When Wide and Shallow Better than Narrow and Deep: Misinformation Correction across Social Media Platforms

Primary author: Wenqing Zhao
Co-author(s): Mina Park
Faculty sponsor: mina.park@wsu.edu

Primary college/unit: Edward R. Murrow College of Communication
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

Since social media has become a major platform of spreading misinformation and reinforcing misperception, scholars and practitioners have devoted to correct misleading content on social media. In line with these efforts, this study tries to figure out how to use social media effectively to combat misinformation. In particular, this study examines the effects of using multiple social media platforms in correcting vaccine misinformation compared to using a single social media platform given the consistent number of times of corrective message exposure. To test the hypotheses, a between-subjects online experiment was conducted. The results showed that people exposed to corrective messages on multiple social media platforms have higher level of positive evaluations for corrective messages and more positive attitudes toward vaccination compared to those exposed to the same messages on a single social media platform. The findings suggested that multi-platform correction is a promising technique for misinformation correction. This study has both theoretical and practical implications of misinformation correction and social media.

Straightlining in a Survey Assessing Behavioral Health Treatment Services in Washington State

Primary author: Felix I. Rodriguez
Co-author(s): Rose Krebill-Prather; Kristen R. Petersen; Kent J. Miller

Primary college/unit: Edward R. Murrow College of Communication
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:
Straightlining, or non-differentiation in ratings across items, compromises the data quality of survey responses by introducing the possibility that satisficing or response bias has occurred. Recent studies on straightlining have examined the effects of demographic characteristics and mode of administration on this type of behavior. This study examines the extent of straightlining in survey responses of a sensitive population, using data from a statewide survey designed to evaluate publicly funded behavioral health services.

The Behavioral Health Enrollee Survey was administered in 2018 using a mixed-mode telephone/web design. Responses were collected from 2,135 randomly selected adults who received publicly funded behavioral health treatment services in Washington State from May through October of the preceding year.

First, the incidence of straightlining behavior is measured on four batteries of survey questions: quality of services, experience with services, perceived outcome of services, and feelings of being stigmatized. Then incidence of straightlining on each of these batteries is compared across groups by age, gender, minority status, behavioral health diagnosis, and mode of survey administration.

Preliminary results suggest straightlining occurs on each of the four batteries of questions. However, the extent to which straightlining is significantly related to other factors of interest varies from one battery to the next. Additional analyses examine more specifically what combinations of factors are related to straightlining. The results will shed light on whether these response patterns may be due to satisficing, or a more general lack of attention or care in survey responses for this population of behavioral health enrollees.

Does Interactive Advertising Always Effective? An Experiment on the Effects of Interactivity of Advertisement, Task Involvement, and Product Congruity

Primary author: Di Mu
Faculty sponsor: Alexis Tan

Primary college/unit: Edward R. Murrow College of Communication
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

New technologies are creating new opportunities for the advertising industry. As interactivity – inherent in the hearts of the Internet – becomes a more natural way for manufacturers to connect and communicate with their consumers, some scholars and industry experts believes that interactivity is the key to the success of advertising: the presentation of interactive ads has multiple layers compared to traditional ads, which makes it possible for users to actively choose what they need, in turn, enhance the ads’ effectiveness. This strategy supposes to turn passive viewers into active participants, however, due to the annoying nature of advertising, does interacting actually increase its persuasive outcomes? Some researchers said “yes”, while others stand on the opposite side. In addition, according to the LC4MP model, when individuals are highly involved in a task, they tend to allocate more cognitive resources to the goal-related primary task, and thus less attentional capacity will be available for processing the secondary tasks, like watching ads. Also, there has been a debate on whether congruity between product type and the context in which ads appear may influence product memory. Therefore, this study is aimed at simulating a real-life scenario and measure the effectiveness of interactive advertisements. In order to answer the research questions, a 2 (interactivity: high vs. low) x 2 (task involvement: high vs. low) x 2 (product congruity: congruent vs. incongruent) fully factorial, between-subjects online experiment will be conducted. This study is in the process of submitting the IRB.

Televised Teen Dating Violence: Making Sense of Adolescents’ and Young Adults’ Responses to Teen Dating Violence in a Reality TV Program

Primary author: Soojung Kang
Co-author(s): Stacey Hust; Kathleen Rodgers; Rachel Lutovsky
Faculty sponsor: Stacey Hust

Primary college/unit: Edward R. Murrow College of Communication
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

One-third of U.S. teens experience teen dating violence (TDV) in their heterosexual relationships (Halpern, Oslak, Young, Martin, & Kupper, 2001), and one in ten teens reported being physically hurt by a romantic partner in the past year (CDCP, 2009). Sexualized, violent, and gender-stereotyped media messages can inform sexual schemata that can put adolescents at increased risk for becoming victims or perpetrators of TDV (Sears et al., 2007; Vezina & Hebert, 2007). We conducted 16 focus groups across Washington State, with 58 high-school adolescents (32 females; 26 males) and 48 young adults (27 females; 21 males). Participants viewed a clip from the widely popular TV program 16 and Pregnant that featured two teenage parents in an emotionally and physically violent argument. Then, participants were asked to identify their understanding of the content and their perceptions of the TDV. The overwhelming majority of participants identified that the clip was not similar to what they saw in their personal lives. However, they rarely referred to it as violence or abuse, and primarily blamed the mother for the conflict. Participants also provided situational explanations for the conflict (e.g. the couple is stressed; the couple is too young). That participants didn’t identify the conflict as violence or abuse suggests such televised portrayals may have become normalized, even though the portrayal was not similar to what they saw in their daily lives. Further, the findings suggest participants viewed the conflict through traditional gender scripts in that they blamed the victim and rationalized male aggression.