Research Publication Roundup: March 2017
A vibrant and collaborative interdisciplinary research culture at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media creates new knowledge, advances scholarship and helps reinvent media. Below is a list of recently published or presented scholarship by Hussman School faculty and students.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Lazard A., Saffer A.J., Wilcox G.B., Chung A.D., Mackert M.S., Bernhardt J.M. (2016). E-Cigarette Social Media Messages: A Text Mining Analysis of Marketing and Consumer Conversations on Twitter. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2(2):e171. DOI: 10.2196/publichealth.6551.
Two Hussman School professors collaborated on this study which analyzed Twitter conversations about electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). The researchers used text mining to uncover emerging themes in user conversations about the product. The results showed that, diverse and large-scale conversations are occurring alongside advertising. These conversations include sharing knowledge, experiences and questions about e-cigarette use.
Lazard, A., Dudo, A., Dennis, T., Ewald, M.G., & Love, B. (2017). Making a Visual Impression (or Not): Current Design Practices of Nutritional Websites. Health Communication. 32(4), 470-482. DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2016.1140267.
This study analyzes how nutritional websites use visual design principles that influence first impressions and appeal of the information. The results suggest that there are ways to increase the likelihood of making a favorable first impression. This is a critical first step in nutritional information delivery.
Glowacki, E., Lazard, A., & Wilcox, G. (2017). E-cigarette Topics Shared by Medical Professionals: A Comparison of Tweets from the United States and United Kingdom. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2016.0409.
This article compared how physicians from the United States and the United Kingdom talk about electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Doctors from both countries share information about potential risks, benefits and regulations of e-cigarettes. Physicians from the United States emphasized the dangers of e-cigarettes for teens, while medical professionals from the United Kingdom tended to focus on the potential e-cigarettes have to be used as a smoking cessation aid.
Huang, L., Lazard, A., Pepper, J., Noar, S., Ranney, L., & Goldstein, A. (2017). Impact of The Real Cost Campaign on Adolescents’ Recall, Attitudes, and Risk Perceptions about Tobacco Use: A National Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 14(1), 42. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14010042.
Two UNC scholars analyzed the how exposure to The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) “The Real Cost” campaign to U.S. youth. The campaign was designed to prevent and reduce tobacco use. This study examined exposure to The Real Cost campaign, including ad and slogan recall, and associations with attitudes and risk perceptions among U.S. adolescents. Most adolescents reported more negative attitudes toward tobacco products after seeing or hearing the ads. The FDA’s The Real Cost campaign has achieved very high reach and is associated with more negative attitudes toward tobacco products and greater risk perceptions of cigarette smoking among U.S. adolescents.
Lazard, A., Bamgbade, B., Sontag, J., & Brown, C. (2016). Using Visual Metaphors in Health Messages: A Strategy to Increase Effectiveness for Mental Illness Communication. Journal of Health Communication. 21(12), 1260-1268. DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2016.1245374
This two-phase study identified common metaphors students use to conceptualize mental illness. Then, messages incorporating conceptual and visual metaphors were designed and tested to determine their potential in reducing stigma. Participants (n = 256) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions in a between-subjects experiment: messages with visual and textual metaphors, messages with straightforward visuals and textual metaphors, text-based metaphor messages, or a control group. Overall, metaphorical messages are appealing, the use of visual metaphors leads to greater message engagement, and messages based on conceptual metaphors have the potential to reduce stigma.
Noar, S. (2017-01-25). Transtheoretical Model and Stages of Change in Health and Risk Messaging. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication. Retrieved 23 Feb. 2017, from http://communication.oxfordre.com/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228613-e-324.
Professor Seth Noar contributed an encyclopedia on the Transtheoretical Model (TTM). TTM is a theory that describes the process of how people change their behavior. The theory outlines five distinct stages of readiness to make behavioral changes.
Luecking, C., T. Noar, S. M., Dooley, R. M., Gizlice, Z., & Ammerman, A. S. (2017). Impact of Weight of the Nation community screenings on obesity-related beliefs. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 52 (3S3), S315-S321.
The primary aim of this study was to assess the short-term effects of Weight of the Nation community screenings on obesity-related beliefs, intentions, and policy support. Significant increases were observed for perceived self- and collective efficacy. This indicates that individuals and communities can influence factors that affect obesity.
CONFERENCE CORNER
International Public Relations Research Conference
March 8-12, 2017 | Orlando, Florida
Austin, L. L., & Miller Gaither, B. (2017, March). Perceived motivations for corporate CSR in socially stigmatized industries. Paper presented to the International Public Relations Research Conference, Orlando, FL.
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Southeast Colloquium
March 9-11, 2017 | Fort Worth, Texas
Harker, J.L. (2017, March). Mud on Your Face, Tar on Your Heel: An Investigation of Sport Fanship on Crisis Perceptions During a Collegiate Academic Integrity and Athletic Program Crisis. Paper presented at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Southeast, Fort Worth, TX.
Morehouse, J. (2017, March). Modern forms of the religious life: An inquiry into religious organizations and social media. Paper presented at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Southeast, Fort Worth, TX.
Dwyer, D. (2017, March). Mugshot Mayhem? The Right to Privacy v. the Right to Know at the State and Local Levels. Paper presented at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Southeast, Fort Worth, TX.
Puglia, D. (2017, March) Impossible Expectations: Digital Manipulation of Models’ Bodies an Unfair Practice in Advertising. Paper presented at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Southeast, Fort Worth, TX.
Ethridge, C. Community and connectedness: A sense of community through mobile news app use. Presented at Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Southeast, Fort Worth, TX.
Global Communication Association Conference
April 6-8, 2017 | Greensboro, North Carolina
Miller Gaither, B., Austin, L. L., & Schulz, M. (2017). Corporations as voices for social change: When “who you are” and “what you do” contribute to the problem. Paper presented at the Global Communication Association Conference, Greensboro, NC.
Broadcast Education Association Annual Conference
April 22-25, 2017 | Las Vegas, Nevada
Blankenship, J., Riffe, D. In Step at the Top? Optimism, Efficacy, and Orientation among Local Television News Managers. Paper presented at the Broadcast Education Association Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV.
DC Health Communication Conference
April 27-29, 2017 | Fairfax, Virginia
Jones, H., & Comello, M. L. G. (2017, April). Engaging a professional online medical community through a gamified community management tool. Paper presented at the DC Health Communication Conference, Fairfax, Virginia.
Vargas, L., Comello, M. L. G., & Barker, J. (2017, April). Do web searches support help-seeking for depression among Latino teens? Paper presented at the DC Health Communication Conference, Fairfax, Virginia.
Comello, M. L. G., Porter, J., Puglia, D., & Linton, K. (2017, April). Exploring the feasibility of a smoking cessation “smart” case and app duo. Paper presented at the DC Health Communication Conference, Fairfax, Virginia.
Comello, M. L. G., & El-Toukhy, S. (2017, April). Effects of drug-prevention messages on behavioral willingness to engage in risky behaviors through self-concept activation. Paper presented at the DC Health Communication Conference, Fairfax, Virginia.
International Communication Association 67th Annual Conference
May 25-29, 2017 | San Diego, California
Five faculty members, 10 graduate students and one alumni will represent the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the 67th Annual Conference of the International Communication Association in San Diego.
Click here to view the full list of Carolina faculty and student activities at ICA 2017