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

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.

Narrative Theory in Gallery Design: It’s Use (Or Misuse) and Impact on Visitor Experience

Narrative Theory in Gallery Design: Its Use (Or Misuse) and Impact on Visitor Experience

Primary author: Carrie Vielle

Primary college/unit: Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

Narrative Theory’s origins lie in the fundamental understanding that storytelling is a basic human strategy for understanding our experience, Visitors in museum galleries naturally seek out and construct narratives – it’s essential in the meaning-making, understanding, and remembering process of museum material. Capitalizing on this visitor behavior, many contemporary exhibition designers create varying degrees of controlled, immersive narratives and participatory experiences designed to influence specific visitor understanding and experience.

The value of the application of narrative in exhibition design is a widely debated, multi-dimensional topic: is immersive storytelling controlled by exhibit designers truly beneficial to comprehensive understanding, or does a more discursive, free exploration of exhibition material and its consequent visitor-constructed narrative produce a more successful outcome? While this research will not answer that question directly, it will focus on defining design strategies employed to establish an immersive vs. discursive experience. The analyses and comparisons of a variety of exhibitions that represent either narrative approach will propose that a balance of immersive and discursive narrative approaches within a single exhibition design can potentially accommodate the benefits of both types of narrative construction. The key exhibition used to support this conclusion will be the world-wide traveling exhibition “Pompeii: The Immortal City.”

The Impact on Student Motivation to Engage in Behavioral Harm Reduction Practices

The Impact on Student Motivation to Engage in Behavioral Harm Reduction Practices

Primary author: Alex Steiner
Co-author(s): Oluwafemi Sunday; Patricia Maarhuis

Primary college/unit: Cougar Health Services/Health Promotion
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

This research project evaluated the WSU IMPACT program’s effectiveness by measuring students’ motivation to engage in behavioral harm reduction practices regarding high-risk substance use, which in turn affects academic success. Student motivation was measured via four questions using a “level of importance” Likert scale associated with self-reported engagement in protective strategies, as well as participant willingness and intention to engage in these strategies. IMPACT is a harm reduction and psycho-education service provided to students mandated by the WSU Center for Community Standards sanction process for substance use violations. The purpose of this small group intervention is to administer a substance abuse BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) program (1999) based on efficacious best practices identified in the CollegeAim Matrix report (2015). Analyses: Independent T-test and ANOVA of pre/post brief intervention results were conducted across two sessions and four pre/post time points (Alcohol group N = 252, Cannabis group N = 106). Results: Overall, across all four questions, significant differences were found between timepoints one and two as well as timepoints three and four, with an upward slope or increases in reported positive harm reduction behaviors post IMPACT intervention (Alcohol: F(1, 116) = 5043.15, p = .001; Cannabis: F(1, 38) = 848.64, p = .001) Conclusion: Per these self-reported data, the IMPACT intervention was effective in increasing motivation and intention for positive behavior change regarding high-risk substance use across multiple timepoints.

Measuring community and school district readiness for prevention using publicly available secondary data: Findings from a Delphi study

Measuring community and school district readiness for prevention using publicly available secondary data: Findings from a Delphi study

Primary author: Gitanjali Shrestha
Co-author(s): Laura Hill; Clara Hill
Faculty sponsor: Laura Hill

Primary college/unit: Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:
Introduction: Readiness for prevention is an important factor in prevention program success; thus, measuring readiness is a key step in disseminating prevention programs. Existing measures of readiness are time and resource intensive. Thus, the identification of publicly available proxy variables for readiness will not only be more resource efficient, it will also help prevention efforts in which readiness data has not been prospectively collected. The purpose of this study was to use the Delphi technique to identify publicly available proxy variables for community and school district readiness.

Method: We conducted a three-round Delphi study with ten prevention experts across five states to garner expert consensus on publicly available variables that could be considered proxies for readiness. Round 1 consisted of expert interviews, while rounds 2 and 3 consisted of online surveys.

Results: Findings reveal that certain dimensions of community readiness can be assessed using publicly available secondary datasets. Results indicated that 17 variables across eight domains can be considered proxies for readiness. Six of these 17 variables are specific to school district readiness, while the remaining 11 are proxies for both community and school district readiness. The study also yielded interesting insights into readiness such as the distinction between proxy variables for readiness and contextual variables for readiness, as well as the overlap between community readiness variables and school district readiness variables.

Conclusion: The list of proxy readiness variables is especially useful in large-scale evaluations or in circumstances where limited resources prohibit the collection of readiness data.

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

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.

‘We’re Here to Help’: Students of Color Experiences and Satisfaction with Health and Emergency Services at Washington State University

‘We’re Here to Help’: Students of Color Experiences and Satisfaction with Health and Emergency Services at Washington State University

Primary author: Brianne Posey
Faculty sponsor: Patricia Maarhuis

Primary college/unit: Cougar Health Services/Health Promotion
Category: Physical and Social Sciences

Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

Background: People of color may face barriers to care services. Some of these barriers stem from financial and geographic disadvantage, while other barriers stem from negative experiences with practitioners and staff. Patient satisfaction with care services is an important factor in retention. Previous studies have concluded that patient experiences and satisfaction scores significantly predict whether a patient maintains a continuing relationship with a practitioner. Research Objectives: Researchers sought to examine the self-reported experiences and satisfaction scores of minority students at Washington State University. Data: A survey questionnaire was distributed to 200 students of color regarding their experiences and satisfaction with four Washington State University, Pullman campus and community emergency and health care services: 1) Cougar Health Services Medical Clinic (CHS), 2) Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), 3) Washington State University Police Department (WSU PD), 4) Pullman Police Department (Pullman PD). Analysis: Quantitative descriptive analysis was performed along with qualitative thematic analysis. Results: Participant experiences such as friendly staff, trauma informed interviewing, and culturally respectful and inclusive language were associated with higher satisfaction scores and students being more likely to return. Oppositely, experiences such as long wait times, incorrect diagnosis, and high cost of treatment were associated with lower satisfaction scores and students being less likely to return. Conclusion: This study provides data about factors important to patient satisfaction with care services for a selected group of college students. Recommendations for improving satisfaction among students of color are provided.

What pedagogical materials afford students of Spanish as a foreign language with opportunities to develop communicative competence?

What pedagogical materials afford students of Spanish as a foreign language with opportunities to develop communicative competence?

Primary author: Preyadarshini Panday Shukla
Co-author(s): Anne Marie Guerrettaz; Nausica Marcos Miguel; Collin Shull
Faculty sponsor: Anne Marie Guerrettaz

Primary college/unit: College of Education
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

Pedagogical materials (e.g., textbooks, PowerPoints, etc.) play an essential role in the teaching and learning of Spanish as a second language (L2) (Tarone, 2014). Many L2 teaching materials aim — in theory — to promote students’ development of communicative competence (Savignon 2017). Nonetheless, few studies have examined how pedagogical materials (Guerrettaz & Johnson, 2013) foster or inhibit students’ development of communicative competence.
This study’s goal was to identify pedagogical materials that: 1) afforded Spanish L2 learners opportunities to develop communicative competence and 2) those that did not — using the sociocultural framework of affordances (van Lier, 2004). This concept acknowledges broader classroom dynamics that influence the learning outcomes of materials: students’ and instructors’ uses of and responses to materials are complex and unpredictable. Fifteen focus groups, five teacher interviews, and fieldnotes from 45 recorded classroom lessons were analyzed qualitatively.
Results revealed that the following materials — frequently used by two expert instructors —afforded opportunities for communicative learning: 1) information gap handouts, 2) process-oriented sets of writing guides for in-class journaling, and 3) games (e.g., Taboo). Additionally, 4) music recordings were variably used with regards to students’ development of communicative competence: sometimes music was effectively used, but in other classrooms ineffectively or not at all. These differences are partially attributed to instructors’ divergent perceptions of music as a material. Lastly, many students paradoxically chose 5) Kahoot, a digital tool, as their favorite material, while acknowledging its failure to promote communicative learning. Findings have implications for L2 classroom practice and teacher development.

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

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.

Outside director protection, reduced monitoring, and capital structure decisions

Outside director protection, reduced monitoring, and capital structure decisions

Primary author: Yoonsoo Nam
Faculty sponsor: Douglas (DJ) Fairhurst

Primary college/unit: Carson College of Business
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

I assess the effects of increased outside director protection from shareholder lawsuits on debt-to-assets ratio of U.S. industrial firms. Outside directors are non-employees of the firm. As increased director protection is considered to decrease directors’ monitoring efforts, it may reduce debt because mangers prefer having less debt to protect their undiversified human capital and would likely decrease debt in response to reduced monitoring. However, increased director protection may raise debt because firms could use debt as a controlling mechanism to counterbalance reduced monitoring because debt pressures managers to work hard to pay principal and interest payments. This study is important as it highlights this substituting effect of debt.
I use the staggered enactment of the Limited Liability Statutes by all 50 U.S. states between 1986 and 2002 to measure increased director protection. As different states enacted the laws during different time periods, this setting helps draw stronger causal inferences. I measure firm-level characteristics using Compustat database. I implement a difference-in-differences research design.
I find that the laws increase debt-to-assets ratio suggesting that firms raise debt to offset increased director protection. Specifically, firms where debt is more effective controlling mechanism, the interests of managers and shareholders are more closely aligned, managers have more incentives to maximize their human capital, and that are less financially constrained increase debt. Finally, I find that firms raising debt in response to increased director protection engage in activities likely raising firm value while firms that do not increase debt engage in activities likely reducing firm value.

“I Feel Proud Because I Made Them Stop Fighting”: How Do Adolescent Friendships Create and Constrain Masculinities?

“I Feel Proud Because I Made Them Stop Fighting”: How Do Adolescent Friendships Create and Constrain Masculinities?

Primary author: Emma McMain
Faculty sponsor: Zoe Higheagle Strong

Primary college/unit: College of Education
Campus: Pullman

Abstract:

The notion of “boyhood in crisis” circulates through educational spaces, perpetuating the ideas that boys are physically aggressive, “emotionally illiterate,” and lack intimate friendships. To complicate and challenge this crisis model, there is a need for more research that explores masculinities as complex, relational, and performative. This study, framed by feminist poststructural theory, considers how adolescent boys shape one another’s masculinities when discouraging physical fights. Critical discourse analysis techniques were applied to four interviews to highlight the “discourses” (repeated and dynamic patterns of words, thoughts, images, and actions, such as a discourse of men as instinctive fighters) that create and are created by performances of masculinity. I also considered the discourses that did not appear from these boys’ stories but could work as points of resistance to dominant forms of masculinity that uphold a binary of “reason” over “emotion” and individual “choice” over more collectivist beliefs.

This project complicates what counts as “progress” in studies of peer aggression: masculinities constrained the range of ways in which boys could resist fights, yet friendship emerged as an important shaper of identity. This research calls for moving beyond a discourse of “good choices” (which puts the responsibility of ceasing violence on boys alone) to explore how adolescents are simultaneously agentic and constrained by their social worlds.