Search

While focus group discussions have become popular across the communication research field, some researchers have pointed out the importance of studying group interactions within focus groups. However, most researchers used a qualitative approach and mostly explored the interaction between participants or between participants and the moderator. This study claimed there might be a third and unobservable interaction that occurs between participants and structured discussion topics. An affiliation network in social network analysis was applied to investigate this phenomenon among eight groups of existing focus group conversations. By affiliation network data and network visualization, this study demonstrated diverse structures between groups. The interaction between participants and discussion topics was significantly different between at least two groups. The results showed that social network analysis could be a tool to help examine focus group interactions from qualitative data, and the interaction between participants and discussion topics could be a potential third interaction in focus group studies. This study is limited by comparing the mean difference between groups. Future research may examine short- and long-term causal effects of group interaction on participation or attitude changes after focus group discussions.

Water quality is a complex issue and residential fertilizer can be one of the many contributors to poor water quality. Working with residential audiences to help them understand and reduce their impacts on water quality is an important task among many agricultural education and Extension professionals. In order to effectively work with residential audiences, we must first understand what influences their intent to engage in fertilizer best management practices. In this research, we paired the Diffusion of Innovations and Elaboration Likelihood Model to examine the influence of perceptions of an innovation's characteristics, personal involvement with water, and communication on intent to engage in fertilizer best management practices. The communication was presented to experimental groups as a 35-second video about fertilizer best management practices. Data were collected via a survey instrument and were analyzed using inferential procedures. Four of the five characteristics of innovations significantly influenced intent to engage in fertilizer best management practices among the control group. However, all five characteristics were significant among the entire sample but the influence was less compared to the control group. Involvement increased intent while the video treatments had little effect. The results of the research support existing findings, but also offer areas of new discovery as well as insights for practice and additional study. Future research should examine the repetition of communication as well as different dimensions of involvement.

Genetic modification (GM) science has received considerable pushback from consumers despite the research finding GM products are safe for consumption. This may be partly due to the disconnect between consumers and farms since most consumers are disconnected from the farm by at least three generations. The largest consumer population is composed of millennials, which is the generation furthest removed from the farm which may mean they need to be educated differently about GM science than other generations. The purpose of this research was to determine if there were generational differences regarding the perceived attributes of GM science to inform the development of extension programs designed to educate consumers about GM science. A survey was used to collect consumers' perceptions of GM science. The respondents were grouped into generational classifications and perceptions between groups were compared. The findings revealed generations do perceived GM science differently and extension programs should be designed for specific generational audiences.

Agricultural educators, leaders, communicators, and extension professionals are faced with the increasingly difficult task of sharing science-based information to a public that is exposed to an array of media options, which are not always factual. Additionally, issues related to agriculture and natural resources (ANR) have become increasingly complex, and people can elect to only read information or communication that supports their pre-existing views on a topic. The complexity of disseminating information in today's society has led to the proposal of a new theoretical model: The Decision-Making Model for ANR Science and Technology. This is a multi-faceted model utilizing the theoretical foundations from the Theory of Diffusion of Innovations, Theory of the Spiral of Silence, and the Elaboration Likelihood Model. In a world of echo chambers, this theory has the potential to break the cycle of decisions made with incomplete information and equip practitioners with the foundation needed to efficiently and effectively disseminate information through educational practice and informed communication efforts. An informed and aware public could make decisions about ANR science and technology with a more complete understanding of the issue, which would solve some of the wicked problems facing society today.

The Cooperative Extension Service has performed the role of educator and change agent for more than a century. Changes occurring during this period caused Extension to extend its influence beyond the farm and traditional roles. Today, Extension faces controversial public issues and unparalleled levels of policy and regulation impacting agriculture and natural resources. As the needs of our changing society evolve, regulation increases, and response to public opinion becomes more complex. Extension must expand its role in providing education related to public issues and acting as facilitators and change agents to ensure viable actions are taken. This study was conducted to determine the level of preparedness of Florida Extension agents in dealing with policies and regulations. An emailed survey of all Florida Extension agents utilized questions regarding frequency of addressing policies with their clientele and their knowledge of said policies. Results indicated a low frequency of agents of all types addressing most policies with their clientele and a need for increased knowledge about the policies. In particular, there is an opportunity for all agent types to improve interactions with clientele on the topic of Immigration Reform as well as knowledge of related policies.

The public has more choices than ever when it comes to choosing media, which has led to gaps in knowledge across members of the public. Investigating motivational differences across demographic groups to pay attention to agriculture-related news could address knowledge gaps related to agriculture-related issues. The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) includes motivation as a precursor to attitude change. Past research has indicated the public utilizes the peripheral processing route of the ELM when presented with agriculture-related messages, which leads to weak changes in attitude. The purpose of this research was to explore how demographic characteristics could predict likelihood to pay attention to agriculture-related news issues. A nationwide survey of United States residents indicated that respondents were likely to pay attention to agriculture-related news topics. A regression analysis found the following to be statistically significant predictors for likelihood to pay attention: marital status, geographic region, age, and political beliefs. However, the model accounted for a small amount of variance in likelihood to pay attention. The results from this study illustrate that while U.S. residents possess the motivation to process agriculture-related news, they may be utilizing the peripheral pathway of the ELM due to a lack in ability to process the communication.

Extension agents across the nation will need to facilitate difficult conversations with the public if genetic modification (GM) science is used to combat citrus greening disease. This study used the innovation characteristics described by Rogers to explore if using GM science as a solution to citrus greening had diffused amongst US residents. An online survey was completed by 1,051 respondents across the US. Respondents were then classified into geographic regions. Demographic differences amongst respondents from the regions were identified; however, respondents from all regions had neutral perceptions of GM science's compatibility, trialability, complexity, and observability. All regions aside from the West agreed there was a relative advantage to using GM science; the West neither agreed nor disagreed. The Midwest was the only region with half of respondents agreeing they would consume GM citrus. All diffusion characteristics aside from observability were predictors of GM citrus consumption, and when accounting for diffusion characteristics, the Midwest was less likely to consume GM products when compared to the Northeast. Recommendations are offered for how extension agents can develop educational programming tailored to the needs of their regions to aid consumers in making educated decisions about GM citrus in the future.

Extension professionals can play a role in addressing water scarcity issues by helping home landscape irrigation users to conserve water. This study used survey research to examine the relationship between several variables, including attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, personal norms, demographic factors, and past behaviors, on intention to use good irrigation practices among Florida home landscape irrigation users (N = 1,063). Following subsequent hierarchical linear regression models, the final model explained 39% of the variance in intentions to engage in good landscape irrigation practices. Subjective norms had a strong influence on intention to engage in landscape water conservation, and past behaviors and personal norms improved the prediction. Extension professionals should incorporate subjective norms into water conservation programs by emphasizing somewhat invisible conservation behaviors to improve perceptions of peers' practices. When personal norms are strong, the subjective norms are slightly less important. Residents who feel a personal obligation to conserve water may be more open to information related to water conservation, and they may be more likely to act, even in the absence of social support. Finally, Extension professionals should consider the audience's past behaviors to design programs that are compatible with actions that Extension clients are likely to take.

Targeted agricultural education programs can play a role in solving complex water issues. This article applies importance-performance analysis to examine dimensions of water resources that may inform local water conservation campaigns in the United States. The purpose of this study was to generate a deep understanding of home irrigation users' preferences and perceptions about water to inform landscape irrigation water best practices campaigns among this audience nationwide. Importance-performance analysis was conducted using quantitative survey research. Responses were drawn from 2,675 people who use home landscape irrigation in all states nationwide and from three areas experiencing serious water issues: Florida, California, and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. There were differences among respondents as a function of geographical location, which revealed people are likely influenced by their exposure to and experience with water issues. There were significant differences between respondents' perceived importance with clean water for different purposes and plentiful water for different purposes. We identified gaps between importance of and satisfaction with clean and plentiful water for different purposes which demonstrate dissatisfaction around important water topics, such as clean water for local and large water bodies. The findings provide insight for targeted programs surrounding local needs and issues. Agricultural education professionals who work on water issues should emphasize home irrigation users' influence on water quality issues over water quantity issues, and should incorporate locally specific findings into programs.

Water availability issues have plagued many regions around the world and is viewed as the top issue facing the world. As a result, encouraging water conservation has become a priority for agricultural communicators. Previous research suggests strategically framed messages can impact attitudes about water conservation, but whether this change is a result of deep thoughts or simple cues has not been explored. This study used semi-structured qualitative interviews to explore the thought processes of individuals who irrigate their home landscape by presenting them with strategically framed messages. This audience was targeted due to the high volumes of water they use for irrigation. The interview process sought to understand how this group processed communication by asking participants to list their thoughts and verbalize their feelings toward a personal and a social message. The analysis was guided by the Elaboration Likelihood Model. The findings suggested participants processed the messages peripherally or retained their initial attitude. The findings implied this particular audience had more favorable thoughts toward the social benefits of water conservation than personal benefits. Future messages developed to promote water conservation should focus on the social benefits to promote increased change.

Today's complex issues require technical expertise as well as the application of innovative social science techniques within Extension contexts. Researchers have suggested that a social science approach will play a critical role in water conservation, and people who use home landscape irrigation comprise a critical target audience for agriculture and natural resources professionals. This study was conducted to examine the possible role of an audience segmentation approach in addressing the complex issue of water resources. This research used descriptive discriminant analysis to assign national irrigation users to previously identified subgroups found in the literature (the water considerate majority, the water savvy conservationists, and the unconcerned water users) and compare characteristics to identify differences on a national scale. Results revealed the nation's irrigation users are fairly water conscious. The findings implied unique subgroups exist among targeted Extension audiences relevant to specific behaviors, and Extension programs should focus on different programmatic objectives for targeting different subgroups. Differences were found among the three subgroups in water conservation behaviors, personal and social normative beliefs, use of landscape professionals for irrigation maintenance, and learning preferences. Recommendations were provided on how to use the results to develop impact-driven Extension programs.

Citrus is one of Florida's most prominent commodities, providing 66% of the total United States' value for oranges. Florida's citrus production decreased 21% in 2014 from the previous season, partly due to the disease citrus greening. The science of genetic modification (GM) is one of the most promising solutions to the problem. However, a majority of American adults believe foods produced using GM science are unsafe for consumption. This study investigated the diffusion of GM science among Millennial students in a College of Agriculture at a land-grant university and their intent to consume citrus from a tree developed with GM science. An online survey collected data about Rogers' diffusion of innovation model characteristics and intent to consume GM citrus from 98 respondents. Relative advantage and compatibility of GM science were rated most favorably; observability was rated the lowest. The majority of respondents were likely or extremely likely to consume fruit or juice from GM trees. Compatibility was the only significant predictor of likelihood to consume GM citrus. A better demonstration of GM science's relative advantage, compatability, trialability, complexity and observability through formal education is needed to improve GM science adoption by Millennials.

Even though science says genetically modified (GM) foods are safe, many consumers remain skeptical of the technology. Additionally, the scientific community has trouble communicating to the public, causing consumers to make uninformed decisions. The Millennial Generation will have more buying power than any other generation before them, and more research needs to be done to examine what factors influence their attitudes toward GM food. Guided by the elaboration likelihood model, the purpose of this study was to investigate the influences on undergraduate students' attitude formation after receiving information about GM food. A convergent mixed methods design was used to collect data. This study found that message source had limited influence on students' attitudes toward GM food, but risk perception, knowledge, and source credibility were significant predictors of their change in attitude. Participants also expressed wanting to learn more about the technology. Recommendations were to increase knowledge of GM food among university students to promote use of the central processing route and to further investigate influences on students' change in attitude.

In the information rich society of the 21st century consumers have had access to many different communication channels where they can find information about agricultural topics. Individuals seek information that fulfills their needs and opinion leaders have been identified as a solution to communicating with audiences about complex topics. However, previous research has neglected to focus on the most effective means of communicating with opinion leaders. Using level of opinion leadership as a predictor of communication channel preference within a Uses and Gratifications framework a sample of 3,234 agricultural opinion leaders were surveyed. Descriptive statistics revealed that web pages and meetings are most preferred while Twitter, conference calls, and other communication channels are least preferred amongst agricultural opinion leaders. Furthermore, inferential statistics illuminated the importance of clearly defining an intended audience. Specifically, although opinion leaders are differentiated from non-opinion leaders within their networks there are additional levels of opinion leadership that may warrant consideration when selecting a communication channel.

This study tested the effect of four short videos appealing to environmental values on home irrigation users' intent to use good irrigation and fertilization practices. The videos were largely ineffective, and there was only a small effect on one of the behaviors within the fertilizer loss treatment group. Implications point to a need for environmental education professionals to develop strategies to address environmental issues fatigue and conduct audience research that informs communications and educational programs. Environmental education professionals should encourage water protection with nonenvironmental appeals, possibly by connecting to personal or social values.

It has been argued that to remain relevant in today's society, Extension must expand its role to provide public issues education. We conducted a web-based survey to determine whether Extension agents in Florida were prepared to deal with contentious issues. Survey respondents identified issues affecting their clientele, levels of frequency with which they addressed the issues, and self-perceived levels of knowledge related to the issues. Results were analyzed by agent type (i.e., programmatic area). Results revealed that the issues of immigration, crop diseases, and food security held particular potential for improvement.

Because mothers are the primary grocery shoppers for most households, they play a fundamental role in the food their families eat. As such, it is important to understand their perceptions of potential sources of food safety and nutrition information. This study surveyed young mothers (i.e., 18-40 years old) across the United States to assess their awareness, knowledge, and trust of celebrities and social media influencers who communicate about food-related topics. The list of celebrities and influencers consisted of TV chefs, celebrities and influencers who espouse favorable viewpoints of food and agriculture, and celebrities and influencers who espouse more alternative viewpoints of food and agriculture. Respondents were usually more aware and knowledgeable of the celebrities and chefs than the influencers. They also generally trusted the TV chefs the most. There tended to be small-to-medium positive correlations between a respondents' knowledge of a celebrity/influencer and their trust of that celebrity/influencer but not all were statistically significant. Communicators looking to influence the largest number of people would benefit more from working with celebrities, but social media influencers could still play a role in campaigns that target specific online communities where the influencers' values align with community members. More research is recommended to expand to other audiences, as well as assessing other celebrities and influencers. Research can also address how consumers use social media to get food-related information, how trust could be affected by communication using different social media platforms, and content analyses of food-related communication by celebrities and influencers on social media outlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To be successful in the workforce agricultural communication students must develop strong writing skills. Students' self-perception of their media writing plays a large role in both their success and satisfaction with their own writing and the writing process. In this study, students in an introductory agricultural communication course (n = 30) were administered a pre- and post-test survey based on the Media Writing Self-Perception instrument developed by Kuehn and Lingwall (2018). Students' total media writing self-perception scores slightly increased between the pre- (M = 26.833) and post-tests (M = 28.100). This total score suggests that students had neither excessive confidence nor anxiety in their writing abilities. Educators in agricultural communication programs should use this research to offer students opportunities that will improve their writing selfefficacy, and in turn their Media Writing Self-Perception scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While work on agricultural messaging is abundant, the way that audiences form perceptions of messages is not well understood and little research has examined the cognitive effects of image and word associations in an agricultural context. Previous knowledge gap research has shown that socioeconomic status and access to information could be one contributor of perception formation. We propose that these variables could also impact cognitive processing. Therefore, the purpose of this exploratory study was to examine how components of cognitive dissonance and knowledge gap theory apply in the context of a contentious agricultural issue. Data were collected from 1,049 United States' residents through an online survey with an embedded experimental design. Respondents randomly received one of two image and word association pairings. After viewing the treatment, measures of cognitive conflict, demographics, and desire to learn more were collected. The results showed that the cognitive conflict instrument performed differently in the context of a complex agricultural issue than in prior research. Additionally, the message pairings had a stronger influence on cognitive conflict components than demographic characteristics. Finally, the desire to learn more was impacted by the message treatments. Future research on cognitive conflict and advanced modeling is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]