Actions for Responsibility in the Pivot Generation : Information Sharing about the Benefits of Outdoor Physical Activity to Manage Overweight or Obesity

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Responsibility in the Pivot Generation : Information Sharing about the Benefits of Outdoor Physical Activity to Manage Overweight or Obesity

Author
Worthington, Amber K.
Published
[University Park, Pennsylvania] : Pennsylvania State University, 2017.
Physical Description
1 electronic document
Additional Creators
Nussbaum, Jon F.
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Open Access.
Summary
Midlife adults who are both parents and adult children are in unique positions to positively influence the health of their children and aging parents. One means through which they may enact such influence is through sharing health information. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the question: Does a midlife adults perception of responsibility to share health information about the benefits of outdoor physical activity with their overweight or obese child/aging parent in the near future influence their intentions to do so? In order to investigate this question, this dissertation conceptualizes responsibility and posits that attributions of solution, obligation, and agency influence responsibility. Responsibility from the Norm Activation Model (NAM) is then situated within the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and its extensions the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Integrative Model (IM) to extend these rational-choice frameworks into the moral domain. The indirect effects of perceptions of responsibility on intentions to share health information via anticipated emotions, including anticipated regret, guilt, pride, and hope, as well as physical activity mavenism, are also considered. Finally, this dissertation investigates potential iatrogenic effects of perceptions of responsibility, including regret, guilt, self-blame, and obesity stigma beliefs.Participants (N = 334) were recruited from Amazons Mechanical Turk. After providing informed consent, participants read a brief message about the benefits of outdoor exercise for young adults (those in the adult child condition) or older adults (those in the aging parent condition). Participants then completed measures for the theoretical variables of interest. Bivariate correlations and structural equation modeling using the hybrid approach was used to test the hypotheses and research questions.Results indicated that attributions of solution and agency predict a midlife adults perceptions of responsibility to share information about the benefits of outdoor physical activity with a child or aging parent. Perceptions of responsibility were also positively related to generative concern and negatively related to psychological reactance. Attitudes and responsibility significantly predicted a midlife adults intentions to share information. Responsibility significantly predicted anticipated regret, guilt, pride, and hope, but these anticipated emotions did not predict information sharing intentions. Likewise, responsibility significantly predicted mavenism, but mavenism did not predict information sharing intentions.The results from this dissertation have important theoretical and practical implications. First, the results on predictors of responsibility provide an important step in contributing to the theoretical design of responsibility messages. To increase a midlife adults perceptions of responsibility to share health information with a family member, health messages should focus on content cues that elicit attributions of solution, particularly for those sharing health information with an aging parent. Second, the results of this dissertation support the theoretical integration of responsibility from the NAM with the TRA/TPB/IM frameworks to predict intentions to perform a behavior that impacts anothers welfare. Variables from each significantly predicted information sharing intentions, including attitudes from the TRA/TPB/IM and responsibility from the NAM. Responsibility was the strongest predictor of information sharing intentions, which suggests that perceptions of responsibility should be integrated into communication theories on information sharing. Third, this dissertation has important implications for theoretical advancement within intergenerational communication, as it underscores specific cognitions and beliefs (i.e., attitudes and responsibility) that lead midlife adults to enter into intergenerational contact with their family members.The contributions of this dissertation to communication science should be considered in light of several limitations. The sample was not representative of the general population, and thus future work should endeavor to recruit a more diverse participant sample. Additionally, the study design was limited by the cross-sectional, observational nature of the data, the measures used, and the lack of replication. Future work should thus attempt to replicate these findings, as well as study the relationships proposed in this dissertation with a longitudinal or experimental design.
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Dissertation Note
Ph.D. Pennsylvania State University 2017.
Reproduction Note
Microfilm (positive). 1 reel ; 35 mm. (University Microfilms 106-29151)
Technical Details
The full text of the dissertation is available as an Adobe Acrobat .pdf file ; Adobe Acrobat Reader required to view the file.
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