University of Alabama Repository :: Browsing by Author "Bissell, Kimberly L."

Browsing by Author "Bissell, Kimberly L."

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Analyzing predictors of knowledge, beliefs, and public engagement: has political entertainment become a factor?
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2017) Baker, Kimberly; Bissell, Kimberly L.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Within the backdrop of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, this study collected data from an online survey of college students in considering factors predicting knowledge, beliefs, and public engagement. A proposed model synthesized theoretical contributions from knowledge gap theory, belief gap approaches, and entertainment theories. Predictor variables included four areas of interest: demographics, media use, political views, and political entertainment, with the latter including motivations for engaging (i.e., information-seeking, entertainment value, emotional release, and social involvement). Three research aims guided the conceptualization and operationalization of measures: Research Aim I considered predictors of knowledge about public topics; Research Aim II analyzed predictors of beliefs toward polarizing political issues; and Research Aim III explored factors related to public engagement (e.g., social media news reading, sharing and reacting, and voting intentions). Statistical analyses included regression tests for each of the three research aims and provided significant results. Regarding Research Aim I, education was found to be a significant predictor of knowledge, such that higher education predicted greater knowledge; news customization was significant, such that those engaging in customization of news feed predicted greater knowledge compared to those not customizing; and, political entertainment was significant, with those engaging for entertainment value and social involvement showing greater knowledge as compared to those without the motivations. Regarding Research Aim II, sex, religion, news source type, and partisanship were found as significant predictors: Females were more liberal in their beliefs as compared to men; those highly involved in church were more conservative in beliefs as compared to other groups not attending church or infrequently; and those ranking as having a greater polarizing score predicted their beliefs in the same direction as their partisanship view. Regarding Research Aim III, news following and beliefs predicted social media news reading; race, news following, and beliefs predicted social media news sharing; and news following predicted social media news reacting. Also, a greater interest in following news predicted greater reading, sharing, and reacting of stories. In sum, this study found support for a proposed testing model of predictors for the three research aims relating to knowledge, polarizing beliefs, and public engagement.
Artist-fan engagement model: implications for music consumption and the music industry
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2013) Stewart, Sarita Martin; Zhou, Shuhua; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The Artist-Fan Engagement Model was developed to help explain the various factors present within the music artist-fan relationship. Its premise is based on the simple consumptive action of listening to an artist's music. The model contains two key constructs, the first being the individual's "Response To Artist," which is explained using an expanded construct of parasocial interaction theory (e.g., Identification, Affinity, Similarity, and Imitation). A second "Response To Music" variable is comprised of four different music responses (e.g., Emotional, Sensorial, Imaginal, and Analytical) key in hedonic consumption. The influence of these two variables on "Engagement" was assessed. This was followed by an examination of how "Engagement" influences "Recorded Music Access" (e.g., broadcast, unpaid downloads, free streaming) and "Recorded Music Ownership" (e.g., paid subscription, paid downloads, and physical products). The study's hypotheses and research questions were tested using an anonymous online survey. A total of 1,576 participants accessed the survey, with 940 respondents evaluating 806 individual song titles by 568 music artists. Structural Equation Modeling was the methodology used to analyze the collected survey data, which is in keeping with previous music oriented consumer behavior studies. Empirical support was not found for the Artist-Fan Engagement Model. However, within the sample data, strong positive correlations were found among the "Response To Artist" factors, which was consistent with previous studies. Strong correlations were also found between the "Response To Music" and the various listening responses. Both "Response To Artist" and "Response To Music" variables were positively related to "Engagement." This variable in turn had strong positive correlations to "Recorded Music Access" and "Recorded Music Ownership." Finally, the various relationships among the consumption outcomes related to "Recorded Music Access" and "Recorded Music Ownership" were evaluated. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of the implication of these various findings to music marketing activities, as well as the study's limitations and future research considerations. The scholarly contribution of this dissertation blends together a theoretical understanding of parasocial interaction theory and hedonic music consumption in an applied fashion working within the structural framework of the music industry.
Being an effective custodian of communication theory: an examination of theory construction, methodological streamlining, and special population use between constitutive rhetoric, attribution theory, and the third person effect
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2009) Turnipseed, Thomas Robert Ian; Bissell, Kimberly L.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The area of media effects research is important to understanding how one interacts with and is affected by the different forms of media in society. Since this age is called the information age, one is almost always in constant contact with some form of media, whether receiving or transmitting information. As the area of media effects research grows, it is important to reconsider accepted theory and methodology in the hopes of improving on previous research to provide a deeper and more meaningful understanding of society through media. The Third Person Effect, as explained by Davison (1983), is a very good example of this idea. This present study examines the metaconcepts, theoretical terms, and methodological concerns surrounding the third person effect, which have been identified through the previous 26 years of study. To do this, the theoretical terms, metaconcepts, and methodology used to test the perceptual and behavioral hypotheses outlined in the third person effect are examined, and alternatives are offered and tested. Attribution theory, coupled with the constitutive rhetorical processes of othering and interpellation, are examined as more useable theoretical underpinnings for the perceptual hypothesis, and attribution theory is examined in conjunction with the sports communication understanding of fandom and the identification of such. Methodologically, the perceptual and behavioral hypotheses are tested first through a pilot test using a focus group to garner qualitative data for analysis and then to help create quantitative scales for a pre- and post-test experiment. With an N of 40 for the pilot test and 237 for the pre- and post-test experiment, eight research questions were assessed. The overall results show that attribution coupled with constitutive rhetoric serves as a more explanative theoretical position for the third person effect, but methodologically the testing method provides more, better, and deeper data to examine perception. The behavioral hypothesis is benefited by the perceptual data, and consistent data is found to suggest that studying behavior through attribution will finally produce generalizable data. The findings in this study contribute to future scholarship in the areas of media effects research in general, third person effect research, sports communication research, metatheoretical research, perceptual research, behavioral research, and rhetorical theory. From the position of a scholar, this research will hopefully help fuel investigation that will show this model working across all different populations and different theories as well.
Black women's body image and Black-oriented media consumption
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2017) Armer, Taylor I.; Parrott, Scott; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The proposed study examined the relationship between Black women, their body image and their Black-oriented media consumption. The literature review indicated there was a dearth of scholarship devoted to understanding the relationship between this population and their media consumption. Using social comparison as theoretical framework, nine hypotheses and two research questions were posited. A quantitative survey was administered to college-age women at a Predominantly White Institution. Major contributions from the results indicate Black-oriented media communicates a beauty ideal that is unattainable, and body part dissatisfaction was lowest when consuming media–regardless of type.
Bringing Community and Academic Scholars Together to Facilitate and Conduct Authentic Community Based Participatory Research: Project UNITED
(MDPI, 2016) Lewis, Dwight, Jr.; Yerby, Lea; Tucker, Melanie; Foster, Pamela Payne; Hamilton, Kara C.; Fifolt, Matthew M.; Hites, Lisle; Shreves, Mary Katherine; Page, Susan B.; Bissell, Kimberly L.; Lucky, Felecia L.; Higginbotham, John C.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa; University of Alabama Birmingham
Cultural competency, trust, and research literacy can affect the planning and implementation of sustainable community-based participatory research (CBPR). The purpose of this manuscript is to highlight: (1) the development of a CBPR pilot grant request for application; and (2) a comprehensive program supporting CBPR obesity-related grant proposals facilitated by activities designed to promote scholarly collaborations between academic researchers and the community. After a competitive application process, academic researchers and non-academic community leaders were selected to participate in activities where the final culminating project was the submission of a collaborative obesity-related CBPR grant application. Teams were comprised of a mix of academic researchers and non-academic community leaders, and each team submitted an application addressing obesity-disparities among rural predominantly African American communities in the US Deep South. Among four collaborative teams, three (75%) successfully submitted a grant application to fund an intervention addressing rural and minority obesity disparities. Among the three submitted grant applications, one was successfully funded by an internal CBPR grant, and another was funded by an institutional seed funding grant. Preliminary findings suggest that the collaborative activities were successful in developing productive scholarly relationships between researchers and community leaders. Future research will seek to understand the full-context of our findings.
"by the way i'm gay": a rhetorical analysis of celebrity coming out
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2015) Sharples, Adam J.; Black, Jason Edward; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Coming out, and the metaphor of the closet, is the principle organizing mechanism in the construction of LGBTQ public identity, as well as a rite of passage for LGBTQ identified individuals. With the host of recent celebrities going public with their sexuality, while simultaneously disavowing the significance of this statement, these new coming out narratives represent a fascinating shift between celebrity discourse and LGBTQ identity. The ‘coming out’ of celebrity raises both questions as to how the media constructs LGBTQ and subjectivity identity, and broader concerns related to the composition of power, hegemony, and ideology through mass-mediated popular culture. This project questions how coming out functions in the context of LGBTQ public discourse, and aims to better understand how patterns of communication in celebrity rhetoric shape what it means to be LGBTQ. Using a variety of critical rhetorical lenses – including media hegemony, critical rhetoric, narrative paradigm, queer theory, performativity hegemonic masculinity, and celebrity studies- this project analyze the coming out discourse of celebrity personae in conversation with subsequent media coverage through case studies of celebrities in both sport and media. The athlete coming out narrative is assessed through rhetorical analysis of Michael Sam, a football player for the University of Missouri in February 2014. The media figure narrative is examined through Anderson Cooper’s discourse in July 2012. Data sample for analysis is cultivated using a search in the PROQUEST Newspaper Database or newspaper articles in the month that follows each celebrity’s announcement. As a result this project argues mediated coming out narratives function as hegemonic texts that absorb and reframe the challenge of queer visibility. By erasing the political significance of queer visibility, and overcompensating masculine performance, this project offers implications for confessional rhetoric, passing, and the tokenized politics of visibility.
Changes in media coverage of adoption: a content analysis comparing newspaper coverage from 1992 and 2007
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2009) Gresham, Anna; Bissell, Kimberly L.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
A content analysis of newspaper articles about adoption of children was conducted. Several items were noted including mentions of all members of the adoption triad - birthparent, adopted child, and adoptive parent - and the valence of those mentions, and the type of adoption mentioned in the article. The results showed that the members of the triad were covered fairly equally and fairly, which differed from many studies in the literature review. One of the most interesting findings is in the change in coverage of international adoption. There was significantly more coverage in the 2007 time period compared with the 1992 time period. Future research should examine the relationship between foster care and adoption and how often that relationship is portrayed in the media. Also, research should be conducted that covers a longer time span to include a more varied sample in the types of articles. Further research is also needed to assess the use of negative adoption language. The results of a study of that nature will show subtle and perhaps unintentional negative bias in the reporting of adoption of children.
Clicking and sharing health risk information on social media: how perception and emotion affect behavioral intentions
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2017) Zhang, Xueying; Zhou, Shuhua; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The dissemination of health risk information is a topic of key importance in health communication. With an explosion of information, health risk messages on social media need to elicit users’ intention to click and to forward to be useful. This study aimed to examine how fear appeal message and individual differences combined to drive users’ intentions to click and share health risk messages on Social Networking Sites (SNSs). Two experiments were conducted online to test the predictors of intentions to click and share respectively, with participants recruited from Mturk. The results suggested that (1) fear appeal message influenced intentions to click and share in a different way than the risk related perceptions did; (2) cognitive elaborations of the risk played a more important role in motivating click and share; (3) individual’s characteristics predicted the intentions to click and share significantly; (4) information processing styles moderated the influence of efficacy perception’s influence on intention to share and (5) the intention to follow the message significantly predicted intention to share. The theoretical and practical implications for health risk message design were discussed.
Compassionate responses toward victims: do perceived innocence, proximity and seriousness matter?
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2012) Yan, Yan; Zhou, Shuhua; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
People have an innate tendency to feel compassionate toward others' misfortunes. As in the context of natural disasters, compassion toward disaster victims is one of the most important driven forces underlying individual helping behaviors. The current research examines individual compassion and its related constructs under the specific context of disaster communication. By referring to Nussbaum's theory of compassion, this study proposes a model of compassion which states that individual compassion is an other-oriented emotional experience that contains cognitive assessment toward others person's suffering status. The cognitive assessment consist of three main dimensions: Perceived innocence, that the suffering is not caused primarily by the person's own culpable actions; perceived proximity, that one is possibly subject to a similar misfortune; and perceived seriousness, that the suffering is severe rather than trivial. These three cognitive perceptions are related to the way of media portrayal of disaster victims: Portrayal of disaster victims' age and gender influences people's perceptions of innocence; news reports of the cultural affiliation of victims impacts people's perceived proximity; and perceived seriousness varies according to the degree of physical severity of the victims' sufferings. Two experiments were conducted and the results of which mainly supported the proposed model of compassion. In particularly, only cognitive assessments of the disaster victims, that is, only perceived innocence, perceived proximity, and perceived seriousness predicted the variances of compassion significantly and directly. Variables of news portrayal of victims influenced compassion only through the mediation of corresponding cognitive responses. Only personal compassionate trait emerged as a moderator between perceived seriousness and compassion. This research shed light on compassion and compassion-related studies from the perspective of communication research. Further scholars should examine the generalization of the model among diverse populations and multiple contexts.
Creating a healthier citizenry: an efficacy study of anti-smoking public service announcements
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2014) Johnson, Virginia M.; Gower, Karla K.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
This study sought to pinpoint certain factors that make a health campaign more or less effective, enabling the design of better messages that can create a healthier citizenry. An efficacy study was conducted to assess which appeals (rational or emotional) and type of benefit (first-person or third-person) advertised in public service announcements have the greatest impact on ad effectiveness and how that effectiveness interacts with health intentions. This study also introduces a new factor into health campaign research that could have an impact on effectiveness: moral development. Results indicate that the type of appeal being used in a health ad does not impact that ad's effectiveness, while messages advertising a third-person benefit of the health behavior are more appealing than those advertising a first-person benefit. They also indicate that an ad presenting both a third-person benefit and an emotional appeal, or a first-person benefit with a rational appeal, would have a greater influence than an ad presenting only an appeal, only a benefit, or a different combination of either. Results also indicate that using either an ad with a third-person benefit and an emotional appeal, or with a first-person benefit and a rational appeal, have success communicating with viewers who already have low intentions to smoke. The findings of this study indicate that moral development does play a role in how an individual evaluates a health ad. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Credibility of photojournalism in changing times
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2017) Norris, Jonathan Michael; Bissell, Kimberly L.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
With the constant growth of the internet and the explosion of hand-held devices, the news industry is in a continuous state of evolution. Although citizens desire news feeds of what is happening now, there is also a fundamental need for content that is accurate, unbiased, and in the public’s best interest. The demand for immediate news, however, raises several critical ques- tions: How credible is the information, who is reporting it, and is there a relationship between credibility of information and the reporter? Credibility has been one of the cornerstones of the news industry, and the area of interest for this study messenger credibility (Roberts, 2010). The central focus of this study was to identify how the credibility of news photographs is influenced by the source’s organization (who published the photo) and the source photographer (the affiliation of the photographer to the source). A news credibility scale was used as the de- pendent variable. The independent measures of “Media Source Organization” — which contained 3 types, and “Photographer Affiliation” — which contained 2 types, were then compared to the dependent variable. Specifically, the independent variable of source organized had three factors — “Mainstream” (New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post); “Online-focused” (BuzzFeed, Huffington Post, Elite Daily); and “Fictitious” (Daily Post, Citizen Times, Peoples’ Constitution). The two factors for the independent variable of “Photographer affiliation with the source organization” were: “Staff” and “Contributor.” A univariate ANOVA determined that respondents rated photographs from mainstream sources as more credible than photographs from online or fictitious sources. Additionally, a staff photographer from fictitious media was rated significantly more credible than contributor pho- tographer from fictitious media. Survey respondents rated media from mainstream sources significantly more credible than online or fictitious sources. These findings indicate it does make a difference who provides the content and photograph when “credibility” is essential to the content. These findings are significant to the evolving field of visual journalism and messenger credibility in that photos, which are entry points to news coverage, differ in their credibility to read- ers based upon who is the “messenger” or provider of the photo.
Distance theory: an examination of distance and salience in media attribute assignment and agenda building
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2011) Cooley, Skye Chance; Copeland, Gary; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The purpose of this dissertation is to examine how previous salience on the news agenda, assigned attributes, and assigned valences of an object in the news media and the distance in time from that object determine how media assign attributes and valences to that object in the future. The concept of Frequency of Object Coverage Arcs (FOCA) defines object salience for the study. The two key components of prediction of future coverage are distance in time of the FOCA and distance in time between FOCAs, the overall valences, driving forces of coverage, and assigned attributes were the primary dependent variables. The primary findings of the study featured two main points: First, that distance in time between FOCAs was a predictor of overall valence changes, the longer the time frame between FOCAs, the greater shifts in overall valence from one FOCA to the next. The second, that as distance in time of an FOCA increased, the more likely the future FOCA would have the same assigned attributes and driving force of coverage. Distance in time between FOCAs does not serve as a predictor of attribute assignment of future FOCAs nor does length of the FOCA predict overall valence of future FOCAs. The dissertation also makes theoretical contributions to the construct of scaled unobtrusiveness and mass aggregate opinion, the implications of which are also discussed.
Does tragic drama have hedonic value?: the social aspects of hedonic motivations and media enjoyment
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2009) Ahn, Dohyun; Bryant, Jennings; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The hedonic principle, approaching pleasure and avoiding pain, governs human behaviors including media selection. However, the enjoyment of tragic drama poses a challenge to the hedonic principle. Two questions arise from this challenge: (1) why do people, particularly lonely individuals, select tragic content, and (2) why is the intensity of sadness positively associated with the degree of enjoyment of such negatively valenced content? Study 1 examined the first question, the selection of tragic drama. Study 2 investigated the second question, the enjoyment of tragic drama. In Study 1, compared to moderate-lonely individuals, high-lonely individuals selected more tragic drama of which the main theme is positive human relationship that can meet the need for relatedness. Low-lonely individuals did not vary from either high- or moderate-lonely individuals in selecting tragic drama. The treatment of social isolation had effects on the selection of tragic drama among moderate lonely individuals, but not among high- and low-lonely individuals. Moderate-lonely individuals in the inclusion condition watched more tragic drama than did individuals in the neutral condition. In Study 2, individuals were placed in two conditions: self- and other-focused motivations. After watching a sad film, other-focused individuals felt more other-centered sadness, experienced more enjoyment, and had better self-regulation than did self-focused individuals. Other-centered sadness correlated with self-centered sadness and enjoyment, whereas self-focused sadness did not correlate with enjoyment. The two studies suggest that other-focused sadness represents the hedonic value of tragic drama. Theoretical implications and limitations were discussed.
Economic oppression and poor white worker Southern identity during the New South era: a rhetorical analysis of Henry Grady's selected speeches from 1886-1889
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2012) Harrison, Vernon Ray; Black, Jason Edward; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
This study situates the constituted rhetorical identity of poor Southern white workers during the New South era. Specifically, this project argues that journalist and politician Henry Grady helped create a mythic image of the poor white Southern worker as both industrious and a victimized hero of the unregulated economic system of American capitalism, while simultaneously constituting a mythic villain of Northern economic and industrial systems. Theoretically, this study employs mythic criticism to deconstruct three selected speeches given by Henry Grady, from 1886-1889: the "New South" speech, his "Against Centralization" speech, and his "Farmers and the Cities" speech. The outcome of this critical analysis complicates widely held conceptions of whiteness theory in public address and rhetorical studies. This study challenges whiteness constructs in public address and rhetorical studies based on realities of class and wealth distinctions within the American economic system. Specifically, this study engages Material Marxist Dialectic to show that there was a palpable class struggle among, and exploitation of, the poor white class in the South during the Gilded Age. This study argues that the poor white Southern worker faced difficulties in achieving the American Dream myth. Therefore, Grady offered a counter mythic construction of a hardworking and victimized poor white Southern worker to balance the American Dream myth sold by the economic elite of America. Following from Gilded Age contexts and the mythic structures that Grady promoted, this study posits that class must be taken into account when studying whiteness and that whiteness is not an immutable category of privilege based solely on race.
The effect of social media communications on positive youth development: an analysis of 4-H Facebook pages and 4-H'ers' positive development
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2014) Lee, Ah Ram; Horsley, J. Suzanne; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
With the hope of raising children and adolescents to become responsible and active citizens with upstanding values, many scholars and educators are paying more attention to youth organizations. Many youth-related organizations have focused their efforts on providing quality programs and opportunities to encourage early participation in civic engagements. These efforts are expected to contribute to positive development of youth and future civic engagements. In order to play a significant role in educating the next generation, youth-related organizations have actively engaged in social media to connect with youth. Social media are believed to promote learning opportunities and communications with youth and educators, which will eventually facilitate positive youth development. Therefore, this study is designed to (1) examine how youth-related organizations communicate with young members through social media in order to educate them, and (2) examine how their young users perceive the effect and impact of such communication on their development. This research consists of a two-step study to enhance understanding of the communications and its effects on positive youth development. The first step analyzed communication patterns of the national 4-H Facebook page through content analysis of posts from 2009 to 2014. For the second step, in-depth interviews were conducted with recent 4-H alumni, who used 4-H Facebook during the period of analysis, in order to find out their perceptions on the 4-H role in positive development. The results show that 4-H Facebook posts increase the organization's interaction with its young members by building more connections and by somewhat facilitating positive development of youth. These findings suggest some insights for youth-serving organizations, providing that strategic communications through social media can increase interactions with youth and potentially impact the development of positive traits that will aid them in becoming more active and responsible citizens.
The effect of verb aspect on cognitive dissonance and social influence
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2013) Burton, Kelly A.; Hart, William P.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
The present research addresses whether describing a prior decision-making act as ongoing using the imperfective verb aspect (rather than describing it as completed using the perfective verb aspect) influences attitudes toward the decision and tendencies to make similar decisions. In Experiment 1, participants who described their prior decision-making act using the perfective (vs. imperfective) aspect indicated greater decision satisfaction (i.e., a larger preference for their chosen over the unchosen alternative). In Experiment 2, participants viewed the decision to agree to a small request in the perfective (vs. imperfective) aspect and were then asked a larger, more costly request. Though it was expected that participants who viewed the perfective (vs. imperfective) in their descriptions would demonstrate more compliance, the results suggested verb aspect had no effect on compliance. All told, the present research provides mixed evidence for understanding how subtle language features shapes basic thought processes, but may hold important implications for understanding cognitive dissonance and decision-making processes.
The effects of narrative elements and individual attributes on transportation in health communications
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2012) Meadows III, Charles William; Zhou, Shuhua; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
This study examined how narrative attributes and individual attributes contribute to the transportation process and overall persuasiveness of narrative health communications. The research sought to understand both the cognitive mechanisms and narrative properties that contribute to transportation. 80 participants were recruited in the College of Communication and Information Sciences at the University of Alabama. A 2x2x4 experimental design was employed to collect self-report and psychophysiological data regarding the transportation process. Data collected from the study was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings from the study revealed that together vividness and perspective are significant variables that influence transportation. Individuals who were exposed to the figural vividness and third person health narratives experienced a higher degree of transportation than those participants who were exposed to the ground vividness and first person health narratives. While working memory capacity did not appear to be a moderator of transportation, both attention and arousal appeared to be directly influenced by the vividness and perspective manipulations. Participants who were exposed to the figural vividness and third person manipulations exhibited increased attention as well as arousal. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed as well as the limitations of the study.
The effects of narrative exemplars and fear appeals on promoting preventive skin cancer behaviors
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2013) Zhang, Cui; Zhou, Shuhua; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
This dissertation investigated the effects of narrative exemplars and fear appeals on individuals' health-risk perception toward skin cancer, attitude toward the preventive behavior, and coping responses, with need for cognition, self-efficacy and response efficacy as moderators. This dissertation employed a 2 (message type: narrative exemplar vs. base-rate information) × 2 (threat: high vs. low) factorial between-subject design. A total of 251 college students participated in the experiment. A high-threat message describing the severe consequences of not protecting one's skin and the high susceptibility to skin cancer both directly and indirectly impacted individuals' perceptions of skin cancer risk and their intention to perform a coping response. Fear mediated the effects of threat information on individuals' health risk perception and intention for the coping responses. In addition, when they read a high-threat message, high efficacy individuals believed that the recommendation outlined in the messages produced the desired outcome and the threat could be averted, therefore, they were more likely to accept the recommended behavior in the messages than their lower counterparts. Moreover, need for cognition did not have an effect on the reported transportation when processing narrative exemplars, although participants who read the narrative exemplars reported higher transportation than those who read the base-rate information messages. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.
The effects of stereoscopic 3D technology: limited capacity, and a process-oriented model of spatial presence
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2015) Larkin, Damien Laurent Shores; Zhou, Shuhua; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
Research suggests that high-resolution, stereoscopic 3D graphics lead to the experiencing of spatial presence; however, it also has been suggested that low amounts of available cognitive resources negatively affect the experiencing of spatial presence. In this dissertation, the effects of pacing in a shooter game and stereoscopic 3D exposure were investigated using an integrated framework that consisted of the spatial presence model and limited capacity model for motivated mediated media processing (LC4MP). A mixed 2 (stereo 3D vs. 2D [within]) x 2 (high-pacing vs. low-pacing [within]) x 2 (high-skill vs. low-skill [between]) study was used and 57 participants were recruited. Game-related skill was not a significant factor to determine whether participants experienced spatial presence. When those who were more skilled played in stereoscopic 3D, more robust spatial situation models were formed and greater sense of self-location and perceived possible actions were experienced; however, when less-skilled participants played in stereoscopic 3D they did not form more robust spatial situation models and were less likely to experience greater sense of self-location and perceived possible actions. Those who were less skilled did experience greater sense of self-location, but only in the high-paced, stereoscopic 3D condition, which suggested that although they might have not formed strong spatial situation models they were still capable of experiencing spatial presence. The findings of this study suggest that greater game-related skill may lead to a better understanding of the spatial area and greater propensity to experience spatial presence, and although a stronger spatial situation model might not be constructed when a less-skilled user plays in stereoscopic 3D, its verisimilitude may lead to experiencing spatial presence.
Examining masculinities in Pixar's feature films: what it means to be a boy, whether human, fish, car, or toy
(University of Alabama Libraries, 2014) Finklea, Bruce William; Butler, Jeremy G.; University of Alabama Tuscaloosa
This study examined portrayals of masculinities in Pixar's first 13 feature-length films. Qualitative analyses of the characters and narratives revealed six over-arching themes about masculinities: (1) males are successful when taking part in teamwork, (2) males are naturally brave, (3) male romantic or sexual interest manifests as heterosexual desire, (4) males desire to be loved and/or needed, (5) males who are fathers or paternal figures express fears about the future, and (6) male bosses are predominantly shown as greedy and driven solely by profit. Common narratives found throughout the films show male characters journey toward becoming emotionally expressive and aware "New Men." Homosocial relationships were found to provide the most growth for male protagonists, whereas heterosocial relationships are continually shown to help males become better husbands and fathers. Narrative analyses also revealed the ways in which hegemonic masculinity subjugates female characters in positions of authority to the power of patriarchy. Additionally, comparison of Pixar's films to societal shifts in masculinities in the 1990s and 2000s showed strong parallels between the real and mediated worlds. Numerous plot elements mirrored real-world concerns during the so-called "crisis of masculinity," including crises of identity, leadership, and portrayals of gender.

Browsing by Author "Bissell, Kimberly L."

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