Browsing by Author "Ogle, Jennifer, committee member"

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Open Access
Am I ugly or do I have BDD?: personal disclosure and social support on a body dysmorphic disorder online forum
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Fisher, Eva E., author; Hallahan, Kirk, advisor; Rouner, Donna, committee member; Long, Marilee, committee member; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member; Williams, Elizabeth, committee member
The current study used an emergent research design that employed qualitative content analysis to understand how individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) communicate with their peers in an online support forum (psychforum.com/body-dysmorphic-disorder). The purpose was to explore (a) the communication activities on the forum, (b) the personal experiences with BDD disclosed by participants, (c) the categories of social support sought and shared, and (d) the social support provided and roles performed by the most frequent posters to the forum. The data sample consisted of 911 messages posted by 225 participants during 2012. The primary communication activities on the forum were asking about other members’ personal experiences and seeking support, disclosing personal experiences and providing support, engaging in conversations, and storytelling. Personal disclosures included appearance concerns (feeling ugly, depressed, guilty, ashamed, angry, and suicidal), compulsive behaviors (plastic surgery, mirror/photograph checking, and social comparison), the impact on one’s personal life, and recovery from BDD (treatment, diagnosis, coping, and overcoming symptoms). Social support sought and shared included informational, emotional, and social network support. Informational support topics included diagnosis, treatment, overcoming symptoms, and recovery. Emotional support took the form of empathy, caring/concern, gratitude, encouragement, sympathy, compliments, and validation. Social network support reinforced that people who understand the disorder were present on the forum and could provide companionship. Although not common, unsupportive comments (disagreement, disapproval, criticism/sarcasm, and flaming) were also present. The five most frequent posters were emergent leaders whose supportive roles supplemented those of the two forum moderators. The most frequent poster was a male who played a lead role in providing informational and social network support, along with four frequent female posters whose primary contribution was providing emotional support. The five emergent leaders and moderators also performed functional roles, including greeter, advocate, arbiter, mediator/harmonizer, corroborator/validator, information/opinion giver, evaluator/critic, and encourager/cheerleader, that were critical to the successful functioning of the forum. The study discusses five key conclusions (themes) that offer valuable insight into how members communicated on the forum: (a) personal disclosure facilitated social support in initial posts and responses, (b) group members served primarily as support providers or support seekers whose behaviors were complementary and essential to the successful functioning of the forum, (c) contributions to the forum varied by gender with females providing more personal disclosure and social support than males, (d) the forum served as a coping mechanism where members shared coping strategies and coping assistance, and (e) the forum offered members peer support within an online community that supplemented the support received from other online and in-person sources. The study underscores the growing importance of peer-to-peer communication and contributes to the limited research on online support groups for individuals coping with serious mental illness. As a result of this investigation, health communication scholars will have an increased understanding of why individuals with stigmatized health conditions turn to their peers to find the support they need online. In addition, this study provides BDD researchers and clinicians with an increased awareness about the resources and support needed by those suffering from the disorder.
Open Access
An examination of participation in sneaker culture: consumer motivations and responses to co-branding between luxury apparel and athletic shoe brands - Louis Vuitton and Nike
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Shin, Donghoon, author; Hyllegard, Karen, advisor; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member; Chai, DaeSeok, committee member
This thesis investigated the phenomenon of 'sneaker culture' influence on the contemporary fashion market by examining consumer perspectives and their motivations for engaging in this subculture and by exploring their responses to the collaborative marketing strategy called co-branding. This research examined the co-branding of luxury apparel brands and athletic shoe/sportswear brands through the collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Nike. This research was guided by the lens of fandom and participatory culture, and it employed an inductive approach to draw general conclusions from specific observations (i.e., interviews). This study was conducted by interviewing 'sneakerheads' who were expected to be particularly interested in this collaboration between luxury and athletic brands. Through a qualitative research method, this study provides insight into consumers' (i.e., sneakerheads) perceptions of the value of this type of co-branding. Findings also provide insights for fashion companies to understand the specific motivations of consumers who participate in sneaker culture and their behavior/response (i.e., consumer attitudes and purchase intentions) to co-branding between luxury brands and athletic shoe/sportswear brands.
Open Access
Consumer acculturation and reacculturation experience: Taiwanese returnees' negotiation of roles and identity through dress
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Zarubin, Tracy, author; Yan, Ruoh-Nan, advisor; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member; Kwiatkowski, Lynn, committee member
The purpose of this interpretive study is to qualitatively analyze the process of consumer acculturation and reacculturation through consumption practices related to dress by which Chinese women from Taiwan negotiated their roles and identity in their home culture (Taiwan), host culture (United States) and upon returning to their home culture (Taiwan). This study focuses on these womens' experiences as they moved across cultures, specifically looking at their perception of home and host culture, dress strategies, cultural value orientation, and how these influenced their consumer acculturation and reacculturating outcomes. Based on the findings of this study, a consumer acculturation model for returnees has been developed. This model reflects these womens' experiences as they transitioned across two different cultures, highlighting factors that contributed to the outcomes of assimilation, maintenance and resistance. This study found that the reacculturation process was a much harder transition than acculturating to a host culture because participants were undergoing a major role transition from student to working professional and they had no expectations of what this life would be like, making it difficult to adjust. Also, segregation was altogether not an outcome. This research provides new insights into the complex and dynamic process of consumer acculturation and reacculturation of women as they transition from home to host and back to home culture.
Open Access
"Do you like my body?": an interpersonal approach to the growth of bikini competitors on YouTube
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Beytin, Brooke, author; Williams, Elizabeth A., advisor; Marx, Nick, committee member; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member
This study investigates the popularity growth of bikini competitors on the social media outlet of YouTube. This content falls into the category of "fitspiration" content, otherwise known as fitness social media content that advocates for health and well-being. While fitspiration content has been shown to be damaging to the consumer regarding body image and self-esteem, consumers are increasingly choosing to engage with it. Therefore, this project takes an audience approach, probing why this phenomenon is spreading rapidly regardless of its potentially harmful effects. Using a qualitative interview approach, I explore the appeal of this YouTube content by interviewing women who actively engage with the YouTube videos of bikini competitors. I utilize three communication theories—social identification theory, parasocial interaction theory, and narrative theory—to explore why the fitspiration YouTube content of bikini competitors is becoming more popular. The findings indicate that all three theories play a role in drawing women to fitspiration content, although identification seemed to be the most reported factor. The findings not only provide valuable insights about the appeal of fitspiration content, but also about the potentially damaging effects of fitness-related social media and bikini competitions regarding privilege, body image, and expectations of media consumers.
Open Access
Examining the influence of social media on body image: Miss Perfection, a misperception
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Brown, Tina, author; Champ, Joseph, advisor; Switzer, Jamie, committee member; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the potential influence of social media sites such as pro anorexia and pro bulimia blog sites, in the support or encouragement of eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorders, eating behaviors, and body dissatisfaction in females. Research shows that some women are easily influenced and pressured by social media and many other social influences to achieve the perfect body. Many pro anorexia and pro bulimia blogs contain information on disordered eating and behaviors, offer tips, and connect individuals to others who are struggling or engaging in disordered eating behaviors. This thesis provides insights into the possible reasons many females are engaging in these conversations and using these pro anorexia and pro bulimic blogs. Using the Uses and Gratifications theory to guide the research questions, I examined the ways in which females are engaging in these pro anorexia/pro bulimia blogs by analyzing comments posted on three blogs. It would seem obvious that pro anorexic and pro bulimic blogs would be harmful and influential to young females; however, the results did not support this assumption. Many of the users on these blogs would use these sites for several needs including: emotional and social needs, and to become informed. However, one key need that is often overlooked is the need for support. Many of the users seemed to seek out, contribute and use these sites for emotional and social support.
Open Access
Experiences of designing women: a portrait of female interior designers' job satisfaction across career-spans
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Goodnite, A. Elizabeth, author; Malinin, Laura, advisor; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member; Conroy, Samantha, committee member
The subject of job satisfaction is one of the most highly researched topics among organizational psychology (Lu, Barriball, Zhang, & While, 2012). However, only few studies have examined factors of job satisfaction among interior designers due, in part, to infancy of the profession (e.g., Hill, Hegde, & Matthews, 2014). The purpose of this study was to compose a portrait of female interior design professionals currently employed in the workplace and explored the factors impacting their perceived job satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Twelve female interior designers from three career phases (early, mid, and late career) were interviewed to gain diverse perspectives of job satisfaction. Participants were asked to draw the way they felt about their work based on Marcus' (1995) drawing elicitation method. Then interviews were performed using their drawings as a starting point for discussion, along with semi-structured questions guided by the conceptual framework developed for this study from two career phase models (AIA, 2017; Mainiero & Sullivan, 2005) and literature review. Findings suggested dynamic relationships between 1) personal-life factors; 2) work culture; 3) professional mindset; 4) relationships; and 5) resources to support creative performance at work. Participants felt greatest job satisfaction when optimal creative performance was bolstered by ideal conditions with respect to work culture, relationships, and resources when personal-life factors placed pressure on their lives. Furthermore, professional well-being seemed to be largely shaped by professional authenticity and its development through meaning-making tasks and achievements.
Open Access
Exploring haul videos on YouTube: a collective case study approach
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Keats, Emily S., author; Champ, Joseph, advisor; Rouner, Donna, committee member; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member
The present study is devoted to the exploration of haul videos on YouTube. As a phenomenon that has exploded within the last several years, these videos are ripe with data to be analyzed from numerous standpoints. The circuit of culture, a framework from the school of cultural studies, was used to guide this research. Three case studies were carried out for this project. Each case included a semi-structured online interview with a hauler (i.e. a producer of haul videos), as well as an examination of one haul video posted by each hauler and an analysis of 100 comments posted to each selected video. Constant comparison processes were used to analyze data sources from each. After engaging in an extensive investigation of the haul video phenomenon, I propose that three major themes exist, each of which relates to the circuit of culture. First, the concept of community is present within the fashion and beauty domain on YouTube. Second, production and consumption emerge as key moments that not only relate to the theoretical framework, they are interrelated and assist haul video producers and consumers (viewers) in creating meaning. Thirdly, the concept of identity is present in that producers and consumers alike engage in identity exploration and construction through their creation and consumption of haul videos. This research indicates that the hauling community on YouTube facilitates a shared sphere of meaning exchange, through which producers and viewers are able to consume, produce and decipher messages, virtually socialize, and engage in identity construction.
Open Access
"For the love of all that is queer and holy": exploring the experiences and identity tensions of LGBTQ individuals within Christianity
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2022) Young, Jade M., author; Williams, Elizabeth A., advisor; Parks, Elizabeth, committee member; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member
Historical tensions exist between Christian and LGBTQ communities and LGBTQ people are marginalized within Christianity. The purpose for studying the experiences of LGBTQ people within Christianity is to explicate how this religion both benefits LGBTQ people's wellbeing and causes them harm, and to offer solutions for increasing their inclusion at personal and congregational levels. Christianity is a dominant U.S. religion and many of its practices are founded by cisgender, heterosexual White men, and the LGBTQ community is socially marginalized. This study uses Dominant Group Theory and Social Identity Theory with emergent themes to investigate how Christians as a dominant group reinforce, impede, or dismantle LGBTQ discrimination and reveals that LGBTQ Christians embody two historically conflicting populations. Fourteen in-depth interviews were conducted with participants across the U.S. Findings revealed dynamic connections between participants' Christian faith, their LGBTQ identity, and their other social identities. Participants testified leveraging their knowledge of and experiences within Christianity to enact dominant group strategies to advocate for themselves and other LGBTQ people within Christian contexts. There are unique challenges and opportunities in studying how individuals can glean from dominant and nondominant social identities simultaneously to address ingroup–outgroup tensions. This study revealed more avenues to be explored within this context, using these theories, and additional theories.
Open Access
Online consumer engagement: understanding the antecedents and outcomes
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2012) Reitz, Amy Renee, author; Switzer, Jamie, advisor; Yan, Ruoh-Nan, advisor; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member; Rouner, Donna, committee member; Seel, Peter, committee member
Given the adoption rates of social media and specifically social networking sites among consumers and companies alike, practitioners and academics need to understand the role of social media within a company's marketing efforts. Specifically, understanding the consumer behavior process of how consumers perceive features on a company's social media page and how these features may lead to loyalty and ultimately consumers' repurchase intentions is critical to justify marketing efforts to upper management. This study focused on this process by situating online consumer engagement between consumers' perceptions about features on a company's social media page and loyalty and (re)purchase intent. Because online consumer engagement is an emerging construct within the marketing literature, the purpose of this study was not only to test the framework of online consumer engagement but also to explore the concept of online consumer engagement within a marketing context. The study refined the definition of online consumer engagement as an attempt to align the industry and academic definitions of the construct. The social networking site, Facebook, was utilized to test the online consumer engagement framework. Specifically, the study examined whether and how perceived Facebook company page features (i.e., perceived information quality, perceived enjoyment, and perceived interactivity) predicted online consumer engagement, and further investigated whether and how online consumer engagement with companies on Facebook related to loyalty and ultimately (re)purchase intent. First, focus groups were conducted to get a better understanding of the "liking" behavior on Facebook and to refine the survey questionnaire. Next, 233 online surveys were collected from U.S. adult Facebook users who "like" companies on Facebook to test the online consumer engagement framework. Hypotheses were tested through structural equation modeling. Findings suggest that perceived Facebook characteristics (i.e., perceived information quality, perceived enjoyment, and perceived interactivity) influence online consumer engagement, which influences loyalty and ultimately (re)purchase intent. Results also revealed that online consumer engagement is a multidimensional construct that encompasses both cognitive/affective and participative dimensions. This study provides the first steps in understanding the role that online consumer engagement plays within a mediated environment that includes both consumers and companies. Implications both academically and for the industry are discussed, and directions for future research endeavors are presented.
Open Access
Understanding college students' compulsive buying tendencies across shopping channels: psychological, affective, and social perspectives
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2016) Howard, Cassandra, author; Yan, Ruoh-Nan, advisor; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member; Ustuner, Tuba, committee member
The concept of compulsive buying is a repetitive behavior that affects many people negatively in terms of emotional and financial well being. The purpose of this study was to analyze compulsive buying among college students across multiple shopping channels. This study considered how various psychological, affective, and social consumer characteristics may influence the likelihood to engage in compulsive buying. The specific psychological characteristics that were analyzed in this study were self-perceived attractiveness and self-esteem. In terms of affective states, the general frequencies of negative and positive forms of affect were considered in relation to compulsive buying. And lastly, perceived parental compulsive buying tendencies and normative conformity were the social variables of interest. A further goal was to identify shopping channel usage frequencies and the types of products that are most commonly sought related to compulsive buying. An online survey was available to undergraduate students from a variety of majors. Results showed that each of the variables held a significant relationship with compulsive buying tendencies, with the exception of self-esteem. Specifically, self-perceived attractiveness, negative affect, perceived parental buying tendencies, and normative conformity, were all positively related to compulsive buying. Additionally, positive affect was found to be negatively related to compulsive buying. It was demonstrated that participants with greater compulsive buying tendencies were more likely to utilize the various shopping channels with greater frequencies than participants with lower compulsive buying tendencies. And lastly, a positive relationship was found between compulsive buying and preference to seek hedonic products, while a negative relationship was found between compulsive buying and preference to seek utilitarian products. This research deviates from prior work by simultaneously analyzing variables within the same study that have previously been considered as mutually exclusive concepts. The potential implications of this study are valuable for researchers interested in the field of consumer behavior.
Open Access
Unhappy with their body?: how Generation Y men respond through clothing behaviors
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2017) Sung, Jihyun, author; Yan, Ruoh-Nan, advisor; Ogle, Jennifer, committee member; Bloodhart, Brittany, committee member
In the Western society, more men have become interested in body-related issues which led to the growth of their body concerns. Further, men have become more involved in fashion which positively influenced the increase of men's clothing consumption recently. Despite of the fact, there has not been much research done based upon men's body-related issues and its influence on their clothing related behavioral responses. The current study investigated whether heterosexual men in Generation Y's self-esteem would influence their degree of body dissatisfaction and how their body dissatisfaction would influence their clothing related behavioral responses, including clothing image avoidance, appearance management, and clothing purchase behavior. Additionally, public self-consciousness was included as a moderator variable to examine its role in the relationship between body dissatisfaction and clothing related behavioral responses, including clothing image avoidance, appearance management, and clothing purchase behavior. Data were collected through online survey using Qualtrics and the Amazon Mechanical Turk system. The final sample consisted of 277 heterosexual adult men in Generation Y (i.e., born in between 1977 and 1994) in the United States. The results of factor analyses showed that body dissatisfaction consisted of three varied factors, including body dissatisfaction-weight, body dissatisfaction-muscles, and body dissatisfaction-height. Therefore, the three different factors were utilized for further analyses. Results showed that self-esteem held a negative relationship with body dissatisfaction, including the three varied factors (i.e., body dissatisfaction-weight, body dissatisfaction-muscles, and body dissatisfaction-height). Further, a positive relationship was found between body dissatisfaction, including the three varied factors and clothing image avoidance. However, only body dissatisfaction-height positively influenced appearance management and body dissatisfaction-muscles negatively influenced appearance management. A positive relationship was found between body dissatisfaction-weight and clothing purchase behavior. However, public self-consciousness did not play a moderator role in the relationships between body dissatisfaction and clothing purchase behavioral responses, including clothing image avoidance, appearance management, and clothing purchase behavior. Both theoretical and managerial implications were discussed based upon the findings of the current study.