Thesis advisor: Lillie L. Albert / Increasing students' intentions to pursue mathematics-intensive careers is an urgent priority in the United States. To foster these intentions among marginalized student groups, such as immigrant students, and achieve equity in their career options, a critical question is whether we should allocate a greater proportion of school resources to mathematics over other subjects. The aims of this dissertation study were, first, to conceptually model and statistically evaluate how a school environment that prioritizes mathematics over other subjects might influence students' intentions to pursue mathematics over other academic subjects in the long term, and second, how this relationship is mediated by students’ mathematics pursuit attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavior (Ajzen, 1991), and moderated by their immigrant standing. The data for this study stemmed from the U.S. 2012 Programme For International Student Assessment Academic & Science (PISA) Student Questionnaire and School Questionnaire. A predictive mean matching technique was used to impute missing data that would resemble observed data. A 2-1-1 multilevel mediation Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was implemented to accurately measure a school-level effect and student-level effect of the relationship of the examined constructs and to test the hypothesized model for the total sample. In order to compare immigrant student group and non-immigrant student group in the path model, multiple group path analysis was conducted. The results of the multilevel SEM model for the total sample presented that, at the school level (level 2), the school’s mathematics resources had no statistically significant direct and indirect effects on aggregated students’ intentions to pursue mathematics over other subjects. However, at the student level (level 1), students’ experiential and instrumental attitudes toward the pursuit of mathematics were positively related to students’ intentions to pursue mathematics over other subjects. The results of the multiple group path analysis comparing immigrant and non-immigrant student groups also found that the school’s mathematics resources had no statistically significant direct and indirect effects on students’ intentions to pursue mathematics over other subjects. However, a statistical difference in the overall path model of these two groups was found. The implications of this study for researchers, educators, and policymakers were discussed. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

Sammanfattning Titel Effekten av Influencer Marknadsföring på konsumenters: En studie av hur influencer kampanjer påverkar konsumenternas varumärkeslojalitet och köpintention Nivå C- uppsats, 15 hp Författare Charlotte Krönlein och Hanna Kram Handledare Afshin Afsharipour Examinator Svante Andersson Termin VT 2023 Syfte: Syftet med studien är att förstå effekten av hur influencers medverkan i kampanjer på konsumenters varumärkeslojalitet och köpintention, samt att undersöka eventuella skillnader mellan män och kvinnor i detta sammanhang. Studiens syfte är att skapa en förståelse för hur mycket influencers medverkan i kampanjer påverkar människors vilja att köpa företagets produkter och hur de bidrar till varumärkeslojalitet, samtidigt som den tar hänsyn till skillnader mellan män och kvinnor. Teoretiska referensramen: Uppsatsen är fördelad och uppdelad på teori inom fem olika områden. Referensramen börjar med att presentera köpintention, därefter tillit och förtroende som följs med influencer marknadsföring,  social identitet och electronic word of mouth.  Metod: För att undersöka våra tre forskningsfrågor utfördes en kvantitativ studie med 294 respondenter som var jämnt fördelade mellan kvinnor och män, samt åldrar mellan 18-60+ år.  Empiri: Med hjälp av en enkätundersökning samlades 294 svar in från kvinnor och män. Vidare presenterades resultatet i form av tabell och diagram som senare har analyserats med hjälp av den teoretiska referensramen.  Diskussion och slutsats:  Denna studie belyser influencer-marknadsförings effekt på varumärkeslojalitet och köpintention. Nyckeln till framgång ligger i att välja rätt influencer och att det finns en positiv inställning till influencern och deras marknadsförda produkter. Resultaten visar också på könsrelaterade skillnader, att män tycker den känslomässiga anknytningen är viktigare vilket öppnar upp för vidare forskning. Nyckelord: Influencer marknadsföring, köpintention, varumärkeslojalitet, social identitetsteori, electronic word of mouth, Theory of Planned Behavior

Online marketing professionals' perceptions about the challenges have got huge importance on marketing campaigns and conversion rates. Online marketing professionals' effective digital marketing strategies are crucial for businesses and clients to grow. However, marketers are facing several challenges in optimizing campaigns, and how they perceive them can affect the whole outcome of the campaigns, the clients' success, as well as certain markets. Understanding their perceptions is important for developing effective strategies and improving conversion rates. Therefore, this research aims to explore the perceptions of challenges that marketers are facing when it comes to optimizing online marketing campaigns. The data for this qualitative project was collected through a total of 9 interviews, of which 4 were in-depth, and 5 were conducted to support or refute the discovered themes. All of the interviewees are highly-experienced online marketing professionals who are currently working in this field. The findings of this study are divided into 5 themes, and each theme has a challenge and a solution part. Marketing professionals can perceive the challenges along these 5 themes when optimizing campaigns to improve conversions. These 5 themes cover: (1) client communication, (2) applied methods, (3) internal factors, (4) external factors, and (5) timeframe. The marketers perceive the challenges in our studied topic along the 5 identified factors below: (1) do not understand each other with the client, (2) there is no clear idea about what kind of methods can work, (3) they have a limited effect on the company's internal factors, (4) external factors cause an anomaly, (5) lack of long-term goals. They can overcome these with client-centric communication, clear ideas, a well-thought-out decision-making approach, market-appropriate strategies, and long-term goals.

Syphilis prevention in the United States continues to be an enduring public health challenge. Although syphilis is a curable infection, if left untreated it can result in severe, debilitating and potentially life-threatening complications. Routine screening for syphilis in high-risk populations remains an important prevention and control measure. Research consistently demonstrates the relative advantage of greater testing frequency in at-risk populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM) using both cost-effectiveness analyses and mathematical modeling. Despite this, frequency of screening for syphilis among MSM remains sub-optimal, and failure to screen MSM at recommended intervals may be attributable to clinicians’ perceptions related to syphilis screening in this population. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) may help to elucidate the attitudes, social and professional norms, and perceived behavioral control that providers experience towards syphilis screening. The extent to which these cognitive-behavioral factors facilitate clinicians’ intentions to screening MSM for syphilis has not been previously evaluated. Using the constructs of the TPB, this study developed and validated a new survey tool with a national sample of physicians (n=123) who treat MSM and recruited through a proprietary email list and through passive recruitment on social media and provider Listservs. Results of the survey revealed variability in providers’ attitudes, social norms and perceived behavioral control, and these differed in association with self-reported syphilis screening intention and behavior. The survey was also used to validate a measurement model based on the TPB. This measurement model consisted of four factors: attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioral control and intention. This model was then used in structural equation modeling analysis to simultaneously test the strength of associations between these factors and a self-reported behavioral outcome. Results indicate that attitudes have a significant indirect effect on self-reported screening behavior mediated though intention. Perceived behavioral control was also strongly associated with self-reported behavior, as was intention to screen. By incorporating the TPB into a model of physician behavior, this study provides a framework for interventions targeted at increasing syphilis testing frequency in clinical practice. / Public Health

Genetically modified (GM) food could be a solution to secure the world’s food supply, whichis in jeopardy due to the ongoing climate crisis. Thus, it is of great importance that consumerswould be willing to consume this type of food. To examine which factors influence consumerbehavior toward GM food, an extension of the theory of planned behavior was applied anddecisive factors were evaluated. The derived hypotheses and the respective influencing factorsare based on the research of Prati et al. (2012) as well as the questions that were used in theonline questionnaire. Through this online questionnaire with 117 participants, the hypotheseswere tested and factors that influence the intention of consumers to consume geneticallymodified food were identified. It was found that the following factors are relevant: Perceivedbenefits, Subjective norm, and Attitude. Of these, the factor Perceived benefits has the greatestinfluence on intention. Factors that do not play a role are Perceived control and, contrary toexpectations, Perceived risks.Another factor that was tested beyond the scope of the theory was the relevance of thenationality of participants on their intention to consume genetically modified food. However,it was found that nationality does not influence the intention. Concluding, the findings revealthat consumers can be especially influenced by their perception of benefits.

Syfte: Studien syftar till att skapa förståelse för om och i så fallhur mikro- och makroinfluencers påverkar relationen mellan attitydkomponenterna (tillförlitlighet, experits och attraktivitet) och köpintentionen. Metod:Denna studie baseras på en kvantitativ forskningsmetod där primärdata samlades in via en digital enkätundersökning. Enkäten innehöll frågor från tidigare forskning samt egenutformade och den distribuerades ut via sociala medier. Primärdata samlades in från 150 respondenter där 15 blev bortfall. Primärdata analyserades sedan genom korrelationsanalyser och regressionsanalyser i IBM SPSS-Statistics.  Slutsats: Studien visade att tillförlitlighet och attraktivitet påverkar köpintentionen. Tillförlitlighet har den starkaste påverkan på köpintentionen och makroinfluencers påverkar denna relation medan mikroinfluencers inte gör det. Attraktivitet har också en påverkan på köpintentionen, och mikroinfluencers påverkar relationen, medan makroinfluencers inte gör det. Studien fastställde inte om expertis påverkar köpintentionen, vilket kräver ytterligare forskning. Mikro- och makroinfluencers har en signifikant effekt på förhållandet mellan expertis och köpintention, vilket är av intresse och kräver framtida forskning. / Purpose: This study aims to understand whether and if so, how micro- and macroinfluencers affect the relationship between the attitude components (trustworthiness, expertise, and attractiveness) and purchase intention. Method:This study is based on a quantitative research method where primary data was collected via a digital survey. The survey contained questions from previous research as well as self- designed questions and was distributed via social media. Primary data was collected from 150 respondents and 15 were excluded. The primary data was then analyzed through correlation- and regression analyses in IBM SPSS-Statistics. Conclusion:The study found that trustworthiness and attractiveness impact purchase intention. Trustworthiness has the strongest impact, and macroinfluencers significantly affect this relationship while microinfluencers do not. Attractiveness also has a positive impact on purchase intention, with micro-influencers affecting the relationship, while macroinfluencers do not. The study did not determine if expertise impacts purchase intention, requiring further research. Micro- and macroinfluencers have a significant effect on the relationship between expertise and purchase intention, which is of interest and needs further research.

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Objective. To examine the extent to which theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs and demographic characteristics explain pharmacy students’ dispensing intentions in ethically or legally gray areas involving potential substance misuse or abuse. Methods. Two cohorts of third-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students (n5159) were provided with five written cases describing common “gray area” dispensing scenarios in community practice involving medications and devices with potential for misuse or abuse (eg, long-term buprenorphine maintenance prescription without evidence of tapering, early refill of a narcotic for an out-of-town patient, non-prescription sale of pseudoephedrine). Students completed a 12-item survey instrument for each case. Items assessed whether the student would dispense the medication or device in the given scenario, how many times in 10 similar scenarios the student would dispense the medication or device, attitudes regarding dispensing, and subjective norm and perceived behavioral control beliefs. Results. Wide variation in the percentages of students who would dispense the medications or devices was noted across the five scenarios (14% in the buprenorphine scenario to 61% in the pseudoephedrine scenario). Attitude scores significantly predicted dispensing decisions in all scenarios (p,.001), whereas subjective norm and perceived behavioral control beliefs were significant predictors of dispensing only in select case scenarios. Gender and community pharmacy work experience did not consistently predict dispensing intentions. Conclusion. Student attitudes consistently predicted intent to dispense across five gray practice scenarios. These findings can be used to inform development of educational interventions that influence students’ attitudes and self-awareness in community practice decision-making scenarios involving potential substance misuse or abuse.

The purpose of this study was to examine how attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control influence adolescents' intent to participate in active family leisure and furthermore to explore the nature of the relationship between active family leisure and body mass index (BMI) among adolescents. Adolescents (N = 472) completed an online questionnaire assessing the theory of planned behavior (TPB) variables, active family leisure, individual active leisure, and BMI. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Tests of direct paths of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control to intent indicated these variables were significant predictors of intent to participate in active family leisure. The combination of attitude and subjective norm was the greatest predictor of intent. The TPB was extended to examine the relationship between active family leisure and BMI. There was not a significant relationship; however the TPB did accurately model the behavior of active family leisure. Findings suggest the influence of friends and family is a strong predictor for active family leisure. This highlights the important role families and friends can play to encourage adolescents' participation in active family leisure.