Social Media Commons^™

Dancing In The Digital Age: How Social Media Shapes The Commercial Dance Industry, Luke Lisowski

Honors College Theses

Social media has fundamentally transformed the commercial dance industry, reshaping how dancers establish careers, connect with industry professionals, and promote their artistry. This thesis examines the impact of social media platforms – such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube – on career growth by facilitating networking opportunities, increasing visibility, and redefining industry standards. The research explores how digital platforms have shifted the traditional pathways to success, enabling dancers to showcase their work independently while also creating challenges related to self-promotion, competition, and mental health.

Through a series of in-depth interviews with professional dancers and choreographers actively working in the industry, this …

A Mixed-Method Examination Of Social Media Influencers’ Source Characteristics In Sponsored Health Campaign Messaging: An Application Of Psychological Reactance Theory, Lauren Pick

Communication (PhD) Dissertations

Social media influencers (SMIs/influencers) are frequently used for marketing and public relations purposes (i.e., influencer marketing), but can be leveraged to avoid resistance to health campaign messages. Guided by psychological reactance theory (PRT), the purpose of this dissertation was to (a) uncover micro-influencer characteristics that mitigate reactance toward sponsored social media posts, (b) investigate whether influencers induce less reactance than non- influencers when disseminating sponsored health content, and (c) experimentally test whether influencer source characteristics mitigate reactance to sponsored health messaging. In Study One, focus groups with Gen Z Instagram users (N = 12) identified SMI use of controlling, “one …

Sociological Understandings Of Entrepreneurial Action And Intention, Jeffrey Cavanaugh

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Entrepreneurship as a trend has emerged across many different disciplines, drawing on theory from psychology, economics, and sociology. Importantly, sociologic aspects of entrepreneurship remain hidden from scholarship, as existing topics are often vague or narrowly partitioned. In my dissertation, I utilize sociological understandings of human interactions which define entrepreneurial intention and action. Specifically, I explore how entrepreneurs’ religion, rurality, and social media use influences their behaviors. Throughout these three quantitative essays, I contribute to a better understanding of the social psychology of entrepreneurship, and why entrepreneurial pursuits are so intricately linked to every aspect of society. Throughout my research, which …

Populism And Religious Rhetoric In Spain's Right-Wing Vox Party, Ainsley Taylor

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

This thesis examines the intersection of populism and religious rhetoric in Spain’s right-wing political party, Vox. By analyzing Facebook posts from Vox’s national and regional accounts in the months leading up to the 2019 and 2023 national elections, as well as key regional elections in Andalusia and Cantabria, this study explores how the party strategically employs religious themes to shape its populist discourse. The findings indicate that Vox primarily uses religious rhetoric to construct an exclusive national identity, framing perceived external threats such as immigration, secularism, and leftist politics. While the party's use of religious rhetoric declined slightly between 2019 …

Technical Difficulties: An Investigation Of Problematic Social Media Usage And Well-Being Of Emerging Adults, Sarah Swan

Honors Theses

Grounded in previous scholarship investigating the relationship between social media use and psychoemotional outcomes, this study conceptualizes and tests a comprehensive model that constellates predictive factors (i.e., time spent, platforms selected, purposes of use, and emotional regulation abilities) and negative behavioral and emotional outcomes (i.e., addiction and emotional affect), specifically among emerging adults (ages 18-29). A survey of 591 respondents revealed that high usage of certain platforms (i.e., Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook), alongside individual emotional regulation abilities and passivity of social media use, predicts higher levels of addiction and negative emotional outcomes. Additional findings indicate significant differences in social media …

Nature Of Smartphone Use: The Underlying Mechanisms Between Nature Exposure And Urge To Use Social Media, Jia Yi Aw

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The urge to use social media is prevalent and costly in modern society. However, little has been researched on how nature exposure can manage urge to use social media to combat its negative consequences. It was hypothesized that nature exposure through Instagram posts in Study 1 and nature park in Study 2 reduces urge to use social media. The underlying mechanisms were tested in a theory-driven serial mediation model, in which positive emotions, attention restoration and self-regulation served as serial mediators. Study 1 employed Instagram experimental manipulation in a laboratory setting by randomly assigning 206 undergraduates to view Instagram accounts …

Brand Media And Health Perceptions: A Thematic Analysis Of Generational Differences, Julie Irene Diaz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the influence of brand identity and media on shaping evolving perceptions of health across generations. The three generations considered are Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. The initial hypothesis predicted the popular media and brands that each generation interacts with are most likely to influence their perception. Additionally, the health brands most popular with each generation would influence their overall health perception, based on the identity and values of the brand. A qualitative study was conducted using focus groups to gather data about health perceptions, brand identity, media influence, and holistic health. The findings suggest that individuals …

Digital Revival: The Role Of Social And Streaming Media In The Resurgence Of Appalachian Country Music, Jacob Cody Powers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the role of digital media, specifically social media, and streaming platforms, in the resurgence of Appalachian country music. In recent years, niche music genres have found new life through online platforms, which offer unique avenues for discovery, engagement, and community building. Using a mixed methods approach, this research combines quantitative survey data and qualitative thematic analysis to explore how audiences discover Appalachian country music on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and Spotify. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to college students and social media users, collecting responses on participants' digital engagement habits, platform preferences, and motivations for exploring …

Exploring The Influence Of Social Media Communication On Destination Branding: A Study Of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Alshehri

Graduate Theses and Dissertations (2019 - present)

Tourists now find social media important in forming their perceptions and decision criteria when traveling. This Research investigates the impact of destination marketing organizations -generated content and tourist-generated content on tourists' inspiration to visit Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the mediating role of destination image dimensions (cognitive, affective, and sensory) and the moderating role of cultural distance. Based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model, Hofstede Cultural Dimension Theory; the research analyzed a dataset of 237 responses using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that destination marketing organizations -generated content and tourist-generated content significantly enhance perceived advertising value, which in …

“Floptok Is Not A Trend. It’S A Lifestyle”: Camp, Performativity, And Community Dynamics In An Adolescent Tiktok Subculture, Drake Hansen

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Floptok is an online meme-sharing community or subculture that began to take shape in 2021, united by a particular sensibility and set of memetic materials. To outsiders, Floptok is seen as a loud, brash, and often abrasive community whose memes, characterized by low-quality audio and video, often feature “icons”—a range of invented characters and real people—and audio of pop songs heavily edited to feature hypersexual lyrics from the rapper CupcakKe, as well as portions of the 2019 Chinese pop song “Yěhuāxiāng.” This thesis built on scholarship in digital and young people’s folklore in an ethnographic case study of Floptok’s humor …

Commodification And Objectification Of The Black Male Athlete In The Nfl, Jalen A. Terrell

All Theses

The black male body has often been viewed as a commodity in Western culture since the commodification of the black male body in the historical slave auction. Albeit slave owning ended in 1863 with the Emancipation Proclamation, it was not until 1946 that the National Football League (NFL) became integrated, and the commodification of black bodies became prevalent once again. As such, this study looks to understand how the X population from the data set for this study demonstrates the commodification of the black male body, the general discourse around the black and white male athletes, and explores the language …

When 'Weird' Means 'Dangerous': Viruses And Firewalls In Affective Polarization, Nathan J. Locke

All Theses

As traditional sources of epistemic authority face declining trust, alternative narratives have gained prominence - often leveraging the emotional and cultural resonance of seemingly simple terms. In the 2024 election cycle, the term “weird” emerged as a potent meme in American political discourse. Using a memetic perspective that incorporates elements of framing theory and Social Judgment Theory, this thesis investigates the use and reaction to “weird” and its role in shaping perception of Donald Trump, his political allies, his followers, and his opposition during and immediately after the 2024 Presidential election. The memetic perspective, which views ideas as units of …

Connecting With Millennials: A Guide For Donor Engagement, Sydney A. Hopkins

All Theses

Millennials are emerging as a vital donor demographic, yet many resource-limited nonprofits, including Clemson Community Care (CCC), struggle to effectively engage this generation. This applied thesis project investigates how CCC can build meaningful connections with millennial donors by exploring nonprofit awareness, donor motivations, communication expectations, content preferences, and common barriers to giving. Using qualitative data gathered from two focus groups of millennial participants, this study reveals that millennials represent a diverse and distinct audience with unique expectations for nonprofit communication. Grounded in public relations theories of stewardship and organization-public relationships (OPR), the research highlights the importance of flexibility and autonomy …

Online Racial Discrimination, Depression, Anxiety, And Sleep Disturbances Among Ethnoracially Minoritized Young Adults: The Buffering Role Of Family Support, Aamnah M. Ullah

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

There has been a surge in young adult exposure to online racial discrimination (ORD), which is associated with impaired sleep, greater anxiety, and depression. Evidence suggests that ethnoracially minoritized college students are at increased risk for exposure to ORD. Additionally, sleep disturbances (SD) may impact the link between ORD, depression, and anxiety. Thus, this study aims to explore whether increased SDs mediate the relationship between ORD, anxiety, and depression among ethnoracially minoritized college students. This study also aims to examine whether family support (FS) moderates the indirect effect of ORD on anxiety and depression. Participants were 495 (78.6% female, mean …

Riding The Digital Wave: How Large Enterprises Are Embracing Disability Inclusion In The Digital Era, Amanda K. Sheward

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

In today’s world, companies increasingly use disability inclusion within their branding and marketing strategies. This research examines whether these efforts represent authentic commitment or merely use the disability community for performative purposes. Using both a content analysis of social media campaigns and a quantitative survey of individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities, this study investigates perceptions of corporate disability narratives. Findings reveal that while some companies, such as Microsoft and Nike, are seen as making genuine connections with the disabled community, many others fall short, engaging only in surface-level inclusion without systemic change. The study highlights a persistent gap between …

“Every Mother A Missionary”?: The Vlogs Of Mormon Mothers, Celia Golden

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) places high expectations on mothers because their role in the church is to rear children into godly adults. When their lives are made public through social media, Mormon mothers online avoid religious expectations by withholding information about their Mormon faith and scarcely showing their husbands on-camera. Mormon husbands are expected to be the providers for the family, but as demonstrated through mothers’ vlogs on Instagram, husbands’ erasure allows for mothers to market their expertise to others as a paid product to earn their own revenue. Through descriptive coding, this study …

Media Quiteracy: Why Digital Disconnection Belongs In The Media Literacy Curriculum, Katie Day Good, Michelle Ciccone

Journal of Media Literacy Education

In this essay, we introduce media quiteracy, which we use to conceptualize and describe the valuable learning that can happen through the refusal to take up new media or the act of pausing or ceasing its use. We see media quiteracy as an active and generative approach to learning and argue for its inclusion in the media literacy curriculum. We trace the history of critical engagement with technologies within education and then articulate what media quiteracy can look like in practice. We surface and discuss three potential obstacles to teaching media quiteracy, which include the ways in which it …

Empowering Society Through Digitalization Of Msmes During The Recession, Diah Ajeng Purwani, Etika Prasetyaningrum, Anindya Septiana Arfiani

JURNAL KOMUNIKASI INDONESIA

One of the sectors and regions affected by the recession in Indonesia’s economic condition is Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Yogyakarta. Some of the problems that arise include a decrease in MSME turnover, which leads to a reduction in the number of employees. MSMEs need to maintain their businesses if they need to keep up with increasingly rapid technological developments in the online realm in their marketing strategies. The method used in this research is community-based research (CBR) based on cases in the field, which takes the MSME community as the research objective studied through digitalization on social …

Capturing Tradition: The Business, Branding, And Personal Identity Of Senior Portraits In The Modern South, Xenia R. Minton

Honors Theses

The rise of college students starting photography businesses, particularly in graduation portraits, has transformed the creative and entrepreneurial landscape in the South. This thesis explores the senior portrait culture at the University of Mississippi, analyzing its rapid growth through the perspectives of photographers and academic experts in Southern Studies. Grounded in eight years of experience as a photographer, this study examines the evolution of the industry, business strategies, and cultural significance. Through interviews with seasoned senior portrait photographers and Southern Studies professors, this research investigates how regional traditions, social media, and consumer expectations have shaped the profession. By analyzing these …

The Heritage Co's Social Media Strategy, Rylie Cerny, Adyson Ratley, Caitrin Dalton

Undergraduate Research Conference

Objectives • To grow brand engagement. • Build a stronger connection with our audience. • To drive website traffic through social media engagement