Research has indicated a strong interest in knowing who is being represented and how information is being represented in the communication about childhood immunization. This study uses a two-part analysis to look at source representation and framing in childhood immunization communication. A quantitative analysis of articles from the New York Times and USA Today were examined for their source representation, their use of fear appeals, through the Extended Parallel Processing Model (EPPM), and the use of frames, through the application of Prospect Theory. A qualitative semiotic analysis was conducted on 36 images that appeared on www.yahoo.com and www.google.com to find common themes for who is being represented and how information is being portrayed through the images. Results found a high prevalence of representation from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, other governmental agencies and views from health/medical professionals in both the articles and images.

Abstract Increasingly, organizations and individuals rely upon technologies and networks more and more. Likewise, these environments are infested with more dangers, which could be avoided if computer users were to follow general security guidelines or procedures. Despite the ever-increasing threat, little research has addressed or explained why individuals purposefully engage in behaviors that make them more vulnerable to these threats, rather than avoiding or protecting themselves from such threats. Despite the advantage that could be afforded by understanding the motivations behind such behaviors, research addressing these behaviors is lacking or focused on very specific theoretical bases. This dissertation addresses this research gap by focusing on security-related behaviors that have yet to be addressed in this research stream, and by using novel theoretical perspectives that increase our insight into these types of behaviors. Four studies (n =  1,430) are tested and reported here that support the four behaviors and theoretical perspectives that are of focus in this dissertation. By considering additional theories, constructs, and theoretical perspectives, this dissertation provides several important contributions to security-related behaviors. The results of this study provide new insights into the motivations behind the purposeful enactment of behaviors that increase one’s vulnerability to technological threats and risks. / Tiivistelmä Organisaatiot ja ihmiset ovat yhä enenevissä määrin riippuvaisia teknologiasta ja tietoverkoista. Tällöin he myös kohtaavat entistä enemmän tietoturvariskejä, joita olisi mahdollista välttää noudattamalla tietoturvaohjeita ja -politiikkoja. Huolimatta näistä jatkuvasti yleistyvistä riskeistä, tähän mennessä ei juurikaan ole tehty tutkimusta, joka selittää ihmisten tietoista tietoturvaohjeiden ja -politiikkojen laiminlyöntiä, joka altistaa heidät tietoturvariskeille. Aikaisempi ihmisten tietoturvakäyttäytymisen syiden ymmärtämiseen keskittyvä tutkimus tarkastelee ilmiötä yksipuolisesti tiettyihin teoreettisiin lähtökohtiin nojautuen. Tämä väitöskirjatyö tarkastelee ihmisten tietoturvakäyttäytymisen syitä uudesta teoreettisesta näkökulmasta. Väitöskirja sisältää neljä tutkimusta (n = 1430), jotka tarkastelevat erityyppistä tietoturvakäyttäytymistä erilaisista teoreettisista lähtökohdista. Väitöskirja täydentää olemassa olevaa tietoturvakäyttäytymisen tutkimusta uusien teorioiden, käsitteiden ja teoreettisten näkökulmien avulla.

<p>The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the use of health risk communications as a strategy to change risk perceptions and motivate leisure time physical activity (LTPA) among people with spinal cord injury (SCI). Guided by protection motivation theory (PMT; Rogers, 1983) and the extended parallel processing model (EPPM; Witte, 1992), two strategies were examined as unique approaches to enhancing the effectiveness of health risk information. First, risk information was tailored to individualized, objective data regarding participants’ health risk. Second, risk information was supplemented with framed leisure time physical activity (LTPA) efficacy messages. Gain-framed messages emphasized the benefits of LTPA, whereas loss-framed messages emphasized the risks of inactivity. The relative effectiveness of gain- versus loss-framed messages was considered within the context of the EPPM (Witte, 1992). A secondary purpose of the dissertation was to explore cognitive processing in relation to framed LTPA messages. The attention and elaboration phases of cognitive processing were examined for gain- and loss-framed LTPA messages following exposure to health risk information. Three experiments were conducted to 1) test the effectiveness of individualized health risk information for changing health risk perceptions and LTPA among people with SCI, 2) test the relative effectiveness of gain- and loss-framed LTPA efficacy messages presented following health risk information for changing LTPA response efficacy and LTPA intentions among people with SCI, and, 3) investigate the relative attention given to gain-framed versus loss-framed LTPA response efficacy messages following presentation of health risk information to university students. The theoretical and pragmatic contributions are discussed.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)