Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Research Note: International Issues In Media And Information Literacy, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz, Michael L. Hilt

Communication Faculty Publications

The emerging field of media and information literacy studies continues to be influenced by a wide range of interdisciplinary research. An inventory of current research on media and information literacy, using Studies in Media & Information Literacy Education (SIMILE) as a database, reveal emphases in studies about schools and education, library usage, mass media, intercultural communication, and global media. As individuals around the globe are empowered by their media and information literacy skills, it is possible that these abilities will be harnessed as cultural tools in the grassroots battles to maintain local and national identities.

Intention To Seek Information On Cancer Genetics, James E. Andrews, J. David Johnson, Donald O. Case, Suzanne L. Allard, Kimberly Kelly

Communication Faculty Publications

Objective. The public has a high interest in seeking personal genetic information, which holds implications for health information seeking research and health care policy. Rapid advances in cancer genetics research promise early detection, prevention and treatment, yet consumers may have greater difficulty finding and using the information they may need to make informed decisions regarding their personal health and the future of their families.

Design. A statewide telephone survey was conducted of non-institutionalized Kentucky residents 18 years of age or older to investigate factors associated with the intention to seek cancer genetics information, including the need for such information seeking …

Book Review: Breaking Into Baseball, Scott D. Peterson

Communication Faculty Publications

Ardell's book might very well be subtitled “The Seven Faces of Eve” as she argues for goddess worship theories for baseball's origins and then organizes the rest of the chapters around the seven ways in which women can interact with the game of baseball: as fans (both in and out of the stands), as players (both amateur and professional), as umpires, owners, and members of the media. Baseball's gender barrier (a first cousin to the game's now obsolete color barrier) provides a consistent and compelling undertone to the book as so many of the women that Ardell writes about (perhaps …

Presence And Image Quality: The Case Of High-Definition Television, Cheryl C. Bracken

Communication Faculty Publications

Previous research has demonstrated that form variables can increase television viewers' sense of presence. The current broadcasting of high-definition television (HDTV) programming makes testing this relation between form and presence possible in a new context, image quality. In this experiment, television viewers watched either HDTV or standard-definition television images and then rated their viewing experience on a pencil-and-paper questionnaire. The results demonstrate that HDTV provided viewers with a greater sense of presence than the current standard, thus providing empirical evidence for the claim that improved image quality will lead to television viewers' experiencing presence. Additionally, the results suggest that with …

Media & Information Literacy Theory And Research: Thoughts From The Co-Editors, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz, Michael L. Hilt

Communication Faculty Publications

An overview of the conceptualization of media studies and information literacy education reveals the importance of analyzing text and visual communication. Beyond simply offering an explanation of mass communication and all of its parts, media and information literacy as an emerging field of study must begin to address the complex interaction between literacy and new media forms. The new co-editors of SIMILE encourage interdisciplinary scholarship, which illuminates new avenues in media and information literacy education.

Negotiation Of Dialectical Contradictions By Parents Who Have Experienced The Death Of A Child, Paige W. Toller

Communication Faculty Publications

This study examines how bereaved parents experience communicating with individuals in their social network. The bereaved parents in this study experienced two dialectical contradictions: (a) between the physical absence of their child and the continuing presence and emotional bond with their deceased child; and (b) between being open or closed when deciding whether to talk about the deceased child to others. Results describe how parents communicatively negotiated these contradictions. The article concludes by discussing practical applications for bereaved parents, bereavement support groups, helping professionals, and individuals within the bereaved parents’ social network.

Gamers’ Sensations Of Spatial, Social, And Co-Presence While Playing Online Video Games, Cheryl Campanella Bracken, R. L. Lange, James Denny

Communication Faculty Publications

There is an increasing number of video gamers who are playing games online. Previous research has demonstrated that off line gamers experience sensations of presence “the illusion of non-mediation” (Lombard & Ditton, 1997). The current study, explores through focus groups, the type of presence online gamers report experiencing. The results demonstrate that online gamers report having sensations that can be classified into all three main presence types: spatial (physical), social, and co-presence.

Public And Relational Communication Ethics In Political Communication: Integrity, Secrecy, And Dialogue In ‘The Contender’, Jon A. Hess, Joy Piazza

Communication Faculty Publications

There is no denying the omnipresence of media in the twenty-first century. One form of media that is particularly influential is film. Unlike print forms of entertainment, in which age and reading ability dictate accessibility, movies are accessible to virtually everyone. And, regardless of the producer's purpose for making the film, all movies provide an insight into our culture and the individuals who reside within it. Some movies are produced solely for entertainment value, but others seek to convey some type of message or to stimulate thought on the part of the viewer (Good & Dillon 2002; Kupfer 1999; Lipkin …