News stories about food safety at restaurants in Florida typically employ illustrative exemplars (examples) that describe violations discovered by state regulators. Previous research indicates that vivid exemplars can alter the public's perceived health risks. This study further explored whether or not exemplars, when presented through a reporter's personal testimony, affect participants' perceptions or behaviors. Through an experiment, participants (N = 286) were randomly exposed to one of two conditions: (a) a news story featuring exemplars without personal testimony and (b) a news story featuring exemplars with personal testimony from a reporter. Participants were asked to rate perceived risks and likely behavior. Data showed significant differences between conditions and participants were clearly impacted by the exemplars presented, rating the perceived risks as high and noting a likely change in their behavior. Results are discussed in terms of practical implications for reporters, state regulators, public relations professionals and restaurateurs. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Spring Semester 2016. / April 8, 2016. / Exemplification Theory, Food Safety Risks, Personal Reporter Testimony, Public Relations, Restaurant Inspection Reports / Includes bibliographical references. / Patrick Merle, Professor Directing Thesis; Jay Rayburn, Committee Member; Jaejin Lee, Committee Member; , .

To limit the reputational damage inflicted on an organization during crises, crisis communication scholars have spent considerable effort analyzing the appropriate crisis response strategies that coincide with certain crisis situations (Benoit, 1997; Coombs 1995, 2006, 2007; Coombs & Holladay, 2014; Seeger & Ulmer, 2002). Although it is valuable and essential to gain understanding of the implications of post-crisis communication, scholars have also alluded to the importance of pre-crisis preparation and the devising of a pre-crisis plan (Coombs, 2007; Coombs & Holladay, 2001, 2002, 2006; Heath 1997). However, a majority of crisis communication research has focused on post-crisis reactive strategies rather than pre-crisis preparation and prevention (Avery, Lariscy, Kim, & Hocke, 2010). In addition, crisis communication scholars have studied the influence of the organization-public relationship (OPR), a dominant public relations paradigm, on organizations post-crisis reputational assessments (Brown & White, 2011; Coombs, 2000). Nevertheless, no known research has examined the effects of pre-crisis plan exposure on post-crisis evaluations of organizations, specifically the attitudinal measures trust and forgiveness. As a result, the current study sought to empirically test the effects of transparently communicating a pre-crisis plan to stakeholders on their levels of organizational trustworthiness and forgiveness. To test this effect, a 2 X 1 between-subject experiment was conducted, in which participants were either exposed to a pre-crisis plan or an alternative plan (i.e. control group). Following a two-day delay, participants were then exposed to a crisis scenario description and corresponding crisis response, as suggested by SCCT. Lastly, dependent measures and demographics were reported. Participants who completed the experiment were rewarded extra credit. Statistical analysis revealed that while stakeholders who are exposed to a pre-crisis plan do report slightly higher levels of organizational trustworthiness and forgiveness in comparison to those not exposed to a pre-crisis plan, the mean difference between the groups is not significant. However, it is important to report that analysis of scale items did reveal a significant difference between groups on their evaluations of organizational dependability. Thus, several implications and future research opportunities are suggested. Most importantly, this study expanded the OPR research in crisis communication scholarship by alluding to the need for further analysis on pre-crisis communication and its effect on organizational dependability. In addition, by empirically testing the effects of pre-crisis plan exposure, the current study attends to the call for further research in crisis preparation (Avery et al., 2010). / A Thesis submitted to the College of Communication and Information in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester 2016. / November 2, 2016. / Communication, Crisis, Forgiveness, Pre-Crisis, Preparation, Trust / Includes bibliographical references. / Patrick F. Merle, Professor Directing Thesis; Juliann Cortese, Committee Member; Jaejin Lee, Committee Member.

In health promotion, while health messages may capture the attention of their target population, individuals seem unwilling to change their behaviors, especially when they are highly engaged in their current behaviors (Kunda, 1987; Weinstein, 1999). Self-efficacy has been one of the most crucial elements that facilitates health-related theories and predicts health attitudes and behaviors (Fishbein, 2000; Schwarzer & Fuchs, 1996). Based on self-affirmation theory (Steele, 1988), a growing body of literature has examined that people can reduce defensive processing and increase message acceptance and adaptive behavioral changes (Harris & Epton, 2009; Sherman & Cohen, 2002; Silverman, Logel, & Cohen, 2013). However, very little is known about what maximize a message’s impact on self-efficacy in self-affirmation. Therefore, this current study aims to explore whether and how self-affirmation may influence a person’s perception of own capabilities. This study investigated the self-affirmation effects using value affirmation manipulation for self-affirmation condition and journey control for control condition manipulation. The results indicated that self-affirmation increase message recipients’ self-efficacy toward the suggested behaviors, more positive attitudes toward the behavior and behavioral intention. However, when considered respondents’ existing self-efficacy as a moderation factor, affirmed people with greater initial self-efficacy tend to report more positive attitudes toward the suggested behavior than control group. Self-affirmation for participants with lower existing self-efficacy, however, did work negatively influence their attitudes toward the behavior. When considered recipients’ personal relevance to the behavior, affirmed participants with high relevance reported greater perceived susceptibility for the risk compared to non-affirmed participants. Implications of the findings suggest that self-affirmation is highly likely to lead to message recipients’ adaptive responses, especially their perceived self-efficacy toward the suggested behavior. Also, other personal factors such as existing self-efficacy as a baseline belief or personal relevance toward the specific behavior can be a contributor of self-affirmation effects. This dissertation study found a strong predictive power of existing self-efficacy and personal relevance on message responses and behavior-specific cognition; thus, health practitioners should consider those personal factors when they develop health promotion messages for their target audience. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2016. / July 11, 2016. / Includes bibliographical references. / Laura Arpan, Professor Directing Dissertation; James Whyte, University Representative; Juliann Cortese, Committee Member; Jaejin Lee, Committee Member.

Much research analyzes the effects of media stereotyping on attitudes toward marginalized groups. However, few studies have examined how these marginalized groups react to media stereotyping of their own group. In addition, little research has explored the media stereotyping of Appalachians, and currently no research has examined media effects on attitudes toward Appalachians. To fill these gaps in the literature, this mixed-methods thesis used cultivation theory, explicit attitudes, and social identity theory as a framework to better understand how stereotypical media portrayals of Appalachians influence attitudes toward this group, and to determine how accurate Appalachians think media stereotypes are about themselves. Relying on an online survey (N=404) of closed- and open-ended questions, this thesis explored media consumption of Appalachians (N=104) and non-Appalachians (N=300), and their attitudes toward Appalachians. The relationship between media consumption and social identity of Appalachians also was examined. For all participants, the quantitative results indicate a correlation between media consumption and some stereotypes of Appalachia, such as "backwards," racist, and technologically illiterate. The qualitative results indicate that non-Appalachians see Appalachians as "White trash," conservative, uneducated, and poor. Appalachians, however, reject these negative stereotypes and instead associate themselves with positive stereotypes, such as being friendly, musical, close to nature, and hospitable. While there was so significant relationship between media consumption and social identification, this thesis revealed that Appalachians were split in terms of their social identity, adding to our understanding of social identity theory. This thesis contributes to the scant body of literature examining how marginalized populations react to media stereotypes about themselves, and raises questions about the relationship between media cultivation and social identity. / A Thesis submitted to the School of Communication in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. / Spring Semester 2017. / March 27, 2017. / Appalachia, Attitudes, Cultivation, Social Identity, Stereotypes / Includes bibliographical references. / Summer Harlow, Professor Directing Thesis; Russell Clayton, Committee Member; Felecia F. Jordan Jackson, Committee Member.

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In the 2019/2020 academic year, around 370,000 Chinese students studied at U.S. colleges and universities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media serve as an important channel for in-U.S. Chinese college students to learn about the pandemic-related news and information in both China and the United States. However, due to the wide circulation of misinformation on social media and the censored Chinese media system, the question remains whether in-U.S. Chinese students trust the social media platforms and information sources they depend on. This thesis seeks to answer this question by drawing upon the literature about media credibility and the Media System Dependency theory. Specifically, the study examines whether in-U.S. Chinese college students’ media dependency level can positively predict their perceived credibility level of different social media platforms and information sources within the platforms when consuming news related to COVID-19. Based on an online survey, this thesis found that in-U.S. Chinese students still depended mostly on WeChat, a Chinese social media platform, and perceived it most credible for consuming both Chinese and U.S. COVID-19 information. Despite their experience staying in the U.S., the Chinese students also largely depended on and trusted Chinese governmental and mainstream news media sources within the social media. In addition, media dependency levels could positively predict the perceived credibility level of all social media platforms and information sources. That is, in-U.S. Chinese students tend to trust the media and information sources they depend on. Theoretically, this thesis extends the previous literature about media dependency and credibility to social media and public health crisis contexts, further considering the different features and affordances of various social media platforms.

Individuals with developmental language disorders experience an array of challenges that persist from childhood into adulthood, highlighting the need for advancements in early detection and intervention for this population. The identification of young children who are at risk for persistent language delays continues to be fraught with instability and a reduced reliability. There is a continued need for robust and valid measures of early language and communication that can adequately characterize trajectories of communication development in very young children. This study examined the latent factor structure and measurement invariance of the Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scale Developmental Profile Caregiver Questionnaire (CQ), a measure of early social communication and symbolic behavior, in an archival sample of 3498 children aged 8-25 months ascertained through primary care screenings. A stepwise approach using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis was implemented to compare the dimensionality and invariance of the CQ across six age groups. Results of confirmatory factor analyses showed hypothesized measurement models of the CQ evidenced borderline to poor fit across age groups, preventing further examination of measurement invariance across age. Exploratory analyses revealed the presence of problematic items characterized by low variance in responses and low endorsement of the Not yet response category. Problematic items were addressed through exclusion or modification of the item’s response format. Two patterns of extracted factors emerged during exploratory factor analyses, a two-factor model for the 8-10, 14-16, 23-25 months age groups and a three-factor model for the 11-13, 17-19, and 20-22 months age groups. A consistent sounds and words use factor was extracted across the four oldest age groups regardless of the number of extracted factors. The present study highlights directions for future research regarding the use of the CQ, including aspects of the measure that can be adjusted to improve its measurement of early social communication abilities in infants and toddlers. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Communication Science and Disorders in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / 2019 / October 24, 2019. / Includes bibliographical references. / Amy Wetherby, Professor Directing Dissertation; Christopher Schatschneider, University Representative; Hugh Catts, Committee Member; Carla Wood, Committee Member.

The environment of Utah State University was studied by administering the College and University Environment Scales (CUES) to 299 sophomore, junior and senior students enrolled spring quarter 1975. Scores on each scale for the university were: Practicality, 18; Scholarship, 17; Community, 19; Awareness, 22; and Propriety, 12. These figures indicate that USU has an environment which is not scholastically oriented but is open and free allowing students to develop and mature as individuals. Differences between men and women and between in-state and out-of-state respondents were compared. Women tend to rate the university higher than men in scholarship, community, awareness and practicality and lower in propriety. In-state students rate it higher in scholarship, awareness and community than out-of-state students but lower in practicality and propriety. The results back up the contention of C. R. Pace, author of CUES, that-women see a university in a better light than men. The difference between in-state student perceptions and out-of-state student perceptions are more difficult to analyze. Looking at the total response to the instrument, it appears that out-of-·state students have a strong reaction to the culture of Utah and react negatively to much of the behavior they see.

Considerable research has demonstrated an association between exposure to thin and attractive figures on both traditional media and social media and women’s body dissatisfaction. However, it was unclear whether social media’s interactive features, notably the comment function, could play a role in influencing the extent to which thin-ideal images affect women. The study aimed to identify how different comments under Instagram’s thin-ideal images can influence women’s body image concerns by either mitigating or aggravating their self-objectification of attractive images. In this study, thin-ideal internalization and feminist beliefs were examined as moderators in the relationship between different comments under idealized images and body image concerns. A survey with self-report measures was conducted and the sample comprised female students from Boston University. The survey included a 2 (positive appearance comments: presence vs. absence) x 2 (reality check comments: presence vs. absence) between-subject experiment. Although the aggravating or mitigating effect of different comments with Instagram images was not statistically significant, people reported less body image disturbance after the exposure to images with reality check comments, compared to the level of the disturbance they reported before seeing the images. In contrast to the prediction, feminist beliefs and thin-ideal internalization did not moderate the effect of different comments on body image concerns. But the study found that women with low feminist beliefs experienced increasing body image disruption after viewing images with both positive and reality check comments. Moreover, thin-ideal internalization was positively associated with body image disturbance across all conditions. The findings of the study could inform women to be aware of social media exposure’s influences on how they objectify themselves toward idealized images; as well call upon authorities to establish a healthier standard of beauty and protect women from negative body image concerns. Finally, the study underscores the need for further research on refining the framework of social media comment function’s effect on users’ body image concerns, as well as exploring the role of feminism in the context of social media interactive features studies.

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