No abstract

Content analyses have cataloged the sexual scripts present in magazines largely because of their perceived value to readers and their potential role as sex educators. Although it is generally agreed that magazines have the potential to influence sexual attitudes and behavioral intentions, the effects of this medium are not as frequently researched as are other forms of media. The current study tested whether exposure to magazines was associated with intentions related to sexual consent negotiation. A survey of 313 college students indicated that exposure to men's magazines was significantly associated with lower intentions to seek sexual consent and lower intentions to adhere to decisions about sexual consent. In contrast, exposure to women's magazines was significantly associated with greater intentions to refuse unwanted sexual activity. Overall, the findings of this study further reinforce the critical need for responsible and realistic portrayals of sex in entertainment media, specifically magazines.

Popular crime dramas have tackled sensitive issues such as sexual assault with increasing frequency over the past 20 years. These popular programs increasingly demonstrate the emotional and physical effect of sexual assault on its victims, and in some instances they depict individuals being rewarded for intervening to prevent or stop an assault in progress. It is possible that this content could affect attitudes related to sexual assault prevention. However, no previous research has examined this possibility. In the fall 2008 semester, 508 undergraduates at a large northwestern university completed a questionnaire about media use and bystander intervention in a sexual assault situation. Results from hierarchical regressions lend support for the integrative model of behavioral prediction in that instrumentality, rape myth acceptance, perceived social norms, perceived efficacy related to intervening, and exposure to primetime crime dramas were associated with participants' intentions to intervene in a sexual assault. The results suggest that crime dramas may be a useful venue for prevention messages as exposure to crime dramas uniquely contributed to intentions to intervene in a sexual assault.

Previous research has identified that exposure to the crime drama genre lowers rape myth acceptance and increases sexual assault prevention behaviors such as bystander intervention. However, recent content analyses have revealed marked differences in the portrayal of sexual violence within the top three crime drama franchises. Using a survey of 313 college freshmen, this study explores the influence of exposure to the three most popular crime drama franchises: Law & Order, CSI, and NCIS. Findings indicate that exposure to the Law & Order franchise is associated with decreased rape myth acceptance and increased intentions to adhere to expressions of sexual consent and refuse unwanted sexual activity; whereas exposure to the CSI franchise is associated with decreased intentions to seek consent and decreased intentions to adhere to expressions of sexual consent. Exposure to the NCIS franchise was associated with decreased intentions to refuse unwanted sexual activity. These results indicate that exposure to the specific content of each crime drama franchise may have differential results on sexual consent negotiation behaviors.

We extend transactive memory systems theory from psychology to examine the cognitive interdependence of family and nonfamily employees and its effects on family firm innovation. Using triadic data and dispersion modeling, we find that innovation is enhanced when family and nonfamily employees communicate and when they have a shared understanding of “who knows what”; however, we find unexpectedly that the communication effects differ for family and nonfamily employees, hindering the development of shared knowledge perceptions needed for enhanced innovation. We demonstrate the value in applying psychology-based research to family firm investigations and in investigating microfoundations of family firm innovation.

Among the existing sexual assault prevention efforts on college campuses, few use mass communication strategies designed to simultaneously entertain and educate. Although many entertainment-education efforts are guided by social cognitive theory, other theories may be useful in entertainment-education design. Previous research has found that social cognitive theory and social norms theory can successfully influence participants' perceived norms and efficacy related to sexual assault reduction; however, whether such results can be replicated in a naturalistic setting and the extent to which the guiding theoretical foundation may influence outcomes remain unknown. We used a pre- and posttest field experiment with college students in residence halls to assess how different theoretical foundations may influence effects. Over the course of a semester, the participants viewed eight mini-magazines developed using (1) social cognitive theory, (2) social norms theory, (3) a combination of both theoretical frameworks, or (4) a control condition with no sexual assault prevention messaging. Participants in the combined content condition had greater levels of self-efficacy related to sexual assault prevention and more accurate norm perceptions. There were also effects for the mini-magazines developed with only one theoretical framework. Overall, we found that multiple theories can effectively guide entertainment-education message development.

Purpose One of the key characteristics that distinguishes the family business from other firms is the importance of accruing and maintaining socioemotional wealth (SEW). Using an experimental design, this exploratory study investigates the communication practices of family business leaders responding to employees responsible for a business disruption. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether managers take action to protect SEW while responding to a crisis. Design/methodology/approach Three employees of a family firm participated in the experiment. A family member employee and a non-family employee were instructed to write a message informing a family member leader of a business disruption they created (infecting a computer with malware). The family member leader then received these messages and wrote a response to each employee. These responses were then content analyzed to determine whether messages expressed SEW importance and to see if SEW content differed based on the recipient’s familial status. Findings Content analysis of messages intended for family members and non-family employees indicated that messages intended for family members contain significantly different content associated with dimensions of Socioemotional Wealth Importance scale, particularly in terms of reinforcing family dominance, sustaining family continuity, and maintaining family enrichment. Originality/value This study is the first to examine crisis communication within the family firm and whether SEW endowment occurs via internal communication within the family firm. By utilizing an experiment, this study extends the SEW literature further by adding to the diversity of techniques utilized to study this topic.

Cautionary tales are a prevalent form of entertainment narrative in media-saturated environments, yet they have received little empirical examination. Using disposition theory, this study manipulated affective disposition toward the protagonist in order to explore the effects of exposure to a cautionary tale on adoption of prosocial attitudes and behavioral intentions. A between-subjects experimental design was used with 2 conditions (positive/negative) and a control group (n = 305). Results provide evidence that exposure to cautionary tales positively influences adoption of attitudes and intentions to purchase a carbon monoxide detector and talk about accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. Affective disposition influenced identification with the protagonist, and perceptions that the protagonist deserved the negative consequences experienced in the cautionary tale narrative. Findings also suggest that identification mediates the relationship between affective disposition and perceived risk.