Communication Commons^™

Surf's Up: Communicative Aspects Of Online Trust-Building Via Reducing Uncertainty Online In Couchsurfing, Maura Rae Cherney

Theses and Dissertations

Couchsurfing is a website community allowing members to offer and receive travel accommodations, with members, typically connecting online before meeting offline. Risky behaviors associated with Couchsurfing require members to have great amounts of trust for the other parties involved. Because trust can be achieved through uncertainty reduction and considering the predicted outcome value, the present study seeks to determine how members seek information online in order to trust other members. An online questionnaire was circulated to Couchsurfing hosts to report about what website features provide the most essential information to trust other members and, within those features, what additionally members …

Crime And Poverty In Detroit: A Cross-Referential Critical Analysis Of Ideographs And Framing, Jacob Jerome Nickell

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how the relationship between crime and poverty is rhetorically constructed within the news media. To this end, I investigate the content of twelve news articles, published online, that offered coverage of crime in the city of Detroit, Michigan. I employ three methods in my criticism of these texts: ideographic analysis, critical framing analysis, and an approach that considers ideographs and framings elements to be rhetorical constructions that function together. In each phase of my analysis, I developed ideological themes from concepts emerging from the texts. I then approached my discussion of these findings from a perspective of …

Olympian Sponsorship Roles: Sports Identification, Credibility, And Intent To Purchase, Amy Alexis Rothblum

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates whether Olympian athletes make for high-quality sponsors in advertising strategies and campaign efforts. The research focuses on social cognitive theory, specifically the role of identification to determine if strong identification and celebrity credibility can lead customers to intent to purchase. The results demonstrate that there is a positive correlation between the team identification and sports fans identification and the perceived credibility of the famous Olympian and the lesser known Olympian. There was also a significant correlation between team identification and intent to purchase with the lesser known Olympian, but not with any other condition or variable.

When Can We Meet For Coffee? : Strategies In Online Dating To Build Liking When Exchanging Mediated Messages, Jacob I. Hazzard

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates what strategies are implemented in online dating settings by online daters that lead to an offline meeting. The variables of openness and attentiveness were used as the main strategies that lead to liking between individuals using this dating medium. The study compared levels of openness and attentiveness between groups of online daters who decided to meet offline and those who decided not to meet offline after exchanging messages on the online dating site. The results show there is a higher level of both openness and attentiveness reported by the participants who met someone offline when compared to …

Fashioning A Rhetoric Of Style: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Urban Street Style Representations In New York City, Amber Pineda

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines how urban street styles are used rhetorically within local boroughs in New York City as a form of resistance to the dominant fashion industry that dictates what is "in fashion" through media. A total of fifteen video blogs developed by The New York Times were analyzed, each containing a representation of one of the five boroughs of New York City: Staten Island, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens. The analysis identified themes of a rhetoric of style, consisting of primacy of text, imaginary communities, aesthetic rationales, market contexts, and stylistic homologies. These themes were then analyzed by drawing …

Online Privacy Issues: Awareness, Attitudes, And Perceptions Amongst Internet Users In Egypt, Dalia Nagy Khalil Alfred

Theses and Dissertations

This study gauges the level of awareness, attitudes towards, and perceptions of online privacy policies for Internet users in Egypt. It examines how demographics as in age, gender, and education may affect the level of Internet users’awareness, attitudes, and perceptions of online privacy issues. Further, it surveys what personal information Internet users in Egypt perceive as private and accept to share with web providers, search engines or third parties. The theory of Communication Privacy Management (CPM), which was developed by Sandra Petronio, poised that Internet users choose and manage the usage of privacy policies and rules based on their cultural …

Diversity And Inclusion: An Analysis Of The Best Companies To Work For And Fortune 100 Companies' Websites, Emma Peckham Nordquist

Theses and Dissertations

Corporate websites provide outsiders with a glimpse into organizations. 200 companies from among Glassdoor's "Best Companies to Work For" lists for 2013 and 2014, along with a list of Fortune 100 companies were analyzed through a textual analysis for how a company communicates diversity on their corporate websites. Findings revealed six suggestions for organizations on how best to communicate diversity on their corporate websites. The suggestions include: Be transparent, dedicate a single webpage, use testimonials, title the web page "Diversity and Inclusion," have diversity reach beyond the corporate website, and provide realistic pictures. Using Geertz and Pacanowsky's Cultural Approach to …

Online Course Management System For Wic Nutrition Education And Study Of Its Effectiveness In Behavioral And Attitude Changes, Ryan A. Amy

Theses and Dissertations

Social media has been used in a variety of contexts to connect people of varying backgrounds and as a method of teaching. This thesis collaborated with the Utah County Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) department to develop an online course management system that facilitated research to evaluate the effectiveness of social media on nutrition behavior and attitude changes among WIC clients. We created a toddler themed Facebook page in conjunction with the online nutrition classes and provided the opportunity for clients to use them. Previous social media research used individuals that had agreed to participate in the social media experiment …

Gender Differences In Text Messaging, Sara R. Shawcroft

Theses and Dissertations

Text messaging is a significant social phenomenon that merits investigation. Communications theories are well suited to this type of research because text messaging serves as both mediated communication and interpersonal communication. This kind of research can also contribute to a deeper understanding of communication differences between genders. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether there are gender differences in the use of text messaging and, if so, what the differences are. Participants for the study were recruited via convenience sampling. The sample consisted of 27 participants ages 18--35; 14 were female and 13 were male. Data were collected …

Hegemonic Resistance In Hip-Hop Music: A Gramscian Rhetorical Criticism Of Tupac Shakur, Scott Andrew Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

This project examines the rhetorical elements in the work of Tupac Shakur that provide the capacity for resistance against hegemonic conditions of oppression. A popular, socially-conscious rapper of the 1980s and 1990s, Shakur's music opened a window not only for others to understand the social injustices facing Black Americans, but provided Blacks living in conditions of poverty and oppression with a voice in society. Using a Gramscian lens of rhetorical criticism, this study examines the neo-marxist elements of hegemonic structure present in select tracks produced during Shakur's lifetime. This analysis explores the rhetorical strategies deployed by Shakur to bring awareness …

The Changing Focus Of Education: How Rowan University Professors View The Shift Toward Online Education, Genevieve Cross

Theses and Dissertations

This study explores Rowan University professors' attitudes toward online education and its increasing prevalence. The researcher used an online survey program by which participants' feedback was gathered. The survey was sent to 201 Rowan University professors, and the data was analyzed with the computer program, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to obtain calculations and percentages. The survey results are presented in both narrative and chart form. The researcher concluded that from the results of the study that Rowan University professors' have diverse opinions about online education, but also recognize the value in this asset to higher education. Specific …

'I Like You Both The Same, But For Different Reasons': Differences Between Communication Mediums Related To Self-Disclosure, Responsiveness, And Self-Awareness, Kevin Joseph Wallpe

Theses and Dissertations

As computer-mediated communication (CMC) increasingly becomes a part of people's everyday lives (Mesch & Talmud, 2006), it becomes important to understand what differentiates this mode of communication from traditional face-to-face (FtF) communication. Some studies have shown that CMC interactions are related to greater liking (relative to FtF) of previously unacquainted interaction partners (McKenna, Green, & Gleason, 2002; Ramirez & Zhang, 2007), whereas others have concluded just the opposite -- that FtF interactions are related to more liking of previously unacquainted interaction partners (Mallen, Day, & Green, 2003; Okdie, Guadagno, Bernieri, Geers, & Mclarney-Vesotski, 2011). What leads to the inconsistent findings …

The State V. Perry: Comparative Newspaper Coverage Of South Carolina's Most Prominent Civil Rights Lawyer, Christopher G. Frear

Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzes news coverage of civil rights lawyer Matthew J. Perry Jr. by the South Carolina's largest newspaper, the (Columbia, SC) State at three points in his career as a lawyer, political candidate, and federal judge. At each point, Perry's legal and political work in the African American freedom struggle challenged the boundaries of the socially and politically legitimate in South Carolina and the Deep South. Perry negotiated the way forward with white officials. He helped African Americans achieve access to education, political office, and the administration of justice, and in the process helped reshape the racial caste system …

Visualization, Viewer And Emotion: An Empirical Study Of Cognition And Affective Responses To Infographics Used For Crisis Communication, Sean M. Stewart

Theses and Dissertations

A 3 (crisis response strategy) x 3 (medium) factorial design experiment was conducted to determine if information graphics conveyed through online news sources may be more beneficial for organizational reputations during some crisis situations than the use of news videos and text-based news stories. Variables examined include cognitive and affective appraisal, third-person effect, behavioral response and crisis response strategy.

Recent research in organizational crisis communications has pointed to the fact that more information is needed regarding how individuals react cognitively and affectively to crisis communications. Current crisis communications literature is also sparse concerning the behavioral aspects of crisis message reception …

Characteristics Of Effective Communication About Mental Health In An African American Urban Community: A Qualitative Analysis, Jeannette Porter

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown African Americans experience mental health issues at the same rate as the general population but seek treatment at only one-third that rate. Eleven African American low-income urban community leaders with basic training in mental health issues were interviewed about their perceptions of African American patterns of communication on mental health issues. Findings included a general consensus that the topic is generally not discussed, although passing references to a party’s perceived mental illness may be made using humor. When such discussion does take place, it happens only in a “safe space” with a trusted dialogue partner. Non-verbal cues …

Parental Mediation Of Adolescent Movie Viewing, Larry James Webster Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

Parental mediation of media use by children has been studied extensively as it applies to television and children 12 years old and younger. This study expands the scope of Parental Mediation Theory by applying it to adolescents (age 13-17 years old) and movie viewing. The results of this study show overall parental mediation of adolescent movie viewing is negatively associated with the age of the child. The results show that among parents who mediate movie viewing, restrictive, instructive and social co-viewing mediation strategies are negatively correlated with the age of the adolescent. Third Person Effect is also examined as parental …

Emotional Bond Between The Creator And The Avatar: Changes In Behavioral Intentions To Engage In Alcohol-Related Traffic Risk Behaviors, Hokyung Kim

Theses and Dissertations

The present study examines the joint impact of relationship with one's avatar and negative consequences to the avatar on changing behavioral intentions (CBI) in terms of alcohol-impaired driving. Avatars are users' visual self-representation in a virtual world, and play a major role to build the users' digital identity. One hundred eleven participants volunteered to participate in several experimental conditions where the degree of choice of avatar features and the degree of active control of the avatar were manipulated in Second Life, an immersive 3D virtual environment. Participants who were allowed to customize their avatar viewed their avatar more similar and …

How Social Media Affect The Social Identity Of Mexican Americans, Kaitlin Eve Felsted

Theses and Dissertations

This is a thesis conducted qualitatively using the Grounded Theory approach where in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 legal Mexican Americans in order to understand how social media affect Mexican Americans' social identity. This effect was understood by discovering the relationships between social identity theory and integration. Results showed that Mexican Americans felt that social media helped them with their English skills and connected them to their friends and family in Mexico. Mexican Americans were able to use social media to connect to their in-group community, and Mexican American community leaders were able to connect Mexicans to their in-group within …

Character Education And Parental Involvement: Impact On Academic Achievement, Katie Hood

Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted to determine (a) if a positive correlation exists between character education and academic achievement in three New Jersey public elementary schools and (b) if a positive correlation exists between parental involvement and academic achievement in the same three schools. NJ ASK data supported the notions that character education and parental involvement related to academic achievement. A content analysis of two documents about each school provided the researcher with the level to which each school promoted character education and parental involvement. Interviews with public school administrators and staff discussed the relationships that exist among these three factors …

An Analysis Of The Marketing Tactics Used To Influence Millennial Generation Students In Their Decision To Attend A Two-Year Or A Four-Year College, Andrea Stanton

Theses and Dissertations

This study will attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of college recruitment marketing tactics used to influence Millennial Generation students, ages 17 to 22 years old, in their decision to attend either a two-year or a four-year college. Changing demographics and projections indicate a decline in the number of high school graduates within the next three to five years. This shift translates into fewer college applications and more competition among institutions of higher learning making it easier for most students to get accepted into college. The researcher will use focus groups and a survey to examine the perception of community colleges …

Conversations With Inanimate Objects: A Mortuary Analysis Of Oakland-Fraternal Cemeteries In Little Rock, Arkansas., Jeff L. Wright

Theses and Dissertations

From 2012-2013 a mortuary analysis of Oakland-Fraternal cemeteries in Little Rock, Arkansas was conducted for this thesis. Evidence that this cemetery serves as a cultural database for the city of Little Rock and that resources like this should be preserved as Cultural Resource Management projects are presented in an interdisciplinary approach to mortuary analysis combining the disciplines of Anthropology and Rhetoric. Analysis of iconography found on grave markers was conducted employing Robert E. Horn's visual rhetoric theories and methodologies. Kenneth Burke's Dramatic Pentad was also employed as a tool for measuring the motivations behind the authorship of grave markers. Issues …

Analysis Of Belarusian Media In 2011: Discourse, Argument Construction, And Propaganda Framing, Tatsiana Karaliova

Theses and Dissertations

The mass media system in Belarus is characterized by the coexistence of two types of mass media - state-run and independent. This study looks at the difference in characteristics of coverage in these two types of media outlets in terms of diversity of perspectives, argument construction, and propaganda framing. A significant difference in the nature of discourse on the major events in Belarus in 2011 in state-run and independent media exposed their distinct ideological viewpoints. State-run media favored a pro-government perspective and widely presented anti-opposition and anti-revolutionary opinion. Lack of plurality and rational arguments, anti-globalization and Soviet nostalgia rhetoric were …

The Rise Of Humor: Hollywood Increases Adult Centered Humor In Animated Children's Films, Chelsie Lynn Akers

Theses and Dissertations

Children's animated films have held a lasting influence on their audiences since the rise of their popularity in the 1980s. As adults co-view such films with their children Hollywood has had to rewrite the formula for a successful animated children's film. This thesis argues that a main factor in audience expansion is adult humor. The results show that children's animated films from 2002-2013 are riddled with many instances of adult humor while earlier films from 1982-1993 use adult humor sparingly. It is clear that over the years the number of adult humor occurrences has consistently increased. Furthermore, this research shows …

Adapt, Adopt Or Create New Approaches? Albania And The Question Of An Emerging Country In The Field Of Public Relations, Jetmira Karanxha

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a description of the emerging state of the public relations field in Albania under the framework and influence of four main public relations worldviews including persuasive/marketing, relationship management, community building, and personal influence. This study seeks to give insights into how an emerging country in the field of public relations approaches the development of the field; whether it adapts, adopts or creates new practices. The research design proposed by the author aims to shed some light on possible theoretical meanings and themes that could be developing in countries where the field of …

The Influence Of Media On Himba Conceptions Of Dress, Ancestral And Cattle Worship, And The Implications For Culture Change, Austin Sterling Cameron

Theses and Dissertations

For the Himba, deeply embedded cultural symbols—traditional daily way of life, traditional beliefs about the sacredness of cattle, and religious beliefs of ancestral worship—are of ancient origin and have been retained in their culture throughout all of recorded history. While they still exist in Himba society today, some scholars have observed a potential widespread generational shift in adherence to these core cultural values and beliefs. This study presents the findings of 41 in-depth interviews with members of the Himba tribe in northern Namibia—specifically Opuwo and Otutati—ages 18 to 65. It examines the degree to which cultural differences are emerging as …

Blogging In Defense Of Themselves: Social Media Implications For Rhetorical Criticism And The Genre Of Apologia, Ramona Dee Wheeler

Theses and Dissertations

The advent of social media has provided an arena where barriers to entry are low. Individuals may persuade, question others and defend both their philosophies and their actions. This study examines the classic role of rhetorical criticism as it may apply in new media venues. A blog written by a public figure was examined through a synthesis of rhetorical criticism analyses derived from Ware and Linkugel, Vartabedian, and Downey. Four strategies and associated positioning in the practice of apologia were identified in selected blog posts, indicating the genre of apologia applies to social media apologies and extends the genre of …

Countering Transient Gain Behavior In Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifiers: A Cross Layer Approach To Optical Networking, Sachin Sharma

Theses and Dissertations

Different methods have been proposed in the literature for improving the quality and throughput performance of optical networks, decreasing the bit error rate as well as, avoiding saturation of physical layer components. With the increasing demand for high speed Internet and explosive growth in real time applications over the Internet, it is essential to determine the feasibility of establishing light paths with appropriate quality of service (QoS) using optical switching and networking. In view of today's agile Internet traffic, the next generation optical networks will consist of fibers, amplifiers, switching elements, routers and optical cross connects. Optical fibers, optical switching …

Why Do We Just Do It: A Study Of Adolescents' Influences For Nike Sneakers, Kyle Gallagher

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research project is to examine the motivations, influences and purchase-decision behavior of adolescent boys regarding athletic footwear and apparel. Due to its supremacy in the athletic apparel and equipment industry, the author focused on Nike during this study. The researcher collected a convenience sample of fifteen adolescent boys residing in Southern New Jersey to participate in a focus group session and telephone interviews, and complete a 24-question survey. The researcher segmented the population into three groups, using age ranges as the parameters. Group A consisted of five boys ages 10-12 years old, Group B consisted of …

Making Stewardship Meaningful For Nonprofits: Stakeholder Motivations, Attitudes, Loyalty And Behaviors, Geah N. Pressgrove

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the ways in which stewardship motivates nonprofit stakeholder attitudes, behaviors and loyalty. Using an online survey of stakeholders from eight local United Ways in one southern state (N=660), this research has three major focuses. First, it seeks to validate a scale to measure perceptions of the relationship cultivation strategies of stewardship. Second, it investigates group differences between nonprofit stakeholder types (donor only versus both donor and volunteer). Third, the study explores opportunities to extend existing relationship management models beyond assessments of perceived relationship quality to include desirable behavioral outcomes.

Findings offer a new conceptualization of stewardship comprised …

Unleashed From The Shackles: Modern Media's Portrayal Of Mental Illness: United States Of Tara, Kayla Brown

Theses and Dissertations

"[With mental illness] you get a real sense of shame, because your friends go, 'Oh come on, show me the lump, show me the x-rays,' and of course you've got nothing to show," stated famous comedian Ruby Wax. A longtime sufferer of depression, Ruby Wax shares her experiences with others by advocating mental health awareness through television shows and support groups. Wax was one of many other speakers included in Technology Entertainment Design's (TED's) All Kinds of Minds segment. Elyn Saks, another speaker within this segment, overcame many challenges in spite of her condition of chronic schizophrenia. A Yale graduate, …