Publication Type: Traditional Presentation
Abstract: What view do you hold of your human/nature relationship? Come draw your relationship, describe that connection in words, then attempt to make sense of your drawing based on the findings of a research study wherein Dr. Christina McDonald identifies how Middle Years students' view their human/nature relationship.

Publication Type: Session Paper
Abstract: Persuasion research has long recognized counter-arguing as a commonly used and effective strategy for resisting persuasive messages (e.g., Jacks & Cameron, 2003; Petty & Cacioppo, 1979; Petty, Tormala, & Rucker, 2004). Counter-arguing typically is defined as the generation of direct rebuttals toward an overtly persuasive message or in response to a counter-attitudinal statement (e.g., Jacks & Cameron, 2003; Slater, Rouner, & Long, 2006; Wellins & McGinnies, 1977).
However, in the context of narrative persuasion, where persuasive intent is not necessarily obvious to the audience member, counter-arguing requires a broader definition. Indeed, detecting what thoughts are generated while engaging with a narrative is complex because of the range of possible thoughts. Yet, asking viewers to recall what they think about while watching a television program can provide insight into judgments about programs, viewing experiences and cognitive and emotional processes involved in engaging with filmic narratives.
The present paper will report on two studies that use different thought listing techniques. Result of the first study indicate recollection of thoughts about emotions (character’s and audience member’s) was related to increased realism, increased enjoyment, and the application of story themes to real world perceptions (e.g., men have difficulty with emotions, more help should be available to victims of disasters). Conversely, thoughts reporting a criticism or negative evaluation about characters or events were related to decreased realism and lower engagement while viewing.
In a second study participants were prompted to counter argue by looking for flaws, inconsistencies or obvious product placement while viewing. Searching for flaws decreased engagement and reduced acceptance of an underlying theme of the program, sympathy for victims of violence.
The present paper has two purposes. One is to further explore the relations among different types of thoughts and other variables such as engagement, realism, enjoyment, and acceptance of story-related beliefs and perceptions. The second is to explore the topics and targets of emotional and critical thoughts. Discussion will be framed in reference to narrative processing and narrative persuasion.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: ABSTRACT

Online videos have been a central feature in discussions about the impact of user-driven Web 2.0 technologies. In the process of computer-mediated exchange, some of these video clips keep traveling from one person to another and are termed as “viral videos”. The continuous forwarding of these videos from one person to another begins the process of diffusion, growth and transmission of the video.
This paper is part of an exploratory study that aimed at gaining a better understanding of the individuals involved in viral videos integrating diffusion of innovations (Rogers, 2003) and strength of ties (Granovetter, 1973) theories. The objective was to distinguish between categories of audience by studying the activities they engage in with different video contents to be able to apply the results to advertising and marketing contexts. Based on diffusion of innovations literature, categories of audience and characteristics of the innovation - the video content in this case, were investigated. Two genres of video content were studied – entertainment and information.
A survey was administered to college students at an urban university. A series of discriminant analyses conducted to answer the research question indicate:
1) Entertainment genre is more appealing than information genre.
2) Individuals participating in the viral process are more interested in “watching entertainment” than “sharing entertainment”.
3) Information genre finds some acceptance with individuals who tend to engage in sharing the video.
Further analyses expand on the differences, in terms of content viewing and forwarding, which exist between categories of online video audience.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to explore in detail the conflicting views between the local and national governments within China as it deals with the Three Gorges Project, as well the Bush Administration's view on it.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: The two volumes of Tocqueville’s Democracy in America offered the image of an accomplished and successful American democracy. Tocqueville lived nineteen more years after the publication of Volume Two and although he never wrote a third volume of Democracy, he continued to be interested in American political events and exchanged a number of important letters with his American friends. Did Tocqueville change his views on America outlined in the two volumes published in 1835 and 1840? If so, which of his views did change and why? Did the evolution of his views of America affect his theory of democracy? This paper seeks to answer these questions by examining Tocqueville’s correspondence and, to a lesser extent, his participation in the constitutional debates of 1848 in France. Its purpose is to reconstruct from the letters that Tocqueville exchanged with his American friends after 1840 what the third volume of Democracy might have looked like if it were ever written.