Ruthann Weaver Lariscy

Kids These Days: Examining Differences in Political Uses and Gratifications, Internet Political Participation, Political Information Efficacy, and Cynicism on the Basis of Age

Using a telephone survey of randomly selected voters from the general population, the authors sought to understand the interrelatedness of the use of the Internet as a political information source with perception of political participation, political information efficacy, and cynicism. Guided by the uses and gratifications theory and employing the Political Media Gratifications Scale, the authors examine these constructs in terms of emergent generational differences. Findings indicate that digital natives differ from their older voting counterparts, and the researchers conclude more research must investigate further to accurate determine meaning.

Examination of Media Channels and Types as Health Information Sources for Adolescents: Comparisons for Black/White, Male/Female, Urban/Rural

Using Primary Socialization Theory, this survey of 452 young people indicates their most reported health learning is from television, followed by radio, print, Internet, and social networking media. Findings suggest middle school students do not differentiate among advertising, entertainment, and news content when evaluating information. Television, radio, and the Internet were more important health information sources for African American young teens than other ethnicities. Girls report highest learning from radio, and are significantly more likely than boys to gather health information from broadcast news and entertainment. Internet and online social media are more important for rural adolescents than urban ones.

Social Media and Online Political Communication: The Role of Interpersonal Informational Trust and Openness

This study examines relationships among interpersonal informational trust and openness with Internet-based political activities and attitudes. Conceptually, it proposes the categorization of online spaces and activities as consumption or interaction types, and classifies interpersonal informational trust within inner and outer circles. Interpersonal informational trust was found to be positively associated with perception of online activities as political participation. It also was associated with use of all types of online media for purposes of political communication, but mostly with online spaces that require interaction with others. Interpersonal political openness showed positive association with the use of interactive-type Web sites for purposes of political communication.

Roles of interpersonal and media socialization agents in adolescent self-reported health literacy: a health socialization perspective

This study proposes a health socialization model and applies it to examine direct, relative and mediating roles of interpersonal and media health socialization agents in predicting adolescent self-reported health literacy. We conducted a paper-and-pencil survey among 452 seventh graders in rural and urban school districts. Our regression analysis results show that both interpersonal and media socialization agents are significantly and positively related to adolescent health literacy. Media socialization agents seem to play a strong role in health literacy orientation, not much weaker than those of interpersonal socialization agents. The proposed health socialization model could contribute to the literature on how adolescents acquire health-related information and channels through which they are most receptive.

Health Journalists and Three Levels of Public Information: Issue and Agenda Disparities?

This is a 2-phase study of the sources of information health journalists use and rely upon for writing health news stories. The 1st phase of the study includes both depth interviews and an online survey with 188 health journalists. Phase 2 of the study extends the findings from Phase 1, with particular attention paid to the roles of public health information officers at 3 government levels: local, state, and federal. Results from this study suggest that a monolithic, “1-size-fits-all” media relations model for public information officers is not adequate in the current health news environment. Findings explore differences in perceptions of the value of public information sources at 3 levels and suggest that some bureaucratic inefficiencies may interfere with more effective source/subsidy–provider relationships.

The Impact of CEO Reputation: Negative News and Economic Decisions

In this true experiment the impact of a negative news story about a CEO is measured on the purchasing decisions and potential employment decisions of a college-age demographic. The age group tested is the #1 purchaser of the stimulus product, an MP3 player; additionally, these primarily juniors and seniors are interested in future employment and job searching issues. Findings support that CEO reputation is of critical importance to economic decisions among the age cohort. Negative news has profoundly adverse effect, while positive news, while pleasant to read, has a negligible impact. Public relations implications for managing a CEOs reputation are discussed.

Reputation Repair at the Expense of Providing Instructing and Adjusting Information Following Crises

Quantitative content analysis of 51 articles published in crisis communication literature in public relations indicates both a prevalent focus on image restoration or reputation management in the crisis responses analyzed in more than 18 years of research and a relative neglect of instructing and adjusting information in subsequent recommendations. This research makes insightful crisis response recommendations regarding consideration of organizational type involved in a crisis (government, corporation, or individual) and targeting active publics when selecting crisis responses.

Perceptions of Utility and Importance of International Public Relations Education among Educators and Practitioners

The world increasingly has a global economy. The demand for public relations practitioners who understand and can communicate effectively in this global economy is also rapidly increasing. This qualitative study examines the perceptions of educators and practitioners who self-identify themselves with “international public relations.” It explores the perceptions of utility and importance of various components of education and training among these educators and practitioners through in-depth interviews. Specialists perceive an international PR curriculum to be highly important for students; they maintain that international training lends great credence and utility on the job. Unfortunately, due to low faculty numbers, accreditation policies, and other identified constraints, international public relations courses are not prevalent in most U.S. public relations programs.

Political Advertising and the Older Electorate

An experimental study involving samples of young and old voters examines whether older people are more susceptible to various types of political advertisements (positive versus negative and ambiguous versus clear) than are their younger counterparts. Our results extend research from cognitive psychology into political advertising and confirm age-related differences that favor younger people. The results are mixed regarding the persuasive impact of political advertisements. Specifically, younger people actually show greater attitudinal vulnerability and the oldest voters show the greatest behavioral vulnerability.

Preventable Disease Practices Among a Lower SES, Multicultural, Nonurban, U.S. Community: The Roles of Vaccination Efficacy and Personal Constraints

In spite of knowledge that early vaccination against contagious diseases such as swine flu reduces morbidity and contains contagion, rates of vaccination in the most recent three annual disease cycles were lower than anticipated. Some previous research suggests that lower socioeconomic status, mixed-racial population composition, and a nonurban environment may all contribute to lower vaccination rates. This study adopts the health belief model to create two composite indexes—vaccine efficacy and personal constraints—to analyze the role of each in predicting vaccination behavior/intention and to explore the role of each on behavior/intention in terms of information sources. Findings indicate that vaccine efficacy significantly predicts vaccination behavior and intention to receive the vaccine and that personal constraints do not significantly predict either. Social media and a notification from a school or employer were the most important information sources for persons who had received the vaccine, while signage in a pharmacy or grocery store and information from a school or employer were the most important motivators for behavioral intentions. Vaccination efficacy was perceived most highly by persons for whom physicians are their most important information source. Finally, satisfaction with public health care services did not predict the location where individuals would seek the flu vaccine—convenience seemed more important, as grocery and drug stores were the most cited locations.