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Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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Full-Text Articles in Communication

Usda Instructional Risk Messages For High Pathogen Avian Influenza, Jenna Jones Jan 2018

Usda Instructional Risk Messages For High Pathogen Avian Influenza, Jenna Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

High Pathogen Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a highly contagious disease threatening United States poultry farms. The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which current instructional risk communication by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) meets the expectations of existing literature, particularly the IDEA model. This study examined two documents produced by the USDA for the ongoing threat of HPAI, the Red Book and the Defend the Flock campaign. The aim of the documents is to provide U.S. poultry farmers and the publics with knowledge and information about prevention and response to HPAI. The IDEA model …


Framed By Sexuality: An Examination Of Identity-Messages In “Purity Culture” Reflections, Ashley Pikel Jan 2018

Framed By Sexuality: An Examination Of Identity-Messages In “Purity Culture” Reflections, Ashley Pikel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purity culture is a movement many young Evangelical Christians experienced in the 1990s and early 2000s. Purity culture espouses many values including practicing abstinence until marriage, observing strict dating and/or courtship rules, and remaining physically, emotionally, and spiritually pure. In 1997 Joshua Harris authored I Kissed Dating Goodbye (IKDG) which popularized purity culture principles. Over the past twenty years, Harris reflected on his writings as well as feedback from others to determine that some of what he wrote was incorrect. In 2016, Harris requested IKDG readers to submit their experiences with the book in the form of personal stories. Through …


Assessment Of The Impacts Of Marijuana Legalization In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Michael Lynch Jan 2018

Assessment Of The Impacts Of Marijuana Legalization In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Michael Lynch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As marijuana legalization expands in the United States, communities that are shifting rapidly from prohibition to legalization are impacted greatly. As South Dakota remains one of the only states in the nation that has not engaged the marijuana reform movement in any manner, it is vital to assess potential impacts marijuana legalization might have on the state. Although there are several marijuana impact reports that analyze potential health and economic impacts of legalization, few address political and criminological implications that impacted areas undergo as a result of this policy change. Subsequently, there is a need to analyze the impacts of …


"I Don't Want To Hear About Your Dick": Communicatively Managing Stigma Surrounding Foreskin Restoration, Joshua Hartelt Jan 2018

"I Don't Want To Hear About Your Dick": Communicatively Managing Stigma Surrounding Foreskin Restoration, Joshua Hartelt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Goffman (1963) defined stigma as an individual being unable to receive social acceptance because of a specific characteristic by being marked based on a characteristic, which can visible or invisible. This study examined how men undergoing foreskin restoration communicatively manage the stigma associated with restoring their foreskin. Through 13 interviews, I was able to thematically code using Meisenbach’s (2010) stigma management communication typology which served as an excellent theoretical fit. My results suggest that men undergoing foreskin restoration deploy several sub-strategies to manage stigma, as well as utilize multiple strategies simultaneously. Furthermore, my results indicate the possibility of new stigma …


Social Media Adoption Among Small-Market Mississippi Newspapers, William Dejournett Jan 2018

Social Media Adoption Among Small-Market Mississippi Newspapers, William Dejournett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study attempts to examine the attitudes, application and results of Mississippi newspapers’ and others’ use of social media. The goals are to determine the worth of social media to Mississippi newspapers, and to try to identify if there is any anecdotal or other information linking the use of social media to increased readership (print or electronic) and ad sales. Additional goals are to identify if there are any innovative or creative ways newspapers are utilizing social media so that these methods may be employed by other newspapers. The diffusion of innovations theory is an important aspect of this study, …


#Rest In Digital Peace: Examining Attachment Dimensions' Relationship To Grief Messages On Facebook, Kendall Uhrich Jan 2018

#Rest In Digital Peace: Examining Attachment Dimensions' Relationship To Grief Messages On Facebook, Kendall Uhrich

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grief is a natural reaction to loss that can include behaviors and thoughts that are emotional, physical, and spiritual (DeSpelder & Strickland, 2015). With the rise of social media, grief is now performed in a different and more public manner. The current literature has established the connection between how one grieves and their attachment dimension of either attachment anxiety or attachment avoidance (Bowlby, 1980; Schenck, Eberle, & Rings, 2016; Waskowic & Chartier, 2003; Worden, 1983). Attachment dimensions have also been correlated with social media usage, primarily the use of Facebook (Hart, Nalling, Bizer, & Collins, 2015; Lin, 2015). Findings from …


No “I” In Team: A Sport Communication Ethnography Of Cohesion And Leadership Of A Collegiate Track And Field Team, Dean Stier Jan 2018

No “I” In Team: A Sport Communication Ethnography Of Cohesion And Leadership Of A Collegiate Track And Field Team, Dean Stier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Based on an ethnographic method of observation and ethnographic interviews, this study examined naturally-occurring nonverbal communication and sport communication of a collegiate track and field team. The researcher conducted twentyfour hours of observations and ethnographic interviews with seven research participants (n=7). These approaches provided insight into communicative characteristics of cohesion and leadership, two main conditions of the groupthink theory. An analysis of the observational field notes and ethnographic interviews mostly supported prior research on cohesion and leadership. However, emergent themes are offered, which provide insight into gender communication, sport communication, and small group communication within this setting. A discussion of …


Depending On Twitter For Breaking News: A Comparison Between American And Saudi Students, Maria Zoheir Hamdan Jan 2018

Depending On Twitter For Breaking News: A Comparison Between American And Saudi Students, Maria Zoheir Hamdan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aimed to measure the extent of American and Saudi students' dependence on twitter to get breaking news and how they interact with this platform in light of uses and gratifications theory. To investigate the similarities and differences between the two groups, 91 American students and 98 Saudi students participated in an online survey in spring 2018. It concluded that both American and Saudi students depend on twitter to get breaking news, and finding out what is happening is the first motivation to use twitter. While most Saudi students voted for twitter as the most important source to get …


A Body A Day: Constructing Deviance At The Mississippi State Asylum, Rachel Christine Childs Jan 2018

A Body A Day: Constructing Deviance At The Mississippi State Asylum, Rachel Christine Childs

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though the first graves of assumed-former asylum patients were discovered at the University of Mississippi Medical Center over 25 years ago, it wasn’t until 2017 that the estimated body count—which had been rising in reports for several years—rose above 7,000. Along with national attention, the growing burial site has prompted large-scale efforts by a consortium of scientists and scholars to determine how best to utilize and memorialize the remains, and yet to date, a complete cultural study that explores the sociopolitical context which these people represent has yet to be published. Consisting primarily of archival material and interviews, my research …


How Newspapers In China, India And Bangladesh Framed The Rohingya Crisis Of 2017, Md Khadimul Islam Jan 2018

How Newspapers In China, India And Bangladesh Framed The Rohingya Crisis Of 2017, Md Khadimul Islam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Rohingya persecution in Myanmar’s Rakhine state in 2017 attracted intense international media attention. In light of normative theory, media of different countries are assumed to cover an issue differently because of differences in the socio-political systems involved. This study examines how media from three different countries framed the Rohingya Muslim issue. These systematic and qualitative content analyses of six newspapers from three neighboring countries — China, India and Bangladesh — examines media framing of Myanmar in light of Robinson’s (2001) Policy-Media Interaction model. The timeframe of the study was one month, starting on the first day of Myanmar’s Rohingya …


Home Is Where The Hot Tamale Is: Rediscovering The Delta, Georgia Corinne Clarke Jan 2018

Home Is Where The Hot Tamale Is: Rediscovering The Delta, Georgia Corinne Clarke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project is an in-depth personal exploration of the hot tamale in the Mississippi Delta, presented in a long-form magazine piece. It analyzes the cultural exchange that brought the hot tamale to the region in the early 20th century, its racial representation in the Delta, and its future as chefs across the nation seek to interpret the regional cuisine. Further, this thesis analyzes the hot tamale’s components that tell why and how the hot tamale became a staple, and the story of hardship and discrimination that it symbolizes. Traveling through my own past, this piece reflects the interactions that …


A Complex Calculus: How Message Format And Processing Route Coordinate To Influence Hpv Vaccination Message Persuasiveness Among Young Adults, Laura Boutemen Jan 2018

A Complex Calculus: How Message Format And Processing Route Coordinate To Influence Hpv Vaccination Message Persuasiveness Among Young Adults, Laura Boutemen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection may lead to cancer and genital warts yet can be prevented by a safe and effective vaccine recommended for individuals up to 26 years old. HPV vaccination rates remain low among college aged adults that represent a catch-up population still eligible to receive the HPV vaccine. This present study is a theory-based investigation employing the Heuristic Systematic Model to explore the effect of message format and processing route on attitude and behavioral intention in the context of HPV vaccination. Undergraduate students aged 17-26 years old (N = 261) from various majors (e.g., STEM, social sciences, humanities) …


Holding Off On The Fun Stuff: Academic Media Multitasking And Binge Watching Among College Students, Kelly Merrill Jr. Jan 2018

Holding Off On The Fun Stuff: Academic Media Multitasking And Binge Watching Among College Students, Kelly Merrill Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

College students are often faced with the temptation of engaging in academic media multitasking and binge watching or completing their academic coursework in a timely and effective manner. A quantitative survey (N = 651) explored trait individual differences in self-control and academic delay of gratification and situational individual differences in enjoyment, reward, procrastination, regret, and guilt as predictors of academic media multitasking frequency, binge watching frequency, and binge watching duration. Stepwise regressions reveal that self-control is not a predictor of these media behaviors, while age and greater enjoyment were the only predictors of academic media multitasking and gender and greater …


App-Ily Ever After - Self-Presentation And Perception Of Others On The Dating App Tinder, Johnathan Dunlop Jan 2018

App-Ily Ever After - Self-Presentation And Perception Of Others On The Dating App Tinder, Johnathan Dunlop

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Location-based real-time dating (LBRTD) apps have become an increasingly common way for people to broaden their social network and meet others for the purposes of dating, friendship, and more. This investigation focused on Tinder, presently the most widely-used LBRTD app. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-three current and recent Tinder users to gain insight into their self-presentation strategies and impressions of others on the app. The questions concentrated around four major topic areas: use of photos, use of bio text, perception of others, and real or imagined deception. A grounded theory approach was used to frame the data. From this, …


What #Nowomanever Wants To Hear: The Social Construction Of Corrective Facework After Street Harassment, Emily Knapp Jan 2018

What #Nowomanever Wants To Hear: The Social Construction Of Corrective Facework After Street Harassment, Emily Knapp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the social construction of women's corrective facework after experiencing gender based street harassment. A thematic analysis using open coding was used to explore, examine, and identify themes within the data. Three major themes were revealed in the data and they are 1) a resistance against a cycle of facework, 2) public spaces without accountability, and 3) disproportionate responses from men. In addition to the three themes, I will present an interpretation of Twitter as a public journal used to resist normative realities of gender based street harassment. These results are important …


Coming To A Full Stop: An Investigation Of Menstrual Period Stigmas In College Students, Mary Jane O'Toole Jan 2018

Coming To A Full Stop: An Investigation Of Menstrual Period Stigmas In College Students, Mary Jane O'Toole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this study was to understand perceptions college students have regarding menstruation and if viewing a normalized media message may influence these perceptions. A treatment group of participants was randomly assigned to view an episode of the hit family sitcom Blackish that focused on menstruation and then answer survey questions. A control group of participants only answered the survey questions. A mixed methods analysis revealed three primary conclusions. First, these results contradict existing research in that the college students surveyed generally do not hold negative perceptions that may stigmatize menstruation. Second, the treatment that viewed the normalized media …


Organizational Legitimacy As Co-Created Value, Christina Maria Olsen Jan 2018

Organizational Legitimacy As Co-Created Value, Christina Maria Olsen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore how co-creational processes contribute to organizational legitimacy as a valuable outcome for organizations. 13 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with digital communication professionals from a variety of organizations in the United States to better understand the use of social media platforms and perceptions of value from engaging with stakeholders in co-creation. Results showed that organizations engaged in co-creation of brand meaning via different methods such as referrals and feedback and that organizations reached different kinds of outcomes via these co-creational processes. These include being a resource for stakeholders, gaining brand advocates, reaching …


Gender And Conflict In Long-Term Romantic Relationships, Emily Hamlin Jan 2018

Gender And Conflict In Long-Term Romantic Relationships, Emily Hamlin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Conflict is inevitable, but not inherently negative. All relationships face conflict with some frequency and long-term romantic partnerships are no exception. This exploratory qualitative study investigated conflict types, approaches, and affective components using digital conflict journals. Participants logged their relational conflict for one month in order to gain insight into the communication practices and conflict perceptions of couples. A conflict cycle and sensemaking framework was applied to identify patterns and best practices.


Public Speaking Instructors' Perceptions Of College Students Who Stutter, Charlotte Harvey Jan 2018

Public Speaking Instructors' Perceptions Of College Students Who Stutter, Charlotte Harvey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study queried collegiate level instructors of public speaking asking if there was a gender based difference in their attitudes and beliefs about stuttering. The survey examined for relationships between instructor level of education and: sources of knowledge, knowledge of causation and, amount of knowledge about stuttering. Communication literature searches indicated there were few, if any, studies which specifically addressed the knowledge levels, sources of knowledge and causation information for stuttering. Stuttering occurs in approximately 1% of the worldwide population so it is reasonable to expect that most collegiate level instructors would have individuals who stutter presenting in their classrooms. …


Help Me Be Healthy: Perceptions Of Social Support In An Online Weight Loss Program, Brittany Davies Jan 2018

Help Me Be Healthy: Perceptions Of Social Support In An Online Weight Loss Program, Brittany Davies

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As technology changes, so do the ways in which we receive information, provide information and interact with one another. The exchange of social support is increasingly mediated by technology in the realm of health, nutrition, and fitness (Dahl, et al 2015; Wright et al 2011). Commercial weight loss and healthy lifestyle initiatives such as the Beachbody programs incorporate social media and web applications to reach a broader consumer base with individualized programming options. The present study, guided by optimal matching theory and the helper theory principle, employed online participant-observation and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Beachbody coaches and participants to investigate …


Raça, Jinshu, Race: Whiteness, Japanese-Ness, And Resistance In Sūkyō Mahikari In The Brazilian Amazon, Moana Luri De Almeida Jan 2018

Raça, Jinshu, Race: Whiteness, Japanese-Ness, And Resistance In Sūkyō Mahikari In The Brazilian Amazon, Moana Luri De Almeida

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presented an analysis of how leaders and adherents of a Japanese religion called Sūkyō Mahikari understand and interpret jinshu (race) and hito(person) in a particular way, and how this ideology is practiced in the city of Belém, in the Brazilian Amazon. The teachings of Sūkyō Mahikari classify humanity into five races (yellow, white, red, blue/green, black/purple) and five religions (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism). In this classification, the original humans - hito, the kingly race ōbito, and the God-given supra-religion sūkyō - deteriorated into ningen (people), the other races, and shūkyō (religions) along an …


Style Speaks: Clothing Judgments, Gender Stereotypes, And Expectancy Violations Of Professional Women, Jamie Lower Jan 2018

Style Speaks: Clothing Judgments, Gender Stereotypes, And Expectancy Violations Of Professional Women, Jamie Lower

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Clothing is a powerful nonverbal communicative tool and form of self-expression that provides others with clues about our personality, mood, education, culture, financial status, and social ranking, amongst numerous other impression cues. Research shows that physical appearance plays a prominent role in the formation of initial judgments and is significant in shaping a person's overall impression on others (Richmond, McCroskey, & Payne, 1991). The present study sought to quantitatively explore the effect that different styles of dress have on initial judgments formed about women in workplace settings. Using expectancy violation theory, the study investigates workplace gender bias and whether or …


Social Media Usage By Municipal Elected Officials For Open Government Community Engagement, Sarah Stoeckel Jan 2018

Social Media Usage By Municipal Elected Officials For Open Government Community Engagement, Sarah Stoeckel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As public administration has evolved with the technological advances in today's society, it can be challenging to ensure the demands of the public are being met in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and engagement. Nonetheless, a focus on community remains at the forefront of public administration. When looking at technology and the community, the tool known as social media emerges. Social media has allowed people to interact in new ways and therefore, has allowed the government to interact with citizens in ways they have not been able to in the past. In addition to attempting to modernize public administration, there has …


Throne Of Fans: Examining The Roles Of Feminism, Platform And Community In An Online Fandom, Sarah Leiser Jan 2018

Throne Of Fans: Examining The Roles Of Feminism, Platform And Community In An Online Fandom, Sarah Leiser

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis involves examining the influence of feminism, platform and community on the fandom of Sarah J Maas (SJM) novels on the social network site Tumblr. The goals are to show how a shift to an open social network site has changed the practice of fandom and how various feminisms are applied to popular culture and learned through Tumblr. An ethnographic study and textual analysis on SJM fandom posts and interactions on Tumblr were utilized in order to reach these goals. The observations and analysis examines the data in three categories: the established characteristics of fandom on Tumblr, the characteristics …


A Qualitative Analysis Of Key Concepts In Islam From The Perspective Of Imams, Chandler Dobiyanski Jan 2018

A Qualitative Analysis Of Key Concepts In Islam From The Perspective Of Imams, Chandler Dobiyanski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The continuous occurrence of terrorist attacks in the name of Islam has shown this ideology and its tenets are at least somewhat connected to jihadists committing attacks in its name. This ideology in terms of 13 themes was investigated by the researcher in 58 sermons outlined in the tables in the appendix. These themes include: brotherhood, death, freedom, human rights, justice and equality, love, oppression, peace and treaty, self-defense, sin, submission, terrorism and truth vs. lies. The researcher used a sample of 10 sermons from U.S.- born imams and 10 sermons from foreign-born imams as the basis for the analysis …


Analysis Of United States Congresswomen's Tweets During The 2017 And 2018 Women's Marches Against Donald Trump In The U.S., Cynthia Nnagboro Jan 2018

Analysis Of United States Congresswomen's Tweets During The 2017 And 2018 Women's Marches Against Donald Trump In The U.S., Cynthia Nnagboro

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the content of United States Congresswomen's Tweets during the 2017 and 2018 Women's March on Washington (WMW). The research is based on the media framing theory. Previous literature has asserted that women in Congress place a higher priority on women's issues than other policy legislations. This study sought to determine the degree to which these assertions were true by analyzing Congresswomen's tweets during the WMW. A total of 1950 tweets from Congresswomen were collected during four days and analyzed for content and tone. Findings in this thesis invalidate that claim as the results of the investigation shows …


The Evolution Of Shared Responsibility And Instructional Risk Communication In Brazil's Campaign Against The Zika Virus, Rodrigo Soares Jan 2018

The Evolution Of Shared Responsibility And Instructional Risk Communication In Brazil's Campaign Against The Zika Virus, Rodrigo Soares

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study provides an evaluation of instructional risk communication practices in Brazil's response to the Zika virus during the 2016/2017 campaign. The communication was instructionally focused, explaining the way the disease is transmitted, what to do if the person is infected, and characteristics of the mosquito. The authorities also tried to convince the publics that, because the mosquito breeds in everyone's houses and apartments, everyone could be part of the solution. The social, economic and cultural characteristics of the country, the population's low levels of health literacy, and a long-lasting government credibility problem in the country make Brazil's fight against …


Recruiting Followers For The Caliphate: A Narrative Analysis Of Four Jihadist Magazines, Andrea Madrazo Jan 2018

Recruiting Followers For The Caliphate: A Narrative Analysis Of Four Jihadist Magazines, Andrea Madrazo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study identifies and compares the methods of recruitment used by three prime jihadist organizations through their online magazines. The successful recruitment efforts and growth as a threat by the Islamic State of Iraq and Shām (ISIS), Al-Qaeda, and Al-Shabaab are attributed, in part, to the widespread popularity and accessibility of Dabiq and Rumiyah (published by ISIS), Inspire (published by Al-Qaeda), and Gaidi Mtaani (published by Al-Shabaab). In order to best examine the techniques of persuasion and propaganda to recruit new followers, the theoretical approach of compliance-gaining theory and methodological approach of a narrative analysis are applied. The author analyzed …


Celebrities, Fans, And Queering Gender Norms: A Critical Examination Of Lady Gaga's, Nicki Minaj's, And Fans' Use Of Instagram, Brandy Dieterle Jan 2018

Celebrities, Fans, And Queering Gender Norms: A Critical Examination Of Lady Gaga's, Nicki Minaj's, And Fans' Use Of Instagram, Brandy Dieterle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation used queer rhetoric as a lens for studying queering gender norms on Instagram by using Lady Gaga's, Nicki Minaj's, and fan posts as case studies. The research considers how celebrities may use social media, like Instagram, for queering gender norms, and what this might look like. This research also aimed to better understand if and how fans may take up celebrities' efforts at queering gender norms and, in turn, queer gender norms in their own Instagram posts where they tag Gaga or Minaj. To conduct this research, I took a multimodal methodological approach and collected and coded 1,000 …


After The Shoe Fits: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Four Versions Of The Cinderella Narrative, Faith L. Boren May 2017

After The Shoe Fits: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Four Versions Of The Cinderella Narrative, Faith L. Boren

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fairy tales hold the power to influence societies and to challenge societal injustices, and the story of Cinderella exemplifies both of these roles. In this study, I conduct a rhetorical analysis of four different versions of the Cinderella narrative: Charles Perrault’s “Cendrillon,” the Brothers Grimm’s “Ascenputtel,” Anne Sexton’s "Cinderella,” and Disney’s Cinderella (2015). I examine Perrault’s “Cendrillon” and the Grimms’ “Aschenputtel” using constitutive rhetoric. This theory operates around the basic premise that rhetoric holds the power to aid in the shaping of societies. While analyzing “Cendrillon” and “Aschenputtel,” I specifically look for themes of classism and nationalism, respectively. I then …