Manship students to present research at LSU Discover Day on April 7

04/04/2016

Nine Manship School students will present their research and creative works at the third annual LSU Discover Day, April 7 in the LSU Student Union. Discover Day is an opportunity for undergraduate students to share their research and creative activities with the larger university community, and helps them prepare for graduate school and future employment opportunities. Posters will be on display in the Royal Cotillion Ballroom from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with students in attendance from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Poster presentations by students in the Manship School are below.

A Content Analysis of Minority Representation In a Selection of Current College and University Viewbooks

 

Student Researcher: JoLena Broussard
Area of Concentration: Public Relations
Minor: Business Administration
Advisor: Dr. Meghan Sanders

Abstract: In today’s competitive drive to attract the most talented students, colleges must use a variety of assets as direct advertising tools. One of the most stable and viable assets to collegiate marketing strategy is the school’s image (Timberlake, 1990, p. 62). Colleges and universities strive to distinguish themselves from one another as they seek to recruit the most desirable students. An example of a powerful collegiate recruitment piece is the viewbook. A viewbook is a promotional booklet with pictures that is published by a college or university and used especially for recruiting students (Viewbook, n.d.). Therefore, as colleges and universities work diligently to recruit students, recruitment material plays a significant role. Furthermore, as colleges and universities look to increase diversity, the institutions must examine their recruitment material to ensure the material appeals to all genders, races, ethnicities, etc.

Therefore, the purpose of my study is to determine how the college student is depicted overall in collegiate recruitment media such as viewbooks and more specifically how minority students are depicted in comparison to Caucasian students. My study will also assess the visual prominence of images containing primarily Caucasian students and compare that prominence to images containing primarily minority students. Furthermore, my study will examine if colleges and universities are over representing, underrepresenting or accurately representing a diverse student body in their viewbooks in order to attract more students from ethnically diverse backgrounds. A content analysis of 24 college and university viewbooks (12 liberal arts colleges and 12 universities) will be conducted.

 

How Various Sources of Content on Social Networking Sites Influence Millennial Attitude Toward a Brand
Student Researcher: Katherine Campbell
Area of Concentration: Public Relations
Minor: Business Administration
Advisor: Dr. Hyojung Park

Abstract: Computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web in 1990, changing the world of communication forever. User-generated content on platforms such as social networking sites has impacted brand communication efforts within the last 25 years. The purpose of this study is to identify which source of content has the greatest influence on millennial behavior toward a brand or product. Sources include corporate-generated, expert-generated and non expert-generated content. The study will measure source credibility, brand attitude, purchase intent and word-of-mouth. This study will reveal the influence of organizational engagement efforts and how to approach consumers in the most beneficial way.

 

More Than Welfare Queens and Strong Black Women: African American Mothers in the Films Claudine and Precious
Student Researcher: Brittany Clark
Advisor: Dr. Angeletta Gourdine
Minor: Political Science

Abstract: This study examines the stereotypes of African American women in film. Cinematic works tend to portray African American women as either asexual or hyper-sexualized beings, which gave rise to the popular culture concept of the welfare queen stereotype. As a result, these mothers are painted as abusers of public assistance and face stereotypical attitudes from the general public and government entities. The effects of the usage of stereotypes in cinema is so strong that it influences social reality. I explore how the films Claudine and Precious challenge rather than reinforce the welfare queen stereotype. I also explore how the strong black woman stereotype was formed in opposition to the welfare queen. Through a content analysis of film, I found the mothers in the film were defined as either stereotype. These findings were tested in a focus group held at a four-year university in southeastern Louisiana, where participants provided personal definitions of these images and discussed the effects of said stereotypes on African-American women in both media and reality.

Depoliticizing Science: The Effect of Local Crises on Partisan Science Policy
Student Researcher:  Chris Handy, 2016 LSU Discover Scholar
Area of Concentration: Political Communication
Minor: Biological Sciences
Advisor: Dr. Kathleen Searles

Abstract: Issues of science frequently enter the political arena; however, in recent years, certain science issues under general consensus in the scientific community have become politicized across party lines. Such politicization leads to certain public distrust of the scientific community, and ultimately, policy decisions contrary to scientific calls to action. To address this concern, I ask, can partisans be motivated to support smart policy based on social distance to the issue? Within this idea of social distance, I manipulate other variables such as health, economics, and safety to better understand what crises pair best with social distance. Ultimately, my findings should offer suggestions for mass communication industries of how to improve messaging that leads to smart policy and does not discredit the scientific community.

 

Ad Campaign Pitch for the Baton Rouge Parks Department (BREC)
Student Researcher: Caroline Holloway
Area of Concentration: Digital Advertising
Minor: Business Administration
Advisor: Dr. Kasey Windel

Measuring the Knowledge and Attitudes of the American Public in Regards to Military Sexual Trauma
Student Researcher: Lindsay Miller
Area of Concentration: Public Relations
Minor: Business Administration
Advisor: Dr. Jensen Moore

Abstract: Measuring the Knowledge and Attitudes of the American Public in regards to Military Sexual Trauma Polices. This research will investigate the current level of knowledge the public holds about the environment within the military on gendered issues and their attitudes towards current and proposed military sexual trauma policies. The research questions I will be investigating are: what are the level of knowledge the participants hold on the current culture within the military in regards to gender; what are the participants attitudes towards the current support system for victims; what are the participants attitudes towards recently adapted and proposed military sexual trauma policies? Sexual trauma in the military is an epidemic, but civilian and military leaders disagree on how best to approach a solution. By studying what civilians currently understand, leaders will be able to better communicate and create change within the military.
I am currently completing focus groups to determine how certain demographics can affect the participants’ attitudes. Using these key themes, I will determine what the community currently knows about the military culture in general and in relation to sexual trauma. Research such as this will allow military and civilian leaders to better understand how to find policies that will both create a victim supportive environment, and work within the current chain-of-command culture of the military.

 

Social Media and the 2015 Louisiana Gubernatorial Race
Student Researcher: Valencia Richardson
Area of Concentration: Political Communication
Minor: Spanish
Advisor: Dr. Kathleen Searles

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine youth voter turnout in down-ballot and off-season elections. I will answer the question: How does social media interaction between the 2015 gubernatorial candidates and college students affect student turnout? To this end, I will examine the social media presence of each gubernatorial candidate and do a post-election survey to determine both the level of awareness as well as the turnout rate of students at Louisiana State University. In the end, I will provide recommendations on how to increase voter turnout among college students in elections with disadvantageous conditions.

Correcting Party Alignment and Effects on Third Party Support
Student Researcher: Lindsey Spillman
Area of Concentration: Political Communication
Minor: Business Administration
Advisor: Dr. Kathleen Searles

Abstract: This study will examine the discrepancies between perceived party identification and ideological alignment. It will also take into account political knowledge, political participation and willingness to vote for a third party before and after correcting political ideology. Each respondent will answer survey questions regarding his or her political participation, political knowledge and party identification. The respondent will then take a separate quiz that pinpoints ideology and party identification. The respondent will be asked questions about whether or not this has altered his or her view of politics or willingness to vote for a third party. I hope to find that respondents will be willing to consider a change in their political views based on new information. The implications of this study would potentially help third parties, Libertarian, Green Party, Constitution Party, etc., learn who will be successfully recruited and how to effectively garner support. This could possibly assist in providing more options for those who feel they have no options when deciding between Republicans and Democrats.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Relationships

Student Researcher: Kristin White
Area of Concentration: Public Relations
Minor: Business Administration
Advisor: Dr. Hyojung Park

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to measure if emotionally evocative corporate social responsibility (CSR) forms a better relationship with the public. Through the use of a hypothetical company, a survey was created using a Facebook post about CSR efforts to explore if emotionally evocative images influence the general relationship a person has with a company. There are two variations of the survey differing in an emotional or informational type of text.

 

Written by Stephanie Whitenack