Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 30 of 42

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Just Pin It: Understanding The Dynamics Of Pinterest Use, Motivation, Self-Efficacy, And Health Behaviors, Kathryn E. Dolphin, Rachel Char, Summer Rogers Mar 2024

Just Pin It: Understanding The Dynamics Of Pinterest Use, Motivation, Self-Efficacy, And Health Behaviors, Kathryn E. Dolphin, Rachel Char, Summer Rogers

Health Behavior Research

Image-based social media platforms, such as Pinterest, have revolutionized how individuals seek, share, and interpret health information. Previous research suggests a link between consuming social media content and intentions to engage in health behaviors; however, it is unclear if individuals who actively seek health-related information on social media engage in healthier behaviors. This mixed-methods study explored the relationships among Pinterest use, motivations, self-efficacy, and health behaviors. Women participants (n = 227) completed surveys that included sociodemographic characteristics, motivation, self-efficacy, Pinterest use, and diet and exercise behaviors. Independent samples t-tests assessed differences in exercise behaviors, and multivariate analyses of variance …


Minnesota State Parks And Trails’ Use Of Facebook To Communicate Health And Safety Information During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Garrett M. Steede, Sahil S. Kamat Dec 2023

Minnesota State Parks And Trails’ Use Of Facebook To Communicate Health And Safety Information During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Garrett M. Steede, Sahil S. Kamat

Journal of Applied Communications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, state park visitation increased to levels above previous years. While navigating the pandemic, natural resource communicators took to social media to communicate about how COVID-19 was impacting park services and operations. We examined how the Minnesota State Parks and Trails (MSPT) engaged in health communication using Facebook over the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used quantitative content analysis to measure content and engagement on the N = 105 posts made by the MSPT from 2020 - 2022 regarding COVID-19. Results provide an understanding as to how natural resource communicators engaged in health communication …


Community Attitudes Toward Local Foods And Producers: The Role Of Warmth Versus Competence Across Demographics For Social Media Engagement., Danielle L. Eiseman, Andrea Stevenson Won Apr 2023

Community Attitudes Toward Local Foods And Producers: The Role Of Warmth Versus Competence Across Demographics For Social Media Engagement., Danielle L. Eiseman, Andrea Stevenson Won

Journal of Applied Communications

Connecting local food producers with consumers is useful for ensuring individuals have access to healthy, fresh, foods. Small farmers, however, lack the resources to effectively connecting with consumers through traditional forms of marketing. Marketing to consumers through social media is a low-cost method that local food producers can use to promote their products. Creating engaging content on social media can be challenging, thus there is a need for guidance on how to effectively engage with local consumers through social media. Studies in advertising have shown dimensions of warmth and competence can be useful frames for engaging consumers across a variety …


A Cross-Platform Exploratory Study Of International And Domestic Scholar Post Engagement On Social Media, Allison R. Byrd, Catherine E. Sanders, Alexa Lamm Apr 2023

A Cross-Platform Exploratory Study Of International And Domestic Scholar Post Engagement On Social Media, Allison R. Byrd, Catherine E. Sanders, Alexa Lamm

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

Social media use varies globally across cultures, even within extension services. Recognition of the contributions of international scholars at the universities where they serve also varies. Social media use in international scholars’ countries of origin may differ from that of their institution’s country, affecting social media engagement with a university’s posts featuring international scholars. Using the conceptual framework of audience segmentation, this study explored the differences in social media audience engagement between research themes and international and domestic scholars on Instagram and Twitter. Using a causal-comparative design, this study created Instagram and Twitter posts highlighting peer-reviewed research conducted by both …


Influence Of The Use Of Social-Media And Exposure To Pornography On The Sexual Behaviour Of Youths In Selected Tertiary Institutions In Southwest Nigeria, Oladipupo Samuel Olaleye, Ademola Ajuwon Nov 2022

Influence Of The Use Of Social-Media And Exposure To Pornography On The Sexual Behaviour Of Youths In Selected Tertiary Institutions In Southwest Nigeria, Oladipupo Samuel Olaleye, Ademola Ajuwon

Health Behavior Research

Exposure to pornography is fraught with health and social implications. In Nigeria, there is a dearth of information on how youths have been exposed to pornography on social media (SM) and the effects of this on their sexual behaviors (SB). This study described the pattern of SM use, exposure to pornography, and the effects of this exposure on SB of young persons in southwest Nigeria. Two hundred students were randomly selected from two tertiary institutions. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire that explored the respondents’ SM usage pattern, exposure to pornography, and SB. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, …


Age As A Moderator Of The Association Between Anticipated Regret And The Posting And Deleting Of Alcohol-Related Content On Social Networking Sites Among Adolescents And Young Adults, Cassidy R. Loparco, Ashley Lowery, Zhengyang Zhou, Marcela Leon, Annalynn M. Galvin, Melissa A. Lewis, Dana Litt May 2022

Age As A Moderator Of The Association Between Anticipated Regret And The Posting And Deleting Of Alcohol-Related Content On Social Networking Sites Among Adolescents And Young Adults, Cassidy R. Loparco, Ashley Lowery, Zhengyang Zhou, Marcela Leon, Annalynn M. Galvin, Melissa A. Lewis, Dana Litt

Health Behavior Research

Research demonstrates associations between alcohol consumption and posting alcohol-related content on social networking sites (SNS); less is known regarding motivations behind deleting alcohol content on SNS and differences by age. The present study examined the associations of anticipated regret with posting and deleting alcohol-related content; age was examined as a moderator. Participants (N = 306; 47.1% male) aged 15 – 20 completed a baseline survey for a larger experimental study. Results indicated significant interactions between anticipated regret and age, such that higher levels of both increased the odds of both posting (OR = 1.37) and deleting (OR = 1.30) …


Framing Friction: A Content Analysis Investigating How The Cdc Framed Social Media Communication With The Public During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michaela Kandzer, Valentina Castano, Lauri M. Baker, Ashley Mcleod-Morin Feb 2022

Framing Friction: A Content Analysis Investigating How The Cdc Framed Social Media Communication With The Public During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michaela Kandzer, Valentina Castano, Lauri M. Baker, Ashley Mcleod-Morin

Journal of Applied Communications

The novel coronavirus was first discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019. This zoonotic disease quickly spread through over 100 countries, including the U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency by the end of January 2020. Soon after, many U.S. states issued mandatory stay-at-home orders, which caused adverse effects for agricultural businesses and food supply chains. During this crisis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shared information through social media platforms such as Facebook. This study sought to understand how the CDC framed direct communication to the public about issues related to COVID-19 using …


Online Health Information Seeking Behaviors And Infant Feeding Practices: A Social Cognitive Theory Perspective, Yexinyu Yang, Kathryn Krupsky, Sarah Keim, Rebecca Mcadams, Kristin Roberts, Lara Mckenzie Aug 2021

Online Health Information Seeking Behaviors And Infant Feeding Practices: A Social Cognitive Theory Perspective, Yexinyu Yang, Kathryn Krupsky, Sarah Keim, Rebecca Mcadams, Kristin Roberts, Lara Mckenzie

Health Behavior Research

Breastfeeding benefits infants, but support is often needed to meet breastfeeding goals. Social media may help disseminate infant feeding information to caregivers. The relationship between parents’ health information-seeking behaviors (HISB) on social media and infant feeding practices remains understudied. Based on social cognitive theory (SCT), parents’ self-efficacy and outcome expectations are two potential factors for improving online HISB. We aimed to use SCT to describe associations between outcome expectations, self-efficacy (eHealth literacy), and online HISB across infant feeding groups among a nationally representative sample of U.S. parents. Eligible participants (N = 580) completed a cross-sectional online survey assessing infant …


Is Fitspiration Truly An Inspiration? Relationships Between Fitspiration, Exercise, And Body Image, Anna K. Bowles, Shana M. Walsh, Thomas L. Andre Aug 2021

Is Fitspiration Truly An Inspiration? Relationships Between Fitspiration, Exercise, And Body Image, Anna K. Bowles, Shana M. Walsh, Thomas L. Andre

Health Behavior Research

Young adults across the United States struggle to meet physical activity recommendations and consume healthy diets, and they often suffer from issues related to body image. Social media influencers dedicated to fitspiration (i.e., fitness inspiration) are purported to have a goal of inspiring others to lead healthier lifestyles. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between fitspiration and exercise and body image perceptions amongst college students. Participants (n = 361, mean age = 20.2 years, 78% female) completed surveys that included sociodemographic information, social media usage, fitspiration content engagement, exercise, and body satisfaction. An independent samples …


Social Media Use And Covid-19: A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Health Behaviors, Knowledge, And Mental Health Among University Of Nevada, Reno Students, Molly M. Hagen, Sarah Y.T. Hartzell, Paul G. Devereux Aug 2021

Social Media Use And Covid-19: A Cross-Sectional Study Examining Health Behaviors, Knowledge, And Mental Health Among University Of Nevada, Reno Students, Molly M. Hagen, Sarah Y.T. Hartzell, Paul G. Devereux

Health Behavior Research

Reliance on social media for health information is widespread, yet impacts of social media use (SMU) on health behaviors during infectious disease pandemics are poorly understood. We used a random sample from a university student directory to invite students to take a cross-sectional online survey during the coronavirus pandemic. Survey questions assessed adherence to public health guidelines, knowledge of COVID-19/SARS-CoV2, and mental health symptoms. Students were classified based on their level of SMU for information on COVID-19 as: (1) none, (2) some use, or (3) main source. Weighted regressions were used to relate SMU to adherence (five-point scale) and knowledge …


Leveraging Health Behavior And Communication Theories To Support Adolescent And Young Adults: Conceptualizing Social Media Wellness In Relation To Disordered Eating, Elizabeth A. Claydon, Keith Zullig, Mary M. Step Aug 2021

Leveraging Health Behavior And Communication Theories To Support Adolescent And Young Adults: Conceptualizing Social Media Wellness In Relation To Disordered Eating, Elizabeth A. Claydon, Keith Zullig, Mary M. Step

Health Behavior Research

Social media platforms like Instagram serve as an important mechanism for transmitting social information and influence. However, the nature and use of these platforms are known to perpetuate eating disorders (EDs) or further disorder eating symptoms. This concept paper proposes merging health behavior and communication theory to create a comprehensive and applicable framework for remediating pro-eating disorder social media content among people who have eating disorders. To this end, the Social Media Wellness Model, which is adapted from the Health Belief Model, the Uses and Gratifications approach, the MAIN model of media affordances, and media literacy training, is proposed. This …


Disentangling Associations Between Frequency Of Specific Social Networking Site Platform Use, Normative Discrepancies, And Alcohol Use Among Adolescents And Underage Young Adults, Dana M. Litt, Angeles Astorga, Kayla Tate, Erika L. Thompson, Melissa A. Lewis Aug 2021

Disentangling Associations Between Frequency Of Specific Social Networking Site Platform Use, Normative Discrepancies, And Alcohol Use Among Adolescents And Underage Young Adults, Dana M. Litt, Angeles Astorga, Kayla Tate, Erika L. Thompson, Melissa A. Lewis

Health Behavior Research

Although there is a robust literature examining normative discrepancies for drinking, less is known related to normative discrepancies related to alcohol-posting behavior on social networking sites (SNS). Given that SNS are posited to be an important risk factor for adolescent and young adult alcohol use, the aims of the present study were to: (1) document descriptive and injunctive normative discrepancies for number of alcohol-related posts on SNS, (2) examine associations between frequency of using SNS platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat) and descriptive and injunctive normative discrepancies, and (3) to examine whether descriptive and injunctive normative discrepancies are associated with willingness to …


The Importance Of Interdisciplinary Frameworks In Social Media Mining: An Exploratory Approach Between Computational Informatics And Social Network Analysis (Sna), Danny Valdez, Meg Patterson, Tyler Prochnow Med Aug 2021

The Importance Of Interdisciplinary Frameworks In Social Media Mining: An Exploratory Approach Between Computational Informatics And Social Network Analysis (Sna), Danny Valdez, Meg Patterson, Tyler Prochnow Med

Health Behavior Research

Social media content is one of the most visible sources of big data and is often used in health studies to draw inferences about various behaviors. Though much can be gleaned from social media data and mining, the approaches used to collect and analyze data are generally strengthened when examined through established theoretical frameworks. Health behavior, a theory driven field, encourages interdisciplinary collaboration across fields and theories to help us draw robust conclusions about phenomena. This pilot study uses a combined computer informatics and SNA approach to analyze information spread about mask-wearing as a personal mitigation effort during the COVID-19 …


College Students’ Use Of Social Media And E-Cigarettes: How Correctly Identifying Platform Type Influences Findings, Christopher M. Dunlap Ii, Yu Lu, Page D. Dobbs, Nisha Khanal, Julia S. Oehlers, Marshall K. Cheney Aug 2021

College Students’ Use Of Social Media And E-Cigarettes: How Correctly Identifying Platform Type Influences Findings, Christopher M. Dunlap Ii, Yu Lu, Page D. Dobbs, Nisha Khanal, Julia S. Oehlers, Marshall K. Cheney

Health Behavior Research

The purpose of this study was to examine how college students post or share JUUL-related content on social media. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, current JUUL users (n = 667) completed a cross-sectional survey in March of 2019, then 51 participants completed in-person follow-up interviews in April of 2019. Survey questions asked about JUUL-related social media postings and commenting history as well as demographic questions. Interview participants were asked to explain their survey responses and were then shown the survey results and asked for reasons why they and others did not post or comment about JUUL on social …


A Systematic Literature Review Of The Intersection Between Social Media And Cultural Identity: Implications For Agricultural And Environmental Communication, Catherine E. Dobbins, Fallys Masambuka-Kanchewa, Alexa J. Lamm May 2021

A Systematic Literature Review Of The Intersection Between Social Media And Cultural Identity: Implications For Agricultural And Environmental Communication, Catherine E. Dobbins, Fallys Masambuka-Kanchewa, Alexa J. Lamm

Journal of Applied Communications

Social media has radically changed human communication patterns, impacting how people perceive scientific information. This study sought to explore how cultural identity impacts the use of, and engagement with, social media content related to agriculture and the environment. Informed by Social Representation Theory, a systematic qualitative literature review was conducted to investigate how cultural identity impacted engagement with social media sources of agricultural and environmental information. Several studies indicated differences in social media engagement between people from different cultures. However, different definitions and perspectives on cultural identity emerged with some researchers describing culture in relation to nationality and others in …


Agri-Science Faculty Perceptions Of Communication Activities At Texas Tech University, A Non-Land-Grant Institution, Kelsi Opat, Erica Irlbeck, Kristyn Dickey Feb 2021

Agri-Science Faculty Perceptions Of Communication Activities At Texas Tech University, A Non-Land-Grant Institution, Kelsi Opat, Erica Irlbeck, Kristyn Dickey

Journal of Applied Communications

Due to the direct impact science has on society, it is important for scientists to communicate with the general public (Rose et al., 2020). There are various means of communication that scientists may choose to disseminate their research. Recently, Bowman et al. (2018) assessed how often Extension personnel at a land-grant institution used various communication skills, how important they perceived each skill to be, and how comfortable they were performing them. Land-grant institutions have different communication expectations for their faculty than those at non-land-grant institutions. Therefore, this study focused on the Use, Comfort, and Importance of communication skills according to …


Examining The Social Properties Of Oklahoma Agricultural Facebook Pages: A Quantitative Content Analysis, Audrey E. H. King, Quisto Settle Dec 2020

Examining The Social Properties Of Oklahoma Agricultural Facebook Pages: A Quantitative Content Analysis, Audrey E. H. King, Quisto Settle

Journal of Applied Communications

Social media is used by millions of people in the United States, and producers are often encouraged to maintain a social media presence to promote their businesses and agriculture in general. Farmers have deeply entrenched identities. Social identity theory states people self-sort into certain groups. Social comparison and positive distinction are two principles of social identity theory. There is a need to research how agricultural operations are portraying those identities, including how they portray the identities of dissimilar agricultural operations online. This study compared Oklahoma mainstream and alternative producers in a quantitative content analysis of their Facebook pages. The following …


Social Media Application In Agriculture Extension Programming For Small Scale Rural Farmers: Is Knowledge Impeding The Lack Of Adoption?, Stephan Moonsammy, Donna Marie Renn Moonsammy Aug 2020

Social Media Application In Agriculture Extension Programming For Small Scale Rural Farmers: Is Knowledge Impeding The Lack Of Adoption?, Stephan Moonsammy, Donna Marie Renn Moonsammy

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge level of farmers on basic computer literacy, social media use, and to explore which social and demographic factors affected their knowledge capacity. The study had a final sample of 176 participants from the northern, southern and central regions of Trinidad and Tobago. A survey instrument comprising of 14 multiple-choice questions with one accurate response was developed to decrease bias of farmers randomly selecting the accurate response. The questions addressed knowledge on basic computer and social media literacy. Analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA with post-hoc testing. Results indicated that there …


Facebook Activity Of Oklahoma Agritourism Facebook Pages, Brittany L. Bowman, Quisto Settle, Stacy Tomas, Angel Riggs May 2020

Facebook Activity Of Oklahoma Agritourism Facebook Pages, Brittany L. Bowman, Quisto Settle, Stacy Tomas, Angel Riggs

Journal of Applied Communications

Agritourism is recreational travel for agricultural activities. Agricultural operations benefit from income diversification, the public receives hands-on agricultural experiences, and rural communities benefit from economic development. However, agritourism operators have reported challenges in marketing. As social media becomes increasingly important in tourism marketing, the purpose of this research is to describe overall Facebook activity related to Oklahoma agritourism. A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 174 Facebook pages of Oklahoma agritourism operations to describe posts, public interaction, events, and advertisements. Oklahoma agritourism operations had a mean of 1,330 page likes, and 69% of Facebook pages had posts during the sample …


“You Call That Meat?” Investigating Social Media Conversations And Influencers Surrounding Cultured Meat, Annie R. Specht, Joy N. Rumble, Emily B. Buck Feb 2020

“You Call That Meat?” Investigating Social Media Conversations And Influencers Surrounding Cultured Meat, Annie R. Specht, Joy N. Rumble, Emily B. Buck

Journal of Applied Communications

Cultured meat has yet to reach store shelves but is nonetheless a growing issue for consumers, producers, and government regulators, many of whom have taken to social media to discuss it. Using a conceptual framework of social cognitive theory and issues management, this qualitative content analysis investigated social-media discourse surrounding the topic of cultured meat in the United States by describing the content of the discussion in late 2018 and identifying individual influencers and communities of influencers engaged in the discussion. Data were collected from Twitter using listening platform Sysomos MAP. The thematic analysis revealed eight themes: legality and marketing …


An Investigation Of Agricultural Crisis Communications Via Social Media, Courtney Gibson, Erica Irlbeck, Courtney Meyers, Cindy Akers, Peggy Price Nov 2019

An Investigation Of Agricultural Crisis Communications Via Social Media, Courtney Gibson, Erica Irlbeck, Courtney Meyers, Cindy Akers, Peggy Price

Journal of Applied Communications

How an agricultural organization handles the way the media reports a crisis can have an impact on the public’s perceptions of the organization, and sometimes the industry as a whole. The popularity of social media outlets as a venue for disseminating and gathering information and news makes the use of social media surrounding agricultural crises an important topic to investigate (Glynn, Huge, & Hoffman 2012; Hermida, 2010). A qualitative case study was conducted to investigate the use of social media tools during an agricultural crisis. The participants – communications directors, social media managers, and individuals with a close connection to …


Exploring The Impact Of Ohio Agricultural Organizations’ Social Media Use On Traditional Media Coverage Of Agriculture, Leigha Haller, Annie R. Specht, Emily B. Buck Nov 2019

Exploring The Impact Of Ohio Agricultural Organizations’ Social Media Use On Traditional Media Coverage Of Agriculture, Leigha Haller, Annie R. Specht, Emily B. Buck

Journal of Applied Communications

One of the nation’s most important industries, agriculture, has adopted social media to communicate with consumers and the public. At the same time, traditional news media remains important to the agriculture industry because many consumers still receive information about agriculture from sources such as newspapers and television. Little literature at the time of this study explored how social media is used specifically as a media relations tool. The purpose of this study is to examine how agricultural organizations in Ohio communicate via social media and how the messages could impact central Ohio traditional media outlets’ coverage of agricultural issues. The …


Social Media For Government: Theory And Practice, Brittany L. Bowman Sep 2019

Social Media For Government: Theory And Practice, Brittany L. Bowman

Journal of Applied Communications

Book review of Social Media for Government: Theory and Practice, by Staci M. Zavattaro and Thomas A. Bryer


Crowdsourcing Change: An Analysis Of Twitter Discourse On Food Waste And Reduction Strategies, Annie R. Specht, Emily B. Buck May 2019

Crowdsourcing Change: An Analysis Of Twitter Discourse On Food Waste And Reduction Strategies, Annie R. Specht, Emily B. Buck

Journal of Applied Communications

Food waste has emerged as a major issue in the United States as the nation collectively sends more than 133 billion pounds of food to its landfills every year. In September 2015, the USDA and EPA announced an initiative to cut U.S. food waste in half by 2030. Between 2015 and 2016, nearly 100,000 posts about food waste have been published on Twitter, a microblogging platform that has been a hub of “slacktivism” since its inception in 2006. Using a conceptual framework of social cognitive theory, online activism, and crowdsourcing, we analyzed food waste conversation participants’ demographics, online communities, and …


Blue Bell's Facebook Posts And Responses During The 2015 Listeria Crisis: A Case Study, Kelsi Opat, Haley Magness, Erica Irlbeck Dec 2018

Blue Bell's Facebook Posts And Responses During The 2015 Listeria Crisis: A Case Study, Kelsi Opat, Haley Magness, Erica Irlbeck

Journal of Applied Communications

Blue Bell Creameries faced an unprecedented situation when it pulled all of its products during a Listeria outbreak in 2015. Despite a very public crisis that resulted in three deaths, Blue Bell survived the disaster and maintained a large and loyal customer base. A content analysis of the Blue Bell Ice Cream Facebook page was conducted to evaluate Blue Bell’s public communications, and its followers’ public reactions to the Facebook communication during the crisis. Results indicated that Blue Bell primarily posted messages that included recall and restocking information, thankfulness to stakeholders, and details about improvements to food safety during the …


Extension Agents’ Use And Acceptance Of Social Media: The Case Of The Department Of Agricultural Extension In Bangladesh, Md Karmruzzaman, Ataharul Chowdhury, Annemarie Van Paassen, Wayne Ganpat Aug 2018

Extension Agents’ Use And Acceptance Of Social Media: The Case Of The Department Of Agricultural Extension In Bangladesh, Md Karmruzzaman, Ataharul Chowdhury, Annemarie Van Paassen, Wayne Ganpat

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have been considered as key driving forces for enabling agricultural development ‒the sector which provides livelihoods for majority ofthepopulation in Bangladesh. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), the largest public sector agricultural extension service provider in Bangladesh, hasrecently enactedanew organizational policy for its staffs to use ICTs such as social media to provide better services. However, there is little or merely anecdotal evidence about how extension agents of DAE have been accepting and using social media for their professional work. Drawing onthetheoretical underpinnings of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM),thisstudy is a first attempt to investigate …


#Transformffa: An Analysis Of Social Media Content During The 2016 National Ffa Convention, Tiffany M. Rogers-Randolph, Lisa K. Lundy, Jessica L. Harsh, Raychel Rabon Mar 2018

#Transformffa: An Analysis Of Social Media Content During The 2016 National Ffa Convention, Tiffany M. Rogers-Randolph, Lisa K. Lundy, Jessica L. Harsh, Raychel Rabon

Journal of Applied Communications

The proliferation of social media has the ability to considerably impact stakeholders’ perspective of an organization’s brand. Due to this relationship, social media analysis is crucial to executing informed brand communication strategies. In October 2016, the brand communication strategies of the National FFA Organization were focused on promoting the 89th National FFA Convention. A large portion of these efforts and resources were dedicated towards the utilization of social media. This study was designed as a content analysis of the National FFA Organization’s social media presence during the dates of the convention. The goal was to identify the prominent themes …


Agriculturists Personal And Business Use Of Online Communication Tools, Kelsey Shaw, Courtney Meyers, Erica Irlbeck, David Doerfert, Katie Abrams, Chris Morgan Jan 2015

Agriculturists Personal And Business Use Of Online Communication Tools, Kelsey Shaw, Courtney Meyers, Erica Irlbeck, David Doerfert, Katie Abrams, Chris Morgan

Journal of Applied Communications

New programs and efforts are being promoted to help American farmers and ranchers succeed in their efforts, both in their daily operations and in their attempts to reach consumers. Online communication tools may be one way agriculturists can share their stories and market directly to these audience members, but much is unknown regarding the extent to which these tools are being implemented. The purpose of this study was to determine agriculturists’ current use of online communication tools for both personal and business purposes. The target population for this study was members of organizations that serve young and/or beginning farmers and …


U.S. Agricultural Commodity Organizations' Use Of Blogs As A Communications Tool, Madeline L. Moore, Courtney Meyers, Erica Irlbeck, Scott Burris Jan 2015

U.S. Agricultural Commodity Organizations' Use Of Blogs As A Communications Tool, Madeline L. Moore, Courtney Meyers, Erica Irlbeck, Scott Burris

Journal of Applied Communications

Current communications trends and social media have given individuals and organizations unprecedented opportunities to build relationships with audience members while introducing and encouraging new perspectives. One particular form of social media is blogging, which allows people to share a wider variety of information than other forms of social media. The purpose of this study was to explore how agricultural commodity organizations use blogs as a communication tool. The researchers purposively selected nine U.S. agricultural commodity groups that had an organizational blog and collected data through in-depth interviews. The findings indicated the organizations started blogging because blogs were the newest communication …


Exploring Ways Social Media Data Inform Public Issues Communication: An Analysis Of Twitter Conversation During The 2012-2013 Drought In Nebraska, Adam Wagler, Karen J. Cannon Jan 2015

Exploring Ways Social Media Data Inform Public Issues Communication: An Analysis Of Twitter Conversation During The 2012-2013 Drought In Nebraska, Adam Wagler, Karen J. Cannon

Journal of Applied Communications

Social networking sites often are used to maintain close social ties, but increasingly they are used for information and news dissemination, specifically about major events and crises. In 2012, a historic drought struck the Midwest, destroying or damaging portions of major field crops in major agricultural production states. By the end of August 2012, 90% of Nebraska was declared in extreme or exceptional drought, leading to bans on irrigation, damaged crops, and record-low yields as well as damaging the state’s leading economic sector. This case study used social media monitoring and analysis to explore online Twitter conversations related to this …