Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2018, Journalism (Communication)

For a long time habit has been a blind spot of research on media attendance generally and Internet usage particularly. Especially uses and gratifications approaches have mainly focused on intentional and conscious motives. Psychological research and recent studies on media attendance, however, suggest that habit is an important determinant of media behavior, too. This study set out to examine the role of habit in the use of online news, a medium traditionally associated with instrumentality and information needs. The study draws on social cognitive theory as theoretical framework. Two hundred fifty-nine usable datasets were gathered through an open online survey. A confirmatory factor analysis confirmed habit strength as an independent factor. Habit strength had a significant influence on overall usage of online news. It was further correlated to deficient self-regulation, pass time and other self-reactive incentives, and context stability. An exploratory factor analysis tentatively confirmed hypothesized dimensions of online news behavior such as searching, elaboration, use of visual elements, follow-up actions, and distraction. These dimensions, however, lacked internal reliability.

Committee: Michael S. Sweeney (Committee Chair); Benjamin Bigl (Committee Member); Hans-Jo¨rg Stiehler (Committee Member) Subjects: Cognitive Psychology; Communication; Journalism; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Multimedia Communications; Psychology; Web Studies

PHD, Kent State University, 2016, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Health Sciences

Current evidence supports the idea that children's physical activity is highly variable, and may be influenced by a variety of factors. Potential factors known to alter children's physical activity behavior that were examined within this dissertation include the use of mobile, internet-connected devices (e.g., tablet computers) or with whom children play (e.g., parents, peers). Therefore, the purpose of Specific Aim #1 was to measure physical and sedentary activity with and without the presence of an Apple iPad in a gymnasium. The purpose of Specific Aim #2 was to measure children's physical and sedentary activity on an outdoor playground during three conditions: playing alone, with their parent participating, and with their friend participating. Twenty children participated in each study where physical and sedentary activity was monitored. Results of Specific Aim #1 concluded that children accumulated fewer accelerometer counts and increased their sedentary behavior (p < 0.05) with the iPad present (1748 ± 1321 counts, 21.6 ± 13.5 min sitting) versus without the iPad present (3328 ± 781 counts, 6.2 ± 5.0 min sitting). The results of Specific Aim #2 concluded that children accumulated fewer sitting minutes and greater physical activity (p < 0.05) when playing with their parent (2.7 ± 7 min sitting, 87503 ± 37063 counts) or friend (0.9 ± 1.4 min sitting, 93363 ± 22608 counts) versus when playing alone (7.8 ± 8.2 min sitting, 70672 ± 35228 counts). These results provide additional information when creating physical activity interventions with the overall goal of increasing children's physical activity behavior.

Committee: Jacob Barkley (Advisor); Ellen Glickman (Committee Member); Andrew Lepp (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Health Sciences

MA, University of Cincinnati, 2013, Arts and Sciences: Sociology

The development of online drug communities is heavily intertwined with new subcultural trends and patterns in global drug use including the recent increase in use of novel hallucinogens. Analyzing these emergent forms of subculture provides important insights into the growing connection between computer-mediated communication and drug use in contemporary society. Drawing on a framework which integrates social learning theory and social constructionism, I analyze interpretations and conversational discourse within the online drug community DMT-Nexus. I develop a methodology for analyzing online communities utilizing interpretive and conversational qualitative analysis techniques to generate a typology of subcultural knowledge and meanings and develop a conception of the social construction process in online communities. The findings of this study show how online contexts affect the social learning process that enables drug use and illustrate the mechanisms through which users gain relevant knowledge and meanings as well as status and credibility. Based on these findings, I pose an update to Becker's (1963) social learning model of drug use which reflects the implications of online contexts. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate how group knowledge and shared meanings are socially constructed within online communities through conversation as a reflexive process which I describe as 'reflexive validation'. For instance, drug users may advocate certain techniques or methods for using and experiencing drugs which others can corroborate through their responses or they may pose interpretations of drug-induced experiences which can be validated or rejected by others. Finally, through focusing on computer mediated communication, this study reveals the importance of not only learning and the development of subcultural knowledge but also linguistic descriptions and modes of communication in the Web-based social processes that enable drug use.

Committee: Annulla Linders Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Jennifer Malat Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Sociology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2004, Family Resource Management

The primary purpose of this study was to identify determinants affecting consumers' intention to use online financial services. The effects of attitude toward a behavior, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control variables on the intention to use online financial services were examined. Demographic control variables were included as control variables. The conceptual framework underlying the study was based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. This theory suggests that attitude toward a behavior, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control affect behavioral intention to engage in a behavior. Behavioral intention, then, leads to engaging in a behavior. Data came from the 1998-99 MacroMonitor Survey. The study sample consists of 3,780 households completing a mail survey between May and August of 1998. This data set includes information about consumer attitudes, behaviors and motivations regarding financial products, services, delivery methods, and institutional use. Factor analysis was used to reduce the number of independent variables. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the effect of the independent variables on the probability of the intention to use online financial services. The findings based on five different dependent measures of online financial service uses revealed that the seven variables consistently affect intention to use online financial services: satisfaction with finances, positive attitude toward credit market, professional advice unneeded, personal contact desired, one-on-one interaction unneeded, education, and prefer less complex financial strategies. Individuals dissatisfied with their financial situations were more likely to intend to use online financial services. Consumers who had positive attitudes toward credit markets had a greater probability of intention to use online financial services. Individuals with preferences for professional advice were more likely to use online financial services. Consumers having lower p (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Loren Geistfeld (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, 2009, Clinical Psychology (Adult)

Self-forgiveness research indicates that resolving negative emotion about a transgression does not guarantee a prosocial response (e.g. apologizing or making amends; reducing defensiveness). A review of the literature indicates that the following processes may be important if emotion resolution and prosocial response are to occur: acknowledging responsibility, dealing with shame, apologizing and making amends, and releasing lingering negative feelings. In order to explore the role of these processes, undergraduates (n = 172) who had committed an offense against another person completed a web-based self-forgiveness intervention. The participants' emotional and behavioral responses were compared with the reactions of participants who did not receive the intervention. Results indicate that, compared to the control condition, the intervention significantly reduced participants' defensiveness regarding their role in the transgression and trended toward increasing their apology and amend behavior. Furthermore, in those who exhibited negative emotion at baseline, the intervention significantly reduced participants' feelings of remorse about their offense and trended toward decreasing shame and increasing self-forgiveness compared to the controlcondition. Suggestions for future self-forgiveness interventions are discussed.

Committee: Julie Exline PhD (Advisor); Russ Sandra PhD (Committee Member); Demaree Heath PhD (Committee Member); McGucken Emilia PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2007, Psychology/Clinical

In the last decade, computer-mediated communication (CMC) has increased dramatically as a format for social interaction, particularly among adolescents. Despite this increase, little research has focused on the types of behaviors occurring in CMC. The purpose of this study was to address questions regarding adolescents' CMC use (specifically ratings of use of instant messaging and blogging, and aggressive and prosocial behaviors engaged in while online), the relation between CMC behaviors and face-to-face behaviors, and the relation between ratings of use and both CMC and face-to-face behaviors. Participants were 484 7th, 9th, and 11th grade students who completed a survey about their CMC use and online and face-to-face aggressive and prosocial behaviors as agents and recipients of those behaviors. Most adolescents reported engaging in some form of CMC at least a few times a week. Females reported a higher rate of CMC use than males. Adolescents reported engaging in more online prosocial behavior than online aggression and endorsed being the agents of online behaviors more so than being the recipients. Males and females were similar in their reports of online aggression but females were higher in online prosocial behaviors. Engaging in online aggression and prosocial behaviors was related to engaging in corresponding face-to-face behaviors. Adolescents reported being agents of prosocial behavior and recipients of aggression and prosocial behavior more when face-to-face than when online. Seventh-grade males reported the highest rates of being recipients of aggression, across contexts. Eleventh-graders reported being the recipients of prosocial behavior less than 7th and 9th graders. Adolescents' CMC use was related to all online behaviors and to face-to-face prosocial behaviors. CMC use predicted adolescents' online behaviors above and beyond their face-to-face behaviors. Limitations of this survey study included limited generalizability of results because of the age (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Eric Dubow (Advisor) Subjects: Psychology, Clinical