Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Collections & Connections, Jennifer Wilson

Collections & Connections

This is the Fall-Winter 2012-13 issue of the bi-annual newsletter of the University Libraries at Western Kentucky University. This issue introduces the new Dean of WKU Libraries Connie Foster; a new Library System Office; a new service of iPad lending; and the on-going project of The Commons at Cravens, a brand new one-stop library service point where patrons can check out library materials and get professional help from the librarians and trained tech people in the same place. This issue features several award recipients, namely, the SOKY Book Fest, which has received Commendation from the KY School Media Association; Jim …

Newsletter Fall 2012, Grant Center For International Education

Grant Center Newsletters

No abstract provided.

Ua77/1 Wku Spirit, Wku Alumni Relations

WKU Archives Records

WKU alumni magazine. Contents:

• Ransdell, Gary. President’s Letter
• Hilltoppers Go for the Gold – Olympics, Claire Donahue, Gavin Smellie, Raigo Toompuu
• Instruments that Shaped American History – Kentucky Museum
• WKU Students Shine When It Comes to National Scholarships
• Gatton Academy of Mathematics & Science
• Chuck Clark Named Director of WKU Student Publications
• Health Sciences Complex Will House Nursing, Physical Therapy Programs
• Paul Markham receives National Award for Leadership in Civic Engagement
• Todd Stewart Named WKU Director of Athletics
• All 19 WKU Athletic Teams Exceed NCAA-Required 925 APR Score
• 3 Students Receive Awards in Hearst Program’s National Championships
• WKU, USDA-ARS Open …

Social Learning Theory In The Frontline Documentary “The Merchants Of Cool”, Alixe A. Wiley

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

In the Frontline documentary The Merchants of Cool, the relationship between major media conglomerates and their hedonistic teenage customers is examined through exploring the different tactics industries use to discover and market the next “cool” thing. Industries maintain what the documentary refers to as a “feedback loop” with their customers, which is a cyclic, supply-and-demand relationship that blurs the line between fiction and reality. It has become impossible to tell which side is imitating the other: who do the products and trends that define popular youth culture belong to? What's more, are the sexual and aggressive hormone-fueled behaviors on …

Using Public Relations Techniques To Market Organic Food: Understanding Consumer Buying Behavior, Catherine Girone

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this research were to determine which consumers tend to purchase fresh organic food and which consumers tend to purchase packaged organic food, which type of messaging organic food distributors rely on to entice customers and which messages work most effectively to promote organic food consumption, and which channels different organic consumers use to gain knowledge about organic food. Implications for organic food marketing are discussed.

Public Relations 'Tech'niques: Vocational School Recruitment, Rachel Graeff

Theses and Dissertations

The problem is that the large majority of high school graduates pursue four-year college degrees when there are not enough professional jobs that require four-year degrees but rather require workers to have job-specific skills. These skills are taught by vocational schools at both the high school and the post-secondary levels. The purpose of this study was to determine what public relations techniques vocational schools use and how they can improve on these techniques to increase enrollment. Six in-depth interviews were conducted with PR/marketing practitioners at vocational schools to find out what techniques and channels their school uses to attract students. …

Consumer Perception Of The Efficacy Of Social Media Branding By Non-Profit And For-Profit Organizations, Melissa Novak

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this exploratory investigation were to (a) examine if organizations using social media maintain relationships with their loyal consumers, and do not direct their marketing toward new consumers, and (b) determine if non-profit organizations use social media more effectively and issue stronger call to actions than for-profit organizations. This study includes a survey of 234 participants, a content analysis of ten organizations, and interviews with eight professionals in the marketing and public relations field who work with social media on a daily basis. This study shows that although industry professionals enjoy the vast reach of social media and …

Social Media Influence On Evolving Health Care Marketing Communication, Michele Cash

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this investigation were to (a) determine how much of an impact social media has on health communication (b) understand the evolving impact of social media effectiveness and (c) consumer preferences for health care communication. The author conducted both qualitative and quantitative research. This research includes an in-depth interview, a survey and a website content analysis of two health care organizations in the Delaware Valley. This will provide health care organizations with communication techniques to use for current and future consumers. The research revealed that the majority of consumers prefer to hear messages from a trusted source. Both …

The Effects Of Technology On Interpersonal Relationships Among Rowan University Students Ages 18 - 25, Michelle Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to (a) determine how young adults are communicating with each other and (b) understand what is driving them to communicate using different methods of communication. After completing a literature review, the researcher conducted primary research using survey instruments and interviews. What people are trying to communicate determines how they are going to relay messages. The urgency of a message affects how respondents answer the message.

Herding Cats, Knitting Fog, And Nailing Pudding To The Wall: Toward A Mixed-Methods Approach For Evaluating Social Media Marketing In Libraries, Selene Colburn

UVM Libraries Conference Day

Just a few years ago, social media tools were so new that adapters were considered innovators. Many academic libraries now routinely share information about their collections, programs, and services through these modalities, but how do we evaluate our efforts, in a medium that remains inherently experimental? This paper will look at both qualitative and quantitative evaluative measures that can be used together to assess the efficacy of social media marketing campaigns and will provide conference-goers with sample rubrics for assessing the use of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Engaged Or Just "Friends": Using Social Media For Membership Engagement Or Identity Management Through Group Affiliations, Emel Crawford

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study investigation was to ascertain the engagement levels of emerging-aged adults that affiliate and hold membership in groups both on and offline. In-person and online participation levels were examined, and motives for online activity on groups' social media pages were investigated to understand how profile identity formation played a role in emerging-aged adults' associations. Information acquired through this study assists in further examining Facebook and Twitter's influence on social capital production within groups. Group members demonstrated a preference for email and in-person communication over social networking sites, higher levels of offline engagement versus online, and an …

Consumers’ Optimistic Bias And Responses To Risk Disclosures In Direct-To-Consumer (Dtc) Prescription Drug Advertising: The Moderating Role Of Subjective Health Literacy, Hoyoung Ahn

Doctoral Dissertations

Despite a substantial body of research in direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) for prescription drugs, what is missing from much of the existing discussion on DTCA disclosure is a focus on the roles of consumers’ individual motivation and ability factors in processing risk disclosures. Guided by the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and the Motivation-Ability- Opportunity (MAO) framework, this research focuses on the roles played by individuals’ optimistic bias as motivation and ones’ subjective health literacy as ability to process and evaluate risk disclosures in DTCA. Specifically, this study examined whether the degree of optimistic bias affected consumers’ risk disclosure processing in terms …

Understanding The Dimensions Of Trust In Public Relations And Their Measurements, Joosuk Park

Doctoral Dissertations

Trust judgment of an organization’s publics validates the existence of an organization as well as being one of the most powerful moderators of public relations effectiveness. The ideas of trust as one of the key dimensions to explain relational status between an organization and its key publics has been around more than a decade. Over the last two decades, the idea of trust in fact has been showing rising prominence across many diversified studies of relationship and relationship management. In relationship management, one of the important goals of public relations is to build mutually beneficial relationships among organizations and their …

Effectiveness Of Antismoking Campaign Strategies On Smoking Cessation Of Chinese Smokers: An Application Of Taylor’S Six-Segment Message Strategy Wheel, Xizi Cai

Masters Theses

China has the largest smoker population in the world. Since 2006, with China as a member country of WHO FCTC (World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control), the country has seen more and more antismoking campaigns on various kinds of media both national and local. However, the effectiveness of these antismoking campaigns is still not clear, especially within Chinese traditional smoking culture background.

Adopting an in-depth interview approach, this study explores how different antismoking campaign strategies in terms of Taylor’s Six-segment Massage Strategy Wheel could influence smoking cessation of Chinese adult smokers who have quitting experience. Research questions focus …

Influence Of Social Media Networks On Corporate Communication Strategies, Sylwia Majewski

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the use of social media networks for corporate marketing and communication by United States based companies. The researcher surveyed marketing, advertising, communications and sales professionals of nearly 80 companies and conducted in-depth interviews with four corporate marketing experts. Survey participants provided data about the extent of use of social media networks in corporate marketing and communication strategies and their effectiveness. The findings show that the majority of corporate marketing strategies (77%) incorporate the use of social media. The social media networks are also viewed as an effective means of communication.

The Impact Of Social Media Use On Fundraising As Reported By Nonprofit Organizations In Southern New Jersey, Rose Howerter

Theses and Dissertations

This research study examines the impact of social media use on fundraising activities as reported by nonprofit organizations within three southern New Jersey counties. The study does this by exploring the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of participating nonprofits toward social media use in fundraising and communication. The author surveyed 40 nonprofit organizations to discover the extent of their knowledge, attitudes and use of social media. The author designed a 30-question survey, posted it online at SurveyMonkey.com and contacted the selected population by email. By categorizing the participating nonprofits into two groups - nonprofits using social media and nonprofits not using …

Regional Identity And The Reputation Of Willamette Valley Wines: A Multiple Stakeholder Assessment, Katherine Byers, Julia Prow

2012 Projects

The Keck Summer Collaborative Research Program provides opportunities for Linfield College students and faculty to conduct research on issues related to the Pacific Northwest, and to bring the research findings back into the classroom within the subsequent academic year. Students partner with faculty to conduct research and present their work to other students, Linfield staff and faculty, and community members during a series of brown bag lunches. Kathie Byers and Julia Prow conducted research with Sharon Wagner and gave this presentation during the summer of 2012.

This presentation gives a project overview, explaining the purpose of the research and where …

Blind Trusts As A Model For Campaign Finance Reform, Perry Andrew Pirsch

College of Journalism and Mass Communications: Theses

In this thesis, I explore whether blind trusts present a viable option for campaign finance reform. More specifically, would either permitting (voluntary) or requiring (mandatory) anonymous donations for political campaigns allow for fully funded, yet privately funded, campaigns while preventing problems, whether real or perceived, such as buying influence (quid pro quo) or buying access, which are traditionally associated with large campaign donations? To study this question, I have examined the constitutional origins of the need to fund federal campaigns, Congress’ power to regulate campaigns under the Constitution’s Elections Clause, the constitutional protection of speech, and the concern of large …

Advertising Law And Regulation By Giles Crown, Oliver Bray And Rupert Earle [Book Review], Christopher Chao-Hung Chen

Christopher Chao-hung CHEN

No abstract provided.

Attitudes Toward And Behavioral Intentions To Adopt Mobile Marketing: Comparisons Of Gen Y In The United States, France And China, Rebecca Wells, Catherine E. Kleshinski, Terence Lau

Management and Marketing Faculty Publications

The rapid global diffusion of mobile marketing makes it increasingly important to understand cross-­‐cultural consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions toward mobile marketing as a promotional channel. By building on the previously published research of Altuna and Konuk (2009), this work investigates the attitudes and behavioral intentions toward mobile marketing of Generation Y consumers in the United States, France, and China. Based on this analysis, Chinese Gen Y have the most positive attitude toward mobile marketing, and their overall attitude is significantly more positive than the attitudes of French and American Gen Y groups. While American Gen Y's behavioral intentions are …

Appearances Do Matter! What Libraries Can Learn From Clinton Kelly, Nancy E. Fawley

Library Faculty Publications

One could easily mistake Clinton Kelly’s closing keynote presentation at ACRL 2011 in Philadelphia last March as light fare. Kelly, cohost of TLC’s What Not To Wear, spoke enthusiastically about the importance of one’s appearance and the necessity of making an extra effort in the way individuals present themselves. His keynote address, and the fact that a fashion expert was a speaker at a conference for librarians, sparked debates on Twitter and in the blogosphere.

Do appearances matter? I say they do and add that this applies to buildings and objects, as well. Academic libraries, especially, could benefit from some …

Ua42/1 Summer Sessions Annual Report, Wku Summer Sessions & Winter Term

WKU Archives Records

Annual report of the Summer Session demographics, enrollment trends, faculty stipends, tuition rates and marketing.

Ua68/8/1 History Alumni Newsletter, Wku History

WKU Archives Records

Newsletter created by the WKU History Department regarding activities in the department, students and alumni.

Are They Really Similar? Satisfaction, Opinion, And Scholarly Activity Of Black Faculty By Citizenship Status, Patricia Boyer, Lorna Holtman

Education Sciences and Professional Programs Faculty Works

Faculty workload is an important higher education issue because of its increasing demands on faculty time, mandates by institutional and external factors, and its relationship to job satisfaction. Specifically, how faculty perceive their workload can positively or negatively influence their job satisfaction. Current literature regarding faculty and workload has focused largely on workload models. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the workload of Black faculty members by citizenship status (U.S. citizens; citizens, foreign born; and non-citizens) based on satisfaction, opinion, and scholarly activity variables. Overall, the findings revealed that foreign born and non-citizens were similar in many of …

Inspire, Summer 2012: Raising Our Game, Cedarville College

Inspire

No abstract provided.

From The Last Frontier To The New Cosmopolitan A History Of Casino Public Relations In Las Vegas, Jessalynn Strauss

Occasional Papers

This research chronicles the history of public relations by the gaming industry in Las Vegas. Reflecting larger trends in the field, public relations efforts by the casinos and hotels in this popular tourist destination have used a variety of communication tactics over time to promote themselves to potential Las Vegas tourists. Based on archival materials from over 30 casinos and gaming corporations, this paper identifies four ways in which public relations is practiced in the gaming industry and four macro-level trends in the evolution of casino public relations in Las Vegas.

Flavor Of Slo 2012: Applying Concepts From The Communication Discipline To The Marketing And Execution Of A Local Event, Courtney Keiko Ai Hua Wen

Communication Studies

No abstract provided.

A Study On Facebook Advertisement Strategies: Facebook Wall Posts Promote Higher Response Than Private Messages, Bria Park

Communication Studies

In this study, I focused on whether Facebook wall posts or private messages create a higher response rate from the receivers. First, I explain the background of internet communication and how certain strategies have created higher response in the past. Then, I present my method for discovering whether wall posts or private messages are more efficient in gaining response. Lastly, I reveal my results and discuss both what I could’ve done better to create more precise results and how this experiment is beneficial for modern day advertisement companies.

Corporate Image Vacuum: Nature, Characteristics And Implications For The Organization, Noraizah Zainal Abidin, Augustine Pang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

A good corporate image is important to organizations (Benoit & Pang, 2008). Even then, some organizations do not have one (Bernstein, 1984/1989; Walker, 2010). Arguably the first study to explicate the notion of corporate image vacuum through the development of the Corporate Image Grid Framework, this study examines how an image vacuum is generated and what organizations can do to fill it. The framework offers a systematic way of assessing an organization’s image to heighten practitioners’ awareness of image management of their organizations. Four organizations drawn from Fortune 2011 list of 50 most admired organizations are studied: Singapore Airlines, Google, …

'Moebius': Groundwork For Promotion & Visibility, Kanika Laroia

Communication Studies

A record of the planning process for the transition of Moebius, the College of Liberal Arts literary journal, from a publication to an online website. Includes materials for future public relations and outreach efforts by the Moebius team.