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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Articles 1 - 23 of 23
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Flower Power: Testing Social Media Advertising Strategies For Floral Products, Rachel Corry, William R. Taylor, Jessica Holt, Hailey Bittles, Benjamin L. Campbell, Julie Campbell
Flower Power: Testing Social Media Advertising Strategies For Floral Products, Rachel Corry, William R. Taylor, Jessica Holt, Hailey Bittles, Benjamin L. Campbell, Julie Campbell
Journal of Applied Communications
Social media and the internet have impacted how companies and organizations advertise to consumers. Digital advertising has created the opportunity to engage with consumers, target specific groups, and capture metrics of use to help build effective advertising strategies. The floral industry is a large sector within the agricultural arena, which is primed to engage with young consumers. This research examined the effectiveness of utilizing static and animated social media advertisements to increase consumers’ intention to purchase floral products. Using an online survey and an experimental design, this study examined 8,488 respondents’ intention to purchase floral products after viewing static and …
Exploring Social Media And Online Communication Use By Direct-To-Consumer Agricultural Businesses In Upstate New York, Katerina Weingarten, Quisto Settle, Linnea Harvey, Dwayne Cartmell
Exploring Social Media And Online Communication Use By Direct-To-Consumer Agricultural Businesses In Upstate New York, Katerina Weingarten, Quisto Settle, Linnea Harvey, Dwayne Cartmell
Journal of Applied Communications
The popularization of social media and an increased interest in local food has led to the need for an online presence of direct-to-consumer agricultural producers. The COVID-19 pandemic quickly pushed the transition from traditional marketing practices to digital marketing practices, further emphasizing the importance of an online presence for small businesses. To better understand the perceptions of direct-to-consumer agricultural businesses, this study sought to understand the current use of social media and online communication and the challenges faced, related to social media and online communication, among these producers. Ten direct-to-consumer agricultural business personnel were interviewed to examine their social media …
"You Know, The South Is A Breeding Ground For Gluttony": A Qualitative Evaluation Of Dissonance Between Christian Beliefs And Eating Habits, Karli S. Yarber, Jefferson D. Miller, Jill Rucker, Lora Walsh
"You Know, The South Is A Breeding Ground For Gluttony": A Qualitative Evaluation Of Dissonance Between Christian Beliefs And Eating Habits, Karli S. Yarber, Jefferson D. Miller, Jill Rucker, Lora Walsh
Journal of Applied Communications
This research is intended to initiate understanding of how obesity in the South persists even though the majority of inhabitants subscribe to a faith that discourages unhealthy lifestyles. Grounded in the Cognitive Dissonance Theory, this study examined Protestant evangelical Christians in the South (N = 11), who participated in semi-structured interviews. The first emergent theme was that, to these Southerners, the purpose of food is for sustenance and survival, as well as for bringing people together. Most participants reported having an average level of knowledge of nutrition and health. Furthermore, participants generally agreed that marketing or educational efforts had little …
The Steaks Are High: Covid-19’S Impact On Direct-To-Consumer Marketing In The Oklahoma Beef Industry, Linnea Langusch, Dwayne Cartmell, Quisto Settle
The Steaks Are High: Covid-19’S Impact On Direct-To-Consumer Marketing In The Oklahoma Beef Industry, Linnea Langusch, Dwayne Cartmell, Quisto Settle
Journal of Applied Communications
The COVID-19 pandemic encouraged some beef producers to market their products directly to consumers. For many consumers the idea of buying beef products from local sources is appealing. Relationship management theory framed this study, as beef producers used relationship building as a path to product promotion. This study explored Oklahoma beef producers’ perceptions of changes that have occurred in direct-to-consumer marketing and consumer communications in the beef industry during the COVID-19 pandemic using semi-structured interviews. This study consisted of 16 participants found via snowball sampling. Participants were Oklahoma cattle ranchers over 18 years old who used one or more channels …
Innovative Industry: Environmental Horticulture Professionals’ Perceptions On Wildlife-Friendly Plants And A Potential Certification Offering, Christine L. Krebs, Laura A. Warner, Lauri M. Baker, Jaret C. Daniels, Adam Dale
Innovative Industry: Environmental Horticulture Professionals’ Perceptions On Wildlife-Friendly Plants And A Potential Certification Offering, Christine L. Krebs, Laura A. Warner, Lauri M. Baker, Jaret C. Daniels, Adam Dale
Journal of Applied Communications
Plants can improve people’s lives and mental health, but consumers have become increasingly concerned about the impact of plant production practices on the environment and wildlife. Previous research has not explored the interest and ability of plant producers and suppliers to provide wildlife friendly plant options for consumers. The University of Florida is considering the development of a wildlife-friendly plant certification to enhance production protocols for growers and connect consumers to sustainable plant options. This study explored perceptions of this certification through 11 in-depth interviews with environmental horticulture professionals. The study was guided by the following research questions: 1) What …
Hemp There It Is: Examining Consumers’ Attitudes Toward The Revitalization Of Hemp As An Agricultural Commodity, Shelli Rampold, Zachary Brym, Michaela S. Kandzer, Lauri M. Baker
Hemp There It Is: Examining Consumers’ Attitudes Toward The Revitalization Of Hemp As An Agricultural Commodity, Shelli Rampold, Zachary Brym, Michaela S. Kandzer, Lauri M. Baker
Journal of Applied Communications
This study was conducted to examine Florida consumers’ stance on legalizing the growing and processing of hemp, recently redefined as an agricultural commodity. Factors were explored that may explain their stance to provide insight into the communication needs in the early stages of the U.S. hemp industry revival. Results indicated that respondents who had more favorable attitudes toward legalizing hemp were also more likely to fall within the category of being overall “for legalizing hemp” when offered a binary choice. Further, attitude toward legalizing hemp was predicted by respondents’ objective knowledge of hemp topics, attitude toward legalizing marijuana, and perceived …
Generation Z And Crispr: Measuring Information Processing Using Animated Infographics, Maria A. Martinez, Jessica Holt, Alexa Lamm, Abigail Borron
Generation Z And Crispr: Measuring Information Processing Using Animated Infographics, Maria A. Martinez, Jessica Holt, Alexa Lamm, Abigail Borron
Journal of Applied Communications
CRISPR gene-editing technology, as it relates to food, has the potential to revolutionize the agricultural industry. Currently, 40% of global consumers are categorized as Generation Z. Gen Zer’s are digital natives and use Instagram to discover new products; therefore, it is important to understand the most effective communications strategies to engage this segment of consumers with scientific information that will allow for informed decision-making regarding CRISPR technology. Infographics are a form of data visualization that can be used in a static or animated form. Previous studies have shown animated infographics to garner greater attention from respondents. Using the Heuristic-Systematic Processing …
Perceptions Of Social Media Use Among U.S. Women Farmers, Kerry Daigle, Sarah Noel Heiss
Perceptions Of Social Media Use Among U.S. Women Farmers, Kerry Daigle, Sarah Noel Heiss
Journal of Applied Communications
Communication networks and knowledge sharing are important for the persistence of small farms that operate outside of industrial agriculture. In past years, internet platforms have been promoted as a tool for farm businesses to connect with customers and other farmers. Social media in particular has gained attention as a user friendly and accessible tool for small business viability. Drawing on Uses and Gratifications Theory, this study uses examines interviews with women farmers' in the United States to explore how they view the role of social media for their agricultural practice. Results demonstrate that women farmers report using social media to …
Marketing Rebellion: The Most Human Company Wins, Stacey F. Stearns
Marketing Rebellion: The Most Human Company Wins, Stacey F. Stearns
Journal of Applied Communications
A review of Marketing Rebellion: The Most Human Company Wins, by Mark Schaefer.
Facebook Activity Of Oklahoma Agritourism Facebook Pages, Brittany L. Bowman, Quisto Settle, Stacy Tomas, Angel Riggs
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 …
Is It For Generation Me? A Qualitative Study Exploring Marketing And Selling Plants Online To Millennial-Aged Consumers, Lauri M. Baker, Kelsey M. Tully, Deanna R. Sumners, Ernest Francis Jones, Andrés E. León-Reyes, Cheryl Boyer, Hikaru H. Peterson
Is It For Generation Me? A Qualitative Study Exploring Marketing And Selling Plants Online To Millennial-Aged Consumers, Lauri M. Baker, Kelsey M. Tully, Deanna R. Sumners, Ernest Francis Jones, Andrés E. León-Reyes, Cheryl Boyer, Hikaru H. Peterson
Journal of Applied Communications
As online selling of products like living plants increases, it is increasingly important to understand how millennial-aged consumers perceive the purchasing experience. New-media technologies like social media, e-newsletters, and other forms of digital communication are easily adopted by millennial-aged consumers. One of these tools, 360-degree video, offers novel ways to preview products offered online and look inside local brick-and-mortar stores, which can be visited in person. Sales of horticultural goods online have been slow to be developed by industry veterans, creating ample opportunities available to new ventures. This qualitative study used a series of three focus groups to answer the …
Creating Relevancy In Agricultural Science Information: Examining The Impact Of Motivational Salience, Involvement And Pre-Existing Attitudes On Visual Attention To Scientific Information, Laura Morgan Fischer, Courtney Meyers, R. Glenn Cummins, Courtney Gibson, Mathew Baker
Creating Relevancy In Agricultural Science Information: Examining The Impact Of Motivational Salience, Involvement And Pre-Existing Attitudes On Visual Attention To Scientific Information, Laura Morgan Fischer, Courtney Meyers, R. Glenn Cummins, Courtney Gibson, Mathew Baker
Journal of Applied Communications
Agricultural communications literature has indicated scientists are struggling to make information salient to consumers. Prior studies have examined the efficacy of message frames and types of appeals that increase visual attention and information processing among general consumers. Research suggests that value-oriented frames may connect with consumers through increased personal involvement and motivational salience. To evaluate the effects of competing message frames on visual attention, an eye-tracking experiment was conducted to understand the interaction between pre-existing attitudes and issue involvement on participants’ attention to messages about genetic modification and antibiotic use in livestock. For products that are low in issue involvement …
Characteristics Of Oklahoma Agritourism Facebook Posts, Brittany Bowman, Quisto Settle, Angel Riggs, Stacy Tomas, Audrey E. H. King
Characteristics Of Oklahoma Agritourism Facebook Posts, Brittany Bowman, Quisto Settle, Angel Riggs, Stacy Tomas, Audrey E. H. King
Journal of Applied Communications
Agritourism is recreational travel for agricultural activities. While it provides many benefits, such as rural development and heritage preservation, many agritourism operators express challenges in marketing their operations. Social media is increasingly common in tourism marketing, but little research exists describing current marketing practices. Quantitative content analysis was used to describe 174 Oklahoma agritourism operations’ Facebook page activity in June 2018. Original posts created by the agritourism operations and community posts created by the general public had similar amounts of public interaction. Post interactions were not related to post length, and original post interactions were also not related to overall …
Misleading Or Informing? Examining The Effects Of Labeling Design On Consumers’ Perception Of Gluten-Free Products And Wheat Safety, Kimberly Cantrell, Nan Li, Courtney Meyers, Cindy Akers
Misleading Or Informing? Examining The Effects Of Labeling Design On Consumers’ Perception Of Gluten-Free Products And Wheat Safety, Kimberly Cantrell, Nan Li, Courtney Meyers, Cindy Akers
Journal of Applied Communications
As food products marketed as “gluten-free” become increasingly popular, many consumers start to exclude sources of gluten (e.g., wheat, barley, and rye) from their diets for both medical and non-medical purposes. The grain industry is facing a growing challenge to (re)boost consumers’ confidence in the healthiness and safety of its commodities. Using 561 participants recruited from the Amazon Mechanical Turk workers’ panel, this study implemented a 2 (pretzels vs. potato chips) * 2 (positive- vs. negative- frame) * 2 (wheat image vs. no wheat image) experiment to examine the effects of gluten-free labels on consumers’ perceived healthiness and safety of …
Consumers’ Evaluation Of Animal Welfare Labels On Poultry Products, Rexanna Powers, Nan Li, Courtney Gibson, Erica Irlbeck
Consumers’ Evaluation Of Animal Welfare Labels On Poultry Products, Rexanna Powers, Nan Li, Courtney Gibson, Erica Irlbeck
Journal of Applied Communications
As the public has expressed increasing concerns regarding the humane raising and handling of farm animals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and industry organizations have developed a series of standards enforcing animal welfare in the poultry industry. Labels and value-added claims were created and defined to differentiate products and to inform consumers’ purchasing decisions. This study identified five labels related to animal welfare that are frequently found on food packages in the U.S. grocery stores, including both the mandatory labels and third-party, voluntary labels. Using a controlled online experiment (N=249), we examined the labels’ effects on consumers’ perception …
Does Good Design Matter In The Seedstock Advertising Business? Effects Of Graphic Design In Beef Seedstock Ads On Cattle Producers’ Trust And Credibility, Morgan L. Marley, Katie M. Abrams, Daniela Castillo
Does Good Design Matter In The Seedstock Advertising Business? Effects Of Graphic Design In Beef Seedstock Ads On Cattle Producers’ Trust And Credibility, Morgan L. Marley, Katie M. Abrams, Daniela Castillo
Journal of Applied Communications
Designers are trained professionals who understand how to effectively visually communicate based on executing principles of design and an understanding of their audience. Within the beef seedstock industry, ad design varies widely in terms of technical effectiveness, but how do those differences affect potential customers? This study tested the effects of seedstock ad’s graphic design on the viewer’s trust and credibility among 561 Angus cattle producers. Our results show the graphic design of a beef seedstock ranch ad promoting an upcoming bull sale did not influence producers’ perceptions of trust and credibility. However, results did reveal better designed ads are …
Interactive Infographics' Effect On Elaboration In Agricultural Communication, Erin Burnett, Jessica Holt, Abigail Borron, Bartosz Wojdynski
Interactive Infographics' Effect On Elaboration In Agricultural Communication, Erin Burnett, Jessica Holt, Abigail Borron, Bartosz Wojdynski
Journal of Applied Communications
In public health, politics, and advertising, interactive content spurred increased elaboration from audiences that were otherwise least likely to engage with a message. This study sought to examine interactivity as an agricultural communication strategy through the lens of the Elaboration Likelihood Model. Respondents were randomly assigned a static or interactive data visualization concerning the production of peaches and blueberries in Georgia, then asked to list their thoughts in accordance with Petty and Cacioppo’s thought-listing measure. Respondents significantly exhibited higher elaboration with the interactive message as opposed to the static, extending the results of past research in other communication realms to …
A Farm Newspaper Capitulates To Advertiser Pressure: Determinants Of Readers’ Attitudes Toward The Firing Of An Editorial Cartoonist, Lulu Rodriguez, Supathida Kulpavaropas
A Farm Newspaper Capitulates To Advertiser Pressure: Determinants Of Readers’ Attitudes Toward The Firing Of An Editorial Cartoonist, Lulu Rodriguez, Supathida Kulpavaropas
Journal of Applied Communications
On April 2016, the weekly Farm News cut its ties with veteran freelancer Rick Friday who drew a cartoon that called attention to how much the CEOs of large agricultural corporations are paid. This study examines the determinants of people’s attitudes toward Mr. Friday’s firing. Using data gathered from a national online survey of newspaper readers, this study traced the antecedents of these attitudes. While the incident drew strong negative reactions, we found that public attitudes were strongly mediated by readers’ attitudes toward Big Ag advertisers. That is, those who saw Big Ag in a positive light were more inclined …
Understanding Consumer Intent To Buy Local Food: Adding Consumer Past Experience And Moral Obligation Toward Buying Local Blueberries In Florida Within The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Jessica Holt, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky Telg, Alexa Lamm
Understanding Consumer Intent To Buy Local Food: Adding Consumer Past Experience And Moral Obligation Toward Buying Local Blueberries In Florida Within The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Jessica Holt, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky Telg, Alexa Lamm
Journal of Applied Communications
Buying local food has become an increasingly popular way for consumers to engage with those who grow their food; however, research has shown a specific audience tends to buy local food due to individual-specific barriers. To better understand what motivates consumers to buy local food the Theory of Planned Behavior was used as a way to potentially predict consumers’ behavior toward buying locally grown blueberries. Also, the variables of past experience and self-identity/moral obligation toward buying local food were introduced to the model since both variables may increase the predictability of the Theory of Planned Behavior model in certain food-related …
Matching Local Food Messages To Consumer Motivators: An Experiment Comparing The Effects Of Differently Framed Messages, Katie M. Abrams, Catharine Soukup
Matching Local Food Messages To Consumer Motivators: An Experiment Comparing The Effects Of Differently Framed Messages, Katie M. Abrams, Catharine Soukup
Journal of Applied Communications
Past research suggests the local food movement provides economic and social benefits to consumers and producers alike. These benefits might account for the significant increase in local food sales. Despite its increasing popularity, further communications research is needed since a dominant messaging strategy does not currently exist to advance the local food movement. Food quality, healthfulness, and support of local farmers were previously empirically identified as motivating factors to purchase local food; however, they had not been tested comparatively for effectiveness. Based in framing theory and the theory of planned behavior, we sought to test if brief messages framed to …
Where I Come From: Exploring Regional Differences In California Consumers’ Attitudes And Beliefs About Fluid Milk, Annie R. Specht, Ashlan E. Wickstrom, Emily B. Buck
Where I Come From: Exploring Regional Differences In California Consumers’ Attitudes And Beliefs About Fluid Milk, Annie R. Specht, Ashlan E. Wickstrom, Emily B. Buck
Journal of Applied Communications
Guided by the theory of reasoned action and social cognitive theory, this study was conducted to better understand how decisions to purchase organic or conventional milk are influenced by norms and attitudes established via human interactions and how those norms and attitudes vary by geographic region. An online Qualtrics survey was used to gain insight into behaviors, attitudes, and interactions of 308 milk consumers in various geographical regions of [State]. The findings indicate that urban, suburban, and rural consumers differ in some ways in their interactions related to milk information, as well as their perceptions of organic versus conventional milk. …
The Effects Of Online Video On Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Local Food, Shuyang Qu, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg
The Effects Of Online Video On Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Local Food, Shuyang Qu, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg
Journal of Applied Communications
Marketers rate online video as their most utilized content medium. This study used a between-subject control group post-test-only experiment to investigate the effect of three local food messages delivered via online video on U.S. consumers’ attitudes toward local food. The three 30-second videos each featured one of the documented benefits of local food: high quality, support of local economy, and strengthening of social connection. Results indicated all three video treatments yielded a positive attitude toward local food, while respondents in the control group had a neutral attitude. The video treatment featuring local food’s high quality generated a significantly more favorable …
Marketing Power Berries: An Importance-Performance Analysis Of Blueberry, Shuyang Qu, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble
Marketing Power Berries: An Importance-Performance Analysis Of Blueberry, Shuyang Qu, Alexa J. Lamm, Joy N. Rumble
Journal of Applied Communications
The unique health benefits of blueberries have increased consumers’ demand for this fruit. Although the demand is still low compared to other fruits including apples and grapes, consumers’ growing interest in blueberries has led to a significant increase of blueberry acreage in the U.S., causing the supply to exceed demand. To increase blueberry consumption and sales for the benefits of both consumers’ health and the blueberry industry, this study selected 18 blueberry attributes and used an online survey to examine blueberry purchasers’ perceived importance and satisfaction of these attributes. An importance-performance analysis (IPA) of these attributes was conducted to provide …