The aim of this programme of research was to build on existing knowledge of impression management and self-presentation in the sport context. Theoretical advancement was made with the integration of two well-established social psychological frameworks of impression management phenomena; Leary’s (1995) topography of dispositional self-presentational motives, and Leary and Kowalski’s (1990) Two-Component Model of Impression Management – including situational impression motivation and impression construction – are complimentary, and their combination reflects a trait x state approach to understanding interpersonal behaviour in sport contexts. Athletes are assessed by team-mates, coaches, selectors, and the audience at a frequent rate. If they are aware of this, it could be viewed as an opportunity for personal and social development, or a threat to their existent identities. In both cases, the athlete must ensure that their performance is not affected by such thoughts, otherwise they risk conveying a negative impression regardless of their self-presentational motives (Leary, 1992). The present thesis incorporates three novel studies that address a multitude of first and second generation research questions (cf. Zanna & Fazio, 1982). Key findings include, but are not limited to: athletes have a strong dispositional motive to attain intra- and interpersonal goals via their self-presentations; if their impression efficacy does not match their impression motivation they tend to appraise this as a challenge, not a threat, contrary to theoretical expectations; in a laboratory setting, heightened impression motivation is associated with improved performance rather than increased distractibility and performance decrements (as was anticipated); impression management is important in developing desired social identities within university sport subcultures; and impression management is implicated in positive and negative group dynamics. In achieving its aims, the present thesis developed a new measurement scale, devised a successful experimental manipulation of impression motivation, and employed stimulated recall interview methodology; all novel or challenging approaches in sport psychology.

This dissertation examines the types of messages used for organizational dissent, and argues for connections between dissent messages, choice of audience and influence goals. The organizational dissent literature has explored the situations that may trigger dissent and the variables that lead a dissenter to approach various audiences, but few studies have examined dissent messages. Additionally, this line of research has tended to neglect coworkers as a possible audience for dissent and has been characterized as atheoretical (Waldron, 1999). Much of the research on interpersonal influence has examined influence in romantic relationships, but influence may play an important role in workplace relationships as well, suggesting that interpersonal influence is an appropriate theoretical perspective from which to examine dissent. This dissertation examines the messages, audiences, and goals associated with dissent using a two-part study with interviews and surveys. Messages differed according to audience, but, surprisingly, not according to the quality of relationship between the dissenter and the audience. Dissent expressed to supervisors is more likely to involve message types such as assertiveness, rational arguments, solution presentation, humor, ingratiation, sanctions, threatening resignation, while dissent expressed to coworkers is more likely to involve message types such as displaying emotion or coalitions. The primary goal of expressing emotion and the secondary goal of identity were most prevalent in terms of considerations as study participants expressed dissent. The analyses indicate that the goal of expressing emotion was significantly related to messages of displaying emotion, goals of providing guidance or changing opinion were significantly more associated with solution presentation than with asking for information, the goal of gaining assistance was significantly more associated with coalitions, and the goal of relational resource was significantly less associated with messages threatening resignation. These results suggest that interpersonal influence offers a fruitful perspective from which to view dissent messages, and more research is needed to examine the goals associated with workplace influence as the goals that motivate interpersonal interactions differ from the goals that motivate organizational dissent. Additionally, these results indicate that the position of a person is more important than a relationship in determining how a person will express dissent.

Background: Despite progress made in the last decades, malaria persists as a pressing health issue in sub-Saharan Africa. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to infection and serious health outcomes for themselves and their unborn child. Risk can be mitigated through appropriate use of control measures such as insecticide-treated bed nets. Although social networks can influence uptake of preventive strategies, the role of social influence on bed net ownership has not been explored. During an evaluation of a bed net distribution programme, the influence of non-health care advisors on ownership and use of bed nets by pregnant women in Kumasi, Ghana was examined. Methods: Data were collected through in-person interviews with 300 pregnant women seeking antenatal care in an urban hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. Participants were asked about their bed net ownership, bed net use, and information about three personal contacts that they go to for pregnancy advice. Information about these advisors was combined into an influence score. Logistic regression models were used to determine the association between the score and bed net ownership. Those who owned a bed net were further assessed to determine if interpersonal influence was associated with self-reported sleeping under the bed net the previous night. Results: Of the 294 women in the analysis, 229 (78%) reported owning bed nets. Of these bed net owners, 139 (61%) reported using a bed net the previous night. A dose response relationship was observed between the interpersonal influence score and bed net ownership and use. Compared to the lowest influence score, those with the highest influence score (> 1 SD above the mean) were marginally more likely to own a bed net [OR = 2.37, 95% CI (0.87, 6.39)] and much more likely to use their bed net [5.38, 95% CI (1.89, 15.25)] after adjusting for other factors. Conclusions: Interpersonal influence appears to have modest impact on ownership and use of bed nets by pregnant women in an urban area of Ghana. Further investigations would need to be conducted to determine if the relationship is causal or if individuals who associate are simply more likely to have similar practices.

The primary purpose of the study was to identify relationships among sources of interpersonal influence, putative psychological mediators, and physical activity. The moderation of these relationships by age, body composition, and educational attainment was also evaluated. Responses from 1224 employees were collected through an online survey at a major healthcare facility in central Texas. Structural equation modeling was used to construct the Social Context Scale of Interpersonal Influence and to estimate its ability to explain intention to be physically active and predict physical activity behavior. Invariance testing provided estimates of moderation by age, education, and body composition. Home social context was positively associated with self-efficacy and positive anticipated outcomes and negatively associated with negative anticipated outcomes. Friend social context was positively associated with self-efficacy, positive anticipated outcomes, and intention. Teasing was positively associated with negative anticipated outcomes. Self-efficacy and positive anticipated outcomes were positively associated with intention. Negative anticipated outcomes were negatively associated with intention. The relationship between friend social context and both positive anticipated outcomes and intention was stronger for obese than non-obese respondents. Home social context was more strongly associated with self-efficacy for those with four year degrees than for those without. Self-efficacy was more strongly associated with intention for those with four year degrees than for those without. Self-efficacy predicted subsequent total leisure time physical activity and the relationship was stronger for respondents over 45 years of age than for those younger than 45. The association between self-efficacy and subsequent total leisure time physical activity was also stronger for respondents with a four year degree than for those without. Home and friend social contexts provide potential conduits for post intervention influence on physical activity behavior. The discussion of the benefits of physical activity among friends may encourage overweight and obese individuals considering exercise, especially those with limited physical activity experiences of their own. / text

In Iowa, the state with the largest percent of its land used for agriculture (90 percent) in the nation, compromised water quality is a chief concern among experts. The primary problem is related to the negative environmental impacts caused by nutrient runoff from fields. Although several innovative land-management practices have demonstrated nutrient reduction potential and other soil health related benefits, the practices are not widely utilized on Iowa farm fields. Thus, water quality is at the center of a contentious debate in the state and many farmers are receiving contradictory advice depending on the source of the information. Media and interpersonal communication channels play a primary role in disseminating environmental risk information to the public and farmers (Katz & Lazarfeld, 1955; Rogers, 2010). However, little is known about the way contradictory risk information may shape farmer’s conceptualizations of the water problems in Iowa. Correspondingly, little is known regarding the individuals who are most influential to farmer’s behaviors related to these water issues. To address the potential communication process problems resulting from the clashing ideologies related to the environment and agriculture, this study seeks to investigate the flow of information and networks of influence within the agricultural community in Eastern Iowa. Three studies are conducted to address media, interpersonal, and risk communication components at play in this context. Because mass media are a key source of risk information for the public (McCallum, Hammond, & Covello, 1991; Morton & Duck, 2001; Ho et al., 2013) the first study consists of a thematic textual analysis of online news articles about Iowa’s water quality. A total of 305 articles, published by the Des Moines Register (DMR), Iowa Farmer Today (IFT), and the Farm Bureau Spokesman (FBS), are examined. Themes related to key narratives about Iowa’s water quality problems and the way risks and uncertainty are conveyed in the articles is also investigated. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data was collected to document the types of organizations and key spokespeople used as informational sources in the articles. Findings demonstrate that some messages simultaneously place the blame for causing and the responsibility for solving the problem on the farmers; while others suggest that nutrient excesses are not anthropogenic, are natural, expected, weather dependent, and uncontrollable. Based on the media sources themselves, and the organizations and individuals cited in the articles, this distinction reflects a preeminent pro-agriculture versus pro-environment ideological divide in Iowa. The second study examines farmers’ perspectives on the nutrient issues in Iowa, including their risk perceptions, and preferred sources of information on water quality, both mediated and interpersonal. The study utilizes intercept interviews conducted over a two-month period between July and September 2016 in Middle and Easter Iowa. Analysis of risk perceptions, uncertainty levels, and current mitigation practices revealed a pattern of lower environmental risk perceptions associated with adoption of fewer nutrient reducing practices, and greater uncertainty regarding current nutrient levels. The third and final study built upon data from the previous study and involved in-depth interviews with the individuals who were identified as influential to farmer’s water related land management practices. Definitions of influencers from the level of the individual (i.e., self-identification as an influential), community (i.e., identification of an influential by other farmers), and media narratives (i.e., identification of an influential in an article or media source), in addition to definitions of influentials from previous literature were compared. Findings revealed that influence is highly related to employment position and opportunity to communicate with multiple, various farmers. Personal motivation for engaging in persuasive communication efforts with farmers was revealed as an important factor which may help strengthen theoretical conceptualizations of influential individuals within social networks. This project is a study of environmental communication products, processes, and effects and sought to disentangle the relationships between the risk representation and perception, and influence within agricultural network information flow—an area of research currently lacking. Results help extend scholarship in these areas and illuminate the differing conceptualizations of these variables by mainstream media, agricultural industry media, influential individuals, and agricultural producers themselves. This improved understanding paves the way for subsequent research and intervention efforts to communicate more productively with farmers. The effects of such efforts could help redirect negativity and blame away from farmers, and towards a more productive and holistic approach to solving Iowa’s water quality problems.

xiii, 101 p. / Ensuring that psychological interventions are well received and effective among ethnically and culturally diverse groups is at the forefront of psychological research. This study is a nonexperimental, posttest evaluation of differences between European American and ethnocultural group parents' perceptions of the Family Check-Up (FCU), a family-centered, ecologically and community-based intervention that provides family assessment, support, and motivation to change for families coming to counseling. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of the FCU but has yet to evaluate parent perceptions of the FCU. This study examines features of intervention implementation that lead to treatment satisfaction and adherence by evaluating parent perceptions of (a) the FCU intervention, (b) therapist interpersonal qualities, and (c) therapist multicultural competence. Both parent and observational coder ratings of the intervention were assessed along these dimensions. In the first year of a longitudinal study of the FCU, data were collected from parents of children who attended three public middle schools in a metropolitan area of the Pacific Northwest. Within-subjects analyses were conducted to assure measurement validation and treatment fidelity. A between-subjects multivariate analysis of variance was utilized to examine ethnocultural group differences. Results revealed that all measures demonstrated high internal consistency reliability, high interscale correlations, and good construct validity. Results revealed high interrater agreement between parent ratings of treatment receipt and coder ratings of treatment delivery, indicating treatment fidelity. Results revealed no statistically significant differences in parent perceptions of the FCU intervention, regardless of parent ethnocultural group. Additional analyses demonstrated that observational coders rated family consultants who worked with ethnocultural group parents higher in multicultural competence than those who worked with European American parents. In summary, study results suggest (a) that the measures developed and adapted for this investigation were reliable and valid, and (b) that we found no evidence of perceived differences in the FCU intervention across ethnocultural group and European American parents. The FCU continues to be an intervention that can be successfully implemented among ethnically and culturally diverse families. / Committee in charge: Dr. Benedict McWhirter, Chair; Dr. Elizabeth Stormshak, Member; Dr. Joseph Stevens, Member; Dr. Thomas Dishion, Outside Member

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics and means of Katinka Dániel's interpersonal influences through the perceptions of 20 selected students, protégés, and colleagues, and to study the behavioral and attitudinal changes they attributed to her influence. A case study design and structured interview questionnaire were used to study four variables coming from the social sciences' literature on influence: legitimate authority, attractiveness, expert authority, and trustworthiness. Responses were qualitatively analyzed to determine the role those variables played in Dániel's interpersonal influence. All interviewees were music teachers who used the Kodály method in their teaching and have studied or worked with Dániel. Two images of Dániel emerged from the interviews. The first, a business-like image, emanated from Dániel's work in the classroom, and the second, a maternal image, came from personal relationships with her students and associates. Attractiveness (defined as a willingness to respond positively to the requests of an influential person because one respects that individual and wants to obtain that person's approval) proved to be the principal characteristic of influence, followed by legitimate authority, then expertise. Trustworthiness played a lesser role. The greatest effect of Dániel's influence was on the interviewees' teaching. Among the factors interviewees described as influential were her expectation they would succeed, her position as role model, praise and encouragement, and gestures of generosity and concern. Interviewees were not in agreement as to whether she used persuasion or coercion. Direct verbal communication served a principal role in Dániel's influence, and though her criticism was described as forthright and bluntly honest, interviewees often accepted it. This was because most believed she was focused on their best interest, because her motives were not considered self-serving, and because they saw the reasons for her criticism as stemming from her high ideals and the desire to see them improve as teachers. The dissertation includes a biography of Dániel.

Pourquoi certaines innovations réussissent alors que d’autres échouent ?Dans la littérature marketing, il est largement accepté que l’adoption d’un nouveau produit peut être influencée par le phénomène de la contagion sociale, c’est-à-dire par le phénomène d’imitation des comportements des autres membres du système social. Les recherches en marketing se sont donc intéressées à étudier empiriquement l’impact de la contagion sociale sur l’adoption des innovations. Or, le succès d’une innovation ne s’apprécie pas uniquement par son adoption mais aussi par la continuité de son utilisation. Ainsi, notre étude s’intéresse non seulement au premier achat mais aussi à la continuité d’utilisation de l’innovation technologique. En effet, l’analyse du comportement du consommateur sur le long terme permet de s’assurer de sa satisfaction et de la pérennité des entreprises.Pour ce faire, Nous avions mené une étude quantitative. A cet effet, un questionnaire de recherche a été élaboré et administré auprès d’un échantillon de 593 individus. Les résultats des analyses à équations simultanées montrent le rôle du leadership d’opinion ainsi que des caractéristiques perçues dans les comportements d’adoption et de continuité d’utilisation. Notre recherche contribue donc au développement des connaissances dans le domaine d’adoption et de diffusion de l’innovation et conduit à un certain nombre de recommandations managériales. / Why some innovations succeed and others fail?In the marketing literature, it is widely accepted that the adoption of a new product can be influenced by the phenomenon of social contagion, that is, the phenomenon of imitation of the behavior of other members of the social system. Marketing research was therefore interested to empirically study the impact of social contagion on the adoption of innovations. However, the success of an innovation is not only appreciated by its adoption but also its continued use. Thus, our study looks not only at the first purchase but also the continuity of use of technological innovation. Indeed, consumer behavior analysis in the long run will ensure their satisfaction and sustainability of companies.In order to do so, we had conducted a quantitative study. For this purpose, a research questionnaire was developed and administered to a sample of 593 individuals. The results of analysis with simultaneous equations show the role of opinion leadership and the perceived characteristics of innovation in the behavior of adoption and continuity of use. Our research contributes to the development of knowledge in the field of adoption and diffusion of innovation and leads to a number of managerial recommendations.

The use of e-mail communication between consumers has been growing and companies are seeking to increase their understanding of this type of private communication medium between consumers. The privacy and cost-effectiveness characteristics of e-mail make it an important communication medium for consumers. Consumers use e-mail to exchange a variety of information including electronic word of mouth (eWOM) about products, services and organisations. The travel industry, the context of this study, is increasingly being delivered online. Understanding what influences consumers and how consumers evaluate eWOM will increase the travel industry’s knowledge about its consumer base. This study aims to contribute to existing knowledge on the impact of eWOM on consumer purchase intention. Its focus is on an interpersonal context where eWOM is sent from the source to the receiver in an e-mail about holiday destination. The study, which was undertaken from a positivist perspective, used qualitative and quantitative research techniques to better understand the influence of eWOM on purchase intention. The literature on word of mouth (WOM) and eWOM was initially examined to identify the major factors that have an influence on the receiver of eWOM. Consistent with previous studies, both perceived expertise and similarity were identified as source characteristics that have an influence on the receiver’s purchase intention. The literature also indicated that trustworthiness belief would have a key effect on the influence of eWOM on the attitude of the receiver. Consequently, this study examined each trustworthiness dimension – ability, benevolence, and integrity – with respect to its role in the influence of eWOM on purchase intention. The literature review also revealed that certain receiver characteristics were important in the process of influence, especially consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence. The relationships between the variables identified were further developed into the research model, which has its roots in the theory of reasoned-action (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975) and the dual process theory of influence (Deutsch and Gerard, 1955). Methodologically, a scenario-building approach to developing authentic e-mail was used. The qualitative data gathered from eight focus group discussions were analysed using “framework analysis” (Ritchie and Spencer, 1994) to develop eight scenarios. This was then used to manipulate the moderating variables in the scenario. Three manipulations, each with two levels, were included: eWOM direction “positive and negative”; source characteristic of “expert/non-expert”; and source characteristic of “similar/non-similar”. These scenarios formed part of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of University of Bradford students. The final number of usable questionnaires was 477. Structural equation modelling was used to determine the validity of the conceptual model and test the hypotheses. In particular, multiple group analysis was used to assess both the measurement and structural models, and to identify the impact of the eWOM direction. The theoretical model that describes the relationships between the exogenous variables (source’s and receiver’s characteristics) and the endogenous variables (trustworthiness dimensions, interpersonal influence and purchase intention) was accepted. The research findings provided empirical evidence on the difference in the impact of positive and negative eWOM on purchase intention. The source’s and receiver’s characteristics and related trustworthiness beliefs, (i.e. ability, benevolence, and integrity) are influenced by the direction of eWOM. The findings show that positive and negative eWOM differ with respect to how they impact on consumers’ attitudes and intentions. For instance, consumers have more belief in the credibility of a source who provides negative eWOM. However, the overall influence of the source’s characteristics tends to be stronger with positive than with negative eWOM. The findings of this study provide insights for both academics and practitioners to understand the potential of eWOM. This might be tailored to help develop more private relationships with customers through e-mail marketing strategies that incorporate eWOM. Negative eWOM is more credible but less directly useful to marketers. Nevertheless, it is important for marketers to realise the significance of managing dissatisfaction and to harness the power of negative eWOM. Similarly, positive eWOM is effective especially when the source is both expert and similar. This might be translated into online marketing campaigns that use consumer-to-consumer discussions in addition to viral marketing. Future research might test the model in different contexts, (e.g. financial services), to provide a more comprehensive picture of the influence of eWOM on purchase intention.

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