Ph.D. Degree Program Archive
Women in communication: Assessing and advancing gender equality.
Abstract: This study addresses the persistent gender discrepancies in the communication profession at three levels (i.e., the micro level with individual communication professionals, the meso level with communication department and/or […]
When Good People Make Fake News Go Viral: The Role of Anger in Fake News Sharing on Social Media
Abstract: Sharing fake news on social media has become a serious social issue. The aim of the current study was to investigate (a) how reading fake news might induce anger […]
Beyond Fear Appeals: The Role of Hope in Improving Effectiveness of Health Messages.” Paper accepted for poster by Communicating Science, Health, Environment, and Risk Division
Abstract: One of the understudied areas in health communication research is hope. This study examines the effect of efficacy-inducing information on hope and subsequent attitudinal health behaviors. A total of […]
Effective Health Risk Communications: Lessons Learned about COVID-19 Pandemic through the Lens of Practitioners
Abstract: The study utilizes semi-structured interviews of health risk communication practitioners in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. The contingency theory of strategic conflict management is the guide to understanding […]
A New Conceptual Model for Understanding Interracial Communication Apprehension: How Does Racial Representation in Television-Entertainment Media Impact Interracial Conversation?
Aarum Youn-Heil (Grady PhD student) and Yan Jin. Abstract: This study proposes a new conceptual model for understanding interracial communication apprehension (IRCA), delineating how people of color use various communication practices (Orbe, […]
Barriers to leadership advancement in an age of turbulence: Perspectives from Women in PR in the United States
Abstract This chapter presents the research findings from a national research project on women and leadership in public relations in the United States (Meng & Neill, 2021). Through its 51 […]
Effects of Disclosure, Placement Type and Ad-Context Congruence on Brand and Advertising Recognition: An Exploration of CARE Model Processing
Abstract: Despite industry and academic attention to disclosures in sponsored content over recent years, questions remain on how consumers process message and context related characteristics. Primarily building upon the Covert […]
Virtual tours promote behavioral intention and willingness to pay via spatial presence, enjoyment, and destination image
Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) tourism provides individuals with a brief, but realistic, preview of travel destinations. Despite the increasing popularity of VR tourism in destination advertising, outcomes and underlying mechanisms of […]
Digital competencies in communication management: A conceptual framework of Readiness for Industry 4.0 for communication professionals in the workplace
This research is motivated to explore communication professionals’ understanding of the digital changes brought by the Industry 4.0 revolution and how such changes may affect the strategies and skills expected […]
How multitasking during video content decreases ad effectiveness: The roles of task relevance, video involvement, and visual attention
Abstract: In a 3 (secondary task: none, related, unrelated) x 2 (ad-video congruence: high/low) between-subjects eye-tracking experiment, participants (N = 153) watched a 9-minute video documentary segment containing one mid-roll video ad […]