Date of Graduation

2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Communication Studies

Committee Chair

Keith Weber

Committee Co-Chair

Elizabeth Cohen

Committee Member

Matthew Martin

Abstract

This study has taken a preliminary step toward determining whether education-entertainment messages have the same persuasive effects in a nonfictional talk show format as they traditionally do in a fictional narrative format. To test the various hypotheses which propose that persuasive effects of entertainment-education can occur in a non-fictional format, data was collected from 82 female students across two large lecture classes. Results of two independent samples t-tests did not support hypothesis one and two, as participants' self-efficacy and attitudes toward breast cancer screening were not significantly different as a result of which media clip was viewed. Hypothesis three and four however, were supported in that those who viewed the narrative news story did experience greater feelings of transportation and narrative engagement than those who viewed the PSA. Three post hoc analyses were conducted in order to see if participants behavior in seeking more information concerning getting a mammogram was related to which video they were exposed to, their level of engagement, or their level of transportation. Results of the first Chi-Square analysis failed to provide evidence of any association between the video a participant was exposed to and if they followed the hyperlink. The last two analyses did reveal that even though there was no difference in clicking the link based on which video was viewed, there was a difference in clicking the link based on participants' levels of narrative engagement and transportation. This leads to the possibility that the relationship between the videos and clicking behavior could be mediated by engagement and/or transportation. Findings and implications are discussed.

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