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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Articles 1 - 7 of 7
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Looking For Information: An Exploratory Analysis To Explain Public Information-Seeking Behaviors About Mosquito Control, Shelli D. Rampold, Melissa Cater, Ricky W. Telg
Looking For Information: An Exploratory Analysis To Explain Public Information-Seeking Behaviors About Mosquito Control, Shelli D. Rampold, Melissa Cater, Ricky W. Telg
Journal of Applied Communications
Mosquitoes pose substantial risks in communities worldwide, and the extent and type of such risk may vary across communities and regions. The integrated mosquito management approach integrates multidisciplinary methods into practical strategies tailored to local communities. Reduction of mosquito larval sources via community engagement in at-home mosquito control behaviors is a key component of this approach. Best methods of communicating information to the public to foster knowledge and motivation to engage in local mosquito control efforts. The purpose of this descriptional, correlational study was to describe the Florida public’s mosquito control information search behaviors, as well as examine factors that …
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 …
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 …
The Effect Of Emphasizing Credibility Elements And The Role Of Source Gender On Perceptions Of Source Credibility, Ariana Bigham, Courtney Meyers, Nan Li, Erica Irlbeck
The Effect Of Emphasizing Credibility Elements And The Role Of Source Gender On Perceptions Of Source Credibility, Ariana Bigham, Courtney Meyers, Nan Li, Erica Irlbeck
Journal of Applied Communications
Agricultural technology continues to evolve to meet the demands of a growing world, but previous advancements in agricultural technology have been met with resistance. Improved science communication efforts can assist in bridging the gap between expert and lay opinion to improve reception of scientific information. Using the framework of the heuristic model of persuasion, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of emphasizing elements of source credibility – trustworthiness and expertise – and the gender of the source on perceptions of source credibility. A sample of 122 undergraduate students were exposed to one of the four possible …
Collegiate Millennials' Perceptions Of Locally Produced Beef, Shelby Oesterreicher, Lisa K. Lundy, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg
Collegiate Millennials' Perceptions Of Locally Produced Beef, Shelby Oesterreicher, Lisa K. Lundy, Joy N. Rumble, Ricky W. Telg
Journal of Applied Communications
Millennial consumers are stepping into important roles as decision makers and consumers. A knowledge and communication gap exists between cattle producers and consumers this knowledge seeking generation. This study focused on collegiate millennials’ perceptions of locally produced beef. The research design was qualitative in nature using focus groups. Participants associated the beef industry and beef products with the environment, management practices, treatment of animals, human health concerns, retail, experience with the beef industry, experience with beef, and transparency. Results of this study showed participants had minimal knowledge of the industry and relatively negative perceptions of the industry and beef products. …
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 …