Camille G. Endacott, Lauren Millender, Jordan Duran, Miguel Wilson
{"title":"“None of Us Wanted to be at This Party, But What a Guest List”: How Technology Workers Position Themselves on LinkedIn Following Layoffs","authors":"Camille G. Endacott, Lauren Millender, Jordan Duran, Miguel Wilson","doi":"10.1177/00936502241289483","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241289483","url":null,"abstract":"Mass layoffs offer a unique and understudied context to understand how affected workers communicate the involuntary, collective nature of their organizational exit. In this study, we explored the communicative strategies that workers affected by mass layoffs in the technology industry used to engage in impression management by analyzing LinkedIn posts ( N = 362). Our findings showed that workers engaged in proactive impression management by drawing on targets of identification (such as positioning themselves within the collective group of affected workers and highlighting their former membership with prestigious companies) to minimize blame for their layoff and signal their employability. Our findings also suggest that, amid environmental shock and in digital environments, individuals enact remarkably similar communicative strategies to one another, suggesting that this type of organizational exit announcement is a distinct emergent genre for impression management. We discuss our findings’ implications for our understanding of organizational exit and work-related online impression management behavior.","PeriodicalId":48323,"journal":{"name":"Communication Research","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142449578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"“I’ll Change My Beliefs When I See It”: Video Fact Checks Outperform Text Fact Checks in Correcting Misperceptions Among Those Holding False or Uncertain Pre-Existing Beliefs","authors":"Viorela Dan, Renita Coleman","doi":"10.1177/00936502241287870","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241287870","url":null,"abstract":"Widespread concerns about the pervasiveness of misinformation have propelled one antidote to the center of scholarly attention: the journalistic fact check. Yet, fact checks often do not work as intended. While most fact checks are text only, a compelling theoretical argument can be made for using a video format instead. In this pre-registered experiment conducted in Germany ( N = 1,093), we investigated whether using video versus text can improve fact checks’ ability to correct misperceptions about transgender women, cannabis consumption, migration, and climate change. Video fact checks outperformed text fact checks, with those holding false or uncertain pre-existing beliefs benefiting the most. We contribute to motivated reasoning theory the idea that visual information can override directional reasoning better than textual information, and that processing fluency is the mechanism by which this occurs. Our findings paint an optimistic picture for the ability of fact checks to debunk misinformation, especially for those holding misperceptions.","PeriodicalId":48323,"journal":{"name":"Communication Research","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142449440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Caught Within the Family System: An Examination of Emerging Adults’ Dilemmas in Navigating Sibling Depression","authors":"Jade Salmon, Tamara D. Afifi","doi":"10.1177/00936502241290863","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241290863","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigated the dilemmas faced by emerging adults serving as supporting siblings (SS) for their sibling with depression (SWD). A thematic analysis of 49 interviews revealed the family system as central to sibling depression. Family histories of dysfunction contributed to SWDs’ lasting symptoms, prompting SSs’ felt obligation to their sibling. SSs managed mental health communication in the family by protecting their SWD against their parents and withholding their own mental health challenges. Additionally, this study revealed SSs’ double binds: They were caught between their loyalties to their SWD and parents, and between maintaining their family system and their own well-being. The importance of family systems, family history, and challenges related to navigating sibling depression are discussed.","PeriodicalId":48323,"journal":{"name":"Communication Research","volume":"124 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142448568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Lost in a Maze? On the Philosophical Problems With Differential and Individual-Level Susceptibility in Research on Media Effects","authors":"Lennert Coenen","doi":"10.1177/00936502241287018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241287018","url":null,"abstract":"This paper provides a philosophical discussion of moderators and person-specific differences (referred to as “hedges”) in research on media effects. It is shown that while, historically, the reliance on hedges has been regarded as a sign of theoretical sophistication (the “hedges-as-progress-perspective”), it has left the field behind in a maze of epistemological problems. The paper therefore urges to reinterpret the role of hedges as a sign of theoretical resilience instead of sophistication (the “hedges-as-protection-perspective”). This shift is shown to have substantive implications for how one describes and evaluates media effects research—not just its history, but also its current state and its ambitions going into the future.","PeriodicalId":48323,"journal":{"name":"Communication Research","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142431348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
San Bolkan, Alan K. Goodboy, Megan R. Dillow, Rebekah M. Chiasson, Megan A. Vendemia
{"title":"Dynamic and Daily Partner-Specific Processes of Relationship Uncertainty and Enacted Relationship Talk","authors":"San Bolkan, Alan K. Goodboy, Megan R. Dillow, Rebekah M. Chiasson, Megan A. Vendemia","doi":"10.1177/00936502241285997","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241285997","url":null,"abstract":"Guided by relational turbulence theory (RTT), this intensive longitudinal study examined how within-person daily fluctuations in relationship uncertainty corresponded with individuals’ decisions to engage in daily enacted relationship talk. Using a person-specific approach, this study also examined how individuals’ attachment insecurity predicted within-person differences in month-long processes predicted by RTT. College-aged dating partners ( N = 202, between-person) reported their attachment proclivities in a pre-test survey and subsequently reported on their relationship uncertainty and enacted relationship talk once per day over a period of 30 consecutive days ( N = 5,240, within-person). Results indicated that on days when individuals experienced elevated relationship uncertainty, they engaged in less relationship talk than they typically did. Additionally, we found that individuals with more volatility (intraindividual variability) and inertia (day-to-day carryover) in relationship uncertainty throughout the month enacted less relationship talk on average. Finally, results indicated that attachment insecurity predicted person-specific month-long processes consistent with RTT.","PeriodicalId":48323,"journal":{"name":"Communication Research","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142386294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Media Literacy Interventions Improve Resilience to Misinformation: A Meta-Analytic Investigation of Overall Effect and Moderating Factors","authors":"Guanxiong Huang, Wufan Jia, Wenting Yu","doi":"10.1177/00936502241288103","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241288103","url":null,"abstract":"The widespread dissemination of misinformation has become a global concern. A recommended solution is to improve people’s ability to discern true from false information through appropriate media literacy education programs. This meta-analysis quantitatively synthesized the results of 49 experimental studies ( N = 81,155) that examined the efficacy of media literacy interventions in mitigating misinformation. This study finds that media literacy interventions generally improve resilience to misinformation ( d = 0.60). Specifically, the interventions reduce belief in misinformation ( d = 0.27), improve misinformation discernment ( d = 0.76), and decrease misinformation sharing ( d = 1.04). Moreover, media literacy interventions have stronger effects (1) when multiple sessions rather than a single session are implemented, (2) in high (vs. low) uncertainty avoidance cultures, and (3) among college students than among adults recruited from online crowdsourcing platforms (e.g., Amazon Mechanical Turk). These findings enrich our understanding of inoculation theory and provide valuable guidance for the design of future media literacy intervention programs.","PeriodicalId":48323,"journal":{"name":"Communication Research","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142383735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Meta-Analytic Evidence That Message Fatigue is Associated With Unintended Persuasive Outcomes","authors":"David M. Keating, Chris Skurka","doi":"10.1177/00936502241287875","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241287875","url":null,"abstract":"Message fatigue is a state in which people believe they have received too many similar messages conveying redundant information and feel a sense of exhaustion and boredom with those messages. A growing body of work suggests message fatigue inhibits persuasion, and a meta-analytic review can help to evaluate the strength and direction of the relationship between message fatigue and persuasive outcomes, explore potential moderators of that relationship, and shed light on productive paths forward. Our results indicated that, on average, increased message fatigue is associated with unintended outcomes such as increased endorsement of message-inconsistent beliefs and reduced intention to enact healthy behaviors ( r = −.25, k = 18, N = 24,236). Substantial heterogeneity was observed and, in general, left unexplained by our coded moderators. We speculate about the drivers of the observed heterogeneity and reflect on paths forward in this area of research.","PeriodicalId":48323,"journal":{"name":"Communication Research","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142383765","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Living in a Diverse Community: Effects of Geographical Variations in Diversity on Partisan Communication","authors":"Seungsu Lee, Jaeho Cho","doi":"10.1177/00936502241285131","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241285131","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines the effects of geographical variations in diversity on political communication within the context of partisan media and audiences. Partisan heterogeneity, as an indicator of political diversity, was conceptualized as a geographical context of the distribution of party preferences within a county. Using a set of nationwide panel survey data with county-level statistics, we conducted multilevel modeling to test its effects on partisan news use, political discussion, knowledge, and affective polarization. The results indicate that county-level partisan heterogeneity reduced the average levels of like-minded news consumption. Moreover, it attenuated the positive relationship between like-minded news use and political talk with strong ties. Additionally, we found that the context of partisan heterogeneity significantly moderated the mediation effects of partisan news use on political knowledge and affective polarization through political discussion. Implications of these results on partisan communication were discussed.","PeriodicalId":48323,"journal":{"name":"Communication Research","volume":"220 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142360222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Adam Maksl, Peter J. Boedeker, Emily K. Vraga, Stephanie Craft, Melissa Tully, Seth Ashley
{"title":"Developing and Validating a 15-Item True/False Measure of News Literacy Knowledge","authors":"Adam Maksl, Peter J. Boedeker, Emily K. Vraga, Stephanie Craft, Melissa Tully, Seth Ashley","doi":"10.1177/00936502241284406","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241284406","url":null,"abstract":"Given growing interest in the potential importance of news literacy around the world, a theoretically grounded and empirically validated measure of news literacy is essential. Building on existing theory, we developed and validated a 15-item true/false measure of news literacy knowledge. This measure comprehensively operationalizes the five C’s of news literacy—context, creation, content, circulation, and consumption—in a concise, adaptable, knowledge-based format. Using item response theory and differential item functioning analysis, we followed a three-survey process with representative U.S. samples, developing and assessing 80 true/false items in Study 1 ( N = 1,502) to reduce to 43 items in Study 2 ( N = 1,273). The final reduced set of 15 items was evaluated and validated in Study 3 ( N = 681) along with related measures of civics and current events knowledge, which were positively predicted by the news literacy knowledge measure. While this measure is designed and tested in the U.S. context, our process of operationalizing these complicated concepts and the novel true/false format facilitates its applicability to those interested in studying news literacy around the globe.","PeriodicalId":48323,"journal":{"name":"Communication Research","volume":"218 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142329195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kara S. Fort, Rachel Lopez, Hillary C. Shulman, Elizabeth E. Riggs, Jorge Cruz Ibarra
{"title":"The Impacts of Code-Mixing in a Cross-Cultural Narrative: How Processing Fluency Impacts Narrative Engagement and Attitudes Toward Out-Groups","authors":"Kara S. Fort, Rachel Lopez, Hillary C. Shulman, Elizabeth E. Riggs, Jorge Cruz Ibarra","doi":"10.1177/00936502241287334","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/00936502241287334","url":null,"abstract":"This experiment (N = 1,241) investigates the impact of code-mixing, defined as the use of more than one language, on processing fluency, narrative engagement, and cross-cultural attitudes. Using a sample of native English speakers located in the United States, we found that narratives that include code-mixing, a common feature of intercultural communication, felt more difficult to process and, in turn, led to more negative out-group bias and less narrative engagement. These findings integrate and extend intercultural communication and narrative theory and consider the challenges and opportunities that accompany diverse representations of characters in storytelling. Rather than highlight these challenges, however, we consider theoretically based strategies to improve audiences’ reception to cross cultural content and, in doing so, hope to inform communication practices that lead to a greater regard for others.","PeriodicalId":48323,"journal":{"name":"Communication Research","volume":"97 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2024-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142329193","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"文学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}