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. 2 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 3 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 4 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. 5 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. 6 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, 7 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! 8 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 9 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 10 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