Pradeep Sopory

Metaphor in formative evaluation and message design: An application to relationships and alcohol use

Conceptual metaphor analysis offers an underutilized method for formative evaluation. Using the domain of relationships and alcohol use, the viability of this technique was demonstrated through an analysis of 22 focus group transcripts, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and a message perceptions experiment. The studies revealed a number of conceptual metaphors college students possess and utilize to interpret messages regarding relationships, sexuality, and effects of alcohol use. In light of the results, strategies for message design are suggested.

Willingness to Communicate about Health as an Underlying Trait of Patient Self-Advocacy: The Development of the Willingness to Communicate about Health (WTCH) Measure

The purpose of this study was to develop a measurement instrument to assess peoples willingness to communicate about their health and to see how this communication predisposition might be related to health information-seeking behaviors and patient assertiveness. The researchers discuss the development of the Willingness to Communicate about Health (WTCH) scale, and they report findings from a study that assessed the WTCH scale using two distinct samples. The results of the study found similarities for the WTCH scale item factor solutions across samples, a relationship between the WTCH and the larger willingness to communication predisposition, and the scale was found to be related to both information-seeking behaviors and patient assertiveness. Finally, the researchers discuss validity and reliability issues surrounding the WTCH measure and potential applications of the scale in health communication contexts.

Impulsivity Partially Mediates the Relationship Between BIS/BAS and Risky Health Behaviors

Several theorists have suggested that impulsivity can be understood as a joint function of the behavioral approach (BAS) and behavioral inhibition systems (BIS). After resolving questions concerning the measurement of impulsivity and BAS, this study examined the relationships among risky health behaviors, impulsivity, BIS, and BAS. Utilizing a sample of undergraduates (N = 904), a structural model was tested in which BAS and BIS predicted impulsivity, which, in turn, predicted risky behavior. Fit indices were acceptable, but not good. A modified version of the model showed a statistically significant negative relationship between BAS and risky behaviors. However, the fit indices were not unequivocally supportive of the need to include that path. Overall, the data suggest that impulsivity is the joint result of countervailing motivational forces and that it partially or fully mediates the influence of BIS and BAS on risky health behavior.

Formative Research regarding Kidney Disease Health Information in a Latino American Sample: Associations among Message Frame, Threat, Efficacy, Message Effectiveness, and Behavioral Intention.

Using prospect theory and the extended parallel process model, this study examined the effect of gain/loss message framing on perceptions of severity, susceptibility, response efficacy, and self efficacy (derived from the extended parallel process model), as well as perception of message effectiveness and behavioral intention in a community based Latino American sample. Results indicated no significant differences between a gain- and loss-frame for any of the outcome variables. In addition, message effectiveness, susceptibility, and response efficacy were the best predictors of intention to engage in early testing behavior.

Metaphor and Intra-Attitudinal Structural Coherence

Metaphor is ubiquitous as a persuasion device although the process by which its effects are achieved is still not yet fully understood. The study proposes that the tropes persuasive outcomes derive from an emergent structural match between linguistic and conceptual metaphor that produces coherence among the structural components of attitude; a literal-only message offers no such match and hence by comparison less attitude coherence. To test this proposition, four hypotheses related to metaphors effect on attitude and intra-attitudinal structural coherence were tested by manipulating message type (metaphor vs. literal), knowledge of metaphor target/attitude object (low vs. high), and placement of metaphor/literal equivalent (message introduction vs. conclusion). Results provided moderate support for the predictions.

Metaphor and Attitude Accessibility

Metaphor is ubiquitous in persuasive messages although the process by which its effects are achieved is still not fully understood. This study proposes that the emergent structural match between linguistic metaphor and long-term knowledge in the form of conceptual metaphor leads to the persuasive outcomes. To test this assumption, six predictions related to metaphors effect on attitude judgment and speed of attitude judgment were tested. Three types of messages that contained a novel metaphor and additional message content in the form of conventional metaphors were compared: messages using the same conceptual metaphor to understand both the novel metaphor and rest of the message content (metaphor-fit condition), messages using different conceptual metaphors to understand the novel metaphor and rest of the message content (metaphor-nonfit condition), and literal equivalent of metaphorical messages (literal condition). Amount of prior familiarity of metaphor target as a condition for greater effectiveness of metaphor-using messages was also investigated. The hypotheses that metaphor-fit messages would have a stronger impact on attitude judgment and would exhibit faster attitude judgment response time than metaphor-nonfit and literal messages were partly borne out.

Health-Related Disaster Communication and Social Media: Mixed-Method Systematic Review

ABSTRACT This mixed-method evidence synthesis drew on Cochrane methods and principles to systematically review literature published between 2003 and 2016 on the best social media practices to promote health protection and dispel misinformation during disasters. Seventy-nine studies employing quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods on risk communication during disasters in all UN-languages were reviewed, finding that agencies need to contextualize the use of social media for particular populations and crises. Social media are tools that still have not become routine practices in many governmental agencies regarding public health in the countries studied. Social media, especially Twitter and Facebook (and equivalents in countries such as China), need to be incorporated into daily operations of governmental agencies and implementing partners to build familiarity with them before health-related crises happen. This was especially observed in U.S. agencies, local government, and first responders but also for city governments and school administrations in Europe. For those that do use social media during health-related risk communication, studies find that public relations officers, governmental agencies, and the general public have used social media successfully to spread truthful information and to verify information to dispel rumors during disasters. Few studies focused on the recovery and preparation phases and on countries in the Southern hemisphere, except for Australia. The vast majority of studies did not analyze the demographics of social media users beyond their geographic location, their status of being inside/outside the disaster zone; and their frequency and content of posting. Socioeconomic demographics were not collected and/or analyzed to drill deeper into the implications of using social media to reach vulnerable populations. Who exactly is reached via social media campaigns and who needs to be reached with other means has remained an understudied area.