Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding Perceptions Of Breast Health In A Southern Appalachian Community, Hannah Leigh Shinault

Doctoral Dissertations

Culture is central to how individuals perceive and understand health. Thus, the Appalachian culture impacts how Appalachian women perceive and maintain breast health. Using information about the broader Appalachian region and the Southern Appalachian sub-region, specifically, as well as the existing body of literature about cancer, culture, and communication theory, this qualitative study describes breast health from the point of view of women and health information providers in this region in order to better communicate about breast health maintenance practices.

Results from this study will allow individuals working with breast cancer patients and prevention to better understand how cultural identity …

Purchase Decision Type Influences On Consumers’ Reliance: Brand-Related User-Generated Content, Hyuk Jun Cheong

Doctoral Dissertations

Consumers use brand-related user-generated content (UGC), such as online consumer reviews, for their pre-purchase information seeking. However, previous research on consumer information seeking has scarcely explored how purchase situations and product type influence consumers’ use of brand-related UGC. The purpose of this dissertation is to shed light on this area of research. In the first part of the study, Vaughn’s (1980; 1986) Foote, Cone, and Belding (FCB) grid, a popular product classification theory in advertising and consumer research, was updated based on a set of online surveys (N=1,104) that measured three purchase dimensions [i.e., purchase decision involvement (PDI), think/feel purchase, …

The On-Screen Water Cooler: Effects Of Televised User-Generated Comments On Cognitive Processing, Social Presence, And Viewing Experience., Jaclyn Ann Cameron

Doctoral Dissertations

Social television combines traditional television viewing and interactions with social media to create a phenomenon that connects otherwise autonomous viewers through a shared viewing experience. This dissertation explores one type of social television: on-screen user-generated comments. Although the practice spans multiple television genres, little is known about its effect on viewers’ cognitive processing of the media, perceptions of the social presence of other viewers, or the viewers’ experience of the media. Two experimental studies explored the effects of on-screen user-generated comments on cognitive processing of the media message, the effect of manipulating the content of on-screen user-generated comments and individual …

Development And Validation Of A Crisis Self-Efficacy Scale, Sejin Park

Doctoral Dissertations

This study develops a valid and reliable self-efficacy scale specific to the crisis context. The rationale for developing the scale is first to provide a tool for crisis communication researchers to better understand behavioral aspects of crisis. Second, as people have different levels of crisis self-efficacy, it is difficult for crisis managers to develop audience-specific messages and create crisis preparedness programs. A crisis self-efficacy scale enables crisis managers to develop more effective message strategies to protect publics and minimize crisis damage. The scale also provides practitioners a useful longitudinal index of progress in crisis preparedness programs to track changes in …