The Effect of Message Credibility on Attitude Change as Measured by Argumentation Style

348 Pages·2015·1.85 MB·English

The Effect of Message Credibility on Attitude Change as Measured by Argumentation
Style: In an Introductory Nutrition Class

A dissertation presented to
the faculty of
The Patton College of Education of Ohio University

In partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
Doctor of Philosophy

Abednego K. Bansah
May 2016
© 2016 Abednego K. Bansah. All Rights Reserved.
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This dissertation titled
The Effect of Message Credibility on Attitude Change as Measured by Argumentation
Style: In an Introductory Nutrition Class

by
ABEDNEGO K. BANSAH

has been approved for
the Department of Educational Studies
and The Patton College of Education by

David R. Moore
Professor of Educational Studies

Renée A. Middleton
Dean, The Patton College of Education
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Abstract
BANSAH ABEDNEGO K, Ph.D., May 2016, Curriculum and Instruction,
Instructional Technology
The Effect of Message Credibility on Attutude Change as Measured by Argumentation
Style: In an Introductory Nutrition Class
Director of Dissertation: David R. Moore
Numerous methods have been employed to propagate persuasive messages for
attitude change. The art of developing persuasive messages for attitude change has
featured prominently with regards to health related issues over the years, especially in
diet and nutrition. The approach of delivering these messages include the source of the
information (message credibility) and how the information is framed is vital in attitude
change due to the content of messages by persuasion through argumentation. All these
factors may determine whether the message results in attitude change. With the recent
call for proper diet and nutrition as a result of the effects of poor diet and nutrition on an
individual’s overall health, the credibility and content of a message containing diet and
nutrition information is vital in promoting good eating habit. Most notably among health
conditions that results from poor dietary habits are overweight and obesity. Obesity
which cuts across all ages, racial and ethnic groups, and gender have been the cause of
400,000 (an estimated 1,096 deaths per day) deaths each year in the United States,
making obesity the second leading cause of death after smoking. The main purpose of
this study is to investigate the effect of message credibility and content of messages (in
terms of argumentation style) on nutritional attitude change among undergraduate
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students. Data were collected through a large Midwestern university’s Qualtrics website
situated in the University’s Learning Management System. Participants of the study were
enrolled in an online Introduction to Nutrition class developed by the Midwestern
University. Details of the results indicated that participants rated on the messages
presented on the average as very good and this resulted in a significant nutritional
attitudinal change among participants, t(191) = 6.64, p = .001, d = .5. While there was
not a significant difference in nutritional attitudinal change between emotive and logic
messages, t(61) = 1.55, p = .127, the best model developed from this study indicates that
for an effective nutritional attitudinal change, in addition to credibility, the messages
should be composed of both emotion and logic. This study further reiterates not only the
importance of message credibility and content but the role digital technology plays in
nutrition intervention and counseling.
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Dedication

To my daughters, Allyson Elorm Maadjoa Bansah, Ailynn Dela Akonua Bansah, and
Arianne Elikem Adow Bansah for being the reason for all the right choices I have made
and my best friend Priscilla Baaba Bansah. I have made it this far not because of my
abilities but you have always directed my choices. Thanks for being my wife.
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Acknowledgments
All praise and thanks to God almighty for how far He has brought me and for the
knowledge and wisdom He has endowed me with. My profoundest gratitude goes to Dr.
David Moore, my advisor and director of this dissertation for his continuous support,
guidance, and encouragement. You have always been there for me from the day I walked
into your office. I wouldn’t have gotten this far with my doctoral studies without you.
Thank you. I wish to express appreciation to my committee members Dr. Teresa Franklin
whose words of encouragement laid the foundation for me to pursue this program, Dr.
Krisanna Machtmes whose office was always open to me for guidance especially with
this research work. My heartfelt appreciation goes to Dr. David Holben for his
mentorship, making his class available for this research purposes and for being a strong
pillar of support for me throughout my studies at OU. To Dr. Tania Basta words cannot
express my gratitude for responding to my call at the hour of need. To Drs. Moore,
Franklin, Machtmes, Holben and Basta I say “In as much as your advises are dear to
mean, I'll cherish and follow your examples more”.
My gratitude also go to the following persons: Daniel and Josephine Bansah;
Prof. George Oduro; Prof. John Nelson Buah; Dr. Sir Sam Jonah; Nana Brew Butler;
Brigitte and John Amissah; Edem and Akpene Ameko; Dr. Ann Paulins; Dr. Beth
Vanderveer; Kobina Obu Hayford. May the good Lord continue to bless you.
I certainly cannot forget the Holben family (David, Lisa, Ezra and Ethan) for
opening their doors to my family and I. Lisa, Allyson braids hair extremely well now,
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thanks for allowing her to use your hair for practice during soccer games . She misses
you.
I wish to express my deep gratitude to the Ohio University’s Patton College of
Education’s Department of Human and Consumer Sciences for granting me the
opportunity to pursue my future goal. To Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Adow Obeng, President
of Presbyterian University – Ghana and Mrs. Rosilta Adow Obeng; may the good Lord
bless you for all your continuous support. Pops, we made it!
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Table of Contents
Page

Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 3
Dedication ........................................................................................................................... 5
Acknowledgments............................................................................................................... 6
List of Tables .................................................................................................................... 12
List of Figures ................................................................................................................... 14
Chapter 1: Introduction ..................................................................................................... 15
Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................. 17
Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................... 20
Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................. 22
Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 25
Significance of the Study .............................................................................................. 26
Delimitations and Limitations of the Study. ................................................................. 28
Delimitations. ............................................................................................................ 28
Limitations. ............................................................................................................... 28
Definitions of Terms ..................................................................................................... 29
The Organizational Plan of the Study ........................................................................... 33
Chapter 2: Review of Literature ....................................................................................... 35
Persuasion, Designing Persuasive Messages and Argumentation as an Instructional
Variable ......................................................................................................................... 36
Elaboration likelihood model (ELM) of persuasion. ................................................ 37
Methods of persuasion (tools of persuasion). ........................................................... 44
Ethos (Argument by character). ............................................................................ 46
Pathos (Argument by emotion). ............................................................................ 49
Designing persuasive messages. ............................................................................... 55
The source. ............................................................................................................ 55
Messages. .............................................................................................................. 58
Health and Culture ........................................................................................................ 65
Uncertainty reduction. ............................................................................................... 67
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High-context versus low-context cultures. ............................................................... 68
Overweight, Obesity and their Contributors ................................................................. 74
Prevalence of obesity. ............................................................................................... 76
Causes of obesity. ..................................................................................................... 77
Outcomes of obesity. ................................................................................................ 79
Combating obesity. ................................................................................................... 80
Technology and Nutrition Intervention and Counseling .............................................. 81
Attitude ......................................................................................................................... 90
Definition and conceptualization of attitude. ............................................................ 90
Measurement of attitudes. ......................................................................................... 95
Attitude change. ........................................................................................................ 97
Instructional design principles for attitude change. ................................................ 100
Attitude as a latent variable. ................................................................................ 100
Attitudes have objects. ........................................................................................ 100
Attitudes have a behavioral component. ............................................................. 101
Attitudes have a cognitive component. ............................................................... 101
Attitudes have an affective component. .............................................................. 102
Attitudes are relatively stable and enduring. ....................................................... 103
Instructional Design .................................................................................................... 104
Merrill’s first principles of instruction and levels of instructional strategy. ........... 105
First principles of instruction. ............................................................................. 105
Levels of instructional strategy. .......................................................................... 107
Online Education ........................................................................................................ 110
Summary ..................................................................................................................... 113
Chapter 3: Methodology ................................................................................................. 116
The Research Questions .............................................................................................. 116
The Research Design .................................................................................................. 118
Operational definitions of variables. ....................................................................... 122
Independent variables. ........................................................................................ 122
Dependent variable. ............................................................................................ 122
The setting. .............................................................................................................. 122
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Population of the Study. .......................................................................................... 123
Sampling and research sample. ........................................................................... 124
Sample size selection. ......................................................................................... 125
The Online Introduction to Nutrition Program ........................................................... 125
Researcher’s abilities and experience. .................................................................... 125
Education. ........................................................................................................... 126
Researcher as a facilitator. .................................................................................. 127
Research Instrument and Procedure ........................................................................... 129
Data Analysis .............................................................................................................. 132
Result of Pilot Study ................................................................................................... 132
Validity and reliability of the data. ......................................................................... 138
Validity issues. .................................................................................................... 138
Reliability issues. ................................................................................................ 140
Summary ..................................................................................................................... 142
Chapter 4: Results ........................................................................................................... 143
Introduction ................................................................................................................. 143
Instrumentation ........................................................................................................... 143
Reliability of the instrument. .................................................................................. 144
Validity of the instrument. ...................................................................................... 148
Data Collection and Cleaning ..................................................................................... 150
Descriptive of the Sample with Descriptive Data ....................................................... 155
Demographics information of the sample. .............................................................. 155
Academic level information of participation. ......................................................... 155
Participant employment information. ..................................................................... 156
Groups’ Rating of Message Credibility ...................................................................... 159
Objectives and Statistical Analysis ............................................................................. 163
Supplemental Analysis ............................................................................................... 172
Summary ..................................................................................................................... 183
Chapter 5: Discussions, Recommendations and Conclusions ........................................ 184
The Purpose and Design of the Study ......................................................................... 184
Discussions for the Findings ....................................................................................... 185