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Agricultural Social Media Content Processing utilizing the Elaboration Likelihood Model

Weymouth, Hannah G.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wuhonors1691063470684509

Abstract Details

2023, Bachelor of Arts, Wittenberg University, Communication.
This study aimed at determining if self-identification with a particular industry or group (in this case, the agriculture industry) affected the way messages about that industry or group were perceived, processed, and interacted upon. The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of persuasion predicts how we process and understand content which aims to be persuasive, based on a number of individual differences and situational factors. The model explains when we first see content, we process it in one of two ways: through a central or peripheral route. The peripheral route of processing required little extra consideration and time are given to the message or content versus the central route of processing requiring additional time and reflection with the message or content. In this research, focus was placed on the agriculture industry and attention was particularly paid to identification, credibility, and content and if in any instances these affected participants’ route of processing. Participants were shown messages published by either large corporate agriculture organizations like Future Farmers of America (FFA), Soil and Water Conversation Society, or National Soybean Association or those published by singular individuals such as farmers, FFA members, solar farms, and other agriculturalists or environmentalists both of which are easily for and against the agriculture industry. The first hypothesis of the study was aimed at determining if a relationship exists between individuals’ self-identification with specific industries and groups and persuasive outcomes based on the sender of messages being an individual or an organization. The data collected revealed a significant relationship between participants' likelihood to like, quote, and retweet messages that were released from organizations in comparison to messages released by individuals. The second hypothesis of the study was to determine if a relationship is present between higher self-identification with the agriculture industry and groups and persuasive outcomes based on narrative or statistical content. The data collection revealed participants were more likely to quote, like, and retweet messages containing statistics compared to messages containing narratives. Although the data revealed in the questionnaire did not allow us to directly know participants’ routes of processing, we were able to infer participants’ routes of processing based on their level identification, extent to which they found a source credible, and specific content they saw in relationship to their likelihood to engage with messages.
Kelly Dillon (Advisor)
Sheryl Cunningham (Committee Member)
Erin Hill (Committee Member)
41 p.
Agriculture; Communication; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Rhetoric
agriculture; communication; social media; agriculture communication; Elaboration Likelihood Model; ELM; persuasion; agriculture groups; information processing; messaging

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Weymouth, H. G. (2023). Agricultural Social Media Content Processing utilizing the Elaboration Likelihood Model [Undergraduate thesis, Wittenberg University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wuhonors1691063470684509

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Weymouth, Hannah. Agricultural Social Media Content Processing utilizing the Elaboration Likelihood Model. 2023. Wittenberg University, Undergraduate thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wuhonors1691063470684509.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Weymouth, Hannah. "Agricultural Social Media Content Processing utilizing the Elaboration Likelihood Model." Undergraduate thesis, Wittenberg University, 2023. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=wuhonors1691063470684509

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

wuhonors1691063470684509
209
© 2023, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Wittenberg University Honors Theses and OhioLINK.