relational uncertainty conversations as an information management process, the information-provider’s cognitions and emotions are highlighted as factors likely influencing the information provided to friends requesting it to manage their relational uncertainty. In an online survey (N = 367), participants recalled their most recent conversation …

The Neurocognitive Process Of Digital Radicalization: A Theoretical Model And Analytical Framework, Tiffiany Howard, Brach Poston, Stephen D. Benning

Political Science Faculty Research

Recent studies suggest that empathy induced by narrative messages can effectively facilitate persuasion and reduce psychological reactance. Although limited, emerging research on the etiology of radical political behavior has begun to explore the role of narratives in shaping an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, and intentions that culminate in radicalization. The existing studies focus exclusively on the influence of narrative persuasion on an individual, but they overlook the necessity of empathy and that in the absence of empathy, persuasion is not salient. We argue that terrorist organizations are strategic in cultivating empathetic-persuasive messages using audiovisual materials, and disseminating their message within the …

The Soft Power Of Ephemeral Communities A Short History Of Las Vegas Technology Conventions, 1959-2019, Julian Kilker

Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies Faculty Research

This article presents an overview of the large Las Vegas–based technology conventions: Comdex, CES (the Consumer Electronics Show), and NAB (the NationalAssociation of Broadcasters trade show).

Communication, Democracy, And Intelligentsia, Dmitri N. Shalin

Sociology Faculty Research

In the early 1990s, a group of Russian and American scholars teamed up to investigate the impact of Gorbachev’s reform on Soviet society, focusing especially on the role the intelligentsia played in fomenting glasnost and perestroika. Results of this collaborative study were published in a volume Russian Culture at the Crossroads: Paradoxes of Postcommunist Consciousness (Shalin, 1996a). The contributors worked on the assumption that perestroika was an irreversible achievement, that distortions the reforms wrought in Russian society would be smoothed out over time. Today, this assumption appears overoptimistic. After nearly twenty years in power, Vladimir Putin dismantled key democratic institutions, …

The Circulation Of Climate Change Denial Online: Rhetorical And Networking Strategies On Facebook, Emma Frances Bloomfield, Denise Tillery

Communication Studies Faculty Research

This study uses a topical, rhetorical approach to analyze how climate change denial circulates online through the 25 most popular posts on the Watts Up With That and the Global Warming Policy Forum Facebook pages. These groups adopt the appearance of credibility through reposting and hyperlinking, thus establishing a supportive, networked space among other skeptical sites, while distancing readers from original sources of scientific information. Visitors use a variety of rhetorical strategies to echo posts’ main themes and to discredit alternative viewpoints. Differences between the topoi and rhetorical strategies of WUWT and the GWPF show that the climate change denial …

Selected Correspondence With Igor Kon, Dmitri N. Shalin

Sociology Faculty Research

The article presents the correspondence with I.S. Kon. No abstract provided.

Is Civility Contagious? Examining The Impact Of Modeling In Online Political Discussions, Soo-Hye Han, Leann Brazeal, Natalie Pennington

Communication Studies Faculty Research

This study examines a way to promote civility in online political discussions through modeling discursive cues. An online experiment (N = 321) was conducted to investigate the impact of civil and uncivil discursive cues on participants’ mode of discussion. Results show that participants who were exposed to civil cues were more likely to engage in civil discourse themselves, stay on-topic, and offer additional perspectives in their comments. We also found that metacommunication (i.e., talking about the tone of discussion) engendered more metacommunication. This study illustrates the impact of modeling discursive cues and illuminates the possibility that participants in online discussion …

Russian Intelligentsia In The Age Of Counterperestroika, Dmitri N. Shalin

Sociology Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Engaging The Verbs Of Social Justice As We Trace Our Legacies And Our Relevance 2017 National Communication Association Annual Convention Opening Session, Amber L. Johnson, Javon Johnson

Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies Faculty Research

This essay introduces the collected performances and responses presented during the Opening Session of the 2017 National Communication Association annual convention held in Dallas, TX.

Barbie Doesn't Have Bruises: Gendered Images Of Anxiety And Avoidant Attachment Relationships In Film, Claudia G. Chiang-Lopez

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

Viewers’ interpretations of romantic relationships portrayed between those with anxious and avoidant attachments can affect their opinions on what constitutes appropriate relationship behavior. I conducted a literature review on media impacts and offer an interpretation of the implications of the language used to describe characters, relationships and characters’ ends. The films studied - Sunset Boulevard, Sid and Nancy, and The Hustler - showed a pattern where in a relationship between an anxious and an avoidant character, the anxious character was punished, absorbed by their relationship, abandoned, trapped in their life, and cut off from the world. Viewers watch films to …

Explanatory Journalism, John Hudak

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

John Hudak discusses how members of the press help shed sunlight on the inner workings of government, expose flaws and problems in our system, and inform the citizenry, making journalism a cornerstone of a healthy democracy—and a subject deserving of careful consideration and thoughtful critique.