Biosecurity failures result in the spread of plant and animal diseases, threatening public health, economic stability, and food security worldwide. Thus, teaching effective biosecurity strategies to stakeholders throughout the food supply chain is imperative. African Swine Fever virus (ASFv) is a highly contagious disease that is testing the world's biosecurity standards. This study examined the instructional communication efforts in the United States' swine industry to promote biosecurity practices in response to ASFv. Fourteen research, veterinary, and extension specialists were interviewed to assess the swine industry's capacity to function as a Community of Practice charged with engaging in instructional communication to stop the spread of ASFv. Strategies were coded under the three major functions of Communities of Practice: shared repertoire, mutual engagement, and joint negotiation. Respondents indicated that a consistent instructional message is needed, but that message must be tailored to fit the size and available resources at a wide range of facilities. Although the goal of biosecurity remains the same, maintaining a line of separation between infected areas and uninfected areas, the means for achieving this goal may differ among locations and the instructional messages should reflect this variability. Implications for agricultural and crisis communication educators are also provided.

Clothing is a powerful nonverbal communicative tool and form of self-expression that provides others with clues about our personality, mood, education, culture, financial status, and social ranking, amongst numerous other impression cues. Research shows that physical appearance plays a prominent role in the formation of initial judgments and is significant in shaping a person's overall impression on others (Richmond, McCroskey, & Payne, 1991). The present study sought to quantitatively explore the effect that different styles of dress have on initial judgments formed about women in workplace settings. Using expectancy violation theory, the study investigates workplace gender bias and whether or not certain styles of women's dress garner different initial reactions. Results showed that models in feminine attire are perceived to be lower in ratings of dominance and expertise, and models in more masculine attire are perceived to be lower in ratings of kindness and friendliness.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection may lead to cancer and genital warts yet can be prevented by a safe and effective vaccine recommended for individuals up to 26 years old. HPV vaccination rates remain low among college aged adults that represent a catch-up population still eligible to receive the HPV vaccine. This present study is a theory-based investigation employing the Heuristic Systematic Model to explore the effect of message format and processing route on attitude and behavioral intention in the context of HPV vaccination. Undergraduate students aged 17-26 years old (N = 261) from various majors (e.g., STEM, social sciences, humanities) participated in the study. An online message exposure experiment randomly assigned participants one of three messages in different message formats (i.e., accessible, scientific jargon, scientese) promoting HPV vaccination to examine the persuasive potential of clearly worded messages (i.e., accessible message), appropriately used scientific language (i.e., jargon message) and inappropriately used scientific terminology (i.e., scientese message) and the effect of processing route on attitude and behavioral intention pertaining to HPV vaccination. Additionally, the potential impact of scientific literacy was investigated. The three experimental conditions were compared to the control condition that corresponded to no message exposure. Quantitative data analyses revealed the scientese message was associated with higher intention to receive the HPV vaccine than the simply worded message among systematic processors only. Further, systematic processing was related to more favorable attitude toward the message and greater intention to obtain the vaccine. Findings of the current study can help inform future message development to design targeted persuasive messages aiming to encourage vaccination in an effort to augment HPV vaccination rates among the catch-up population.

This study identifies and compares the methods of recruitment used by three prime jihadist organizations through their online magazines. The successful recruitment efforts and growth as a threat by the Islamic State of Iraq and Shām (ISIS), Al-Qaeda, and Al-Shabaab are attributed, in part, to the widespread popularity and accessibility of Dabiq and Rumiyah (published by ISIS), Inspire (published by Al-Qaeda), and Gaidi Mtaani (published by Al-Shabaab). In order to best examine the techniques of persuasion and propaganda to recruit new followers, the theoretical approach of compliance-gaining theory and methodological approach of a narrative analysis are applied. The author analyzed a total of twelve magazine issues to compare how the four magazines use (1) imagery, (2) attrition, (3) intimidation, (4) propaganda, (5) spoiling, (6) outbidding, (7) incitement, and (8) recruitment. To validate each of these themes, the study applies an open-coding instrument to select each label based on specific dimensions. These findings reveal how the same purpose to achieve the Caliphate can be chosen on a similar path by these three different jihadist organizations. This path may take different turns at certain spots, but ultimately the road is based on the same historical context to justify the recruitment process. Overall, this study provides fresh descriptive insights on jihadist organizations' recruitment methods to gain new followers toward the achievement of the Caliphate (i.e., the global Islamic state). The sample reveals that the online jihadist magazines integrate all analyzed themes to portray their messages. The findings show certain issues implement specific themes more than others. Across the sample, the use of persuasion justified and encouraged violence. Persuasion is found in prideful examples of successful terrorist attacks and aftermath scenes of destruction. The distinct difference between the four online jihadist magazines is the persuasion of recruitment.

This study provides an evaluation of instructional risk communication practices in Brazil's response to the Zika virus during the 2016/2017 campaign. The communication was instructionally focused, explaining the way the disease is transmitted, what to do if the person is infected, and characteristics of the mosquito. The authorities also tried to convince the publics that, because the mosquito breeds in everyone's houses and apartments, everyone could be part of the solution. The social, economic and cultural characteristics of the country, the population's low levels of health literacy, and a long-lasting government credibility problem in the country make Brazil's fight against these types of diseases considerably difficult. The IDEA model (T. Sellnow & D. Sellnow, 2013) was used as the theoretical grounding for the analysis. This study presents the concepts of collective efficacy and shared responsibility and recommendations for risk and crisis communication practitioners as well as government agencies with regard to engaging the population in managing this type of disease outbreak. Knowledge about how to generate and share strategic communication of this nature is increasingly important as the spread of novel diseases is increasing in frequency and intensity (Kilpatrick & Randolph, 2012).

The purpose of this study is to explore how co-creational processes contribute to organizational legitimacy as a valuable outcome for organizations. 13 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with digital communication professionals from a variety of organizations in the United States to better understand the use of social media platforms and perceptions of value from engaging with stakeholders in co-creation. Results showed that organizations engaged in co-creation of brand meaning via different methods such as referrals and feedback and that organizations reached different kinds of outcomes via these co-creational processes. These include being a resource for stakeholders, gaining brand advocates, reaching organizational goals, and being able to develop as an organization. In addition, results showed organizations that engaged in co-creation of brand meaning put an effort in measuring these processes qualitatively to continuously improve as an organization. Based on these results it was possible to illuminate the relationship that exists between legitimacy and co-creation of brand meaning. Thus, it was discussed organizational legitimacy appears to be an outcome of co-created brand meaning in the form of moral legitimacy and actional legitimacy.

The focus of this study was to understand perceptions college students have regarding menstruation and if viewing a normalized media message may influence these perceptions. A treatment group of participants was randomly assigned to view an episode of the hit family sitcom Blackish that focused on menstruation and then answer survey questions. A control group of participants only answered the survey questions. A mixed methods analysis revealed three primary conclusions. First, these results contradict existing research in that the college students surveyed generally do not hold negative perceptions that may stigmatize menstruation. Second, the treatment that viewed the normalized media message intervention did not report significantly more positive perceptions about menstruation as a natural bodily function than their counterparts in the control group. Third, many participants acknowledged menstruation is a stigmatized topic and media messages not only currently contribute to these attitudes but could be used as a catalyst for guiding society toward normalizing it. These results extend existing research on how people perceive menstruation and on mass media effect research as a means to address stigmatized topics.

High Pathogen Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a highly contagious disease threatening United States poultry farms. The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which current instructional risk communication by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) meets the expectations of existing literature, particularly the IDEA model. This study examined two documents produced by the USDA for the ongoing threat of HPAI, the Red Book and the Defend the Flock campaign. The aim of the documents is to provide U.S. poultry farmers and the publics with knowledge and information about prevention and response to HPAI. The IDEA model was applied to serve as a framework to analyze how much of each component was present in the messaging. Specifically, the internalization, explanation, and action components were applied to the USDA documents. The documents were coded by two researchers. The researchers, using a codebook, examined the documents and assessed each section (Red Book) or slogan (Defend the Flock) for the presence or absence of three components of the IDEA model: internalization, explanation, and action. When discrepancies arose between the coders, they were resolved through discussion. The results indicated the majority of the Red Book was dedicated to the explanation component of the IDEA model. Conversely, the majority of the Defend the Flock campaign was identified as either internalization or action. The findings in this study can serve as lessons learned to help to improve the effectiveness of instructional risk messaging in similar crises. Specifically, this study recommends that messages be adapted to the intended audience to help them recognize their personal risks, that explanatory messages be intertwined with recommended actions, and that organizations and agencies consider following the USDA's lead and provide complementary materials. For example, some materials may be highly detailed while an accompanying document could provide a simple, brief overview of the risk and recommended actions.

College students are often faced with the temptation of engaging in academic media multitasking and binge watching or completing their academic coursework in a timely and effective manner. A quantitative survey (N = 651) explored trait individual differences in self-control and academic delay of gratification and situational individual differences in enjoyment, reward, procrastination, regret, and guilt as predictors of academic media multitasking frequency, binge watching frequency, and binge watching duration. Stepwise regressions reveal that self-control is not a predictor of these media behaviors, while age and greater enjoyment were the only predictors of academic media multitasking and gender and greater enjoyment were the only predictors of binge watching duration. On the other hand, the other five variables provided insight on what predicted binge watching frequency: academic delay of gratification, reward, procrastination, regret, and guilt. Greater self-control also led to greater academic delay of gratification. Lastly, there were small positive correlations between all of the media behaviors except for academic media multitasking and binge watching frequency. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Today, the issue of gender plays a larger role in our social discussions than in the past. Over the last decade, new and groundbreaking television shows and movies that showcase gender nonconforming characters and plots that challenge traditional gender roles have become more common. The aim of the present study was to examine the potential effects of gender-neutral representations in media programming and particularly whether different representations of gender might influence audience attitudes toward characters and overall enjoyment of the media. Affective Disposition Theory and Moral Foundations Theory were used as a framework for understanding people's perceptions of gender-neutral media characters. The project involved a pretest/posttest experimental method with random assignment of participants to one of three conditions. Participants completed a pretest including measures of moral modules and trait empathy among other characteristics during week one. The next week, they were assigned to read one of three versions of a dramatic plot synopsis in which the gender of the main character was male, female or ambiguous. After reading the assigned synopsis, participants reported their disposition toward the main character in the stimulus and their enjoyment of the synopsis. Results indicated that depictions of gender that don't activate traditional male and female gender schemas can have a negative influence on the participants' initial dispositions toward the character. The gender representation in the stimulus was not related to reported enjoyment of the plot. Intrinsic moral modules appeared to influence participants' dispositions toward the main character and their enjoyment. However, different modules were important to each of the different outcomes. Implications of the findings are discussed.