Digital Commons Network^™

A Curse Or A Blessing? The Associations Of Political Knowledge With Partisan Hostility And Condonation Of Political Violence, Gabriel Miao Li

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

This study examines the complex associations of political knowledge with affective polarization and attitudes toward political violence in contemporary U.S. politics. Utilizing data from the 2024 American National Election Studies pre-election survey, the analysis highlights political knowledge's dual roles—as both a potential catalyst for partisan animosity and a critical resource promoting democratic stability. Consistent with recent research, more politically knowledgeable individuals tend to express intensified negative feelings toward opposing political parties, and this tendency is particularly pronounced among individuals who attach less importance to their partisan identity. In the meantime, increased political knowledge is also significantly associated with reduced condonation …

Opting Out: Over-Alerting And Warning Fatigue In The Era Of Wireless Emergency Alerts, Jeannette Sutton, Michele M. Wood

Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity Faculty Scholarship

While warning fatigue is commonly described among emergency management practitioners as a problem due to over-alerting, which leads to opting out, there has been limited research to define these concepts in a systematic manner that can inform policymaking around public alerting strategies, especially as they relate to Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). In this study, we draw from semi-structured interviews with emergency managers and open-ended responses from surveys with emergency managers and members of the public, to develop definitions of “over-alerting” and “warning fatigue” and to identify the conditions that cause the public to “opt out” of WEA messages. We conduct …

Casa Renovations: Examining Social Responses To An Anthropomorphic Media Representative That Is Separate From The Core Technology Being Represented, Rabindra Ratan, Dayeoun Jang, Taenyun Kim, Kelsey Earle, Gabriel E. Hales, Yiming Skylar Lei, Chaeyun Lim, Andrew Gambino

Human-Machine Communication

To extend our understanding of CASA and account for changes in technological complexity and configuration, this research asks: Do increasing levels of social cues in a media representative that is separate from the core technology it represents lead to increased perceived anthropomorphism of the core technology? And does such perceived anthropomorphism predict positive treatment of the core technology? We conducted two complementary studies observing e-scooter use and treatment, an online experiment focused on responses to video stimuli and a field experiment focused on actual user behavior. Findings suggest that, indeed, social cues in a media representative (i.e., an e-scooter rental …

Lindenwood Digest, August 20, 2025, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

The Current - Volume 36 Issue 1, Nova Southeastern University

Student Newspapers

No abstract provided.

Master Of Social Work Portfolio, Kyla Wright

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

Identifying all learned ten competencies of social work incorporated into educational settings. Utilizing theoretical practices and an integrated, justified intervention for mental health success.

Lindenwood Digest, August 13, 2025, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

Mca 10100 Oer/Ztc Syllabus, Daniel Gilmore

Open Educational Resources

This is a syllabus for the MCA 10100 Introduction to Media Studies course taught at City College in the Media & Communication Arts department. It is an OER & ZTC compliant syllabus.

Qualitative Thematic Analysis Of Crisis Communications From The Digital Pulpits Of Megachurches During Covid-19, Ralph Dustin Henderson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative thematic analysis multi-case study was to explore how secular crisis communication theories were adopted and modified by theological themes in U.S. megachurches during the first six weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic related lockdowns. Image Repair Theory (IRT), Discourse Renewal Theory (DRT), and Rhetorical Arena Theory (RAT) were examined alongside Christian themes (Theodicy, Radical Love, Physical Care, and Nontraditional Stakeholder Scope). Thematic analysis of sermon transcripts from 18 megachurches showed that IRT modified: high-attribution tactics were minimal; denial (via IMRA theodicy) defended the Church Universal (CU); evasion justified Church Local (CL)actions; and offensiveness reduction (esp. Transcendence) …

Lindenwood Digest, July 16, 2025, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

Missing Information: A Content Analysis Of U.S. Missing Persons Alerts Using The Missing And Endangered Persons Message Framework, Lauren Cain, Jeannette Sutton, Hugh Walpole, Micki Olson

Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity Faculty Scholarship

Missing and endangered person (MEP) alerts are a prominent messaging strategy used by law enforcement agencies in the United States to recover missing persons, with over 1,800 AMBER Alerts issued via the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system and nearly 40 similar alerts introduced by state legislatures for other groups of missing people. Despite their prevalent use, the contents of MEP alerts have not yet been empirically examined. Drawing from warning message design and AMBER Alert best practices, we propose a new MEP Message Framework and use it to evaluate the contents of 4,053 MEP WEAs sent from 2013 to 2023. …

Massacre Vs. Shooting: Exploring Cnn And Fox’S Coverage Of The Uvalde Robb Elementary School Attack, Maya Beesley

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

This study dissects FOX News Media (FOX News) and Cable News Network’s (CNN) media coverage differences of the Uvalde, Texas Robb Elementary School terror attack (Uvalde shooting). On March 24, 2022, Salvador Ramos perpetrated a mass shooting, killing 19 children and two teachers and injuring 17 others. This paper showcases that the incident qualifies as terrorism and explores how two major U.S. news outlets framed and covered the incident differently in their headlines, images, captions, sources, and tone. While CNN emphasized police culpability, victim perspectives, and presented a somber tone, FOX News downplayed the severity of the attack, highlighted police …

Game, Set, Empower: A Comparative Instagram Analysis Of Branding And Engagement In The Confederation Of African Football (Caf) Women’S And Men’S Champions League, Nour Abdelkader Ms

Theses and Dissertations

The rise of women’s football has placed new emphasis on digital branding, with social media becoming a vital space for visibility, engagement, and representation. This thesis investigates how Instagram content strategies influence fan engagement during the CAF Women’s and Men’s Champions League tournaments. Specifically, it examines the role of content type (match, behind-the-scenes, off-the-pitch, promotional), marketing orientation (organic, sponsored, collaborative), and post format (reel, carousel, photo, graphic) in shaping audience interaction.

Using an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach, the study analyzed 674 Instagram posts (276 CAFWCL, 398 CAFCL) and conducted semi-structured interviews with five digital sports professionals, including CAF digital …

#Clandestini: How Italy's Center-Right Parliamentary Coalition Frames The Migrant Crisis On Social Media, Jenna Lynn Depasquale

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation examines the intersection of Italian neo-fascism, the Mediterranean migrant crisis, and digital media. Through a qualitative content analysis of the Twitter and Instagram posts made by Italy's center-right parliamentary coalition from 2014-2018, this research outlines frameworks that facilitate both the physical and social deaths of migrants. Twitter is a platform on which bite-sized xenophobic messages characterize migrants as criminals, spoiled youth, spreaders of infectious disease, and future terrorists--sometimes in a contradictory fashion. Instagram is a medium for conveying Italian identity and history, which disregards the longstanding contributions of people of color, including Muslims, in Southern Italy. Comment sections …

The Guardian The Month Of June 2025, Wright State Student Body

The Guardian Student Newspaper

News articles from The Guardian for the Month of June 2025. The Guardian is the official student-run newspaper for Wright State University. It has been published regularly since March of 1965.

Framing The Sudanese Refugee Flows To Egypt Across Traditional And Social Media., Ghada Abdullah

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the framing of Sudanese refugees in Egyptian media during the first year of the Sudanese conflict (April 2023–March 2024). Employing a content analysis framework, the research investigates content from three Egyptian newspapers—Al Ahram, Al Masry Al Youm, and Al Wafd—alongside tweets from the social media platform X. The study identifies recurring frames, themes, and narratives, highlighting differences between traditional media and social media platforms in their portrayal of Sudanese refugees. Key findings reveal that neutral tone dominate traditional media, focusing on factual reporting, followed by negative, then positive tones. Conversely, social media predominantly features negative narratives, such …

It’S All About The Ruff: Utilizing Therapy Dogs To Address Trauma In Domestic Violence Settings, John R. Chapin, Grace A. Coleman, Michael Brayack

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Within the context of victims and violence, this study serves multiple purposes: (1) to explore the impact of pet ownership on children and adolescents within the context of bullying and school violence; (2) to document the impact of therapy animals on domestic violence victims; (3) to document the impact of working canines in courts on domestic violence victims. Findings from three surveys (1,648 children and adolescents in school; 12 child counseling clients; 41 adult domestic violence counseling clients; and 69 domestic violence victims in court) contribute to a growing literature documenting the psychological benefits of interacting with pets and animals …

Mental Health Advocates, Lawmakers Discuss Involuntary Commitment Expansion, Joshua T. Stone

Communication

New York has made it easier to involuntarily hospitalize people with severe mental illness as part of the state budget signed at the Capitol in early May by Gov. Kathy Hochul. State law previously allowed people with severe mental illness to be involuntarily hospitalized if two physicians determined they pose a threat to themselves or others. The updated law sets a standard to include people who are deemed unwilling or unable to support their basic needs, including food, shelter and medical care, due to their mental illness. However, opponents of the updated law say it could be misused to involuntarily …

Educational Empowerment: Building Connections Through Interventions, Melanie V. Partida

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

This capstone project explores the intersection of substance use disorder (SUD) recovery and educational empowerment, focusing on the clients and peer supporters at Janus of Santa Cruz. The initiative developed an educational support model to enhance recovery through access to adult education, vocational training, and reliable study environments. Utilizing structured surveys, the project identified the educational barriers faced by peer supporters and clients, such as limited access to internet connectivity, mental health challenges, and a lack of awareness regarding local resources. In response, this project included the creation of a comprehensive educational resource directory and a Peer Mentorship Model, enabling …

Community Voices, Climate Action Choices: Working Towards A Resilient Monterey County, Lesley A. Solano Alonso

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Vulnerable communities in Monterey County face disproportionate environmental and health impacts due to climate change, yet many residents remain unaware of the tools and resources available to support local action. This capstone project was implemented in partnership with Ecology Action (EA) and the Resilient Central Coast (RCC) campaign to increase awareness and engagement with the RCC platform. Serving diverse communities across Monterey County, the project included bilingual outreach efforts, community tabling, educational presentations, and a climate action survey. Over 650 residents were engaged directly, resulting in 99 new household sign-ups on the RCC website, a major milestone for the agency. …

The Complete Message Is The Best Message: The Case For Standardizing Wireless Emergency Alerts, Jeannette Sutton, Micki Olson, Hugh Walpole, Lauren B. Cain, Nicholas Waugh, Michele M. Wood

Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security, and Cybersecurity Faculty Scholarship

Standardized messaging for alerts and warnings has been made possible through the use of the Warning Lexicon and workflow. The effectiveness of this approach to motivate protective action behaviors, in comparison with the current standard of practice, has not yet been tested. Using an experimental design to test the effectiveness of the Warning Lexicon, we tested three message types for five hazards: blackouts, law enforcement incidents, infectious diseases, heavy snow, and chemical releases, and found that messages created using the Warning Lexicon contents and workflow produced better messaging outcomes than the current standard of practice. Specifically, participants who received the …

Organizational Care: The Formation And Reproduction Of Social Support Structures In Nonprofit Organizations, Ella Stanley

Communication Undergraduate Honors Theses

Through past literature it has been established that nonprofit employees are prone to experience increased levels of stress and burnout due to the emotionally taxing nature of their jobs. Social support is a communicative transaction between individuals that has been proven to mitigate the negative impacts that both stress and burnout can cause employees to face. Previous studies on social support have focused on healthcare workers and nonprofit volunteers, while this study aims to understand the specific social support structures that are prominent within nonprofit organizations to provide support for employees. This study utilizes structuration theory to explore the structures …

Black Events As Narrated By Black People: Contextualizing America’S Framing Of Progression In News, Social, And Academic Writing, Tyrina Horton

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This paper is a critical examination of collective and public memories of public events that impact Black lives as constructed in news, social, and academic writing. Using Black mundane life to explore and build localized context and attitudes towards these events, I examine whether the collective memory of an event, as framed by public discourse, accurately portrays how Black communities experienced them. This paper explores what it means for Black people, to experience a disconnect with written accounts of public events that do not properly account for the many layers of Black experience, highlighting where there’s a failure to tell …

From Self To Society: How Threat Type And Message Mode Affect Environmental Intentions Among Young Audiences, Lucas Vogt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the influence of threat type (personal vs. societal) and message mode (narrative vs. utilitarian) on young adults’ environmental intentions. Using the extended parallel process model (EPPM), this study argued for expanding the theory to include threat type (societal vs. personal) to clarify how threat is understood. A 2 x 2 factorial design was utilized to test the effects of threat type and message mode on environmental behavioral intentions. A sample of 266 university students participated in an online survey. Based on prior research, this study hypothesized that personal threats would yield the highest levels of environmental behavioral …

Lindenwood Digest, April 30, 2025, Lindenwood University

Lindenwood Digest

The Lindenwood Digest has been a digital employee newsletter since 2009.

The Effects Of Artificial Intelligence On Trial Courts, Alexys Zellner

Honors Projects

Artificial Intelligence has quickly entered the realm of everyday life. Without extensive testing, there have been issues surrounding transparency, accountability, and biased decisions made by Artificial Intelligence decision-making algorithms. When a political institution—such as the courts—uses these types of tools, there is a chance that the negative attributes will impact the institutions and actors using them. The court system relies on legitimacy and public approval to enforce its laws and decisions. This study aimed to determine whether the use of Artificial Intelligence would lead to a decrease in public approval and legitimacy of the courts, as well as diminish perceptions …

Building Wealth One Sentence At A Time: A Capitalist’S Guide To Criminal Justice, Alexandra J. Lindell

Masters Projects

This project explores the underutilized profit potential of criminal justice in the United States. Its systemic design and aggressive market positioning have made long-term success possible. Nevertheless, this is just the beginning; there are new revenue streams to unlock and untapped markets to capture. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research identifies key historical policies, how collateral consequences contribute to customer retention and acquisition, and current barriers to profit maximization. The findings emphasize the importance of a coordinated, multi-level strategy involving lawmakers, media, corporations, and private stakeholders to protect and expand revenue streams, manipulate public perception, and disrupt reform efforts. By …

The Scowl - V. 88 N. 18 - April 3, 2025

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol. 88 No. 18 - April 3, 2025. 20 pages.

Holding Ground In The Cerulean Tide: Minority Party Legislators' Strategies For Advancing Climate Policies In Landslide States, Sukjae Lee

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

This dissertation addresses a key puzzle: Why do states sometimes adopt nationally polarized policies, such as climate change legislation, even when doing so does not align with strict partisan interests? The analysis focuses on “landslide states,” where a single party overwhelmingly dominates, and the minority party cannot realistically expect to gain a majority. In these environments, reduced partisan conflict allows minority party legislators to break from traditional partisan paths. As a result, I argue that electoral motivations drive them to signal moderation by advancing liberal policy agendas or incorporating provisions that minimize backlash from their core constituents in landslide states. …

The Role Of Platform Design In Excessive Short Form Video Use And The Resulting Impacts On Cognitive Processes, Katherine Levey

Senior Theses

Short form video (SFV) platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels have rapidly reshaped global media consumption. This thesis investigates how the defining technological elements of SFV platforms contribute to prolonged viewing behavior by inducing flow, a psychological state characterized by deep immersion and diminished self-awareness. Through a review of nineteen scholarly articles, this study examines how features like infinite scroll, auto-play, and algorithmic personalization create a low-effort, high-reward user experience that sustains attention and facilitates continuous engagement. Once immersed, users often fall into a cycle of passive, prolonged scrolling, consuming more content and spending more time than intended. Findings …