This dissertation investigates the use of observational learning enhanced health instruction to mitigate problems of low language competency among learners. Low language competency can cause improper comprehension of medical instruction and health education, resulting in misdiagnosis, reduced recall, under reporting of medical conditions and reduced adherence to medical advice. In addition to severely reducing the quality of healthcare to low language competency populations, such issues also translate to tens of billions of dollars in losses each year. Guided by the social cognitive theory, a learning method was proposed which used Natural User Interface (NUI) software to deliver observational learning enhancements. A randomized full experiment, double blind procedure was undertaken with one treatment and one control group, with the treatment group receiving the observational learning enhancement. The results of the study show that, for audiences with low language competency, observational learning enhanced health instruction results in significantly better accuracy of performance and better learner self-efficacy than status quo audio-video based learning methods. The results also showed the successful extension of the observational learning model to NUI based systems. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2013. / June 11, 2013. / HCI, Health Communication, Language barrier alleviation, Natural User Interfaces, Observational Learning, Social Cognitive Theory / Includes bibliographical references. / Jonathan Adams, Professor Directing Dissertation; Allan Jeong, University Representative; Juliann Cortese, Committee Member; Stephen McDowell, Committee Member.

Adolescent smoking and tobacco use has been linked to a variety of adverse and long-term health consequences, and thus represents a behavior that is an important target of a large number of past and current health communications campaigns bent on inhibiting its growth. "Susceptibility" is an important predictor of adolescent smoking behavior. Until now, most studies pertaining to "susceptibility" to smoking have treated the construct as a dichotomous measure, one classifying adolescents as either "Susceptible" or "Not Susceptible." This study proposes an adolescent susceptibility to smoking hierarchy in which the construct is divided into distinct degrees of susceptibility: adolescents low on the hierarchy may be expected to be less susceptible than those higher on the hierarchy and those who have Never Smoked may be expected to be less susceptible than those who are Former Smokers. It is initially proposed here that variables commonly used to predict susceptibility will be systematically related to a hierarchical measure of susceptibility. It is also proposed that multivariate models and the relationships between the predictor variables and susceptibility to smoking will be stronger when using the hierarchical measure of susceptibility than the traditional construct. Six commonly used predictor variables of susceptibility (age, household member smoking, best friends' smoking, exposure to pro-tobacco media messages, and receptivity to pro-tobacco promotional items) were used to examine how relationships between these variables and the traditional and hierarchical models changed. Results suggested that household smoking, best friends' smoking, exposure to pro-tobacco media messages, receptivity to owning pro-tobacco promotional items, and receptivity to wearing pro-tobacco promotional items were all positively related to the hierarchical level of adolescent susceptibility to smoking. Furthermore, multinomial regression procedures revealed that the multivariate model of the hierarchy of susceptibility featured stronger relationships with certain of these predictor variables among adolescents who were susceptible than did the traditional, 2-level susceptibility construct, as evidenced by both overall model fitting information as well as multivariate odds ratios and their confidence intervals. Finally, it was discovered that the percentage of adolescents at either of the four level hierarchical of susceptibility (No, Low, Intermediate, and High) decreased from 2000 to 2002 and from 2002 to 2004 and the percentage of adolescents who were Not Susceptible increased significantly during this time. These findings differed from those obtained when the traditional construct was examined over this time period. The above findings show that specific risk variables of susceptibility are systematically related to an adolescent's degree or level of susceptibility and are more strongly related to a hierarchy of susceptibility than they are to the traditional and widely used dichotomous susceptibility construct. These findings are important to health communicators and social marketers. They show that a hierarchy of susceptibility can be predicted by common predictor variables, allowing for the segmentation of adolescents into various audience groups based on their degree of susceptibility. Such segmentation should allow for the more efficient targeting of adolescents for anti-tobacco media messaging and should allow more persuasive messages to be directed at those adolescents most in need (or most susceptible to smoking behavior). / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2007. / June 13, 2007. / Tobacco, Adolescent Tobacco Use, Adolescent Susceptibility To Tobacco, Health Communication / Includes bibliographical references. / Gary R. Heald, Professor Directing Dissertation; J. Joseph Cronin, Jr., Outside Committee Member; Vicki B. Eveland, Committee Member; Felipe Korzenny, Committee Member.

This dissertation evaluates the effectiveness of a customized educational health intervention on sexual health and female cancer prevention among young women in Pakistan and evaluates the applicability of the integrated model of behavior prevention (IM) when predicting three health behaviors among this population. The study used randomized experimental design with one treatment group and one control group. The results of the study suggest that exposure to web-based customized heath information has positive effect on behavioral intentions to perform breast self-exams and get vaccinated for human papillomavirus, but not for condom use. It was also found that exposure to the website did not have an impact on the constructs in the IM model that should predict behavioral intentions. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2013. / June 6, 2013. / Conservative countries, Consumer health behavior, e-health, Health communication, New communication technologies, Preventive health behaviors / Includes bibliographical references. / Juliann Cortese, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Stephen McDowell, Professor Co-Directing Dissertation; Allan Jeong, University Representative; Jonathan Adams, Committee Member.

ABSTRACT James Cameron's Titanic was a monumental blockbuster when it was released in the late nineties, its story placing themes of class, gender, and tradition at the forefront. It tells the story of a first class woman who finds love with a third class passenger and abandons upper class society to live the life she wants. In this study, the story is examined through a rhetorical analysis of space and mobility, two key elements underscoring the empowerment of the film's main characters. The analysis incorporates discussion of class, gender, and tradition as they affect and are affected by space and mobility within the film, and emphasize the film's message that regardless of class or gender, people can go anywhere and be anyone they want. A critique of this message is offered following analysis of the film's narrative as it develops. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Fall Semester, 2013. / October 14, 2013. / Mobility, Rhetoric, Space, Titanic / Includes bibliographical references. / Davis Houck, Professor Directing Thesis; Jennifer Proffitt, Committee Member; Michael Neal, Committee Member; Stephen McDowell, Committee Member.

Recently, so called "antihero" TV shows such as Dexter, Revenge, or The Walking Dead seem to find great reception among audiences. Traditional crime dramas are enjoyed based on the moral approval of the protagonist and the empathetic feeling for the hero to win over the immoral, harm deserving villain. That formula, however, does not account for the immoral actions antiheroes perform, who despite their morally inappropriate actions are still greatly liked and identified with, and narratives featuring them are greatly enjoyed. Raney (2004) argued that viewers are cognitive misers and instead of morally scrutinizing the character's actions before building a disposition towards them, they rely on narrative schemas. Through repeated exposure to a certain kind of narrative (i.e., traditional hero narrative or non-traditional antihero narrative), specific story schemas are formed that provide the viewer with a set of rules how to interpret the unfolding events and preformed attitudes about the protagonists, which consequently eliminate cognitively taxing scrutinizing of the characters actions, leaving cognitive energy to fully immerse into the story. Story schemas become specifically important for antihero narratives, where viewers encounter moral transgressions they would likely not approve when encountered in real life (e.g., Dexter murdering criminals). This dissertation project attempted to empirically investigate several related issues: (1) the existence of a specific hero and antihero narrative schema; and (2) how much the context--real-world vs. fictional--matters for the evaluation of morally complex characters (i.e., antiheroes) and their morally ambiguous actions. Two independent studies, with altogether three different treatments, were conducted employing reaction-time measurement to investigate these questions. Participants were exposed to either a hero or antihero narrative and then had to read an either fictional-framed or realistically framed antihero story. Results support the existence of two different narrative schemas that impact moral judgment making, supporting Raney's (2004) proposition about the relevance of schemas for the processing of narratives. Additionally, results indicate that the context in which the moral evaluation is made (inside or outside the narrative context) affects the evaluation of an antihero, connecting the context with schema activation. Inside the narrative context (or more generally speaking "from a fictional perspective") the antihero is evaluated more positively than outside the narrative context (from a realism perspective), based on the activated schema. Furthermore, the findings lead to the argument that the activation of a hero schema primes the viewer to evaluate protagonists and their actions based on the ethical principle of deontology (i.e., in a rule-based manner). This is in comparison to the activation of an antihero schema that primes the viewer to evaluate protagonists and their actions from a consequentialist standpoint (i.e., in a deliberate manner). The findings of this dissertation are relevant for our understanding of how we process media narratives and specifically media characters that violate our moral standards. Furthermore, the results about the context-dependent approval of an antihero lead to the argument that we evaluate moral transgressions in fiction and reality differently. The conceptualization of a fictional moral lens and a real-world moral lens is introduced and discussed in relation to the limited-effects perspective of media. Lastly, assuming that antihero narratives appeal to a specific group of people, exposure over a long period of time could reinforce their way of moral judgment making (i.e., focusing on the consequences of a certain situation (consequentialism), rather than strictly following rules (deontology)), which could affect a persons' ethical decision making in various fields. Several implications of the results as well as limitations are discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2013. / October 14, 2013. / Antihero, Deontology, Morality, Moral Judgment, Moral Schemas, Utilitarianism / Includes bibliographical references. / Arthur Raney, Professor Directing Dissertation; David McNaughton, University Representative; Laura Arpan, Committee Member; Juliann Cortese, Committee Member.

This study examined relationships among sad affective states, individual differences, and sad/serious drama preference. Specifically, it was predicted that self-rumination and self-reflection as individual traits would be positively or negatively associated with the preference for sad/serious dramas, and these relationships would be moderated by current affective states. Also, it was proposed that two sources of sad affective states (i.e., news and memory) would moderate the relationships between these individual traits and drama preference for individuals in a sad affective state. Lastly, the study attempted to explore the effects of sad affective states caused by two sources of the sadness on the preference for sad/serious drama. The study revealed that self-reflection (but not self-rumination) had significant positive associations with preferences for one sad (My Sister's Keeper, at σ ≤ .10) and one serious dramas (Hotel Rwandan, at σ ≤ .05) among participants in a sad affective state. However, this pattern was not observed among those in a neutral affective state. Moreover, when the source of sadness was taken into account, it was found that self-reflection was significantly and positively associated with preference for the serious drama (Hotel Rwanda) among sad participants who read a sad news story but not among those who recalled their own sad events. The Chi-square tests between comedy/action and drama choices and high and low self-reflection groups in a sad mood condition also supported the positive association between self-reflection and drama preference. For the final choice of a movie to eventually watch at the end of the research session, the high self-reflection group in the sad mood condition was more likely to select dramas and less likely to select comedy/action movies than the low self-reflection group. Such significant different patterns in movie selection (particularly, drama choices) were not observed in the neutral mood condition. To a less extent, the high and low self-rumination groups showed similar patterns of movie selection, particularly regarding the avoidance of comedy by the high self-rumination group in the sad mood condition. The study also showed that the sad mood and source conditions did not have any significant impact on the preference for either sad or serious dramas overall. However, with regard to comedy preference, mood-congruent film preference appeared. Participants in the sad mood condition were less likely to prefer comedies than those in the neutral mood condition. Self-reflection and self-rumination were also found to predict decreased preference for a comedy (The Hangover) in the sad news condition. In terms of affective and cognitive characteristics of self-reflection and self-rumination, some possible reasons and meanings of the study findings are discussed in relation to mood management theory, including mood congruent film preference among sad high reflectors (i.e., preference for sad and serious dramas and avoidance of comedy) and sad high ruminators (i.e., avoidance of comedy), and sad participants in general. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2013. / November 7, 2013. / Film Preference, Individual Differences, Mood Management, Rumination and Reflection, Sadness, Selective Exposure / Includes bibliographical references. / Arthur A. Raney, Professor Directing Dissertation; Betsy Becker, University Representative; Laura M. Arpan, Committee Member; Ulla Sypher, Committee Member.

With the rapid development of social media in the last decade, consumers are able to share their purchase and use experiences online with other users (Henning-Thurau, Gwinner, Walsh, & Gremler, 2004). Research about the significance of user-generated content (UGC) increased; however, analysis about UGC on YouTube and how it influenced consumers future purchase intention were scarce. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between attitudes toward UGC on YouTube, the perceived credibility of UGC, and the factors that influence purchase intention of products being reviewed. This study aimed to answer the question whether differences existed between active and passive YouTube users' attitudes toward UGC and their purchase intentions. One hundred and seventy YouTube users completed the online survey, but the final sample size was decreased to 131, because the lie item test removed the respondents who did not read the questions carefully. The results showed that positive correlations between each variable were significant at alpha = .05 level. Active users and passive users not only held different attitudes toward UGC and different purchase intentions for the products being reviewed, but also the predictive power was varied. For active users, parasocial interaction explained the most variance of purchase intentions; however, user activity had the most predictive power for passive users' on their future buying behavior. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester, 2015. / March 18, 2015. / Includes bibliographical references. / Brian Parker, Professor Directing Thesis; Juliann Cortese, Committee Member; Felecia Jordan, Committee Member.

In the fall of 1999, a coalition, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the National Latino Media Council (NLMC), American Indians in Film & Television, and the National Asian-Pacific Media Coalition, threatened to boycott the major broadcast networks when their fall lineups were announced with no leads of color and few people of color in supporting roles. As a result of the protest, the four large broadcast networks came forward with diversity initiatives that would increase the number of people of color both in front of and behind the scenes. Using political economy of media and critical race theory, this research examines the effectiveness of the diversity initiatives created by the broadcast networks to address the lack of representation of people of color in front of and behind the scenes. After fifteen years, the pressure from the multi-ethnic coalition has dwindled and, though there are examples of television programs with not only a diverse staff but also women and people of color in decision making roles, the overall diversity numbers still leave a lot to be desired. A study found that the total percentage of writers of color in broadcasting and cable is 15.6 percent. The results for directors were just as dismal with 16 percent representation. Historical critical analysis reveals that efforts made by broadcast networks as early as the 1940s claimed to focus on increasing representation of people of color, primarily African Americans, in front of and behind the camera. Internal memos showed however that, while individual efforts were made, overall the networks were only providing lip service. Interviews revealed that current diversity initiatives are instrumental in getting participants into entry level positions, but do not help them move up into decision making positions. Many found, in fact, that the stigma of being a diverse candidate sometimes hurt their mobility. In broadcasting, despite the diversity initiatives, much more work needs to be done. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2014. / May 2, 2014. / Broadcasting, Critical Race Theory, Diversity, Political Economy of Media / Includes bibliographical references. / Jennifer M. Proffitt, Professor Directing Dissertation; Valliere Richard, University Representative; Stephen McDowell, Committee Member; Davis Houck, Committee Member.

The natural systems that humans value and upon which we depend are under pressure. Yet too often humans appear trapped in denial, continuing to engage in harmful and unsustainable practices. Capitalism's necessary components of commodification and continual growth are primary drivers of both environmental degradation and our ability to blind ourselves to it or depict it as an inevitable "price of progress." This opens our economic system and the ideologies of consumption and commodification that underlie it to critical challenge. The mechanism by which this system reproduces itself is an obvious focus of critics, who have pointed out that capitalism uses our informational and entertainment media as a "culture industry" (Jhally, 1989) to reproduce itself, thereby shaping our thinking and constraining our choices. Yet, as Jenkins and others have shown, this is not a one-way, hypodermic model of influence. The multiuser virtual world Second Life represents the emergence of a somewhat new medium that is groundbreaking in its presentation of an immersively convincing world that visitors can inhabit and even co-create. SL tends to reproduce the ideologies of its builders and users, and its convincing nature creates a powerful presumption of reality and truth; it tends to be experienced as something as natural and inevitable as the real world. Because it is largely user-created, however, it is a place where ideologically-founded depictions of the natural world can be deconstructed regularly and habitually in the act of consuming them. It also offers a relatively democratized public sphere in which competing visions of reality can be experienced. I begin with a review of critical theory about the role of media in the formation and reproduction of ideologies about the natural world. Following an explanation of Remediation Theory--which provides insight into the way something as clearly artificial as a virtual world can be enthusiastically engaged as real--I also discuss the rhetorical power of images, followed by a discussion of "virtual nature" as it has been presented in various forms up to and including Second Life. I conclude a detailed study that entails both close readings of SL "builds" as well as interviews with its users and an examination of the way descriptions of these virtual constructions circulate out in other media. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2014. / May 1, 2014. / Environment, Mediation, Nature, Virtual Worlds, Visual Rhetoric / Includes bibliographical references. / Andrew Opel, Professor Directing Dissertation; William Landing, University Representative; Ulla Sypher, Committee Member; Davis Houck, Committee Member.

The genre of superhero films has taken the movie industry by force, resulting in over a dozen comic book adaptations within the past decade alone. These films are based on intellectual properties originally appearing in comic books, and most of the adaptations are from DC and Marvel characters. As DC and Marvel, the two largest publishing houses, are wholly owned by TimeWarner and Disney, respectively, superheroes are easy and free content for media conglomerates to adapt. Due to the success of the superhero genre and its various offshoots like toys, video games, and merchandise, this work examines the top ten films since 2000 through the lens of feminist political economy of media. Issues like ownership within the comic book industry and the film industry, the inherent patriarchy of hierarchical capitalism, and gender representation in adaptations will be explored. Concluding that superhero films as a genre of profitable adaptations perpetuate stereotypes of females as dangerous vixens or damsels in distress, and that females have less agency than their male counterparts, I argue that such representations are the result of a media oligopoly and are problematic in nature. Viewers of such movies respond in different ways, but the messages are reaching them and there is a likelihood that fans will echo the gendered roles portrayed on screen. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester, 2014. / April 16, 2014. / Comic Books, Feminist Political Economy, Political Economy of Media, Superhero Films / Includes bibliographical references. / Jennifer Proffitt, Professor Directing Thesis; Davis Houck, Committee Member; Donna Nudd, Committee Member.