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Browsing by Author "Sivakumar, Gaya, committee member"

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    Exploring college students' interpretations and implications of the use of cannabis leaves on packaging of foods with hemp-derived ingredients
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Del Pozo, Carolina, author; Abrams, Katie, advisor; Sivakumar, Gaya, committee member; Thilmany, Dawn, committee member
    One of the main communication channels used to acquire consumers' attention through emotional appeal is packaging, and after more than 80 years of stigma, the hemp industry is quickly developing in terms of the design and establishment of their products. In 2017 this industry reported $820 million in retail sales, 17% coming from food products. Designers have adopted different packaging approaches hoping to communicate efficiently with their customers. Some of them use green cannabis leaves on the package design of hemp-derived products, possibly driving the audience to different conclusions around the product. There is limited research done around hemp food advertising and the reframing of people's mentality around hemp and cannabis. There is a lack of academic research around the meaning of this symbol in general or in combination with marijuana products. For this reason, the purpose of this research is to; 1) explore people's beliefs around cannabis leaves and their symbolism in consumable hemp products, and 2) understand the attitudes, social norms, perceptions about product availability, and intent to purchase these products using the focus groups method. Two approaches were considered. Semiotics studies (i.e., the study of signs and symbolism), which offer lenses through which to further examine the consumer's perspective and beliefs on hemp food product consumption to navigate schemas around cannabis that could negatively impact the marketability of these products. Theory of Planned Behavior, which provide guidelines to understand the decision-making process around the purchase said products. It was found that late Z generation beliefs around the signs and symbols presented in the packages had an impact in their attitudes towards the product. Low behavioral control was one of the main limitations they considered when deciding whether to purchase hemp food products. Consumers self-described habits and past behavior were more strongly connected to their behavioral intention compared to attitudes.
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    Impact of the identifiable victim effect on audience willingness to donate to healthcare organizations via Instagram
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Konkel, Abby Nicole, author; Tham, Samuel, advisor; Sivakumar, Gaya, committee member; Williams, Elizabeth, committee member
    The landscape of healthcare fundraising has changed dramatically in recent years due to a rise in online and social media fundraising. As fundraising itself adapts to advancing technology, this study examined how a tried and true traditional fundraising strategy known as the Identifiable Victim Effect impacts audience willingness to donate to healthcare organizations on Instagram. By conducting a 2 x 2 factorial design experimental survey in which photos and captions of Instagram posts were manipulated, the emotional response elicited from different IVE conditions, demographics that may play a role in donating on social media and the ways in which IVE impacts willingness to donate were all examined. This study found that emotional response, measured through Distress and Sympathy positively impacts willingness to donate. This research adds to the existing literature on IVE and starts to bridge the gap that exists at the intersection of healthcare and IVE in social media contexts.
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    In times of extreme weather events: Gen Z and information seeking about climate change on digital media
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Okeke, Ujunwa Melvis, author; Anderson, Ashley, advisor; Sivakumar, Gaya, committee member; Melzer, Susan, committee member
    This study aimed to examine the factors that motivate Gen Z members to seek information and engage in conversations in digital media around the topic of climate change. The current study adopted some individual-level factors from the original Risk Information Seeking and Processing model. An ordinary least squares regression model was used to explore data from an online survey administered to students (n=76) at Colorado State University. Results showed that informational subjective norms, current knowledge of extreme weather events, and perceptions of extreme weather events are related to climate change information seeking. In addition, information seeking, and the approach taken to process information leads to interactivity around climate change issues on digital media. One of the ways people get involved with climate change is seeking and having conversations on the topic. This research provides practical insights for reaching members of Generation Z. Stakeholders should utilize young adults' social networks to encourage more engagement on the topic, make an effort in writing articles that can alleviate people's hope not bash it. Encouragement of deeper engagement with the issue through alternative modes of communication and adding technological features that encourage interactions on online articles are recommended.
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    Political peersuasion: an investigation of the impact of social influence on Facebook
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Hansen, Scott, author; Kim, Jangyul, advisor; Sivakumar, Gaya, committee member; MacDonald, Bradley, committee member
    Since Facebook began in the mid-2000s, people have used the platform to present their own opinions, whether or not those opinions were popular. Thus, Facebook became a veritable marketplace of ideas, where opinions ranging on a variety of topics were shared, discussed, and potentially persuaded by their online friends. As politics have divided the nation across political spectrums to an extreme degree, Facebook has been a platform where opinions of a political nature have also been shared, discussed, and argued. This study examined the persuasive power Facebook users have over their online friends in a political context, specifically on the topic of vaccines. Results showed that source credibility can exist in a horizontal fashion rather than just a vertical one, where people trust their peers' political opinions, especially when they seem to be politically active, aware and knowledgeable. Additionally, the frequency with which peers on Facebook interact and the level of influence they have was shown to be a statistically significant result. The more people interact with each other over the mediated Facebook platform, the more trust, credibility, and level of persuasiveness is also increased. Due to the ability of Facebook to serve as a personal soap box of opinions, and people's willingness to state their opinions, the possibility of persuasion can exist on Facebook in some cases more than if they were talking face to face.
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    "POTS equals uncertainty": exploring uncertainty and privacy management of people with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Slattery, Erin C., author; Williams, Elizabeth, advisor; Faw, Meara, committee member; Sivakumar, Gaya, committee member
    Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a rare, incurable, and invisible disability. POTS is an understudied illness in the medical field and even more so in academia. The importance of studying the experiences of people with POTS is to improve the way these individuals, and others with invisible disabilities, negotiate privacy and uncertainty. Privacy and uncertainty are particularly worthy of investigation in studying POTS because people with POTS have to negotiate large amounts of uncertainty and disclosures. This study sought to use the lens of uncertainty and privacy management along with emergent themes. Twenty-four in-depth interviews were conducted. Participants hailed from North America and Europe. Findings of this study revealed complex and dynamic negotiations of privacy and the management of uncertainty. Participants explained they attempt to disclose only vague explanations of their illness to most people because people do not understand. There was deep and profound uncertainty surrounding pre-diagnosis, prognosis, treatment options, and symptoms. Participants also had a hard time deciding when and how to disclose their POTS. Uncertainty about reactions and understandings to disclosure played a role in complicating decisions on whether and how to disclose. Invisible disabilities pose distinct and specific challenges that can build theory to include unconsidered voices and experiences that complicate previous scholarship. This study revealed more avenues to be explored going forward.
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    Responding to suicidal ideations in online peer support groups
    (Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Boehm, Nick, author; Switzer, Jamie, advisor; Sivakumar, Gaya, committee member; Crowley, John, committee member
    This study examines if moderated online peer groups for those suffering from suicidal ideations differ than non-moderated online peer groups in three ways: the frequency of pro-suicide response, the frequency of non-civil and impolite response, and the frequency of therapeutic response strategies. The study begins with a literature review that addresses how the Internet may affect peer support to those who suffer from suicidal ideations as well as the difference between therapeutic responses and non-therapeutic responses. The online disinhibition effect suggests Internet communication can succumb to pro-suicide discussion as well as non-civil and impolite discussion easier than face-to-face communication due to the unique qualities of Internet communication. However, a substantial amount of evidence also suggests the Internet could be an ideal medium to provide support for suicidal individuals if done correctly. The method for the study was devised by extracting content categories from a study done by Gilat, Tobin & Shahar (2012) that examined the difference between non-therapeutic responses and therapeutic responses via phone conversations with trained volunteers and lay-persons. Similarly, the study extracted content categories from a study by Rowe (2014) that examined the differences between the level of anonymity in websites with the frequency of non-civil and impolite discussion. A content analysis was conducted on one moderated website containing online peer support groups for those suffering from suicidal ideations as well as one non-moderated website containing online peer support groups for those suffering from suicidal ideations. The study found pro-suicide responses to be substantially more frequent on the non-moderated peer groups than on the moderated peer groups. Additionally, the study found non-civil and impolite responses to be more frequent on the non-moderated peer groups than on the moderated peer groups. Both pro-suicide responses as well as non-civil and impolite responses were significantly greater in response type diversity in the non-moderated peer groups than on the moderated peer groups. Lastly, the moderated peer groups contained almost twice as many therapeutic responses than the non-moderated peer groups suggesting theoretical support for Bandura's social cognitive theory. The study suggests the type of support received online will heavily depend on the nature of the website. In addition to peers, having trained volunteers respond to suicidal ideations may increase the number of therapeutic response strategies. Additionally, having designated group moderators could be a better way to counter the disinhibition effect than relying on self-policing.