Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Social Media In Higher Education: Networked Tools In A Traditional Strategy Organization, Trace M. Eddington

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examined (a) how the traditional organizational communication strategy in place at a university impacts the utilization and effectiveness of social media as a university communication tool, (b) to what extent and how effectively have relational and networked approaches been incorporated into the traditional structure of communication at a university, and (c) how the flow of communication and the social media strategy on campus are impacted by the traditional structure of the university, identifying any potential communication bottlenecks and workarounds. The literature review examined the theoretical underpinnings behind traditional strategy organizations and the communication challenges that can arise in …

The Impact Of Texting On Our Society: A Look Into The Utlization Of This Communication Conduit And The Possible Positive Or Negative Impact It Has On Drivers, Michelle Crowther

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Communication is an essential part of our everyday lives, without it we would have no way to form a community or societal structure that would allow us to effectively work and live amongst one another. Advances in technology, such as texting, have created a virtual forum for people to communicate within. Due to this change, other consequences, such as vehicle injuries and fatalities have become a recurring problem. To attempt to find potential positive or negative impacts that texting has on individuals while driving, 10 face-to-face interviews were conducted and 100 surveys were sent to a random sample of participants. …

The 21st Century Educator: An Exploration Of The Communication Practices Of An 'Architect Of Learning', Darlene Leslie Wilson

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The 21st century has driven many changes in the classroom and to the teacher of yesterday. Existing teacher identities are in limbo as educational systems morph from dominant beliefs and ideologies to meet the new demands of a knowledge economy. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions of their communication practices as 21st century educators. In particular, research focuses on teachers’ views of the province of Alberta’s vision of “teacher” as an architect of learning, and is explored via semi-structured personal interviews and classroom observations. Although there is ample research on teacher identity and issues related to …

Multitasking And Communication In The Organization, Cayla A. Stephenson

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Because communication is an intricate part of how an organization works, and because organizations and employees alike are stressing the importance of multitasking on the job, studying the interaction of communication and multitasking is increasingly important. Studies relating to multitasking have revealed primarily negative impacts: doubling task completion time, overstimulating our brains to the point of dysfunction, generally diminishing our productivity, and extinguishing our stimuli filters and damaging our memories. Other studies show that we can use multitasking in a positive way by utilizing task trainings and practicing focused task completion. The study here completed two focus groups with 12 …

Communication In Crisis, Blair Veloz

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Many people today continually search for their identity in the world. In order for someone to effectively communicate, they must understand how they would communicate when they least want to, such as in a crisis situation. A crisis or multiple crises can affect how people see the world, themselves and ultimately how they will communicate in a time of trouble. With the use of Martin Buber and his view on I-Thou, this thesis assists in understanding the encounter with God and that He is what helps makes us complete. Helping others to reach this goal of communicating well, this thesis …

Performing Communication Without Words: A Dramaturgical Exploration Of Communication Between Caregivers And Children Who Are Nonverbal, Sara Mcgerald

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Recognizing that human communication is highly expressive and it does not cease to exist if an individual is not able to produce spoken language, this thesis is an exploratory ethnographic study which seeks to utilize a dramaturgical perspective in identifying the function and structure of communication between children who are nonverbal (with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy) and their caregivers (Brissett & Edgley, 2009). The main informants for this study were two sets of parents with children diagnosed with cerebral palsy, who agreed to participate in twenty hours of engagement, which included direct interviews, observation, and personal interaction. The study …

The Intrapersonal Phenomenon: The Interactional Effects Of Intrapersonal Adjustments In The Organizational Change Of A Small Business, Jennifer Wilkes

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

It is inevitable that change involves varying levels of communication. A relationship may consist of an individual's communication with one's self or with one or more persons. The functionality of a relationship depends on the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the communication of those individuals involved. When change is necessary in any form of organization, the level of communication for each member plays a vital role, especially in a small company. Based on literature and theory, intrapersonal development and influence relies on the structure of one's cultural language. Language structure shapes one's inner speech and self-talk through processes of internalization. The …

How Skype And Face Time Have Changed The Way People Communicate Emotionally, Penelope Casarico

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between technology and emotional communication, and focuses on how technology influences our personal thoughts, feelings, and emotions. By examining the philosophical assumption of Martin Buber that through our dialogue, there is mutual respect and appreciation for the other person involved because we hold that person in high regard and see that person in the image of God, this study seeks to answer the question, How have Skype and Face Time technology changed the way people communicate emotionally? The theoretical basis of this study focuses on Coordinated Management of Meaning, a theory that states that persons …

Generational Differences Within A Corporate Workplace, Marie Jakubek

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

The purpose ofthis study is to examine generational diversity issues within the corporate workplace in order to develop strategies that can be employed to increase intergenerational understanding, morale and, improve productivity. The theory used to frame this study is the Communication Accommodation Theory. This theory allowed for a better understanding of specific challenges and opportunities that can occur when working in a multigenerational workforce. It is important for corporations to effectively address these differences in generations and take advantage of the values and expectations of each generation to keep a happy and healthy workplace. Data for this study was collected …

Hidden In Plain Sight: Development And Testing Of A Model To Evaluate Political Leadership Tactics, Albert Citron

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the kinds of verbal and nonverbal signals elites manifest to show leadership qualities. Launching from Max Weber’s conceptual framework of charisma as a power term and Harold Lasswell’s study of propaganda, this study takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying political leadership with elements of communication methodology and an ontological basis in evolutionary psychology. The study’s goal is to offer a framework for defining and evaluating the diverse signal patterns employed by political elites in three real-life situations. These are the Malta Summit, the 1992 Virginia Presidential Debate, and the 2012 South Carolina Republican Presidential Primary. The cases …

Clarity And Chaos: Is There A Preferred Citation Style In Business Academic Literature?, Leticia Camacho

Faculty Publications

While there is no official style for business writing, the most common citation style in business research has not been determined previously. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the top scholarly business journals to determine the most commonly used citation style in business academic research. The author used the list of 452 top business journals included in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) Journal Citation Report. The results show that 69% of business journals use a publisher-dictated style, whereas of the “traditional” citation styles, 11% use the American Psychological Association style, 10% use Harvard style, 8% use Chicago …

Polygamy Is Creepy, Wrong, And Sick! (However, I Find It Fascinating) : Parasocial Comparison, Parasocial Processing, Parasocial Contact Hypothesis, And Polygamy, Thomas Phillip Madison

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examined tolerance of polygamists as a result of exposure to television programming. Specifically, it looked at how audiences form attitudes toward the practice of polygamy and its participants in light of viewing its portrayals in popular television entertainment. Using historical research, semi-structured interviews, surveys of viewers and students, and an experiment, I explored the issue of tolerance among different types of Americans. The findings in these studies demonstrate that Americans never cared for polygamy and continue to find little appeal for its practice. Yet, we are captivated by television shows that focus on polygamy. Part of our habit …

Masada Performances : The Contested Indentities Of Touristic Spaces, Ariel Gratch

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Masada, a Herodian fortress and the site of an ancient struggle between Jews and Romans that culminated in a mass suicide by 960 Jews, is a symbolically important site for the country of Israel and for the Jewish people. Previous research on Masada has focused on how the story about the site, told through popular culture, in history books, and at the site, has been used to create and maintain a national Israeli and, more broadly, Jewish identity. Masada is the second most visited site in Israel, attracting over 800,000 people each year, and the number of visitors to the …

Volatile Congregations : Crisis Sensemaking In A Southern Baptist Church, Brandon Douglas Bannon

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The primary purpose of this study was to test the assertion that Sensemaking Theory is an appropriate lens to understand church crisis by highlighting the role of communication as a central aspect of the sensemaking process. In addition, through the application of Sensemaking Theory, the secondary goal was to assist congregations as they try to avoid the negative consequences of church splits. The analysis utilized in the current study was specifically selected to develop a history of participant interpretation within a church in order to determine how members made sense of the crisis. To that end, this study followed the …

Media Literacy, David Kamerer

School of Communication: Faculty Publications and Other Works

No abstract provided.

Cheap Talk With Two Audiences: An Experiment, Mikhail Drugov, Roberto Hérnan-Gonzalez, Praveen Kujal, Marta Troya Martinez

ESI Working Papers

In this paper we experimentally test strategic information transmission between one informed and two uninformed agents in a cheap-talk game. We find evidence of the "disciplining" effect of public communication as compared to private; however, it is much weaker than predicted by the theory. Adding a second receiver naturally increases the complexity of strategic thinking when communication is public. Using the level-k model, we exploit the within subject design to show how individuals decrease their level-k in public communication. Surprisingly, we find that individuals become more sophisticated when they communicate privately with two receivers rather than one.

Citizens United, The Marketplace, And Influence, Corin Shanti La Pointe-Aitchison

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes the rationale used by the Supreme Court in the 2010 case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The majority opinion and dissent were dissected and scrutinized for any weaknesses. After careful review and comparison with First Amendment theories and scholarly articles, it was found that the majority opinion and final decision were poorly reasoned and created a dangerous political communication landscape and a weakened Marketplace of Ideas.

Communicating, Collaborating, And Coordinating To Revitalize New Jersey Neighborhoods, Lois W. Greco

The Foundation Review

· Since 2003, the New Jersey public and private funding community has been organizing and implementing a shared, cross-sector approach to revitalizing the state's low-income neighborhoods that incorporates residents and stakeholders, encourages private investment, leverages corporate resources, and produces measurable results.

· The approach has been shaped by the programmatic alignment of the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation's Neighborhood Grants Program and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs' Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit program (NRTC) with technical assistance from the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey.

· The combined programs have supported initiatives in 26 neighborhoods, funded by $16 …

Cultural Differences And Switching Of In-Group Sharing Behavior Between An American (Facebook) And A Chinese (Renren) Social Networking Site, Lin Qiu, Han Lin, Angela K. Y. Leung

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Prior research has documented cultural dimensions that broadly characterize between-culture variations in Western and East Asian societies and that bicultural individuals can flexibly change their behaviors in response to different cultural contexts. In this article, we studied cultural differences and behavioral switching in the context of the fast emerging, naturally occurring online social networking, using both self-report measures and content analyses of online activities on two highly popular platforms, Facebook and Renren (the “Facebook of China”). Results showed that while Renren and Facebook are two technically similar platforms, the Renren culture is perceived as more collectivistic than the Facebook culture. …

The Implications Of Viral Media & Advocacy: Kony 2012, Cassandra Bopp

Honors Projects in Communication

This research paper analyzes the video “Kony 2012” as an example of advocacy film making and viral media. By analyzing critical sources, I draw conclusions as to why this video became the most viral video of all time and how other advocacy groups can use this phenomenon to learn about viral advocacy media. Using data from LexisNexis Academic, I track the popularity of “Kony 2012” via different forms of media (blogs, news articles, etc.) and compare my data to prior research conducted on social media sites. Ultimately, I will find that several key characteristics can be pinpointed as the primary …

Black Students' Classroom Silence In Predominantly White Institutions Of Higher Education, Mahajoy A. Laufer

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

This qualitative study explored Black students' silence in classrooms at predominantly white institutions (PWIs) of higher education in the northeast United States. Fifteen student interviews revealed that teaching material centered on European-American culture and history influenced their silence. Participants perceived devaluing of people of color in course material and perceived that professors used and allowed racist language and opinions to pervade the classroom. Students negotiated the tension of having discordant views from the mainstream and at times, between other students of the same racial and cultural group. They often elected to speak out against perceived discrimination and remained silent in …

Breaking The Silence : Uncovering The Gendered Communication Patterns Before, During, And After Instances Of Sexual Assault At Nescac Colleges, Carolyn A. Curtis

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Sexual assault is a pervasive problem that many college women face. This study explores the gendered communication patterns employed by men and women prior to, during, and after instances of heterosexual sexual assault on New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) college campuses. It was hypothesized that gender plays a role in instances of sexual assault in that norms of masculinity and femininity influence the communication employed by men and women, with women's voices being silenced, muted, and ignored and men's voices being assertive and dominant. Nine mental health and sexual assault professionals, from eight different colleges, were interviewed to …

Is The Daily Show Bad For Democracy? An Analysis Of Cynicism And Its Significance, Evan Bartlett

Honors Projects in History and Social Sciences

In recent years, satirical news programs like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart have emerged as an important development in contemporary American society, culture, and politics. Critics have argued that The Daily Show has a negative impact on the political attitudes of American citizens by making them cynical about government and the political process as a whole. As a result of these attitudes, they argue, citizens are less apt to participate in politics and, in turn, this behavior is detrimental to American democracy. The purpose of this research project is to explore the debate over whether or not The Daily …

The Cowl - V.77 - N.12 - Dec 6, 2012

The Cowl

The Cowl - student newspaper of Providence College. Vol 77 - No. 12 - December 6, 2012. 32 pages.

Moving Toward Leadership: A Case Study Of Latina Adolescents And Effective Communication, Isela Estrada

Creative Arts Therapies Theses

The problem addressed in this study is the need for Latina adolescents to develop effective communication and leadership skills that will support their success in U.S. culture and society. This thesis is a case study of two Mexican-American adolescents who participated in a twelve-session leadership program at a dance studio. The goal of the study was to test the effectiveness of Rena Kornblum’s (2002) Disarming the Playground curriculum as a social skills program to improve leadership, effective communication skills, and group cohesion. This study included video footage of the adolescents engaging in movement-based role-play scenarios, which was examined using qualitative …

Examination Of Employee Work-Life Balance Within Healthy Organizational Cultures, Cari Ann Lyle

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This study examined the work-life balance of employees within the U.S. communications industry, specifically focusing on how employees can build collaborative relationships with their colleagues while maintaining active lifestyles outside the office. The effects of a healthy work-life balance on organizational culture has become a popular topic in American organizations during the past decade, and this research used focus groups and interviews to help determine how leaders can encourage employees to prioritize their professional and personal obligations. Study participants were asked questions developed around Edgar Schein’s organizational culture research, Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and communication theories about balance and …

Listening To Organizational Change: Exploring Dialogue During Sensemaking, Dianna L. Stratton

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This qualitative study explored the role of dialogue during sensemaking and how that affects receptivity to organizational change. The philosophical framework for this study comes from Buber’s (1958) I and Thou dialogue theories concerning the value of existential acknowledgement. Both communication and organizational study theories grounded this research. Bohm (1996) and Isaacs’ (1999) dialogue theories converge with Weick’s (1995) sensemaking theories as a means to explore the role of listening during organizational change. Data was obtained through ethnographic observation and interview. A cultural research framework provided the means to explore the relationships between dialogue, sensemaking and organizational change. The results …

Examination Of How One's Perceived Online Identity On Social Media Affects One's Perceived Real-Life Identity, Kelly Marie Mccarty

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Over the past few decades, the internet has become an important aspect of people's social lives. It has created a place where individuals can express themselves and define themselves to much more than those they live around. A whole new world has been opened for individuals to connect and remain in contact with others. This has created new environments in which to play at identity. Social identity theory states that how one perceives his or her own identity is affected by the environment and those that individual is around. Participation in social media, therefore, should have some effect on how …

Communication Between Generation X And Generation Jackass: Creating Communication Rules For Teens And Parents, Aimee Irene Finney

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

Technologically addicted teenagers are facing challenges not even imagined by those accepting the challenge of parenthood. Using Deborah Tannen’s Genderlect theory and the phenomenological approach of data gathering, teens and parents were asked about their experiences in communicating with each other. With regards to Gerry Philispen’s Theory of Speech Codes, the patterns of communication with teens and parents were considered. Communication technologies will continue to change at a lightning quick speeds; the importance of collaborative communication patterns continues to remain crucial to open and honest sharing of information between parents and teens. The desire to discover how to create open …

Practices In Interpersonal Communication To Help Integrate Foster Children Into, Adrielle L. Devora

Communication & Leadership Dissertations and Theses

This thesis explored the question: What effect do familial communication practices and activities have on positive integration of a foster child into their adoptive family? The focus was on foster children adopted between the approximate ages of 3 and 17, as it has been shown they can have more difficulties than children adopted as infants (Barth & Miller, 2000). This research brings practical wisdom and empirically researched data to families, social workers, psychologists, teachers, and anyone who works with families in this challenging category. The research was based in the “I-Thou” interpersonal communication philosophy (Buber, 1923/1984) and utilized recommendations from …