Department of Communication - Open Access Publications
Permanent URI for this collection
Open access publications by faculty, postdocs, and graduate students in the Department of Communications.
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item Hot or Not? Implicit and Explicit Attitudes of Sexualized Profiles on Tinder(Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 2025-09-29) Ellithorpe, Morgan E.; Kunaish, Laila; Wright, HollyResearch on dating applications relies heavily on explicitly measured evaluations of potential partners; however, the quick swiping mechanism of Tinder and other popular dating applications may rely on more spontaneous evaluations. We asked heterosexual U.S. undergraduates (n = 135) to rate opposite-gender Tinder profiles using both an implicit reaction time task and explicit self-report. Men had more positive implicit evaluations of sexualized profiles compared with women. Men also showed an implicitly measured preference for sexualized profiles over nonsexualized profiles, while women showed the opposite preference. However, the genders did not differ in evaluation of sexualized or nonsexualized profiles in explicitly measured evaluations. This study highlights the value of using implicit measures when conducting research on mobile dating.Item Problematic social media use and mental health among disabled emerging adults(Information, Communication & Society, 2025-09-06) Ellithorpe, Morgan E.; Manganello, Jennifer; Bleakley, Amy; Curtiss, SarahVery little research has been conducted with disabled emerging adults regarding whether they experience problematic social media use and negative consequences of such use. An online survey of U.S. disabled emerging adults (n=201) aged 18-26 years measured their social media use frequency and problematic social media use, with the aim of describing the patterns of use exhibited by emerging adults with disabilities and exploring the associations between those patterns of use and mental health outcomes. Demographics were precursors to social media variables, which were associated with depression, anxiety, and isolation. In this sample 14.43% of disabled emerging adults exhibited problematic social media use. Short form social media use (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter/X, and Snapchat) was the only precursor variable associated with problematic use. Problematic use was associated with greater depression, anxiety, and isolation. Considerations for studying problematic use among disabled emerging adults are discussed.Item Discourse, incivility and language aggression in social media debates on Biafra separatist agitation: Implications for Nigeria’s democratic future(Media, Culture and Society, 2025-01-27) Ifeanyichukwu, Ebuka A.; Hoffman, Lindsay H.This study explores the use of incivility and language aggression in social media debates on Biafra separatist agitation. Using the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach, 611 samples which reflected the opinions of pro-Biafra and anti-Biafra groups were analyzed to highlight how incivility and language aggression shape the Biafra agitation social media discourses. Contrary to other studies that situate the use of incivility to the pro-Biafra ingroup alone, this study found that the use of dehumanizing metaphors, threats, and aggressive language are mutual strategies utilized by both pro-Biafra and anti-Biafra ingroups in advancing their viewpoints. A major finding which recurred in the study’s themes is that that lack of genuine post-war reconstruction is a major predictor of incivility and language aggression in the discourse of Biafra agitation. This implies that the mutual animosities present in the debates were driven by historical grudges, ethnic prejudices, and dearth of objective truth-telling.Item Representation in ScienceTok: Communicator Identities, Message Content, and User Engagement on a Short-Form Video Social Media Platform(International Journal of Communication, 2025-02-24) Chen, Siyu; Brewer, Paul R.Given the popularity of short-form video platforms such as TikTok, particularly among young women and people of color, representations on these sites may shape beliefs about, identification with, and self-images as scientists. The present study builds on social cognitive theory and schema theory to examine communicator gender and race/ethnicity in TikTok science videos, testing for patterns across these identities in terms of disciplines, topics, features, and engagement. A content analysis of 134 videos from 30 widely followed English-language accounts found that men outnumbered women as communicators and that white communicators were more common than communicators of color. Relatively few associations emerged between communicator identities and disciplines, topics, or features, but videos with male communicators tended to receive higher engagement, a pattern not seen with women communicators. Taken together, these findings provide foundations for studying how TikTok videos may reinforce or counter long-standing demographic disparities in science.Item College students’ engagement with social media messaging from university health services: the importance of expectancies and efficacy(Journal of American College Health, 2025-02-06) Siddika, Aysha; Ellithorpe, Morgan E.; Reilly, ChristianObjective: The study analyzes e-health message content shared by university health centers and determines college students’ engagement with those messages. Method: Using the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) framework, the current study content analyzed the RAA components (target behavior, attitudes/expectancies, social norms, and efficacy) within Instagram messages that were shared by official university health services accounts to promote health behaviors among college students. Results: Results showed that university health services are often using RAA-informed message strategies, with just under half of all posts containing at least one RAA component. Also, students are more likely to engage with university health services content that includes positive expectancies—specifically, improved academic performance and general efficacy. Conclusion: The present research will help university health services tailor their theory-driven messaging to improve student engagement with their e-health content.Item I Did 10,000 Steps so I Earned This Treat: Problematic Smartwatch Use and Exercise Tracking Associations with Compensatory Eating and Sedentary Activity(Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 2025-03-07) Siddika, Aysha; Ellithorpe, Morgan E.Smartwatches are digital devices, similar to smartphones, and come with the possibility of problematic use. Problematic technology use is the experience of psychological distress or reduced daily functioning in response to excessive or addictive technology use. The purpose of this study was to explore whether problematic use of smartwatch devices for exercise tracking influences user’s health behaviors such as eating habits and sedentary activity. An online survey was conducted among college-aged smartwatch users (n = 221). Results showed that using smartwatches for exercise tracking has a positive relationship with compensatory eating behavior (i.e., increasing caloric intake after exercise) when the use is higher in problematic use. This study concludes that although smartwatch devices are promoted to aid healthy behaviors, their impact on positive health outcomes may be limited for some users, to the extent that compensatory eating can derail fitness goals and may exacerbate eating behaviors. Future research should aim to develop health messaging for smartwatch users to make them aware of the potential for compensatory eating behavior to undermine their goals in the face of excessive smartwatch use for fitness purposes.Item Strong Foundations and Forward-Thinking in Turbulent Times: A Note from Our Incoming Editors(Media Psychology, 2024-12-10) Cingela, Drew; Ellithorpe, Morgan; Lee-Won, Roselyn; Winter, StephanMedia psychology is currently well-poised to address some of the most pressing societal questions of our age. How are smartphones and social media usage connected to adolescents’ mental health? What role do traditional and emerging media play in improving public understanding of health and environmental crises? How do advancements in human-machine interaction, such as the integration of conversational agents, robots, and other AI-driven systems, influence user engagement, trust, and social dynamics? Which characteristics of digital platforms may foster – or prevent – political polarization and the spread of disinformation? We believe that research in our field is able to give answers and orientation in complicated times like these. It is our goal to build on a strong foundation and position Media Psychology as one of the best scholarly forums for addressing these timely questions – while simultaneously continuing our tradition of excellent basic research, theoretical advancement, and impeccable methodologies.Item Beyond pleasurable and meaningful: Psychologically rich entertainment experiences(PLoS ONE, 2025-02-06) Wirz, Dominique S.; Eden, Allison; Ulusoy, Ezgi; Ellithorpe, Morgan E.Entertainment experiences have been conceptualized as hedonic (pleasurable) or eudaimonic (meaningful), mirroring the hedonic and eudaimonic components of psychological well-being. However, psychologists have proposed a third component of well-being: psychological richness, which is characterized by variety, novelty, and interest. In this paper we explore the role of psychological richness in film and television entertainment experiences. Two studies, an experience sampling study (n = 28) and a survey (students in the US, n = 247 and general population in Germany, n = 289) show the prevalence of experience of psychological richness during media use and its positive relationship with well-being. A replication with a different scale (n = 291) demonstrates that psychologically rich entertainment experiences may have been previously been conflated by some measures of eudaimonic entertainment. Incorporating psychologically rich entertainment experiences as a third addition to hedonic and eudaimonic experiences can increase the intervention potential of media used to enhance well-being.Item Problematic social media use in 3D? Relationships between traditional social media use, social virtual reality (VR) use, and mental health(PLoS ONE, 2025-01-15) Yao, Shay Xuejing; Lee, Joomi; Reynolds, Reed M.; Ellithorpe, Morgan E.This research expanded on prior work exploring the relationship between social media use, social support, and mental health by including the usage of social virtual reality (VR). In Study 1 (undergraduate students; n = 448) we examined divergent relationships between problematic social media use (e.g., Facebook, TikTok), total use, and users’ mental health indicators (e.g., depression, anxiety, social isolation). To determine whether problematic social media use patterns extended to immersive 3-D environments, we sampled active social VR users (e.g., Rec Room) in Study 2 (n = 464). Problematic social VR use was related to decreased real-life social support (β = -.62, 95%CI [-.80, -.44]), but not to VR social support (β = -.06, 95%CI [-.25, .14]). Conversely, the amount of social VR use was only related to increased social VR (β = .06, 95%CI [.04, .15]) but not to real-life social support (β = -.02, 95%CI [-.05, .04]). Study 2 also revealed a finding that may be unique to the 3-D immersive environment: the amount of social VR use facilitated better mental health for VR users, but only through stronger perceived social support on social VR but not in real life. This result highlights the potential of immersive media to promote mental well-being by facilitating engaging and meaningful social interactions.Item Cycle Syncing and TikTok’s Digital Landscape: A Reasoned Action Elicitation Through a Critical Feminist Lens(Qualitative Health Research, 2024-11-22) Pfender, Emily J.; Kuijpers, Katelynn L.; Wanzer, Claire V.; Bleakley, AmyCycle syncing is a menstrual health trend on TikTok that involves aligning exercise and diet with the four menstrual cycle phases. Cycle syncing is part of the conversation on social media about women’s reproductive health. However, clinical research on the effects of cycle syncing is inconclusive, and there is the potential that this trend could further perpetuate misinformation and gender stereotypes. Research suggests that social media can affect health behaviors, highlighting the need to understand if women intend to participate in cycle syncing. Guided by the Reasoned Action Approach, this study used focus groups (n = 39) to examine young women’s attitudes, normative beliefs, and control beliefs about participating in cycle syncing, and critical feminist theory to sensitize resulting themes. Results suggest that normative beliefs emphasize support for the behavior among women, yet participants suggest that men would not support this behavior. Additionally, positive beliefs about cycle syncing content sourced from inconclusive scientific literature underscores concerns regarding the potential dissemination of misinformation in women’s health practices on social media. Findings also fit into a larger discussion about “hormonophobia” and contraception on social media. Theoretical implications for mixed methods research and future directions are discussed.Item An Exploratory Study of the Associations Between Epstein–Barr Virus Antibodies and Forgiveness Among Recipients of Relational Transgressions in the USA(Journal of Religion and Health, 2024-11-30) Crowley, John P.; Denes, Amanda; Richards, Adam; Whitt, Joseph; Makos, ShanaForgiveness is an important component of many of the world’s religions that also has benefits for individuals’ health and relationships. Research on the health benefits of forgiveness is couched predominately in the stress and coping framework, which views forgiveness as buffering the stress associated with unforgiving feelings. This exploratory study (N = 47) elaborated on the stress and coping framework by investigating it in conversation with an evolutionary approach. Specifically, this study examined one’s own forgiveness index (i.e., the interaction of exploitation risk and relationship value) as moderating an association between forgiveness and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) antibodies. The results indicated that forgiveness shared no significant association with EBV antibodies at low (16th percentile) levels of relationship value (b = − 11, p = .643), but shared an increasingly significant negative association at moderate (50th percentile: b = − 49, p = .038) and high (84th percentile: b = − 84, p = .009) levels, suggesting that forgiveness was more strongly linked to enhanced immune function when occurring in higher valued relationships. Implications for religion, theory, and methodological comparison are discussed.Item Is Bedtime Media Use Good or Bad? A Competitive Analysis Between the Sleep Displacement Hypothesis and the Media Recovery Hypothesis(Media Psychology, 2024-11-12) Ellithorpe, Morgan E.; Eden, Allison; Ulusoy, Ezgi; Wirz, Dominique; Grady, SaraBedtime media use is often maligned in research and pop culture. However, the evidence for the relationship between bedtime media use and sleep for adults has been mixed – sometimes sleep quality is negatively affected by media use, sometimes it is positively affected. Competing explanations include the sleep displacement hypothesis (i.e. media use leads to later sleep onset, less total sleep, and lower sleep quality) and the media recovery hypothesis (i.e. media use helps reduce stress, and this relaxation helps people fall and stay asleep). Two retrospective diary studies test these competing hypotheses in an undergraduate sample (n = 200) and a general population U.S. adult sample (n = 202). Overall, results provide more support for the sleep displacement hypothesis than for the media recovery hypothesis. However, some evidence suggests potential for positive relationships between media use and sleep. More work is needed to explicate the complicated relationship between bedtime media use and sleep.Item Preventive behavior intention for a viral outbreak among college students: The case of Mpox(Journal of American College Health, 2024-07-31) Ellithorpe, Morgan E.; Adams, Robyn B.Objective Examine college students’ behavior intention to reduce viral outbreak transmission in the context of Mpox, and what preventive messaging strategies would be most effective in future transmissible disease outbreaks based on the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA). Participants Undergraduates at a mid-Atlantic U.S. University. Methods An online survey (n = 266) conducted at the height of the recent Mpox outbreak in the U.S., asked about five target behaviors to reduce Mpox transmission, including RAA determinants for each behavior. Results Highest intention was safe sex practices, lowest were vaccination and sexual abstinence, and sharing dishes and fabrics were in between. RAA determinants differed by target behavior, although attitudes were significantly positively associated with intention for all five behaviors. Conclusions College students are potentially open to preventative behaviors to reduce viral transmission during an outbreak. However, specific target behavior matters and messaging should focus on differing RAA determinants depending on target behavior.Item Comparison of Sales From Vending Machines With 4 Different Food and Beverage Messages: A Randomized Trial(Jama Network Open, 2024-05-08) Gibson, Laura A.; Stephens-Shields, Alisa J.; Hua, Sophia V.; Orr, Jennifer A.; Lawman, Hannah G.; Bleich, Sara N.; Volpp, Kevin G.; Bleakley, Amy; Thorndike, Anne N.; Roberto, Christina A.Importance Point-of-sale food messaging can encourage healthier purchases, but no studies have directly compared multiple interventions in the field. Objective To examine which of 4 food and beverage messages would increase healthier vending machine purchases. Design, Setting, and Participants This randomized trial assessed 13 months (February 1, 2019, to February 29, 2020) of vending sales data from 267 machines and 1065 customer purchase assessments from vending machines on government property in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Data analysis was performed from March 5, 2020, to November 8, 2022. Interventions Study interventions were 4 food and beverage messaging systems: (1) beverage tax posters encouraging healthy choices because of the Philadelphia tax on sweetened drinks; (2) green labels for healthy products; (3) traffic light labels: green (healthy), yellow (moderately healthy), or red (unhealthy); or (4) physical activity equivalent labels (minutes of activity to metabolize product calories). Main Outcomes and Measures Sales data were analyzed separately for beverages and snacks. The main outcomes analyzed at the transaction level were calories sold and the health status (using traffic light criteria) of each item sold. Additional outcomes were analyzed at the monthly machine level: total units sold, calories sold, and units of each health status sold. The customer purchase assessment outcome was calories purchased per vending trip. Results Monthly sales data came from 150 beverage and 117 snack vending machines, whereas 1065 customers (558 [52%] male) contributed purchase assessment data. Traffic light labels led to a 30% decrease in the mean monthly number of unhealthy beverages sold (mean ratio [MR], 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55-0.88) compared with beverage tax posters. Physical activity labels led to a 34% (MR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.51-0.87) reduction in the number of unhealthy beverages sold at the machine level and 35% (MR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.50-0.86) reduction in mean calories sold. Traffic light labels also led to a 30-calorie reduction (b = −30.46; 95% CI, −49.36 to −11.56) per customer trip in the customer purchase analyses compared to physical activity labels. There were very few significant differences for snack machines. Conclusions and Relevance In this 13-month randomized trial of 267 vending machines, the traffic light and physical activity labels encouraged healthier beverage purchases, but no change in snack sales, compared with a beverage tax poster. Corporations and governments should consider such labeling approaches to promote healthier beverage choices. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06260176Item Gender Moderates the Relationship Between Avatar Customization and Enjoyment in Popular Video Games(Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 2024-03-08) Devlin, M. Marie; Ellithorpe, Morgan E.; Oittinen, ErinUsing online survey methods (n = 153), this study investigates whether exposure to different levels of customization in games will increase the experiences of enjoyment, both directly and indirectly, through the experience of avatar embodiment, as well as whether these relationships are influenced by gender identity. Results indicate a positive relationship between level of exposure to customization and enjoyment for women-identified participants. These outcomes may provide insight into gendered preference in gaming, potentially providing an avenue by which to make games more inclusive to women gamers.Item A Reflection on the Relationship Between Place and Health: Understanding Undergraduate Student Experiences and Priorities During the COVID-19 Pandemic(Delaware Journal of Public Health, 2022-08) Rao, Abhigna; Hoffman, Lindsay; Bleakley, Amy; Karpyn, AllisonEnvironment and setting have a large influence on matters of population health, and college is a critical place for students, shaping both health and education. College students across the nation were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and changes at universities left many anxious, isolated, and coping with social, emotional, and educational impacts. Objective: To perform a data analysis of the qualitative responses garnered through the Student Return to Campus Survey administered at the University of Delaware (UD) in Spring 2020, and to identify common themes of student experiences and priorities during the pandemic years to inform future recommendations for health crisis management. Methods: The study utilized secondary data analysis from an online student experience survey of 2,941 Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior students from the 2020-2021 academic year. Results: Qualitative analysis revealed a set of common outstanding themes influencing the college pandemic experience, including: Quality and Accessibility of Education in a Virtual Learning Environment; Quality of Student Life; Mental Health During the Pandemic; Thoughts and Attitudes About Vaccination Policies, Masking, Testing, and COVID Guidelines; Priorities and Considerations About the Return to Campus; and Overall Feelings About the Pandemic at UD. Conclusions: Student experiences were influenced by academic, social, emotional, and financial factors, which were often described with great intensity, and were at times contradictory. Students emphasized struggles with transitioning to and with virtual learning, the quality of campus resources, financial responsibilities, family health, and personal health. The results also shed light on the importance of communication with the campus community and the desire for students to express opinions during a crisis. Health Policy Implications: The results of this study have implications for crisis management for college campuses and planning for future responses to unanticipated events and ongoing COVID-19 mitigation efforts.Item How intention to join an Alzheimer's participant recruitment registry differs by race, ethnicity, sex, and family history: Results from a national survey of US adults(Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, 2023-05-19) Langbaum, Jessica B.; Maloney, Erin; Hennessy, Michael; Harkins, Kristin; Karlawish, Jason; Nosheny, Rachel L.; Bleakley, AmyINTRODUCTION Alzheimer's-focused participant recruitment registries are tools for accelerating enrollment into studies, however, registry members are primarily White women. METHODS We conducted a national online survey of 1501 adults ages 50–80, oversampling for Black and Hispanic/Latino respondents, assessing intention to join a generic “brain health” registry and to join a registry that required specific tasks. RESULTS Intention to join a registry was low (M 3.48, SD 1.77), and lower than intention to join a registry requiring specific tasks. Intention was greatest for registries requiring completing surveys (M 4.70, SD 1.77). Differences in intention were primarily between White women and Black women; differences between other groups were limited to specific tasks required. DISCUSSION The results indicate uncertainty about what a registry is, its purpose, and/or the concept of “brain health.” Using the Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) to develop evidence-based outreach messages describing a registry and required tasks may increase diversity.Item The Effects of Mobile Device Use and Presence on Perceptions of a Conversation Partner(Western Journal of Communication, 2023-05-09) Caplan, Scott E.; Courtright, John A.This study examined the effects of mobile device use, and its mere presence, on in-person conversations. The study utilized an experimental design to replicate and advance existing scholarship on the impact of co-present device use and mere device presence on a conversation. This study examined how the presence of an unused device may hinder conversation, and the results did not replicate the mere presence effect. The study found participants reacted negatively to a confederate’s phone use, regardless of whether it was self- or externally initiated.Item Media Use and Political Trust in Kenya: Media Malaise or Virtuous Circle?(International Journal of Communication, 2023) Kipkoech, GilbertAlthough there is a large corpus of research on the relationship between media use and political trust, this scholarship mainly comes from the experiences of audiences in the West and Confucian Asia. The current study departs from these contexts by investigating the association between news media exposure and political trust in a growing African democracy—Kenya. Hierarchical regressions analyses were conducted using data from a national representative sample (N = 2,400). The findings show that news media use and particularly television news use is negatively related to political trust while newspaper reading, listening to the radio, and digital news use do not predict confidence in political actors. Moreover, political performance and perceived corruption significantly moderate this relationship while subjective economic evaluations do not moderate the hypothesized relationship.Item The Consumption of Animal and Plant Foods in Areas of High Prevalence of Stroke and Colorectal Cancer(Nutrients, 2023-02-16) Mayfield, Kellie E.; Plasencia, Julie; Ellithorpe, Morgan; Anderson, Raeda K.; Wright, Nicole C.Diets of red and processed meat have been reported as important risk factors for developing colorectal cancer. Given the racial and ethnic differences in the incidence of colorectal cancer, patterns of food consumption, and areas of residence, particularly in the South, more data is needed on the relationship between residing in a high stroke area, colorectal cancer incidence levels, and red meat and processed meat consumption. We created online surveys to ascertain meat, red meat, and healthy food consumption levels. We used OLS regression to evaluate the association between residence in Stroke Belt states and colorectal cancer incidence quartiles with food consumption. We further used path analysis using structural equation modeling to evaluate if age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, and comorbidity index mediated the association between residence in the eight-state Stroke Belt, colorectal cancer incidence groups, and meat consumption. Our sample included 923 participants, with 167 (18.1%) residing in the Stroke Belt and 13.9% being in the highest colorectal cancer incidence group. The findings show that residing in a Stroke Belt state is predictive of the consumption of overall meat 0.93 more days per week or red meat 0.55 more days per week compared to those not residing in a Stroke Belt state. These data can be used to develop future diet interventions in these high-risk areas to reduce rates of colorectal cancer and other negative health outcomes.