Communication Commons^™

The Landscape Does Not Care It Is A Landscape: A Utopian Pessimist Journey In Kentucky., Shachaf Polakow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

These thesis and exhibition, invite the viewers to travel through different places in Central and Eastern Kentucky. The region’s landscape, like many other American landscapes, is often known to the public through the settler colonial lens—a lens that ignores Indigenous peoples’ history in the region. The work in the exhibition is a response to landscape art's history and its complicity with American settler colonialism- art that was recruited to create a new identity for the settlers and for the country from the beginning of the American Colonial Project. Landscape art was a crucial part of this effort, presenting the land …

Digitods, Statistical Machine Learning Algorithms, And Internet Cognition: Sociocultural Learning Through Familial Modeling And Mediated Exchanges, Sina Foley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With ever-advancing technology and the ubiquity of smart devices, younger generations of children are growing up with access to smart mobile technology from birth. These digitally acculturated children ages 0-5, or digitods, are learning to make sense of the world in large part through sociocultural exchanges in the home. As these digital natives are habituated to mobile media, prevalent and accessible, they are also opened to data-mining and target-marketing as their online engagement signals algorithmic function. This study adds to our understanding of how digitods may be susceptible to algorithmic culture and strategic digital marketing, as familial modeling and mediated …

Flying The Unfriendly Skies: How Flight Crew Members Perceived And Communicatively Constructed The Emotional Labor Of Their Positions Throughout The Covid-19 Pandemic, William B.L. Ingelson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The COVID-19 pandemic brought about unprecedented levels of volatility to all hospitality industries, including aviation. Such levels of volatility have highlighted a need to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on flight crew communication. This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on intra-flight crew communication and the emotional labor flight crew members experienced. Utilizing the theoretical frameworks of facework, politeness theory, emotional labor, and emotional management, this study examined how participants communicated through the tumult of this time period. This study discovered heavy usage of surface acting and increased levels of emotional labor through 28 qualitative interviews …

Telehealth In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Saghi Nassrouie

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Description: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is an epidemic that has many factors involved in its management to maintain control. Patients with DM2 require routine evaluations and blood work to provide comprehensive care. COVID-19 caused major shifts in traditional care which sparked an increase in the utilization of technology like telehealth. Telehealth can be an effective tool used to manage diabetes and help attain better glucose control, but its effectiveness during the COVID-19 pandemic warrants further investigation.Purpose: The purpose of this project was to determine if telehealth visits were more effective in reducing Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in adult patients with …

“But What About Me?”: How Memorable Messages Received During Catholic Sex Education Contribute To The Development Of Identity Gaps, Hannah Novak

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sex education in the United States is a widely debated issue. Christians have supported abstinence-based education in the United States for decades (Dent & Maloney, 2017). There are numerous studies that have examined how abstinence sex education is faulty, specifically religious sex education (Judge, 2020; Levand & Ross, 2021; Rasmussen, 2010; Reuther, 2008). Studies found that religious sex education led to mental, physical, and emotional health disparities in the United States (Baker et al., 2015; Nelson et al., 2017). This study explored how memorable messages received in Catholic sex education led to the formation of identity gaps in participants' lives. …

Examining The Effectiveness Of The Mandatory Training On Relationship Violence Administered By California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Sophia Mcdevitt

Journalism

This project intends to examine the effectiveness of California Polytechnic State University’s (“Cal Poly’s”) current student requirements on the subject of intimate partner violence. The existing mandatory training is meant to inform students on the prevalence of intimate partner violence and advise them on prevention and intervention techniques. The research in this project explores a broad contextualization of intimate partner violence from a social and historical perspective, which intends to explore the possibility that students may be more likely to internalize the significance of the information if such context was included in the training model. The research also presents information …

Program Evaluation: Utilizing Health Department’S Community Health Needs Assessment Data To Improve Emergency Preparedness Plans, Kathleen Gottschalk

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

Public health officials conducting emergency response plans must know how to easily identify the vulnerable populations in their community or jurisdiction. It is beneficial for access and functional needs appendices to include information and resources directed at the identified vulnerable groups before an emergency event to improve health outcomes. Community Health Needs Assessments (CHNA) can provide population-level statistics and information needed to easily identify vulnerable or at-risk groups. This report aims to evaluate the use of the CHNA data to guide the development of inclusive emergency response plans that account for vulnerable populations in local health department jurisdictions. The 2021 …

Environment Influence On Interaction Outcomes, Kaley Lambert

Comm-entary

In tandem with other interactional elements, the body plays a substantial role in communicative interactions with companions and oneself. This research compares environmental differences between spaces from two different reality television program environments (Love is Blind and Love Island) which are specified as having the same interaction-goal, observes how the spaces may influence the types of interpersonal interactions they are built for, and compares data regarding the outcomes of said interactions within these spaces so as to provide support for the argument that environments may influence interpersonal interaction outcomes.

Impacts Of Online Debate On Ipda Inter-Team Communication, Ethan Riley Arbuckle

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper looks to analyze the differences in inter-team communication created by the International Public Debate Association’s (IPDA) switch to the virtual debate format. The analysis includes a breakdown of literature covering virtual communication, the history of the IPDA, and virtual debate. Literature has shown negative gender representation, and that virtual communication has significant internal batters to the same function as face-to-face communication. Given the impacts that virtual communication has had on connectivity, and speech patterns this research attempts to find if those impacts have been consistent in its application to the IPDA. The study uses a quantitative survey methodology …

Examining Reflexive Communication Following A Break In Alcohol Abstinence, Lynda Kay Maxfield

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Over 107 million individuals are thought to have alcohol use disorder (AUD) (Ritchie & Roser, 2018). Discontinuing drinking can be difficult, but social support is thought to promote sobriety efforts. The r/stopdrinking online public community supports such efforts. This study has two broad aims: (1) explore how resilience building might occur on r/stopdrinking among initial users disclosing an abstinence disruption and responses from other users; and, (2) explore possible relationships, within initial posts, between resilience and three other phenomena (i.e., trauma, stated views of Alcoholics Anonymous, statements reflecting the transtheoretical model’s ten processes of change; Prochaska & Prochaska, 2021). To …

Shifting The Paradigm With Wednesday Addams: Why Nuanced, Intersectional Portrayals Of Autistic People Matter, Camille Alyse Bassett

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

For decades, Autistic people have been portrayed in the media through dehumanizing stereotypes such as the robot, the superhuman savant, and the empty shell. Through these stereotypes, Autistic people are construed as non-human, above-human, and sub-human but never as human beings with complexity, authenticity, and dignity. In addition to being stereotypical, depictions of Autistic people have historically featured white and male characters, a longstanding pattern that erases Autistic women and people of color, among others. In 2022, however, Netflix’s spinoff series of The Addams Family, Wednesday, brought to the screen one of the very first autistic-coded …

The Impact Of The Csr Messages Type On Corporate Image: A Cross-Cultural Investigation, Hansen Lee

All Theses

This study investigates the impact of internal and external CSR messages on corporate image within a cross-cultural context. A 3 x 2 between-subjects experiment was conducted to examine the effects of CSR message types on general corporate image, trust, and credibility among U.S. and Chinese participants. The results revealed that U.S. and Chinese participants displayed varying levels of perceived corporate image and credibility. Chinese participants exhibited higher levels of trust, corporate image, and credibility after receiving CSR messages, regardless of type. Significant interaction effects were noted between CSR message type and culture on corporate image and credibility. Chinese participants had …

“I Chose To Look Like This”: Body Modification And Regretting Visibility, Stephen Ross

All Theses

I began collecting tattoos and piercings just after I turned eighteen. As my collection grows and it becomes harder for me to conceal my modifications, I must contend each and every day with the ways in which my body is Othered by my choice to look different. Body modification is self-actualizing for so many, but it can position someone to be stared at, to be physically violated, to be tokenized, or to be vilified. This current project dissects a few key literature areas, from body modification history to the contemporary politics of modification to aesthetic and spectacular philosophy, with the …

Exploring Avenues On Social Media For Public Health Organizations To Connect With The Lgbt+ Community, Louisa Glazunova

All Theses

There has been a significant increase in the number of nonprofit organizations that focus on health and wellness in the United States. These organizations center on creating and maintaining relationships with stakeholders through various approaches. One of these approaches is to use social media marketing to connect with their target audience and promote engagement with provided services and informational content. This study analyzed how sources of content on social media impact the LGBT+ community's perception of their relationship with a nonprofit organization specializing in LGBT+ health and well-being. An organizational-public relations and social media marketing framework was adapted to analyze …

The Influence Of Break-Ups On Subsequent Romantic Relationship Conflict Strategies Among College Students, Mattelyn Garza

All Theses

This study examined past romantic relationship partner break-up strategies (OPBS) and their influence on subsequent romantic relationship conflict strategies (SRCS) through the lens of social cognitive theory (SCT). According to SCT, observed behaviors are modeled by individuals through the mechanisms of attention, retention, motivational process and production. Past research supports the idea that romantic relationship partners and break-ups are likely to be considered important and memorable to an individual, however research has not yet investigated if romantic relationship break-ups could incite observational learning. Break-up strategies and conflict strategies have been conceptualized and evaluated very similarly by past research. Therefore, it …

Using Linkedin To Promote Effective Corporate Social Responsibility Communication Through The B2b Supply Chain, Eden Wallace

All Theses

Utilizing LinkedIn as a communication tool for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communications is a relatively unknown area of CSR research. However, existing scholarship and current business trends suggest that LinkedIn may be beneficial for business to business (B2B) companies to communicate to their corporate partners. Findings from this study advance communication scholarship in this relatively new area of research and provide new understanding in how LinkedIn can be used by companies to strengthen business operations pertaining to corporate social responsibility. This thesis examines how Equinix, a B2B company, communicates its socially responsible initiatives on LinkedIn and to what extent its …

Individual Differences In Vulnerability To Phishing, Fake News, And Vishing, Jeff Black

All Theses

Digital deception, such as phishing emails, scam phone calls, and fake news, poses a threat to anyone using digital devices. Research on digital deception often points to individual differences like age, cognitive impulsivity, and digital literacy, but has only investigated different types of digital deception independent of each other. Therefore, it is unclear whether users vulnerable to one type of deception are also vulnerable to others, and why. The present research examined relationships between vulnerability to different types of deception, and how this vulnerability is associated with common individual differences like age, cognitive impulsivity, digital literacy, and gullibility, and exploratory …

A Quantitative Examination Of The Impact Of Moderating Variables On The Experience Of Eudaimonic Outcomes, Brandon Lynn Lawson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

There has been a growing body of research looking into effects beyond enjoyment of media content. However, these explorations have primarily been outcome focused and have failed to analyze variables that could be mediating eudaimonic effects. This thesis examined the results of an experimental study investigating the variables of flow and realism and their possible impact on eudaimonic outcomes of video game play. Using data collected from 193 participants who played either the game The Last of Us Remastered or Elude, this study examined the possibility of flow mediating the relationship between realism and eudaimonic effects. Results of a hierarchical …

Health-Oriented Nonprofit Organizations: The Influence Of Framing And Altruism On Intention To Donate, Abbey Dilatush

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the influence of framing and altruism on individuals' intentions to donate to a health-oriented nonprofit organization. One hundred ninety-three participants were recruited from social media to complete an experiment online. Participants reviewed fundraising messages using either a statistical frame or a narrative frame. Following the presentation of a fundraising message participants completed close-ended self-report scales to evaluate their perceptions of the ad, their intentions to donate, and their personal altruism. Results demonstrated there was a correlation between intention to donate and ad evaluation. Next, there was no relationship between altruism and intention to donate and neither frame …

The Autistic Perspective: Interviewing Autistic Adults On Lived Experiences With Behavior Modification And How It Has Shaped Their Communication, Lighla R. Whitson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The use of behavior modification (BM) based treatment, the best-known example being Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), is established as an evidence-based practice for promoting communication and other outcomes for Autistic individuals. As such, many Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) use it in their practice to target various forms of communication. Among many autistic advocacy groups, however, ABA and other BM informed therapies are often described as a detriment to mental and emotional health. Organizations such as the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) have come out against the practices and recommend finding different approaches to teaching communication skills. Much research is needed …

Learning-Based Stock Trending Prediction By Incorporating Technical Indicators And Social Media Sentiment, Zhaoxia Wang, Zhenda Hu, Fang Li, Seng-Beng Ho, Erik Cambria

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Stock trending prediction is a challenging task due to its dynamic and nonlinear characteristics. With the development of social platform and artificial intelligence (AI), incorporating timely news and social media information into stock trending models becomes possible. However, most of the existing works focus on classification or regression problems when predicting stock market trending without fully considering the effects of different influence factors in different phases. To address this gap, this research solves stock trending prediction problem utilizing both technical indicators and sentiments of the social media text as influence factors in different situations. A 3-phase hybrid model is proposed …

Resale Hdb Price Prediction Considering Covid-19 Through Sentiment Analysis, Srinaath Anbu Durai, Zhaoxia Wang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Twitter sentiment has been used as a predictor to predict price values or trends in both the stock market and housing market. The pioneering works in this stream of research drew upon works in behavioural economics to show that sentiment or emotions impact economic decisions. Latest works in this stream focus on the algorithm used as opposed to the data used. A literature review of works in this stream through the lens of data used shows that there is a paucity of work that considers the impact of sentiments caused due to an external factor on either the stock or …

Grounded In Reality: An Exploration Of Acceptance In Relational Conflict, Audrey Johansen

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Acceptance work encompasses “the processes that allow us to be fully grounded in reality” (Canfield, 2023). It allows individuals to embrace what truly is, both the good and the bad. It enables them to be at peace with what they can’t control, so that they can put their energy into changing what is within their power.

This project explores how acceptance work connects with other aspects of conflict process, including grieving, emotional regulation, and other concepts. Research was conducted by studying materials on communication and conflict processes, and by applying the materials to the author’s life. The author explores how …

2023 Staff Bios, Author Bios, And Abstracts Brochure

Comm-entary

No abstract provided.

Interorganizational Communication: Case Study, Emma Darocha

Comm-entary

The case presented in this study examines coercive power. An eighteen-year-old freshman attending college in a new state found himself longing for a community on campus which led him to decide to join a fraternity. Regrettably, this student did not find this community or brotherhood in this fraternity. As part of the pledging initiation, he was put in an extremely dangerous situation that was overseen by the authority figures of the fraternity. When he tried to drop out of the pledge process, he was coerced by older members to continue it and made to believe that this was something that …

Performing Relationships During Special Occasion Openings, Ashley Kayla White

Comm-entary

All conversations start with an opening. However, opening sequences take on different and at times more grandiose representations during special or uncommon interactional events. How these openings are performed, furthermore, conveys much about the social dynamics and relationships between interactants. The goal of this research is to explore how special event opening practices display relationships between people in day-to-day interaction by drawing from two recordings of special occasion communication. To achieve this, a conversation analytic perspective is employed and several concepts are analyzed in conjunction with openings. These include preference organization, affiliation, repair, body torque and spatial orientation, gaze, epistemics, …

Case Study Report: The Five Stages Of Grief In Wandavision, Lydia Osmer

Comm-entary

This report analyzes the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 2021 limited Disney+ series WandaVision through the lens of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’s framework of the Five Stages of Grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. In the show, Wanda Maximoff uses her magic to create a personal-utopian reality “hex” following the death of her lover Vision. This magical reality works within the plot of the show to reveal how Wanda experiences and demonstrates Kübler-Ross’s Five Stages of Grief.

Content For Change, Kaley Lambert

Comm-entary

This piece considers the perspectives of environmental activist Paul Kingsnorth, and author of Anthropocene Unconscious: Climate Catastrophe Culture Mark Bould when assessing the power of storytelling in efforts for climate crisis action. Stories hold the potential to change perspectives and encourage new mentalities. Media content is able to perpetuate, develop, and share stories to a massive audience. This paper argues that if media content were, on a wide scale, to deliberately shift narratives to encourage compassion, action, and concern for the environment, and to discourage wastefulness and mentalities of expansion and colonialism, then it may become more feasible to mitigate …

The Almost-Feminism Of Midsommar, Kaley Lambert

Comm-entary

This paper argues that the 2019 horror film Midsommar accomplishes almost-feminism. It includes a matriarchal society, respects older women, punishes toxic masculinity, rewards emotional vulnerability, has complex and unique female characters, and has a strong female protagonist. There is also, however an overt lack of intersectionality, as Midsommar exhibits a lack of consideration for class, ableism, racism, or body diversity. This film is nevertheless a worthwhile counterweight in a sea of actively sexist horror films.

Pandemic Through The Lens: An Examination Of Repeat Photography During Lockdown, Lauren Cole

Comm-entary

The Covid-19 pandemic had sweeping effects on environments across the globe including, decreases in pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and many others. Repeat photography and social media became tools to document these changes for people to see. Generally, traditional climate imagery and repeat photography depict the degradation of the environment rather than its recovery. This paper works to show how the use of this unique situation, to promote positive environmental change, might work better as a persuasive tool in the fight for climate action.