College of Arts & Humanities
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/1611
The collections in this community comprise faculty research works, as well as graduate theses and dissertations.
Browse
3 results
Search Results
Item Developing effective communication for climate change adaptation and disaster risk mitigation(2021) Lim, JungKyu Rhys; Liu, Brooke Fisher; Communication; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Preparing for natural disasters and adapting to climate change can save lives. However, little research has examined how organizations can effectively communicate climate change adaptation and disaster risk mitigation behaviors. This dissertation employs two studies to examine how to effectively communicate disaster mitigation and preparedness to help at-risk publics better prepare for natural disasters. Fragmented studies so far have not provided an integrated model to identify the most effective factors for explaining and predicting disaster preparedness behaviors and policy support. Moreover, studies have not yet developed and tested communication messages that can motivate publics’ disaster risk mitigation through experiments. Thus, in Study 1, this dissertation attempts to build an integrated model and identify the key factors that motivate disaster preparedness behaviors and policy support through three large-scale online surveys (N = 3,468). Two of the most common federally declared disasters in large disaster-prone states are studied: wildfires and hurricanes with floods. Study 1 finds that social norms and self-efficacy strongly motivate disaster preparedness behaviors, while response efficacy strongly motivates policy support behaviors. Then, based on Study 1 and consultation with eight communication experts, Study 2 develops messages using social norms and efficacy. Study 2 tests the social norms and coping appraisal messages through four between-subject online experiments (2 X 2 X 2 X 2) with an additional vicarious experience condition in flood- and hurricane-prone states (N = 5,027). Injunctive norms and disapproval rationale strongly encourage at-risk publics to take mitigation behaviors, and vicarious experience seems promising for message design. Additionally, this dissertation reveals at-risk publics’ awareness, behavioral engagement, preferred communication channels, and information sources for preparing for hurricanes and wildfire risks. Weather forecasters and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including the National Weather Service (NWS), were the preferred information sources for preparing for hurricane risks. Conversely, local and state fire departments were the preferred information sources for preparing for wildfire risks. By developing and testing messages on the strongest factors using preferred information sources, the dissertation provides guidance for risk communication researchers and professionals.Item IMPROVING CHRONIC ILLNESS MEDICATION ADHERENCE: A COUNTERFACTUAL THINKING-BASED MODEL OF PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION(2017) Iles, Irina; Nan, Xiaoli; Communication; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The World Health Organization estimates that, by 2020, the number of Americans affected by at least one chronic condition requiring medication therapy will grow to 157 million. Effective medications are a cornerstone of prevention and disease treatment, yet only about half of patients take their medications as prescribed, resulting in a common and costly public health challenge for the U.S. health care system. As with much of health care, drug adherence is primarily about human behavior. Therefore, patients who lack motivation to take their medication as prescribed cannot be forced or simply educated to take their medication; they must be persuaded and motivated to do so. However, existing literature on how persuasion-based behavioral change can be achieved for non-adherent patients is sparse. To help build more evidence on how effective communication can be used to promote drug adherence for patients who have been diagnosed with chronic illness, this research tested the effectiveness of counterfactual thinking as a message design strategy aimed at increasing drug adherence among individuals at risk for nonadherence. Findings from experiments 1 and 2 showed no effect of counterfactual thinking on medication adherence. Findings from experiment 3 showed that, in a sample of 303 patients with type 2 diabetes at risk for nonadherence, messages including upward counterfactual thinking (e.g., “if only I had taken my medication as prescribed, I would not be in the hospital right now!”), compared to messages including downward counterfactual thinking (e.g., “it could have been worse and I could have died!”) or no counterfactual thinking, increased perceptions of medication adherence self- and response efficacy, and behavioral intention to take one’s medications as prescribed. Counterfactual thinking-based messages are a promising and easy to use persuasion strategy for patients who are at risk for nonadherence. Counterfactual thinking can be incorporated in interventions aimed at increasing adherence, and in doctor-patient or pharmacist-patient communications. Future studies should replicate these findings patients who have other chronic illnesses. Furthermore, measuring actual medication adherence behavior as opposed to behavioral intention, would provide a better indicator of the effectiveness of counterfactual thinking in increasing adherence.Item Testing a Dual Path Framework of the Boomerang Effect: Proattitudinal versus Counterattitudinal Messages(2017) Zhao, Xinyan; Fink, Edward L.; Communication; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation aims to differentiate two types of boomerang effects on belief and attitude change: a boomerang effect under a proattitudinal message and a boomerang effect under a counterattitudinal message. By employing a 2 (Message valence: anti-policy vs. pro-policy) × 2 (Issues: legal age for drinking vs. legal age of marriage) × 2 (Threat to freedom: low threat vs. high threat) × 2 (Argument quality: low quality vs. high quality) plus 2 (Control groups: no-message control for the two issues) cross-sectional factorial design (N = 458), antecedents and mediators that bring about the two types of boomerang effect were examined. Under a counterattitudinal message, both argument quality and prior belief strength predicted a boomerang effect: Those receiving a low-quality argument or those with a strong prior belief, as compared with the control group, exhibited a boomerang on belief and attitude. The dominant mechanism that explained the relationship between argument quality and belief position boomerang was counterarguing (vs. anger). Under a proattitudinal message, there was an indirect effect of trait reactance on belief boomerang through anger (vs. negative cognitions). But the perceived threat to attitudinal freedom did not predict a boomerang effect. These results contribute to attitude change research by empirically separating cognitive and affective mechanisms for boomerang effects. Furthermore, this study refines the construct of negative cognitions and integrates reactance theory and the cognitive response perspective on boomerang effects. Both structural equation models and confirmatory factor analysis suggested that counterarguments and nonrefutational thoughts were two distinct types of negative cognitions. The two constructs were caused by different sets of antecedents and had different outcomes: Poor argument quality caused counterarguments, whereas perceived threat and trait reactance caused nonrefutational thoughts. Only counterarguments mediated the effects of argument quality on the boomerang effects for belief (e.g., the extent to which the legal drinking age should be decreased on a magnitude scale) and belief position (e.g., the legal age for drinking), which subsequently predicted the boomerang effect on attitude (e.g., the extent to which the legal drinking age is liked). This dissertation expands the theoretical scope of belief and attitude change research. Future research should explore the persuasive appeals for mitigating the cognitive or affective process resulting in a boomerang effect. Among those who are more prone to boomerang on certain issues, a boomerang appeal can be employed to persuade.