Construal Level Theory, Strategic Messages, and Mobile Technology
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CONNECTING ABSTRACT GOALS WITH THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE THEM: CONSTRUAL LEVEL THEORY, STRATEGIC MESSAGES, AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGY Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Cornell University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Sherri Jean Katz January 2015 © 2015 Sherri Jean Katz CONNECTING ABSTRACT GOALS WITH THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE THEM: CONSTRUAL LEVEL THEORY, STRATEGIC MESSAGES, AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGY Sherri Jean Katz, Ph. D. Cornell University 2015 This work provides theoretical models that adapt construal level theory to the study of persuasion and describes findings from tests of several key propositions. The first chapter provides a theoretical model that proposes how the concepts of abstraction and distance influence the processing of persuasive messages. Chapter 2 tests two different mechanisms of fostering cognitive bridging, which is a connection between specific behavioral choices and abstract goals. In three experiments (n = 263, n = 145, n= 145), the induced process was effective at fostering cognitive bridging, while the integrated process was not. This suggests that cognitive bridging can be fostered through the text of the persuasive message, regardless of how abstractly or concretely somebody is initially thinking. In Chapter 3, interactions between construal level theory and psychological reactance theory are explored through two experiments (n = 84, n = 79). Both experiments illustrate that when individuals are thinking specifically (low construal level), the message is psychologically close, and threat to choice is high, message effectiveness is lowest. However, when the individual is shifted to think more abstractly (high construal level), message effectiveness can increase. This suggests that it might be possible to deliver a message featuring a high threat to choice if the individual is processing the message abstractly. In Chapter 4, the affordances of mobile technology are connected to the concepts in construal level theory to present a theoretical model. In Chapter 5, three experiments (n = 232, n = 82, n = 47) test the concept of shifting to explore whether it is possible to shift how abstractly or concretely somebody is processing information using a mobile device. Finally, Chapter 6 concludes with a future research agenda for the study of construal level theory in the field of communication. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH Sherri Jean Katz was born in Smithtown, NY. She attended the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University as a Chancellor’s Scholar. She also had a four- year undergraduate scholarship from United Technologies. Katz graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in Public Relations (Honors) and Political Science, with a minor in marketing, in 1996. She earned an M.A. in Culture and Communication (2004), as well as certificates in Advanced Event Management (2004) and Digital Media Marketing (2010) from NYU. In route to her Ph.D., Katz earned an M.S. in Communication from Cornell University in 2013. She has worked professionally in advertising, public relations, marketing, and higher education administration and ran Kamalog Communications, Inc. Katz has been inducted into several academic honorary societies, including Phi Beta Kappa, Kappa Tau Alpha, Phi Sigma Alpha, and Phi Kappa Phi. While completing her doctorate, she was awarded the Anson E. Rowe Award for Promising Graduate Student in May 2012 and the Glass Family Fellowship in June 2013. Her dissertation was funded by a National Science Foundation Dissertation Improvement Grant. Katz is the proud mother of Ariana Muriel, who is nine months old. iii Dedicated to Fred and Dianne Katz and Ariana Muriel Katz iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many individuals who have guided and assisted me throughout my doctoral studies. While words alone cannot possibly express the gratitude I have for their invaluable support, I will try to acknowledge them. First, as my advisor, Sahara Byrne, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication, has been a champion for me throughout my doctoral studies. She has given me the space to be creative in my scholarly work and the training to be rigorous in its pursuit. I have so many hilarious memories of us working together! I still remember the exact moment that she taught me to think in a theoretical way, enabling my ideas to develop. I am very thankful that she encouraged me to reach beyond the literature and beyond her work to find my own scholarly voice. But mostly, I am so appreciative that she gave me the support to grow personally as well. She has been very supportive of my decision to become a mother while completing my doctorate, and I have learned from her that one can be both a wonderful mother and an accomplished scholar. My life is forever better for having worked with her, both professionally and personally. Mike Shapiro, Professor in the Department of Communication, has had a tremendous influence on me as well. During my first semester, I was his teaching assistant, and I learned a great deal about teaching from that experience. However, I found the conversations while walking to and from class even more informative. He questioned my ideas, forcing me to think more deeply and more thoughtfully about them. Even now, I emerge from each conversation with Mike thinking profoundly differently than I did before, and I trust his perspective on so many things. I am so appreciative to have had the opportunity to learn from him. v I also have learned so much from Geri Gay, Kenneth J. Bissett Professor of Communication. I had the opportunity to conduct my first study under her guidance, and she taught me so much about managing a complex project. I loved working as her research assistant, and participating in her lab stimulated my interest in mobile technology. She helped me with my NSF application and has been so supportive of me throughout my doctoral studies. Dennis Regan, Associate Professor of Psychology, has been a terrific influence on my work as well. His seminar course in Advanced Social Psychology transformed the way that I think and contributed greatly to the trajectory of my research. He was close to retirement when he joined my committee, and I am so thankful that he did. He has been a very conscientious committee member, who reads my work carefully and provides thoughtful critique. I appreciate all of his guidance. Alan Mathios, The Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of the College of Human Ecology, has also been a big supporter of my doctoral studies. I have enjoyed working on the cigarette warning labels project with him, and I have learned so much from the experience. I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to work with him, and I really appreciate his support. I am also very thankful to have had the opportunity to work with Jeff Niederdeppe, Associate Professor of Communication, on both the e-moms project and the cigarette warning labels project. He is a very thoughtful scholar, and I have learned a great deal from him. I am very appreciative of his support and guidance. I have enjoyed guiding students in the Media Effects Lab. Numerous students have contributed to this dissertation by coding data, running experiments, and assisting with the development of stimuli, and I appreciate their conscientious hard work. I am particularly thankful to Alyssa Irene Kent, who collaborated on the project integrating construal level theory vi and psychological reactance theory. And, I am honored to have helped guide Alexia Victor on her capstone project. Presenting with her at NCA and seeing her grow as a scholar was a highlight of my doctoral experience. The faculty, staff and other students in the Department of Communication, as well as my extended network of family and friends, have also been so helpful throughout the last several years. I have received guidance and advice from so many people, and I truly appreciate their help navigating the challenges of the doctoral experience. I am most appreciative of my parents, who realized that I had the dream of pursuing my Ph.D. and encouraged me to reach for the sky and realize my potential. They made it possible for me to transition from being a working professional to being a student, and they have been tireless supporters of me throughout my entire life. Words cannot possibly express how appreciative I am of them. They have helped me to accomplish two dreams simultaneously, completing my Ph.D. and becoming a mother. For that, and so much more, I am forever grateful. Finally, to my daughter Ariana Muriel, who I love more than words can express, thank you for making my life so much richer each day. This dissertation was written as you napped, played in a baby swing and cuddled on my lap as I typed. Thank you for providing me with purpose and balance. I love you so much. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction p. 1 Chapter 1. Connecting Construal Level Theory to Persuasive Processes p. 6 Chapter 2. Tests of Integrated and Induced Processing Through Cognitive Bridging p. 28 Chapter 3. Re-Construing Reactance: Tests of Theoretical Interactions Between Construal Level Theory and Psychological Reactance Theory p. 64 Chapter 4. Construal Level Theory and Mobile Persuasion: A Theoretical Model p. 92 Chapter 5. Shifting Construal Level Orientation Through Mobile Technology p. 111 Chapter 6. Construal Level Theory and the Field of Communication p. 135 References p. 143 viii LIST OF FIGURES 1. Figure 1. Pathways to Message Effectiveness, Chapter 1, Propositions 1- 6 2. Figure 2. Diagram of Linking Messages, Chapter 1, Proposition 7 3. Figure 3. Model of Integrated and Induced Processing, Chapter 2 4. Figure 4. Likelihood of producing cognitive bridging outputs in comparison to non- bridging reference group, Chapter 2 - Study 1 and Study 2 (H1a, H1) 5.