A Brief History of Me
As stated elsewhere on the site, I am currently Assistant Professor of Digital Media in the Department of Communication, Media, & Persuasion at Idaho State University, having previously held the position of Assistant Professor of Communication at Susquehanna University. I began my undergraduate education at UW-Platteville, completed my B.S. at UW-Green Bay, and earned my Master's degree in Electronic Media from Kutztown University. I completed my doctoral coursework in the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication in the Spring of 2011, and deposited my dissertation - titled "Perceived Influence, Parasocial Relationships, and the Power of Product Placement" - in the Spring of 2014. My current research projects focus on the interplay of cues, arguments and presentation order on the persuasive process; the role of the Third-Person Effect and the Influence of Presumed Influence on persuasion and consumer culture; and the interaction of product placements, consumer culture, and peer groups. I, along with my co-authors, have received top paper awards from the Mass Communication & Society, Communication Theory & Methodology, and Civic and Citizen Journalism divisions of AEJMC, as well as the top student paper at the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research 2010 Conference. My research has been published in The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, the Journal of Broadcast and Electronic Media, and Political Communication.
Teaching Philosophy
During the course of my professorial and graduate student career, I have been provided the opportunity to teach in both classroom and workshop settings and utilize a number of different formats, including lectures, labs and discussions. And, naturally, I have also gained experience and inspiration through interactions with some truly incredible educators, using their work as a springboard for my own teaching style and methodology. As a professor, I strive to communicate my enthusiasm for theory, research, and practical applications to my students, and revel in the opportunity to shape, and be shaped, during the course of each class period and semester. Reflecting upon my accomplishments and struggles as an instructor, I find that four central principles guide my approach.
Recent News & Thoughts
Selected Research
- Cynics and skeptics: Evaluating the credibility of mainstream and citizen journalism.
- Examining Generational Trends in Overspending, Early Adoption, and Conscientious Consumption from 1994-2004.
- Consumer Culture, Product Placement and the “Fictional Self”
- Precision vs. Realism on the Framing Continuum: Understanding the Underpinnings of Media Effects