Mass Communication and Society 2014 Abstracts
Moeller Student Competition
They Don’t Believe What They See: Effects of Crisis Information Form, Source, and Visuals • Julia Daisy Fraustino, University of Maryland • This work reports results of a 2x3x2 between-subjects experiment (N = 590). Using the social-mediated crisis communication model as a theoretical lens, it tested the effects of crisis information source (news media: USA Today vs. organization: University), crisis information form (social media: Twitter vs. social media: Facebook vs. traditional media: website post), and crisis visual (crisis photo vs. no crisis photo) on students’ cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses to a campus riot and shooting crisis.
“Our program is truth and justice” • Christopher Frear, University of South Carolina; Katherine LaPrad, University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications • This study analyzes news framing of racial inequality and discrimination in a Deep South city in the mid-1970s as enduring issues of education, political power, employment, police conduct, and others were covered and contested. A content analysis of two newspapers — the state’s largest daily newspaper and a monthly/weekly black newspaper — shows socially and statistically significant differences in how the newspapers framed events. Researchers use collective action framing theory to interpret the results.
An Analysis of News Framing Obamacare Controversy during and after 2013 Government Shutdown • Juan Liu, Wayne State University • This study examines how elite media using official vs. unofficial voices framed Obamacare during and after 2013 government shutdown, and results reveal official voices predominate over unofficial voices in three of elite media except for NYT. Findings also indicate both official and unofficial voices are thematic-orientated frames, which attribute Obamacare controversy to two major political parties. There is consistency and differences among elite media in framing the varying degrees of both official and unofficial voices.
Open Competition
Media Preferences and Political Knowledge in the 2012 Pre-Primary Period • Mariam Alkazemi, University of Florida; Wayne Wanta, University of Florida • Political knowledge during the pre-primary period in the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign was examined for users of social, online and traditional media. Analysis of survey data collected by the Pew Center showed large differences between viewers of different network newscasts and online media but few differences for other traditional media and social media users. Fox News viewers, both online and through cable, scored highest, perhaps because the knowledge questions involved Republican candidates. Finally, the more online media used, the higher the knowledge level.
Reducing Stigmatization Associated with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency • Michelle Baker, Penn State University • Differences in response to three written narratives designed to reduce stigmatization associated with the genetic condition alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) were examined. Three protagonists were depicted: positive, transitional, and transformational. Positive protagonists, who did not stigmatize a person diagnosed with AATD, showed greater stigmatization reduction than transitional and transformational protagonists. Positive protagonists showed reduced advocacy for individuals to maintain secrecy about their diagnosis or withdraw from others and increased advocacy to educate others about AATD.
Exploring the Role of Sensation Seeking, Need for Cognition, and Political Extremity on Use of Online News Forums • Toby Hopp; Benjamin Birkinbine, University of Oregon • This study used a sample of 1,075 online newsreaders to explore the relationship between need for cognition, sensation seeking, and political extremity on use of online news comment forums. The results indicated that political extremity moderated the relationship between sensation seeking and the creation of online news comments. The analysis also found that need for cognition and sensation seeking were positively associated with reading news comments.
Is Reality TV a Bad Girls Club? A Content Analysis and Survey of Gendered Aggression • Erica Scharrer, University of Massachusetts; Greg Blackburn, University of Massachusetts • A content analysis of aggression present in reality television programs featuring adults in romantic, friendship-oriented, or familial settings was performed. Results show modest differences among male and female characters in their perpetration of physical, verbal, and social aggression. A survey of 248 U.S. adults indicated correlations between exposure to this subgenre of reality-based programs and physical, verbal and social aggression measures, moderated by gender and the perceived reality of reality television.
Online Communities: What do we know? • Porismita Borah; Jared Brickman • Research about the varied facets of online life is exploding in communication research. The question of how people communicate has migrated to a new platform, and the research community is simply trying to keep up, with everything from Tweets to Vines to social networking. A reflection at what has been done so far would be fundamental to help shape the future research agenda for online communities research. The present study conducted a content analysis of the published literature from 66 communication journals. Primary findings show lack of theoretical arguments, and lack of probability sampling. Findings also show higher empirical methodologies and the use of general population as the population of interest. Implications are discussed.
Sharing means everything: Friend group perceptions and parenting behaviors on Facebook • Bob Britten, West Virginia University; Jessica Troilo • Individuals draw resources from their networks of institutionalized relationships, a concept known as social capital. At the moment, Facebook is currently the world’s most popular social network, but it is not certain whether or not users consider it a valid source for parenting advice. Social interaction is a main predictor of online use, but research has been mixed as to whether online interactions can harm or bolster one’s social capital. This research project investigated how parents who are Facebook users engaged in a series of online behaviors concerning parenting (sharing information about children, seeking and providing parenting advice, feeling satisfied with the advice received, and feeling understood by one’s Facebook friends) and whether or not these behaviors were associated with perceived congruence with Facebook friends’ values.
Trayvon Martin Social Media Messaging: An Analysis of Framing and Media Types in Online Messages by Civil Rights Organizations • Riva Brown, University of Central Arkansas • This content analysis explored framing and media types used by the NAACP, National Urban League, National Action Network, and ColorOfChange.org in social media during the Trayvon Martin case. After George Zimmerman fatally shot Martin and was not charged with murder, these organizations drafted petitions and staged rallies. Chi-square and likelihood ratio results showed some significant differences in frames. Overall, the results suggested that the organizations could have done more to use multimedia and encourage activism.
Mobility and the news: Examining the influences of news use patterns and generational differences on mobile news use • Michael Chan, Chinese University of Hong Kong • This study examines the relationships among mobile news use and use of other mediums for accessing the news. Findings from a representative sample found that people are multiplatform users of news, yet subgroup analyses reveal clear differences. Mobile news was negatively related to television use for the 18-34 cohort and to newspaper use for the 35-54 cohort. Results also showed that different gratifications predict mobile hard news and mobile soft news use.
Look Who is Talking—and Selling and Steering the Housing Market Policy • Kuang-Kuo Chang, Department of Journalism, Shih Hsin University, Taiwan • The present study content analyzes how Taiwan’s four major newspapers use news sources, notably real estate personnel and construction industry who, in turn, frame the policy. This research is important because it substantiates both theoretical and pragmatic evidence to the existing scarce literature on sourcing patterns in business reporting and its interactive influences on public policy. It carries implications for all stakeholders, particularly news media in terms of its watch-dog roles for a true democracy.
Adolescents and Cyber Bullying: The Precaution Adoption Process Model • John Chapin, Pennsylvania State University • A survey of adolescents (N = 1,488) documented Facebook use and experience with cyber bullying. The study found that 84% of adolescents (middle school through college undergraduates) use Facebook, and that most users log on daily. While 30% of the sample reported being cyber bullied, only 12.5% quit using the site, and only 18% told a parent or school official about the abuse. Up to 75% of middle school Facebook users have experienced cyber bullying. The current study was the first to apply the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM) to cyber bullying or to test the model with children and adolescents. Results suggest that most adolescents are aware of cyber bullying and acknowledge it as a problem in their school. About half of the adolescents did not progress beyond Stage 2 of the PAPM (aware of the problem, but haven’t really thought about it). Adolescents also exhibited optimistic bias, believing they were less likely than peers to become cyber bullied. Implications for prevention education are discussed.
Crisis communication strategies at social media and publics’ cognitive and affective responses: A case of Foster Farms salmonella outbreak • Surin Chung, University of Missouri-Columbia; Suman Lee, Iowa State University • This study examined an organization’s crisis communication strategies (crisis response strategy and technical translation strategy) at social media and publics’ cognitive and affective responses. Twenty crisis communication messages from the Foster Farms regarding Salmonella outbreak and 349 public responses were analyzed. The results showed that technical translation strategy generated more acceptances of message and positive emotion than crisis response strategy. Crisis response strategy generated more rejections of message and negative emotion than technical translation strategy.
Being a bad, bad man: An experimental study exploring the power of the story on the moral evaluation of immoral characters • Serena Daalmans, Radboud University Nijmegen; Merel van Ommen; Addy Weijers; Michelle van Pinxteren; Rebecca de Leeuw • Research in the affective disposition theory tradition posits that the nature of characters, their intentions and behavioral outcomes influence the perceived realism, transportation, liking (affective dispositions), identification, character perception, perceived character morality and enjoyment. In this study the possibility that the moral nature of the narrative (i.e. ambiguous or closed) influences these ADT-related variables is explored. The study’s main hypothesis is that the morally open condition of a storyline from the existential drama The Sopranos will generate more diverse answers (higher differences in standard deviation), than the morally closed version of the similar storyline, on variables commonly used in ADT-guided research such as character liking, perceived character morality enjoyment and moral evaluation. We conducted an experiment with two types of stories: one with a clear-cut moral closure in the narrative and one in which the last scene is morally ambivalent and offers less moral guidance to the viewers. Using the same storyline from The Sopranos (S03E05, the episode in which Tony gets ticketed for speeding) we created the experimental stimulus by changing the order of the last two scenes. In the open condition, Tony Soprano feels guilt over the immoral actions he has taken, while in the closed version he feels firmly validated in the immoral things he has done. Our results signal the possibility that different prototypical schemas are at play when it comes to the moral evaluation of a morally bad protagonist in contrast with morally good and ambivalent characters.
Family Communication Patterns and Problematic Media Use • John Davies, Brigham Young University; Steven Holiday, Brigham Young University; Sean Foster, Brigham Young University; Levi Heperi, Brigham Young University • This study contends that problematic media use is related to family communication patterns. Thirty-five families with 2 to 5 members each (N = 117) completed measures of their family communication patterns and provided information on their media habits. Conformity orientation was positively associated with unregulated television use and beliefs about the mood-managing properties of the medium. Conversation orientation was negatively linked with beliefs about the mood-managing properties of computer / video games.
Media Choice as a Function of Prior Affect: An Attempt to Separate Mood from Emotion • Francesca Dillman Carpentier, University of North Carolina; Ryan Rogers; Elise Stevens • Media choices were compared in three studies, observed choices of video games, music, and movie trailers. Participants were placed into one of eight affect conditions using a text introduction + video induction. Four conditions produced states representing emotional responses: elation, contentment, anger, sadness. These conditions featured vignettes and videos describing a situation in which the intended affect was attributed to a specific cause. The remaining conditions produced states representing moods: high-arousal positive, low-arousal positive, high-arousal negative, low-arousal negative. The mood conditions offered no attribution for intended affect. Results indicated few discernible patterns of media choices based on whether a person is experiencing a positive or negative emotion vs. mood. Differences in choices were only pronounced when the experienced affect was of low arousal and not attributable to a specific cause. These differences were seen for music and movie trailers, but not for video games.
The Compatibility of Psychological Needs & Talk Show Host Style • Stephanie Edgerly, Northwestern University; Melissa R. Gotlieb, Texas Tech University; Emily Vraga, George Mason University • This study uses an experiment to test the argument that effects of news talk shows are influenced by the compatibility of hosting style (e.g., promoting critical thought vs. humor) and audience needs (e.g., the need for cognition, need for humor). Results indicate strong support for this compatibility argument. When compatibility between host style and audience needs existed, subjects perceived the talk show to be more relevant, which in turn increased cognitive and behavioral involvement.
Covering the Colbert Super PAC Initiative — an Exploration of Journalist Perspectives on a Late Night Satirist‘s Entry into Politics • Nathan Gilkerson, Marquette University • Late night humor and satire is playing an increasingly significant role within our culture and political landscape. Recently comedian Stephen Colbert went beyond the role satirists have traditionally played in skewering and making fun of politics; in forming the Colbert Super PAC, Colbert became a prominent participant and activist within the political process itself. This research examines the perceptions and understanding of Colbert’s form of “participatory satire” among those within the journalism community.
Effect of verbally aggressive television programming on verbal aggression • Jack Glascock • This study examined the effect of verbally aggressive media on self-reported verbal aggression. Using a theoretical framework provided by social cognitive and priming theories, participants were randomly assigned to watch either a verbally aggressive television show or a neutral show. Participants self-reported verbal aggression was assessed both several weeks before exposure and then again immediately after exposure. A between-subjects analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated males’ verbal aggression increased after exposure to the verbally aggressive media in which the main protagonist was male. Results are discussed within the framework of social cognitive theory and identification with same-sex models.
News Content Engagement or News Medium Engagement? A Longitudinal Analysis of News Consumption Since the Rise of Social and Mobile Media 2009-2012 • Louisa Ha, Bowling Green State University; Ying Xu, Bowling Green State University; Chen Yang; Fang Wang, Bowling Green State University, Ohio; Liu Yang; WEIWEI JIANG; Mohammad Abuljadail, Bowling Green State University, Ohio; Xiao Hu, Bowling Green State University; Itay Gabay, Bowling Green State University • This study proposes four levels of news engagement and reports results of a four-year tracking of the general population and the college student population a mid-size Midwest U.S. market to compare how social media and mobile media differed in their effect on consumption time and the number of news media platforms use between the two groups. The analysis shows a steady decline in interest in political news in both general population and students, but total news consumption time remained the same among the general population only. Predictors differ at different levels of news engagement.
Facebook as a Brand-Consumer Relationship Tool: The Effect of Socialness in Brand Communication and Brand Image • Jin Hammick, Flagler College • This study extends commitment-trust theory and social response theory to Facebook fan page environments. Using 2×2 posttest only group design, this study manipulated socialness in brand communication and the brand image. The results suggest that socialness in brand communication differently affects customers’ perception on brand trustworthiness, relationship commitment and brand attitude depending on the brand image. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed to explore the potential of Facebook as an effective consumer relationship channel.
Navigating between Market-Forces and the Public-Service Ideal: Swiss Journalists’ Perception of their Journalistic Role • Lea Hellmueller; Guido Keel • Globalization has increased the amount of soft news and entertainment content in various media systems of the world. Yet Northern European countries with strong public broadcasters are more resistant toward those change. Our representative study of Swiss journalists (N = 2509) reveals that three forces pull journalists toward the market side: if journalists work for private news organization, if journalists cover mostly lifestyle topics, and if journalists belong to the digital native generation.
Connecting With Celebrities On Twitter And Facebook: A Narrative Processing Approach • Parul Jain, Ohio University; Amanda J. Weed; Pamela Walck, E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University • Using survey methodology and narrative processing approach this study examined the motivations behind connecting with entertainment shows, the characters on these shows, and the actors that play these characters, via two main social networking sites: Facebook and Twitter. As predicted by uses and gratification theory, the results suggest that levels of transportation predict likelihood of connecting with the show on SN platforms. The levels of identification and parasocial interaction experienced during viewing predict the likelihood of following the character and the actor that played that role. Source evaluation of the character mediated the relationship between social attraction and parasocial interaction. Theoretically, this research extends uses and gratification and narrative processing in the area of social networking research. Further theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Do Social Media Amplify Public Attention? Rethinking Agenda Setting with Social Big Data • S. Mo Jang, University of South Carolina; Josh Pasek, University of Michigan • This research reconsiders agenda setting research by examining the key assumption that the carrying capacity of mass mediated news is limited. We investigate the relevance of this premise in a digital era where the production and broadcasting capacity of mass media has been significantly amplified. Evidence from the full stream of Twitter data indicates that the total amount of user-generated information may vary in line with real-world events. These findings challenge the fundamental assumption of agenda setting theory.
The Power of the Cover: Symbolic Contests Around the Boston Bombing Suspect’s Rolling Stone Cover • Joy Jenkins, University of Missouri; Edson Tandoc, Nanyang Technological University • Rolling Stone ignited a debate in July 2013 when it published a cover featuring alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The online version of the cover story drew commenters expressing criticism and support of the cover. A qualitative analysis of 7,871 comments posted within the first week of the cover story shed light on the image’s institutional meaning for Rolling Stone and community meaning for readers, ultimately revealing how magazine covers serve as cultural artifacts.
A fatal attraction: The effect of TV viewing on smoking initiation in young women • Erika Johnson, University of Missouri; KYUNG JUNG HAN, University of Missouri; Maria Len-Rios, U. of Missouri • This study seeks to establish a connection between TV viewing and smoking intentions and low smoking refusal ability in young adult women, 18-24 (N = 156). Using cultivation and social learning theories as a guide, the researchers found that TV viewing and smoking intentions are correlated and that TV viewing and ability to refuse smoking were negatively correlated. This suggests that TV viewing is positively associated with smoking intentions and inability to overcome peer pressure.
Health Reporting and Public Attitudes towards Media and Government Accountability in Five West African Countries • Stephanie Smith, Ohio University; Yusuf Kalyango, Ohio University; Kingsley Antwi-Boasiako, Ohio University • This study examines how citizens of Benin, Cape Verde, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone view their relationship with the government and media performance in terms of the reporting on government’s handling of public health services, using the Afrobarometer data. Results show that going without health related necessities significantly predicted how well/badly one perceives the government’s handling of health related issues and also significantly predicted perceptions of the effectiveness of the news media in revealing corruption. Findings also indicated that among the respondents in the five West African countries of Ghana, Sierra Leone, Benin, Cape Verde and Liberia only a small proportion of them held the opinion that government was handling the job of combating HIV/AIDS. On improvement of basic health services and ensuring everyone has enough to eat, very few respondents stated that their governments were handling this “very badly.” The significance of these results are discussed in detail.
Attribute Agenda Setting, Attribute Priming, and the Public’s Evaluation of Genetically Modified (GM) Food in South Korea • Soo Yun Kim, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Sei-Hill Kim • The primary purpose of this study was to explore attribute agenda setting and priming effects in South Korea. In order to demonstrate the role of the media in shaping people’s perceptions of Genetically Modified (GM) foods, I first examined the attributes of GM food that have appeared more often than others in Korean news media (attribute agenda setting). Then, I linked the results of the content analysis to survey data and explored whether certain attributes emphasized in the media became salient in people’s minds (attribute priming). Findings support the transmission of issue salience from the media to the public. First, more salient attributes in the news media were more likely to influence people’s evaluation of GM food. Second, the media – public correspondence between the media’s agenda and the public’s agenda of GM food was significantly greater among high media users, especially among high television viewers. With these findings about the attribute agenda setting and attribute priming, Korean news media seem to make certain attributes of an issue more or less salient in people’s minds.
Skepticism, Partisan Post-Debate News Use, and Polarization: Examining a Moderated Mediation Model of Debate Attention and Partisan News Use on Polarized Attitudes • Sungsu Kim, University of Arizona; Jay Hmielowski; Myiah Hutchens; Michael Beam, Kent State University • This study attempts to understand the conditions in which skepticism leads to polarized political attitudes. To examine our communication process model, we analyzed data collected during the 2012 presidential election. Our model examined the indirect effects of skepticism on polarization through our mediating variable of attention to presidential debates. We also examined whether these indirect effects varied by attention to partisan post-debate news. Our results showed contributory effects where partisan post-debate news increased the relationship between debate viewing and polarization. These indirect effects were present only at moderate and high levels of attention to post-debate coverage.
Did Apollo astronauts land on the moon? The cause and consequence of belief in conspiracy theories • Minchul Kim, Indiana University; Xiaoxia Cao, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee • A two-stage randomized experiment found that exposure to a video promoting the moon landing conspiracy increased belief in the conspiracy. The immediate increase in the belief persisted two weeks after the exposure, and translated into higher levels of distrust in the government. The findings shed light on not only the important role played by media in cultivating belief in conspiracy theories but also the political ramifications of exposure to media messages that promote the theories.
Not Living up to Our Ideals: Value-Trait Consistency in News Exposure and Democratic Citizenship • Dam Hee Kim, University of Michigan; Josh Pasek, University of Michigan • Although scholars consider it important for people to seek diverse information, it appears that many people are only exposing themselves to information they already agree with. This study explores a disconnect between ideals and practices to identify 1) whether citizens hold the same ideals as scholars; 2) whether individuals who hold diversity-seeking ideals live up to the ideals; and 3) whether diversity-seeking ideals and practices are emblematic with good democratic citizenship.
The effect of e-health literacy and readability of online magazine articles on sexual health knowledge and condom use intentions among 18- to 24-year-old women • Maria Len-Rios, U. of Missouri; KYUNG JUNG HAN, University of Missouri; Erika Johnson, University of Missouri • This is a mixed experimental study using a 2(article readability: 6th grade vs. 12th grade) x 2(health topic: sexually transmitted infections vs. unintended pregnancy) x e-health literacy level design. We investigate the effect of e-health literacy and magazine article readability on sexual health knowledge gain and condom use intentions among females (N=213). Participants with higher e-health literacy scores gained more STI knowledge from reading the articles than did those with lower scores.
The Effects of Antismoking Ads on Long-Term Smokers’ Maladaptive Responses and Cessation Intent • Jungsuk Kang; Carolyn Lin • This study examined how message framing and visual-fear appeals in antismoking ads influenced maladaptive responses and cessation intent among Korean males smokers. For smokers who attempted cessation in the previous 12 month, ad exposure increased their fatalism and hopelessness; their wishful thinking was stronger in the gain-frame/no visual-fear condition. For smokers who did not attempt cessation, ad exposure increased their cessation intention; visual fear-appeal generated a greater level of denial, wishful thinking and hopelessness.
Psychological Distance, General Self-efficacy, and Third-person Perception Abstract • xudong liu, Macau University of Science and Technology • The study incorporated the construal level theory to investigate how psychological distance influence people’s judgment of media content’s impact on self and others. A survey study demonstrates that when people perceived the event covered by the news stores were likely to occur locally, or viewed as psychologically nearing the viewer, perceived impact on self increases and third person perception decreases. The study also found that self-efficacy and general-efficacy counteract negative information and positively influence third person perception.
Ecological and field-level predictors of media decision-making: The case of hyperlocal news • Wilson Lowrey; Eunyoung Kim, University of Alabama • This study examines the influence of population dynamics, a concept from organization ecology research, against traditional predictors from gatekeeping and media sociology research, using the case example of the hyperlocal news website. Traditional “field-level” predictors from media sociology, and population-level predictors from organizational ecology are used to predict frequency and favorability of coverage of local businesses and government organizations. Population-level predictors corresponded significantly with frequency of coverage. However, the professional background of journalists and connection with traditional media organizations were more important in predicting favorability of coverage. Results suggest relevance of population-level factors, which have been mostly missing in previous media sociology and gatekeeping studies.
A Look of Horror: Perceptions of Frightening Content Based on Character Expression • Teresa Lynch, Indiana University; Andrew J. Weaver • Two-hundred-seven individuals participated in a 2 (Race) x 2 (Sex) x 2 (Expression) x 4 (Title) experiment examining perceptions of fright in horror video games and selective exposure. Results indicate that character expression is a meaningful cue of a video game’s horror content. We examined identification with a character on perceptions of horror. We discuss results for selective exposure in the context of social identity theory and implications of monadic vs. observation-based identification with characters.
Impact of English Social Media on Acculturation to America: A Study of Hong Kong Youth • YANNI MA, Hong Kong Baptist University; Cong Li, University of Miami; Ying Du, Hong Kong Baptist University • With the popularization of digital gadgets among youth all over the world, social media plays an important role in redefining communication and community. In the process of acculturation, social media also has great potential to influence immigrants or sojourners. In this study, we conduct a survey to test whether acculturation to America among people outside of the U.S. in Asia, i.e., in Hong Kong, is affected by social media use. A positive correlation is found between consumption of English social media and assimilation and integration, which means that English social media could facilitate the process of acculturation to America among the youth of Hong Kong.
Mobile Media and Democracy: Skill and Political News as Predictors of Participation • Jason Martin, DePaul University • This study explores the emerging role of mobile news in democracy by examining to what extent differential patterns of mobile political news use are based on demographics, socioeconomic indicators, and mobile media skill, and, in turn, how those differences influence political participatory outcomes. A nationally representative random-sample survey (n=2,250) was analyzed to better explain who mobile election news users are, how they compare to non-users, the importance of mobile media skill as a predictor of mobile news use, and the consequences of mobile political news use in the democratic process during the November 2010 general election. Findings extend research on the complicated intersection of demographics, cognitive attributes, and social factors that predict who uses the Internet for political purposes and the benefits they derive from that use by producing results specific to mobile media. Mobile political news use was associated with greater likelihood of electoral participation for some traditionally underprivileged segments of society, especially when analysis focuses on determinants of mobile political news use and the potential importance of mobile news as a political resource for racial minorities. However, while mobile news use clearly held an important role in the election and has the potential to reach atypical political news consumers, analysis also highlights the conditionality of that influence by demonstrating how socioeconomically privileged respondents were more likely to be mobile political news users and how mobile media skill, a variable that could potentially mitigate some of the effects of demographic advantage, was limited as a predictor of political participation.
Are we reading the same crisis news? A comparative framing and message strategy analysis of crisis news coverage within different cultural dimensions • Andrea Miller, Louisiana State University; Young Kim, Louisiana State University; myounggi chon • This study explores cultural differences in crisis communication by analyzing and comparing the cross-national framing and crisis messages for the 2013 Asiana Airlines crash, disseminated by South Korean and American news agencies. Using Hofstede’s (1980) five dimensions of culture, a total of 256 news stories (Korean: 133 and American: 123) were analyzed to examine which news sources, news framing, level of responsibility, and crisis message strategies were used by media within different cultures.
Peering Over the Ideological Wall: Examining Priming Effects Among Political Partisans • David Morin, Utah Valley University; Gi Woong Yun, Bowling Green State University • Contemporary political priming research attempts to discover the underlying variables that may strengthen or weaken priming effects. In keeping in line with that reasoning, this study examined how political ideology influences priming outcomes along a diverse set of evaluative criteria, among political partisan individuals. The findings suggest that political primes may be able to affect political partisans only if the prime is directly related to the evaluative line.
Bull’s-eye: Examining the Influence of Parental Mediation, Empathy and Media Usage in the Cyberbullying of Teens • Cynthia Nichols, Oklahoma State University; Krysta Gilbert • Certain characteristics have emerged in cyberbullying research as indicators of bullies—lack of empathy toward cyberbullying, lack of parental mediation, and high social media use. The following paper looks to explore the relationships between these variables. Data indicated that teens with lower levels of empathy toward cyberbullying had lower levels of parental mediation, admitted to cyberbullying others, have higher social media usage, and had a high level of addiction to social media.
Who’s the Bully?: Teaching About Bullies in Situation Comedies • Patrice Oppliger; Chelsea Summers, University of Colorado • Bullying is a significant problem for adolescents in the United States; however, few if any anti-bullying programs address the influence of media on aggression. Studies show the media is a pervasive source of information for adolescents, particularly in regard to violence and aggressive behavior among and between boys and girls. The following content analysis investigates how adolescent bullying is represented in situation comedies. The portrayals of bullying differed significantly by gender, race, target audience, and decade of broadcast. Result showed no link between the strategy the victims adopted (e.g., standing up to the bully, telling an adult) and the outcome of the situation.
Do perceptions matter in pornography effects? Examining how use and perceived general acceptance and influence of pornography may impact agreement with sex-role attitudes • Rebecca Ortiz, Texas Tech University; Shawna White, Texas Tech University; Eric Rasmussen, Texas Tech University • The present study was conducted to examine how perceived acceptance and influence of pornography use may play a role in the relationship between pornography consumption and sex-role attitudes. Results revealed that pornography consumption was associated with perceived general acceptance and influence of pornography and agreement with less progressive sex roles. Believing that pornography can have positive effects on most people, however, was negatively associated with agreement with less progressive sex-role attitudes.
The Russian diva and the American golden girl in NBC’s 2012 Olympic Gymnastics Coverage • Kelly Poniatowski, Elizabethtown College • Gabby Douglas of the United States and Aliya Mustafina of Russia were two of the top gymnasts at the 2012 Olympics. This paper will use textual analysis to investigate how these two gymnasts were stereotypically portrayed in contrast to one another during NBC’s coverage of the 2012 Olympics. Findings suggest Mustafina was constructed as a diva for not following authority and listening to her coach. Douglas was constructed as hardworking and having made many sacrifices.
Emerging adults’ responses to active mediation of pornography during adolescence • Eric Rasmussen, Texas Tech University; Shawna White, Texas Tech University; Rebecca Ortiz, Texas Tech University • This study explored the predictors of negative active mediation of pornography, as well as the relation between negative active mediation of pornography received by adolescents and emerging adults’ pornography use, attitudes about pornography, and self-esteem of those who sexual partner regularly views pornography. The findings revealed that the negative relationship between active mediation of pornography and emerging adults’ pornography use was mediated by negative attitudes about pornography.
Environmental orientations and news coverage: Examining the impact of individual differences and narrative news • Fuyuan Shen, Penn State University; Lee Ahern, Penn State; Jiangxue (Ashley) Han, Penn State University • This paper examined the impact of narrative environmental news and the extent to which it might be moderated by individuals’ prior environmental orientations. To do that, we conducted an experiment whereby participants read either narrative or informational news reports on the environmental consequences of shale gas drilling. Individuals’ environmental orientations were measured a week before the experiment. Results indicated significant interaction effects between news formats and individuals’ environmental orientations on transportation, cognitive responses, empathy and issue attitudes. Those who were more concerned about the environment were more affected by narrative news than those less concerned. These findings suggest news narratives had stronger effects when they resonated with individuals’ predispositions.
Is “doing well” doing any good? How web analytics and social media are changing journalists’ perceptions of news quality • Edson Tandoc, Nanyang Technological University; Ryan Thomas, Missouri School of Journalism • This study examines how online journalists define a phrase commonly heard in online newsrooms: What does it mean if a story is “doing well?” Through qualitative analysis of survey responses from 210 online editors, this study found five general categories of definition: a) getting a lot of readership; b) getting high audience metrics; c) being shared on social media; d) being talked about by readers; or e) contributing to journalism’s social roles.
Using Social Media to Analyze Candidate Performance and Public Opinion During Political Debates • Mark Tremayne, University of Texas at Arlington; Milad Minooie, University of Texas at Arlington • A network analysis of Twitter discussion during the first presidential debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney was used to examine the process of public opinion formation as the debate was occurring. What user characteristics are associated with centrality in this kind of network? What mechanisms drive hub formation? Does sentiment move toward one candidate or the other as the debate progresses? The viability of social networks as a gauge of public opinion is discussed.
The ‘weaponization’ of media in the context of war, conflict and Security • Christian Vukasovich, Oregon Tech; Oliver Boyd-Barrett • This article takes a critical analysis of existing perspectives on the role of propaganda in news reporting during times of war and conflict. Emerging from this inquiry is the theory of a weaponization of media that moves beyond the scope of existing propaganda theories and explains to what end propaganda works as well as the ways in which the media system capacitates and enhances processes of propaganda.
The Dynamics of Cross-Cutting Exposure and Attitude Change: A Latent Growth Curve Analysis • Sungmin Kang, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Mike Wagner • Generally, research examining cross-cutting exposure has relied on cross-sectional data, which necessarily is confined to one point in time. The Latent Growth Curve analysis we employ here is specifically designed to estimate the dynamics of cross-cutting exposure over time. The major contribution we make here is the demonstration that the initial level of cross-cutting exposure reported by respondents before the South Korean election is a predictor for the rate of change in opinion modification.
Virality of news tweets and videos about the missing Malaysia Airlines flight: the effects of analytical vs. emotional content, modalities, and interface cues • Yi Wang, University of Connecticut; Jueman Zhang; Yue Wu; XIULI WANG; Ross Buck • This study examine the effects of analytical versus emotional content, modalities, and interface cues on intention to retweet news posts about the missing Malaysia Airlines flight on Weibo, the Chinese Twitter-like microblogging. News posts with analytical content were likely to be retweeted than news posts with information that led to sad emotions. The study also investigated how the weight and order of analytical and emotional content in a video affected attention, arousal, and intention to retweet the video. Videos with largely analytical content were more attention getting than videos with information that led to sad emotions. The former were less arousing than the latter.
Persuasion in 140 Characters: Testing Issue Framing, Persuasion and Credibility via Twitter and Online News Articles in the Gun Control Debate • ben wasike, University of Texas at Brownsville • Using a 2x2x4 experimental design, this study examined the framing of the pro and anti-gun control arguments posited after the Sandy Hook shooting and the resultant effect on persuasion and credibility. Overall, pro-gun control frames were more persuasive and more credible than anti-gun control frames. Arguments transmitted via online news articles elicited more persuasion than those transmitted via Twitter. Policy ramifications for the gun debate and overall implications for Twitter are discussed.
The Elections in 140 Characters: How Obama and Romney Used Twitter in the 2012 Presidential Race • ben wasike, University of Texas at Brownsville • This study used content analysis to examine how Obama and Romney used Twitter to mobilize their supporters, interact with them and frame other each via direct dialogue during the 2012 elections. Obama had more voter interaction and used Twitter more for mobilization. Overall, Twitter use mirrored that of other campaign tools in terms of mobilization and direct dialogue. This means that Twitter mostly conforms to the normalization thesis, whereby an anticipated revolution borne of new technology fails to change traditional communication patterns. The ramifications are discussed within.
Is mobile expanding political participation?: The digital divide and demographic patterns in telephone, web, and mobile-based requests for city services • Brendan Watson, University of Minnesota • This study analyzes demographic patterns in residents’ requests for non-emergency city services made by telephone, online, or via a mobile app, SeeClickFix. The study maps requests’ location and underlying neighborhood demographics, testing whether mobile reports alter political participation patterns. Digital divides suggest that online reports would be less likely in minority neighborhoods. Smartphone penetration, however, is highest among racial minorities. Thus, mobile government services could potentially increase political participation among these traditionally underrepresented demographics.
Mourning and grief on Facebook: An examination of motivations for interacting with the deceased • Erin Willis, University of Memphis; Patrick Ferrucci, Bradley University • Facebook has not only changed the way we communicate but the way we mourn and express grief. The social networking site allows users to interact with deceased users’ walls after death. This study used textual analysis to categorize Facebook posts (N=122) on 30 deceased users’ walls according to the uses and gratifications theory. Most posts were found to be motivated by entertainment followed by integration and social interaction. Facebook users posted memories, condolences, and interacted with friends and family members in the deceased user’s network. Implications and future research are discussed.
The American Journalist in the Digital Age: How Journalists and the Public Think About U.S. Journalism • Lars Willnat; David Weaver, Indiana University • This paper reports findings from a 2013 survey of 1,080 U.S. journalists and a 2014 survey of the 1,230 U.S. adults, focusing on their views of traditional journalism roles and the performance of U.S. journalism. The study finds significant differences in how journalists and the public evaluate news media performance and journalistic roles. It also finds that news consumption and social media use predict stronger support for traditional journalistic roles among journalists and citizens.
Chatting leads to political action? Modeling the relation among discussion motivations, political expression and participation • Pei Zheng, University of Texas at Austin; Fangjing Tu, University of Texas at Austin; Homero Gil de Zuniga, University of Vienna • This study examines (1) the influence of two motivations for discussing politics (civic and social) on political discussion and political expression, (2) the role of political discussion and expression on offline participation, and (3) the pathway from the two motivations to offline participation. Using two-wave national panel survey data, three well-fitted synchronous structural equation models, cross sectional, lagged panel and fixed effects models, are tested to guarantee solid findings. All models show that civic motivations for discussing politics directly link to discussion and offline participation, while social motivations instead encourage more political expression and through this path lead to discussion and participation offline. In other words, we found largely consistent patterns of relationships among these variables regardless of whether we examined associations among individual differences, intra-individual change, or net gains. Results imply that casual chatting would involve political elements which gradually drive individual to engage in political actions.
Student Competition
From Passive to Active: The Spectrum of Peace Journalism • Jesse Benn • The biggest hurdle facing the field of Peace Journalism (PJ) is its vague definition. This paper proposes defining PJ as it operates on a spectrum, from passive to active. Through a review of extant PJ literature, this paper synthesizes current theory into an overarching, explicit concept, and calls for it to be further adopted and expanded. To conclude it considers potential advantages, drawbacks, and critiques of its proposal.
Moral Foundations Theory and U.S. Newspaper Coverage of Mosque Controversies • Brian J. Bowe, Michigan State University • This study proposes improving the measurement of media frames by applying Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) to the operationalization of the moral evaluation frame dimension. Analyzing news articles (n=350) from five newspapers about controversies surrounding the construction of mosques in the U.S. A cluster analysis of moral foundations in this study found two clusters, both of which were strongly rooted in socially binding moral foundations. One was related to the foundation of subversion and the other related to loyalty. The framing implications of these two clusters are discussed.
Bringing back the past: New media and archived media content providers • Terry Britt, University of Texas at Austin • This qualitative study examines individuals who acquire, digitize, and upload archival media content (media originally produced before 1990) for public viewing on YouTube and, in some cases, their own websites. The study also looks at challenges to their efforts, primarily copyright issues and deteriorating or vanishing sources of content. These individuals often see themselves as unofficial media archivists or historians, attempting to make unknown or obscure content available to the public.
Internet and political participation in Georgia • Nino Danelia, University of South Carolina • The study founds that the Internet plays an important role in predicting youth political participation in Georgia, one of the former republics of the Soviet Union. Attention to online news media increases youth’s political knowledge that in turn, enhances their feeling of self-efficacy and ultimately, political participation. Involvement in online political discussions is among the strongest predictors of participatory behavior in a country with semi-democratic political system, partly free media environment and low penetration of Internet.
Intergroup Contact Through News Exposure and the Role of Group-based Emotions • Jiyoung Han, University of Minnesota • This study argues that news exposure substitutes physical or/and interpersonal contacts. I applied this idea to news reports on President Obama’s Trayvon Martin. Consistent with intergroup contact theory and social identity theory, I proposed that news frames (i.e., empathy-framed news and conflict-framed news) may infuse group-based emotions, such as empathy for blacks and anxiety toward blacks, into audiences’ mind and consequently have an impact on their support for President Obama’s Trayvon Martin speech. Two studies showed that people’s support for the speech varied as a function of news frames and group-based emotions played an important role in the given relationships. Interestingly two distinct racial groups (i.e., whites and non-black minorities) showed different responses to the news frames. Study 1 (N =136 white students) demonstrated that exposure to the empathy-framed news increased whites’ support for the speech, whereas exposure to the conflict-frames news reduced whites’ support for the speech. However, neither empathy for blacks nor anxiety toward blacks was identified as a mediator in the given relationships. Study 2 (N = 53 non-black minority students) showed that exposure to the empathy-framed news and even to the conflict-framed news increased empathy for blacks and in turn non-black minorities more strongly supported the speech.
Agenda-Setting and Visual Framing in Media Coverage of the Guttenfelder Instagram Photographs from North Korea • Steven Holiday, Brigham Young University; Matthew J. Lewis, Brigham Young University; Rachel Nielsen, Brigham Young University; Harper Anderson, Brigham Young University • In 2013, photojournalist David Guttenfelder became one of the first people granted access to post images of life within North Korea to Instagram in real-time. This quantitative content analysis examines themes portrayed in Guttenfelder’s Instagram photos and whether news sources that featured Guttenfelder’s work proportionately represented the captured themes or perpetuated stereotypical views of North Korean totalitarianism. Results indicate significant differences in some sources’ depictions of totalitarianism. The study discussed potential media and societal implications.
User-Generated Rumors on YouTube • Hyosun Kim, University of North Carolina -CH • To expand the idea of SIDE model in CMC, this study content analyzed comments about the Sandy Hook shooting conspiracy video on YouTube. The findings revealed that visual anonymity was related to the way of opinion expression and the style of interaction with other commenters. However, visual anonymity did not significantly relate to the use of obscene language. Rather, the use of obscene language was significantly related to opinion expression, confirming SIDE effect.
Reading Peer Sexual Norms: A Study of Online Fan Fiction • Wan Chi Leung, University of South Carolina • Fan fiction is a kind of literary work that makes use of established setting or characters from other original works to create new stories, which is particularly popular among young female. A survey of 639 online fan fiction readers was conducted to examine the indirect effects of sex descriptions in fan fiction on the Internet on readers’ sexual attitudes, focusing on how exposure to the sexual descriptions in fan fiction and its feedback mechanism produce an indirect effect on sexual attitudes, through influencing the perceived peer norms. Results show that exposure to sex descriptions in fan fiction significantly predicted perceived exposure of others, which in turn predicted peer sexual norm. Exposure to other readers’ responses significantly predicted perceived homophily with other readers, which also predicted peer sexual norm. A route of indirect effects of reading fan fiction through perceived peer norms is established.
Too good to care: The effect of skill on hostility and aggression following violent video game play • Nicholas Matthews • An experiment tested if higher skilled players would experience diminished aggression related outcomes compared to lower skilled players due to flow state optimization. Specifically, the study observed if higher flow states made narrative-defined game goals more salient, thus reducing focus on the more peripheral violent content. After controlling for the amount, type, and context of violence, higher skilled players experienced lower levels of hostility and aggression related cognitions and greater levels of flow than lower skilled players. Additionally, skill altered players’ perceptions as well, as higher skilled players experienced higher construal levels than lower skilled players.
Operations in the Sky: Analysis of Drone Coverage in US Media • Fauzeya Rahman, UT Austin • Pilotless armed aircraft (drones) are here to stay. A significant component of U.S. counterterrorism strategy, drone strikes have been used both in theaters of war and non-combat areas such as Pakistan and Yemen. Historically, the media has taken the administration’s lead and relied on official frames and sources in war coverage. This paper analyzes The New York Times from 2009-2014 to see if coverage of drone strikes reflected realities on the ground.
The Antecedents of the Consumption of Community-Oriented Communication Channels • Jing Yan; Yalong JIANG • In this article we focused on the consumption of different community-based communication channels. Based on use and gratification approach and the theory of channel complementary, we argued that 1) “needs observed” and “needs obtained” are associated with the consumption of communication channels respectively. “Needs obtained” could contribute more to the consumption of communication channels; 2) the voluntary organizations can be divided into two types: “old” and “new” organization. The new voluntary organizations adopt the emerging “connective action” which relies heavily on the interactive digital media to distribute the interest-articulations and organize activities. So participating in “new” voluntary organizations would be positively associated with Internet use. Data used in this paper is from the PEW Internet and American’s life project (2010). The results showed that both two types of needs are positively associated with community-based Internet use and face to face communication. Comparing to “needs observed”, “needs obtained” has a larger contribution. Participating in “new” voluntary organizations is positively associated with consumption of the community-based Internet use. The results imply that the “needs observed” as the self-report before media use has less impact on media consumption than the “needs obtained” as evaluation of media use. The results also indicate that the type of organizations is also an impact factor on media consumption.
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