Communication Masters Theses

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The Sojourn and Communication Self-Efficacy Enhancement: A Study of Travelers' Perspectives
(North Dakota State University, 2009) Waserman, Vanessa
The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the sojourn, or overseas travel, and the development of traveler intercultural communication self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, an individual's perception of his or her own ability to accomplish tasks (Bandura, 1997), originates from the psychology discipline and has rarely been applied to communication. The study examines and extends the work of Milstein (2005), a communication scholar who investigated the relationship between the sojourn and intercultural communication self-efficacy and found a positive relationship between the two. This study investigated how the experience of the sojourn affects traveler perceptions of their own intercultural communication self-efficacy. Data were collected through individual face-to-face interviews with participants. The researcher selected a convenience sample of 20 respondents who had all participated in separate sojourns. Participants in the study differed in age, ethnic identity, sojourn destination, and purpose for the sojourn. Responses to interview questions were tape recorded and transcribed preceding analysis and categorization of data based on emergent themes. The perceptions of travelers were analyzed to understand how the sojourn affects self-efficacy. Results of the study supported a positive relationship between the sojourn and development of intercultural communication self-efficacy among travelers with no previous exposure to multicultural settings prior to the sojourn. Travelers with prior exposure to multicultural settings in the home culture did not perceive an increase in intercultural communication self-efficacy as a result of the sojourn. How the background of the traveler may affect perceptions of the sojourn and the specific types of events abroad that were perceived as contributors to self-efficacy development are discussed.
Extending the Diffusion Model in Risk Communication: A Case Study of Risk in a Public Health Campaign
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Beauchamp, Kimberly A., M.S.
Everett Rogers' (2003) diffusion model provided a theoretical framework through which to measure change among publics. However, use of Rogers' diffusion model can lead to research shortcomings such as lack of consequence research, change agent tendencies, proinnovation bias, and inadequate research methods. Through new model development, the current study introduced a specific data analysis process that distinctly measured and merged a relationship between communication, outreach, and scientific effects. The application of a public health campaign served to test the new model's ability to overcome previous diffusion research shortcomings. Using an integrated approach of diffusion and gap analysis, the study investigated and quantified effects of risk communication. This new model has value in that it supports the collaborative efforts of multi-disciplinary projects, while promoting and strengthening the position of each discipline through joint research. The model serves to help researchers seek, find, and work within a respected and common ground platform.
Powerful and Powerless Language in Health Media: An Examination of the Effects of Biological Sex and Topic Focus on Language Styles
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Fandrich, Ashley Marie
Powerless language has been shown to influence audience perceptions, and the media has been shown to influence health behaviors. However, little research has looked at powerless language in health media. This study expands current research regarding powerless language through an examination of written health media. A content analysis on the use of powerless language in health-related articles was conducted for 12 popular magazines over a one-year time span. Analysis compared differences in use of powerless language relative to three variables: biological sex of the author, the biological sex of the audience, and the magazine's overall topic focus. Female authors and health-focused magazines used more powerless language than male authors and generic-focused magazines. Powerless language was more often directed towards a female audience than a male audience. Implications of such findings and suggestions for future research are also discussed.
The Role of Cyber and Face-to-Face Verbal Bullying on Adolescent Victims
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Farrell, Laura Catherine
The purpose of this study was to examine adolescent verbal bullying across communication media (e.g., face-to-face [F2F], cyber, both). Media Richness Theory (MRT; Daft & Lengel, 1984; 1986) and hyperpersonal communication (Walther, 1996) are the guiding theories in this study. Results suggested three of the four emotional outcomes [happiness, self-esteem, and peer satisfaction] were not significantly different across verbal bullying media, while the fourth emotional outcome [relational victimization] was significantly different. Results also suggested differences in frequency of bullying communication types between bullying media. There was a significant difference in the frequency of bullying type and grade level; however, there were no significant differences in the frequency of bullying medium based upon biological sex. These results indicate a bullied victim is most affected when the verbal bullying occurs though multiple mediums. Directions for future research are also offered.
Military Marriages: A Look at Dialectical Tensions, Deployment, and Military Life Through Navy Wives' Eyes
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Fawcett, Erienne Lee
This qualitative study explored the lived military relationships of eighteen Navy wives whose husbands were stationed on the Naval Air Station Whidbey Base in Oak Harbor, Washington. The researcher performed interviews to better understand how internal dialectical tensions- autonomy-connection, novelty-predictability, and opennessclosedness - were manifested throughout deployment, and what strategies were used to cope with those tensions. Results suggested that a variety of tensions characterized these marital relationships throughout the course of a deployment. The tensions that coincide with military lifestyles were often addressed by using the reframing coping strategy. A military/non-military external tension emerged from the data that influenced the internal tensions and coping strategies of Navy wives. The knowledge gained from this study may help military couples balance tensions throughout the deployment process and create more satisfactory relationships.
Longdistance Romantic Relationships: Connections Among Conflict, Uncertainty, Maintenance, and Mediated Communication Use
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Frahm, Whitney Allison
Conflict, uncertainty, and relational maintenance have been frequent topics of study in long-distance relationships (LDRs); however, these concepts have not been studied concurrently. Interviews with 22 college students were used to study the influence of mediated versus face-to-face communication on conflict, uncertainty, and maintenance in LDRs. Interview data indicate that distance, distrust, and frustration with mediated communication are significant sources of conflict in LDRs. Conflict is most often discussed via mediated communication, although couples overwhelmingly prefer face-to-face interaction. Uncertainty and subsequent conflict were highest when using text-based communication (i.e., text messaging and Facebook); the telephone was preferred to maintain LDRs.
The A3 Report as Knowledge-Accomplishing Activity: A Practice-Oriented Analysis of Situated Organizational Problem Solving
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Hatton, Angela Yvonne
The A3 report is a lean practice innovated by Toyota motor company. The A3 report, a growing trend in organizations, is promoted as a communication tool, but it has not been studied from a communication perspective. In this study I interview twelve professionals who use A3 reports in their work and identify the ways in which A3 reports enable and constrain organizational communication. This study illustrates the communicative enactment of knowing and identifies how the A3 report structures organizational problem solving and creates knowledge-accomplishing activity. The A3 report constrains information through its concise 11 by 1 7 inch paper size and enables knowledge production through discussion and the Japanese consensus-building concept of nemawashi. I submit that organizational use of the A3 process creates bridges between communities of practice and allows organizational actors to span traditional boundaries and engage in knowledgecreating conversations, thus furthering understanding of the communicative constitution of the organization.
Corporate Communication on Facebook: A Multi-Method Approach to Corporate Use and Stakeholder Perceptions of Social Media
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Hedberg, Kathryn Marie
This study looked at how corporations are currently using Facebook and what stakeholders' perceptions are of current corporate Facebook usage. A content analysis of nine corporate profile pages was conducted. Pages were coded for the presence or absence of relational development strategies under the categories of information dissemination, disclosure and involvement. A survey was also distributed to the fans of the nine corporate profiles in order to gain the fan perspective. Results showed that while corporations include disclosure and information dissemination strategies, they rarely use involvement strategies. This lack of interactivity is inconsistent with the fan perspective of corporate profiles, where fans called for more interaction and use of all relational development strategies on the corporate profile.
Entertainment Media's Satirical Effects on Teenage and Adult Attitudes of Political News Organizations.
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Chianak:as, Joseph Lawrence
This study explored the effect of satire in persuasion by comparing attitude changes between adults and teenagers. It revealed that satire was effective in changing attitudes and that satire had a greater effect on changing teenage attitudes than adult attitudes. In this study, participants rated the trustworthiness and competency of political news organizations and then watched comedic segments from entertainment media that satirized the political news organizations. After the satirical segments, participants re-evaluated the trustworthiness and competency of political news organizations. The satire proved to be effective in negatively changing the perception of trustworthiness and competency among political news organizations, and teenage attitudes had greater change than adult attitudes. The factors involved in attitude change were analyzed, and suggestions for future research were also offered.
Life Coaching and VISTA Members: What is the Nature of Impact?
(North Dakota State University, 2010) McGregor-Pfleger, Deborah
Research related specifically to coaching has increased gradually over the past few years. Most of the research has revolved around executive coaching, and there are limited research studies about certified coaches. To date, there are no studies that specifically focus on the nature of impact of life coaching on VISTA members. In this study of a pilot project pairing life coaches with VISTA members, five VISTA members participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews and five VISTA members participated in a focus group. It is clear from the research data that the nature of impact included many areas including time management, conflict resolution skills, objective perspectives, core values and career exploration. In addition, the experience of having a life coach as a part of the VISTA member experience made it more manageable and enjoyable.
Chevron's Power of Human Energy: A Case for Corporate Social Responsibility as Identification Inducement
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Roers, Michelle Marie
With corporate social responsibility (CSR) emerging as an inescapable business priority around the world, organizations are developing elaborate CSR campaigns to highlight their good deeds and influence important stakeholders. Despite its potentially powerful persuasive influence, however, we know surprisingly little about the actual messaging used in contemporary CSR campaigns. Accordingly, this study investigates a major multinational-and controversial-company's CSR campaign to examine CSR messages' propensity for inducing positive organizational identification. A case study applying Cheney's (1983b) organizational identification inducements reveals that Chevron's Power of Human Energy CSR campaign extensively and strategically uses CSR messaging to induce identification. This study thus suggests that organizations are using complex, versatile, and wide-ranging identification inducements in contemporary CSR campaigns-including eliciting identification via employee and outsider voices. Results are discussed in terms of practical and ethical implications for researchers, communication practitioners, and society.
Learning the Ropes of Emotion Labor: How are Certified Nursing Assistants Socialized to Manage Emotion?
(North Dakota State University, 2010) Wenzel, Kristina Anne
This project explores the organizational socialization of emotion among certified nursing assistants employed in nursing homes. Six certified nursing assistants in the encounter phase of organizational socialization participated in this study which seeks to understand how certified nursing assistants learn the ropes of emotion labor. The results of this study offer partial support of Scott and Myers (2005) research as results indicate four essential categories of new certified nursing assistants' experiences: (a) customer service Ill expectations, (b) repeated exposure to emotional events, ( c) observational-infonnation seeking, and (d) being selected for emotion management capacity. Additionally, this study describes the workplace emotion new certified nursing assistants experience during the encounter phase of organizational socialization. This study concludes with theoretical and practical applications and suggests areas for future research.
Automated Approaches for the Early-Stage Distinguishing of Palmer Amaranth from Waterhemp
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Venkataraju, Akhil
Palmer amaranth is an invasive pigweed species, possessing rapid growth, posing a threat to the economy of crops including corn. Its early detection and mitigation are of utmost importance; however, it is visually similar to waterhemp in the early growth stages. In this study, automated approaches are employed to distinguish palmer amaranth from waterhemp, within two weeks after emergence, from their RGB images. Morphological characteristics of these weeds are estimated and fed to several Machine Learning (ML) models. To improve classification accuracy, RGB images are augmented, and a Convolutional neural network is trained on 16000 images. Validated on images embedded with gaussian noise, it produced a better accuracy compared to ML approaches. Finally, YOLOv5, an object detection algorithm based on transfer learning, is successfully prepared. Tested on synthetic images consisting of both weeds, YOLOv5 successfully detected a significantly high number of palmer amaranth objects while also distinguishing it from waterhemp.
Anonymity, Social Identification, and Online Social Influence
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Rabby, Mir Md Fazla
This experiment investigated the primacy of social identification in the online social influence process with anonymity as a contextual variable. Other key variables were perceived argument strength and attitude toward abortion. Participants (N = 229) were randomly exposed to four conditions, in which they read three pro-life or pro-choice arguments from either three identifiable people (known) or three unidentifiable people (unknown). Based on the social identity model of deindividuation (SIDE), the study tested if social identification had a greater effect on attitude in unknown conditions through depersonalization. Results demonstrated that social identification predicted attitude, but anonymity did not affect the process. In other words, depersonalization was not triggered by anonymity. Social identification also affected attitude indirectly (via argument strength). The study also found presence of both group membership-based influence (driven by social identification) and informational influence (driven by argument strength). Implications of the study, especially involving anonymity, were discussed.
Activism Challenges Faced by Black Student-Athletes at Predominantly White Institutions
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Pitchford, Alexis
For decades, black athletes have used sports as a stage to spread awareness of the injustices that are overlooked in our country. Black student-athletes are treated as ambassadors of the predominantly white universities they represent in their sports. However, they still endure prejudice from students, faculty, and local community members who are supposed to be their supporters. In this study, I investigated the factors influencing black student-athletes’ willingness to speak out on social issues. Through interviews with ten black student-athletes at NDSU, I found the concerning factors, identity issues, and levels of comfortability that black student athletes experience at this predominantly white institution. I argue that inconsistencies of support from the athletic department and fan base make it harder for black student-athletes to engage in activism. I recommend that student-athletes collaborate with athletic departments and local organizations in their activism to improve their communities.
How Female Fans Make Sense of Gender, Power, and Gendered Violence in HBO’S Game of Thrones
(North Dakota State University, 2022) Lautt, McKenzie
Violence and abuse towards women are common themes in media today. HBO’s television series, Game of Thrones, is filled with scenes of women being tortured, raped, and abused. Yet, Game of Thrones was one of the most watched shows of the 2010s (Hibberd, 2014). In this study, I explore how women view the relationship between power and gender in Game of Thrones and how they make sense of justify gendered violence. Interviews were conducted with 20 women who had seen more than one season of the series. The goal of this research is to gain insight into these perceptions in order to dispel internalized sexist ideals and create more understanding of internal biases. Results suggest female fans demonstrate feminist ideas in their critiques of the series’ portrayal of women but assess characters and plotlines in a way that values masculine qualities and masculine forms of power.
Emerging Political Identification of Young Adults
(North Dakota State University, 2011) Isaacson, Jason Douglas
Research has more than adequately established the importance of the role of parents in the political socialization of young people. However, there is surprisingly little research that examines if and when young people deviate from their parental influence. Once deviation occurs, who replaces parents in the role of influencing the development of the political self? This research examined the development of political identification in young people ages 19-24 to discover if young people deviate from their socialized political attitudes usually instilled by their parents. It also sought to discover what outside influence is having the strongest effect on the subjects after such deviation occurs. These variables include their university, parents, professors, peer groups, media outlets, and religious affiliation. Interestingly, after the parents, the subjects' peer groups tested as having the strongest effect on the subjects deviating from their parental political norms. In addition, specific political affiliation was correlated to specific variables; for example the variable "religion" was an accurate predictor of political identification for self-identifying conservatives. The research also reinforced the notion that interpersonal relationships arc the most influential in the development of the political self.
Predicting Disclosure of Student Mental Health Problems to Instructors: A Communication Privacy Management Perspective
(North Dakota State University, 2020) Haverkamp, Emily Marie
The transitional period of attending college marks a shift towards personal independence for students. The management of conversational topics requires students to determine how they share information. Management of mental health information is a critical topic that cannot be overlooked during these re-negotiation periods. The goal of this study was to examine how the five privacy rule development criteria (culture, context, motivation, risk/benefit gender) of Communication Privacy Management Theory predict a college student’s likelihood to reveal a mental health problem to their instructor. Using multiple regression, bivariate linear regression, and factorial ANOVA, this study revealed that the CPM rule development criteria variables (culture, context, motivation, and gender) are predictors of college students disclosing a mental health problem to their instructors. Findings suggest that predictors of privacy management center on communication and relational factors between students and instructors as well as perceptions of an open conversation-oriented classroom culture, and gender.
The Effects of Eating Disorder Disclosure on Interpersonal Attraction on Mobile Dating Apps
(North Dakota State University, 2020) Berndt, Maranda Marie
In the United States, stigma surrounding mental illness is ever present. With a large misrepresentation from the media, those suffering with mental illnesses, like eating disorders, often face different types of social rejection. Due to the stigma surrounding mental illness, and eating disorders, the disclosure of such an illness to another person can result in a negative impression of the sender. There is little research looking at how mental illness disclosures can affect the formation of a romantic relationship, specifically from the perspective of the receiver of a disclosure. Looking specifically at the format of mobile dating apps, this study looks at how a receiver’s initial attraction to a person changes, based on the presence of an eating disorder disclosure. Results found a correlation between stigma and attraction, however, disclosure type had no effect on attraction, or stigma.
(De)constructed Gender and Romance in Steven Universe: A Queer Analysis
(North Dakota State University, 2019) Vogt, Olivia
As LGBTQ issues come to the forefront of discussion, the acceptance of queer television is becoming more common. However, research has shown that seemingly progressive shows often reinforce dominant ideologies, despite the presence of queer characters or themes. This analysis seeks to understand whether the children's animated series, Steven Universe, is as progressive as reviews would make it seem. Two open-ended research questions are used to explore the constructions of gender and romance in the series. Through the use of queer analysis, this study reveals that the series is indeed queer. The series narrative subverts gender through the deconstruction of societal binaries. Likewise, love is treated inclusively, and is not limited to heterosexual romances. Steven Universe, though not perfect, is an amicable example of how children's cartoons can educate upcoming generations in what it means to defy expectations and go beyond labels.

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