Digital Commons Network^™

The Use Of Human And Conspecific Gestures By Capuchin Monkeys To Solve An Object-Choice Task, Lindsay Paige Schwartz

Honors Theses

Most primates live in highly complex social systems, and therefore have evolved similarly complex methods of communicating with each other. One type of communication is the use of manual gestures, which are only found in primates. No substantial evidence exists indicating that monkeys use communicative gestures in the wild. However, monkeys may demonstrate the ability to learn and/or use gestures in certain experimental paradigms since they¿ve been shown to use other visual cues such as gaze. The purpose of this study was to investigate if ten brown capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) were able to use gestural cues from monkeys and …

Communication And Longevity In Deaf-Hearing Marriage, Michael B. Ballard

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

"Marriage with a hearing person is frowned upon. Deaf marry Deaf approximately nine times out of ten" (Lane et al, 1996, p. 71). With the assistance of Burgoon's (1988) Expectancy Violations Theory and Philipsen's (1997) Speech Codes Theory, this thesis identifies cultural and language conflicts that may arise in Deaf-hearing marriages and questions the general assumption that 90% of all Deaf-hearing marriages end in divorce. This assumed statistic prompts the research question: What communicative practices do spouses use to contribute to the longevity of Deaf-hearing marriages? Fifty-seven individuals completed an original mixed-method survey identifying how they resolve cultural and language …

Unloosed: Designing Participatory Objects, Laura Schlifer

Theses and Dissertations

The ubiquity of technology has mediated the means of receiving content through digital networks; users have complete control over receiving, shaping, and sharing information. In contrast to the inherent elasticity of these networks, physical pieces of communication often manifest through a closed and highly controlled process. However, the increased prominence of user-interaction with media provides an opportunity to evaluate the design process as it applies to the creation of physical objects. Throughout much of my work, I investigate the potential for unloosening the control of designed objects by inviting others into the design process. By considering the audience as active …

Design And Evaluation Of A Nonverbal Communication Platform Between Assistive Robots And Their Users, Anthony Threatt

All Dissertations

Assistive robotics will become integral to the everyday lives of a human population that is increasingly mobile, older, urban-centric and networked. The overwhelming demands on healthcare delivery alone will compel the adoption of assistive robotics. How will we communicate with such robots, and how will they communicate with us? This research makes the case for a relatively 'artificial' mode of nonverbal human-robot communication that is non-disruptive, non-competitive, and non-invasive human-robot communication that we envision will be willingly invited into our private and working lives over time. This research proposes a non-verbal communication (NVC) platform be conveyed by familiar lights and …

Experience As An Experiment, James Walker

Theses and Dissertations

My work is an exploration of new media that demonstrates the influence a community has on visual communication. The community reveals content as objects go unnoticed after they become a permanent part of the landscape and assumptions are made from cultural archetypes. Through exploration, immersion, and reflection, I am able to recognize the invisible and expected, establish a familiarity with a community, and design responses that communicate directly to it.

A Survey Of Energy-Efficient Compression And Communication Techniques For Multimedia In Resource Constrained Systems, Tao Ma, Michael Hempel, Dongming Peng, Hamid Sharif

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering: Faculty Publications

Advances in wireless multimedia communication technologies enable new types of pervasive and ubiquitous applications such as mobile health care, environmental monitoring, facility monitoring and traffic surveillance. Among different factors concerned, energy efficiency is one of the most challenging issues in multimedia communication due to the resource constraints, and the requirements for high bandwidth and low transmission delay. In this survey, we provide a broad picture of the state of- the-art energy efficient techniques that have been proposed in wireless multimedia communication for resource-constrained systems such as wireless sensor networks and mobile devices.

Following the essential stages required for multimedia communication, …

Digital Media's Transformative Role In Education: Beyond Potential To Essential, Ming-Tso Chien

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Achieving effective learning via digital media continues to be a major concern in contemporary education. The daily use of all forms of digital media is part of our lives and therefore becomes a key component of education. Educators must consider the process of digital media curriculum as a learning model and form of experience adapted to education. This means the significance is on how to learn as well as what to learn. This study demonstrated how the implementation of digital media curriculum via the Scratch game-making project contributed to middle school students' interaction with the entire educational process. The goal …

Analyzing Nurse-Physician Discursive Practices In Acute Patient Care, John Dinolfo

All Dissertations

This mixed methods study in inter-professional health communication assesses the pedagogical role of writing and visual communication in the education of non-traditional and traditional Nursing students as they interpret and apply the concepts of message framing and message reception in nurse-physician communication. To achieve that goal, this study analyzes the dynamics of terministic screens as message frames that can determine message reception in nurse-physician communication regarding the status of an acute care patient.
The study was conducted in two Nursing writing and communication classes during the Spring 2011 semester. Two study groups (combined across classes) included a mixed population of …

Producing An Animated Tattoo Visual Effect, Zachary Trabookis

All Theses

Throughout society tattoos have established a mode of expression for individuals
that allows them to communicate without verbal means. This form of interaction may
appear somewhat static to the observer, but significant meaning and emotion are often
conveyed. With the advent of visual effects tools available today, tattoo representation
can be enhanced by including motion. This thesis presents a solution for illustrating this
form of visual communication using two-dimensional compositing and three-dimensional
techniques in a short animated film entitled '< italic>Legion.'

Design Process And Organisational Strategy: A Storytelling Perspective, David Parkinson, Erik Bohemia, Joyce Yee, Neil Smith

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper explores the relationship between design process and organisational strategy through a storytelling perspective by providing a literature review; firstly, in relation to society in general; establishing a contextual background to the research. Secondly, by relating this to a) how designers and design researchers examine storytelling within design process, and b) how organisational strategists theorise storytelling. Then finally, through comparing and contrasting the literature, unearth the relevancies of using a storytelling perspective and uncover opportunities for understanding how design process impacts organisational strategy. It is apparent that certain underlying principles in adopting a storytelling perspective when employing organisational strategy …

Wine Tasting Through Typography, Dayna Goldman

Graphic Communication

The purpose of this study is to find the connection, if any, between the design and typography of wine labels with the flavor attributes of the wine itself. If there is a lacking connection, wineries can use this information to better market their wines so that consumers know more about the wines they are purchasing and can make a more informed decision. This allows these wineries to better market themselves and differentiate from their competitors.

The research focuses mainly on smaller, local wineries because these are the businesses that need more assistance or direction in creating and marketing their brand. …

Art And Space: Impacting The Workplace, Erin V. Mccool

Senior Honors Theses

Art in its various forms and applications has always been a part of the human experience. Art can be intrusive, thought provoking, or simply beautiful. Although art comes in many different styles and forms, art continues to capture our imagination. The purposes of this thesis are to discover how art affects human activity in the workplace as well as the qualities that make artwork in the workplace successful. Based on the findings of this study, artwork will be created for the Center for the Advancement of Faculty Excellence at Liberty University in order to create a lively, creative environment. By …

A Postmodern International Business Communication Model In Three-Dimensions, Jane Thompson Johansen

Global Advances in Business Communication

Representational models of communication behavior have been created in the United States to describe specific communication problems since the early 1940’s when communication science was recognized as a separate social science. The three-dimensional model presented here describes the intricacies of 21st century international business communication. Its creation rests on three requirements demanded by current communication speed and technical communication capabilities. First, the model treats culture as a characteristic of communicators. Second, it discusses the dynamism or changes in communicators and the message itself. Third, it also describes the education of international communicators as they recontextualize their cultures to match each …

Image Of Grace: Seeing And Sharing The Gospel Through Imagery, David Banks

Doctor of Ministry

No abstract provided.

Contextual Chemosensory Urine Signaling In An African Cichlid Fish, Karen P. Maruska, Russell D. Fernald

Faculty Publications

Chemosensory signaling is crucial for communication in many fish species, but little is known about how signalers modulate chemical output in response to sensory information and social context. Here, we tested the hypothesis that dominant male African cichlid fish (Astatotilapia burtoni) use urine signals during social interactions, and demonstrate that this signaling depends on social context (reproductive; territorial) and on available sensory information (visual cues; full interaction). We injected males with dye to visualize urine pulses and exposed them to full sensory information or visual cues alone of four types: (1) dominant male; (2) gravid (reproductively receptive) females; (3) mouth-brooding …

Visual Communications On The Road In Arkansas: Analysis Of Secondary Students Videos, Stuart Estes, Kristin M. Pennington, Leslie D. Edgar

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

In the summer of 2010, the Visual Communications on the Road in Arkansas: Creative Photo and Video Projects to Promote Agriculture program was initiated. The program consisted of a two-week agricultural communications curriculum that would be taught by agricultural science teachers in Arkansas. The curriculum was composed of lessons about photography, writing, and videography, and the program introduced students to digital photography and videography equipment and the proper uses of equipment. Once the curriculum was taught in secondary schools, a mobile classroom unit—consisting of a travel trailer, photography and videography equipment, and laptop computers equipped with editing software—would visit the …

Between Words: Popular Culture And The Rise Of Print In Seventeenth Century England, Christie Schneck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Seventeenth century England was forced to come to terms with events such as the Civil War and the regicide of King Charles I, in the midst of contending with the cultural changes brought upon by print culture, the effects of which appeared throughout all aspects of English society. These changes helped form a relationship between print and oral culture, one of negotiation among the producers and regulators of work and the society consuming the works. The discussion of this negotiation has led to varying conclusions concerning the true impact of printed materials on English society and culture, all of which …

This Is The Art Form: Examining Concept Albums' Methods Of Constructing Meaning In The Digital Age, Mario Alonzo Dozal

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study examined how the communicative characteristics of concept albums (music albums that center on a specific theme) have been adapted from a traditional physical form to exist in the digital age. Using three rock concept albums, this study examined how three different formats (vinyl, audio compact disc, and digital download) of the same concept album communicated the overall theme of the album to listeners, and also examined the advantages and disadvantages of each format. Additionally, using discursive analysis, this study sought to expand the academic literature on concept albums by examining the role that supplementary material plays in helping …

Global Csr And Photographic Credibility: Exploring How International Companies Portray Efforts Through Photographs In Csr Reports, Janel Lynn Norton

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

We are living in the age of the visual. Imagery is an important element in constructing and deriving meaning through symbols, colors, and context. Images may hold persuasive power, be used as evidence, or simply provide a moment of beauty. Organizations rely on photographs to help them convey an image to their stakeholders within annual reports. Telling an organizations' story through photographs has become an intrinsic part of their efforts to convey sustainability. We live in the age of transparency, and organizations that construct an image that is not truthful will face consequences in today's socially connected and conscious world. …

Teaching Presence And Communication Timeliness In Asynchronous Online Courses, Erik Skramstad

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this study was to examine student perceptions of teaching presence and communication timeliness in asynchronous online courses using a survey research methodology. The community of inquiry model developed by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) provided the framework of the study while asking the following research questions:

1. What are student perceptions of teaching presence in asynchronous online courses?

2. What is the communication timeliness of instructors for direct feedback on students’ assignments?

3. What is the relationship between instructor communication timeliness for direct feedback on students’ assignments and student perceptions of teaching presence?

Participants were 59 anonymous …

The Consequence Of Anthropogenic Disturbance On Communication And The Operation Of Sexual Selection In The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia Sialis), Ellen Michale Wisner

Biology - Dissertations

Signals that are efficiently transmitted and easily detected in their signaling environment are favored by natural selection. Anthropogenic disturbance can rapidly alter the signaling environment, and recent studies have shown that acoustic and visual signals change in response to these altered habitats. Although these studies provide important insight into the effects of urbanization on animal signals and have served as experiments testing the role of the environment in shaping signal design, several key aspects of how signal design can be influenced by environmental changes remain unclear.

Previous studies have focused on signals used between adults, such as those used in …

Impact Of The Extension's Soybean Podcast Alerts: A Case Study, Rebecca Carol Norman

Theses and Dissertations

Since 2004, podcasts have steadily emerged as valuable communication tools in both industry and academia. As an educational provider to the agricultural community, the Cooperative Extension Service strives to stay on the forefront of new communication technology. In 2009, the Communications department of the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service developed a series of video podcast alerts for Arkansas soybean producers. These podcast alerts were intended to alert producers of potential weed and disease problems during the soybean growing season. Case study surveys were conducted at the beginning and end of the growing season to assess the impact of the podcasts alerts …

Fashion Advertising, Men’S Magazines, And Sex In Advertising: A Critical-Interpretive Study, Jennifer Ford

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines sexualized portrayals of women in fashion advertising found in metro-sexual men's magazines as visual rhetoric. Historically, studies on sexual images of women in advertising have focused on content analyses of these images and how they affect women. This study asks how sexualized imagery of women functions rhetorically as part of a branding message designed to sell products. The exemplar advertisements were chosen specifically for their sexual imagery from an earlier study by the researcher on sexual images of women in fashion advertisements found in men's magazines.

The messages interpreted within the visuals of this study reveal a …

Exhibition Next: The Future Of Exhibition Design, Santanu Majumdar

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT The ubiquitous presence of design guides our day-to-day actions, determining our awareness, configuring our environment, and modifying our lives. We must acknowledge the power and the opportunity of this dynamic force of design. “At the very least,” Peter Lunenfeld says, “design research saves us from reinventing the wheel. At its best, a lively research methodology can reinvigorate the passion that so often fades after designers join the profession.” Lunenfeld inspires me to consider the evolution of exhibition design. My thesis is about the future of exhibition design, enabling me to explore the changes this area of design is now …

I Want To Know You I Want To Understand You, Jeane Dos Santos Alves Cooper

LSU Master's Theses

I want to know you I want to understand you is a new media work that uses the World Wide Web to discuss the issues of traditional and new methods of communication, as well as exploring the concepts of collaborative and interactive art.

What It Takes To Design In The Virtual World, Anthony Williams, Willy Sher, Tom Bellamy, Rod Gameson

DRS Biennial Conference Series

The operational differences which result from using different electronic communication media and its impact on generic design skills have been the basis for the research reported in this paper. The outcome of this research is the development and mapping of generic skills profiles for virtual design teams and the designers who work in them. The research findings also identify changes in generic skills profiles between the traditional mode of team design as well as the different operational states of current and future ICT environments. This paper examines design team activities, processes and skills occurring in co-located environments and links these …

Elements Of Human Decision-Making, Jens G. Pohl

Collaborative Agent Design (CAD) Research Center

The purpose of this paper is to present some understandings of the human problem-solving activity that we have gained in the Collaborative Agent Design Research Center (CADRC) over the past two decades. Since we feel strongly that the human decision-maker should be an integral component of any computer-based decision-support system, it follows that we would have endeavored to incorporate many of the elements that appear to be important to the user in the design of these systems. The complexity of the human cognitive system is evidenced by the large body of literature that describes problem-solving behavior and the relatively fewer …

Information Content Of Coyote Barks Howls, Brian R. Mitchell, Maja M. Makagon, Michael M. Jaeger, Reginald H. Barrett

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The information content of coyote (Canis latrans) vocalizations is poorly understood, but has important implications for understanding coyote behavior. Coyotes probably use information present in barks or howls to recognize individuals, but the presence of individually-specific information has not bean demonstrated. We found that coyote barks and howls contained individually specific characteristics: discriminant analysis correctly classified barks of five coyotes 69% of the time and howls of six coyotes 83% of the time. We also investigated the stability of vocalization characteristics at multiple distances from the source. Recordings were played back and re-recorded at 10 m, 600m, and …

Perception Of Meaning And Usage Motivations Of Emoticons Among Americans And Chinese Users, Yujiao Wang

Theses

Do people of different cultures agree on the meaning and use of emoticons? This study addresses this question from an inter-cultural perspective and explores the use of emoticons in the American and Chinese Computer-mediated communication (CMC) communities. The research indicates that both the Americans and Chinese participants use emoticons for entertaining, informational and social interaction motivations but the Americans are more likely to use emoticons for information motivations than the Chinese and the Chinese participants are more likely to use emoticons for social interactions than the Americans participants. The results correspond to the cultural differences between the two countries in …

But What Do They Think It Means? The Text/Image Relationship In Informational Communication, Nicole E. Bartell

Theses

To better understand how an audience processes information transmitted via image, text, or both, this study presented four different versions of the same message to four groups of RIT students. The message consisted of the following content: text only, text with images depicting evenly spaced years, text with images depicting irregularly spaced years, and text with irregularly spaced years. Subjects were instructed to look at the message for a set amount of time and then complete a questionnaire. Those who were given messages that had images and text felt less confused or misled than those who were given messages containing …