Explicit Messages Research Articles

“Only some can succeed Here”: A mixed methods study of how faculty unproductive mindsets relate to Gender, Racial, and First-Gen representation in higher education

Gender, racial/ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities pervade academia. Though there are a wealth of established reasons for these gaps, recent research has begun to examine how faculty beliefs contribute to representation outcomes for groups stereotyped as lacking intelligence. Extending prior research and using a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach, the present study investigates how field-specific ability beliefs (beliefs about the importance of brilliance) and fixed mindsets (beliefs about the immutability of intelligence) relate to the representation of women, racial/ethnic minorities, and first-generation students at various levels of academia. In a quantitative study of 1,025 faculty from 83 departments, self-reported beliefs exhibited negative correlations with representation outcomes in the small to very large range (−.16 > r’s > -0.44). Qualitative findings, however, suggest a more complicated relationship. Focus group data from undergraduate and graduate students in two departments differing in faculty beliefs (N = 32), suggested that both explicit and implicit messages from professors, peers, and the learning environment are important contributors to students’ experiences, beliefs, and decisions. The results call for more intentional considerations, both in research and in practice, of the messages students receive from the environments in which they learn.

Accurate minority Language Representation in the Public Space: the case of Arabic in Israel

ABSTRACT Although Arabic is the native language of a fifth of the Israeli population, its representation in the Israeli linguistic landscape (LL) is problematic. Adopting a sociolinguistic framework that underscores the political nature of language (Ben-Rafael 2009), this study invited Palestinian-Israeli college students to reflect on the linguistic reality in their area through the participatory documentary photography tool ‘PhotoVoice’. The students captured photos of linguistic landscapes, analysed them, and wrote commentaries voicing their reflections. Students ‘PhotoVoices’ shed light on the abundance of mistakes in Arabic words on the signs. Content analysis of the ‘PhotoVoices’ on this issue highlighted students’ cognitive and emotional perceptions and emerging awareness of the explicit and implicit messages delivered through the signage.

Sexting among College Students in Africa: A Scoping Review of Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Impact

Sexting has become a common mode of expression within the digital realm. Understanding sexting in the context of African college campuses is crucial, as it reflects the impact of technological advancements and the interplay of cultural norms, values, and societal factors. This review seeks to provide evidence to inform context-specific initiatives and policies aimed at promoting responsible digital communication and enhancing the well-being of college students within the continent. This scoping review followed the guidelines by Askey and O’Malley. The search for records was conducted in four main electronic databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, Central, and JSTOR. Additional searches were conducted using Google Scholar, Google, and ProQuest. A total of 11 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Results: The findings of this review are grouped under the following four main headings: type of sexting, prevalence, predictors of sexting, and outcomes of sexting. The main types of sexting were sending and receiving nude pictures and sexually explicit messages and posting explicit videos and photos on social media. The prevalence rates for general sexting ranged from 9.9% to 74.4%. Positive outcomes of sexting included increased condom negotiation skills and sexual communication that contribute to safer sexual practices. Negative sexual outcomes included high-risk-taking sexual behaviour such as multiple sexual partners. This review highlights the intricate facets of sexting among African college students, and emphasises the interplay between digital communication, societal norms, and individual behaviours. Policies should prioritise cyberbullying prevention, privacy protection, and ethical technology use.

Stylistic analysis of election campaign visuals in the secure and intensely competitive constituencies of the 2021 Sarawak State Election

This study analysed election campaign visuals in the secure and intensely competitive constituencies of Kuching and Kota Samarahan during the 2021 Sarawak State Election. Using Crystal and Davy’s (1969) framework of stylistic analysis and Benoit’s (2017) functional theory of political campaign communication, 20 posters and 12 banners were analysed to examine their graphetic, typographical and textual features. Findings show that graphetically, the campaign visuals in secure constituencies often used images to acclaim past achievements while those in intensely competitive constituencies reflected the electorate’s dissatisfaction to attack. Typographically, the campaign visuals in the secure constituencies only used capitalisation whereas those in intensely competitive constituencies used capital letters, questions marks, and exclamation marks. Analysis of textual choices reveals the presence of explicit messages in phrasal form in the election posters and banners in both the secure and intensely competitive constituencies.

Environmental Wisdom Reflected in Uluan Pantun from a Symbolic Interactionism Perspective

Traditional oral literature has long served to preserve and pass down cultural values and wisdom. In the Uluan society of South Sumatra, pantun, a traditional Malay poetic form, plays a central role in communicating messages related to societal norms and environmental stewardship. This study explores the environmental wisdom embedded in Uluan pantun, using a symbolic interactionism perspective to examine how these oral traditions convey ecological messages. The research employs a qualitative methodology with an ethnographic communication approach. Data were collected through documentation of ancient pantun texts, in-depth interviews with cultural practitioners and local community members, participatory observation in key Uluan regions, and focus group discussions (FGD) to provide a comprehensive view of how pantun is actualized in contemporary environmental conservation efforts. The results show that pantun is an important medium for conveying explicit and implicit messages about the natural environment, reflecting the community’s deep connection with nature. However, modern challenges such as deforestation and land degradation have threatened the sustainability of these traditions. The novelty of this research lies in its examination of pantun as an instrument for ecological communication, an area that has received little attention in previous studies. The findings imply that revitalizing the ecological messages within pantun could significantly promote environmental awareness and community-driven conservation in Uluan society today.

Theorizing Interpersonal and Technological Dimensions of Privacy in the Exchange of Sexual Communication

As technology continues to evolve, so too do privacy concerns individuals have about technology. This is especially true when individuals share highly sensitive, personal content through technology. When individuals sext, they are sharing sexually explicit messages, photos, and videos with another person. Two theories are interrogated in how they may apply to sexting and privacy: communication privacy management theory and privacy calculus. Utilizing these theories, privacy is highlighted in this article as a negotiation process between partners and technologies. Individuals must consider who they share material with and the channels they use, and these theories can help in developing a better understanding of these processes. Sexting can be a positive influence on adults’ romantic relationships, whether serious or casual; yet, they need to be able to engage in these behaviors in ways that encourage trust both interpersonally and with their technology.

Message patterns of online gender-based humor discriminatory practices biases stereotyping and disempowering tools through discourse analysis

This study explored the message patterns of gender-based humor in social media in different layers of discriminatory practices against certain genders, language biases against women and LGBT including elements of stereotyping and disempowering tools against the personal images of subordinate genders. This research used discourse analysis based on the mapped-out online posts and comments of the fourteen (14) profiles of individuals and extracted their important testimonies based on the collected online gender-based humor to elicit the message patterns. Gender-based humor online enhanced the language use in creating messages that express biases towards women and the LGBT. Humor has both implicit and explicit messages that stereotype women and LGBT as weak and slow. These senses of humor also disempower the women and LGBT's personal images as groups who are easily dominated or are cowards. As asserted, gender-based humor posed a threat to community as it highlights hierarchy-enhancing social roles. Gender-based humor in social media appeared as a mainstreamed form of social differentiation.

Exploring medical curriculum leadership and management training: Perspectives of doctors and medical educators in Botswana

Background. The University of Botswana Faculty of Medicine (UB FOM) is the only medical school in Botswana, and was opened to address shortages that other workforce strategies were not achieving at a sufficient rate. The UB FOM programme involves early patient contact at all levels of healthcare. Newly-graduated doctors are expected to perform managerial responsibilities, a role which few medical curricula include formal training for. Objectives. To explore the perceptions of graduates and medical educators (MEs) on the leadership and management training in the medical curriculum in Botswana. Methods. A non-theory driven qualitative study using thematic analysis was conducted. Twelve MEs and graduates from UB FOM were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted until data saturation was reached. Data were transcribed and analysed. Results. Two themes were developed: Starting small to be tall and Planting the seeds. Theme 1 describes the explicit messages of being future managers and leaders unaccompanied by formal training. Theme 2 acknowledges the insufficient training and describes the call for scaffolded longitudinal leadership and management teaching, and enhanced interprofessional education. Conclusion. Elements of leadership and management training are already included within the curriculum. The health system expectation that these graduates will immediately assume leadership and management responsibilities necessitates the strengthening of these aspects. The inclusion of critical content and further expansion of interprofessional education can be considered. The UB FOM is in a position to actualise its identified leadership and management competencies to serve the needs of its graduates and those in their care.

Nurturing Empowering Perceptions: Exploring High School Girls' Perspectives on Gender Equity in Formal Educational Context and Factors Beyond

The primary objective of this article is to conduct an in-depth analysis of multiple factors-cultural, religious, and educational—that shape the perceptions of gender equality among female high school students. Focusing specifically on this demographic sample enables a nuanced exploration into how adolescence interacts with these factors to influence their perspectives on gender roles and expectations. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, going beyond the traditional educational paradigms, to include a variety of external influences such as familial backgrounds, religious texts, sociocultural norms, and the overall school environment. The research aims to contribute to the scholarly discourse on gender equality by enriching our understanding of how societal attitudes permeate classroom walls to shape young girls' viewpoints. By doing so, this study aspires to unearth the implicit and explicit messages received by female students that sustain gender imbalances. This serves the dual purpose of not only highlighting these influencing variables but also leveraging this knowledge to develop targeted interventions. The ultimate goal of this research is to formulate insightful strategies that promote a more equitable and empowering perception of girls and, by extension, women in society. These strategies will be rooted in the findings, which delineate the complex relationship between culture, religion, and education in shaping these perspectives. Thus, the research provides practical insights that could serve as foundational elements for fostering a more inclusive and empowering socio-educational environment for female students and women in the future.

Tribunal was wrong to take no action against junior doctor who sent explicit messages to two nurses.

Tribunal was wrong to take no action against junior doctor who sent explicit messages to two nurses.

Blue without my Green: A Corpus Analysis on Colours of Grief and Emotive Expressions of Amy Winehouse’s Compositions

Singers and songwriters use their music as a platform for communication, using lyrics to express intimate sentiments - often caused by the pressures of the music industry as well as personal matters such as mental health. In this study, we analysed Amy Winehouse’s songs, exploring the explicit and subliminal affective messages using linguistic techniques i.e., metaphors and colour symbolism. Grounded on corpus analysis and stages of grief theory, we looked at linguistic patterns and intensity of word choice related to Amy’s choices of colours and emotive expressions. The findings show that sadness was the most prevalent emotion in her lyrics and its correlation to her mental health issues; the transition of positive sentiments developing into negative emotions was also evident in the data. Her complex relationships and experiences were also infused into her deliberate self-portrayal of catalytic mental deterioration, self-destruction, and torment. This study offers new insights in corpus analysis research on psycholinguistics and mental health in pop culture.

Children’s exposure to aggression and stereotypes presented in fairy tales

Abstract Several authors draw attention to implicit or explicit messages about the real world, aspects that we probably think less about when choosing a story to read to young children. Examples of behavioural antimodels can be easily captured by a competent pedagogue or parent in narrative writings such as fairy tales or stories belonging to well-known writers from the international and Romanian literature. The present study envisages a qualitative investigative approach, based on semi-structured interviews, aiming to explore parents’ perceptions regarding the effect of preschoolers’ exposure to stereotypes and verbal and behavioural aggression found in many of the traditional fairy tales and most circulated stories. The results of the study were compiled by investigating the responses of the 12 participants (N=12) based on three dimensions of analysis. Thus, a first dimension focused on the vision of the effects of aggression present in literary texts on children and the way to manage passages marked by violence. The second dimension sought to identify the opinion of the parents interviewed in relation to the possible consequences of the repeated exposure of children to clichés and stereotypes. The last unit of analysis aimed to picture the participants’ beliefs regarding the need to harmonize the subjects of fairy tales and stories heard by preschoolers to the current lifestyle of today’s society. The end of the paper includes a series of discussions with reference to the educational implications, limitations of the study and future research directions.

Public perceptions and legal dimensions of juvenile sexting

The sending of sexually explicit messages, or “sexting” has been recognized as a common practice among youths. As sexting may involve the creation and distribution of sexually explicit images and videos, juvenile sexters can be charged with offenses related to child pornography. This study examined public attitudes toward juvenile sexting and demographic influences on these views. Based on a quantitative survey of 1,023 U.S. adults, the majority of respondents (51.8%) disapproved of criminalization in cases of consensual sexting, but 80% supported legal repercussions for nonconsensual sharing. Respondents primarily favored educational interventions (67.4%) and restrictions on technology use (53.4%) over harsh punishments, such as incarceration (15.2%) and sex offender registration (11.5%). Multiple regression analyses revealed that age, sex, and political orientation significantly shaped these attitudes, with older and conservative respondents more likely supporting criminalization, and males showing leniency. The findings suggest public support for differentiating consensual sexting and nonconsensual sharing in legal terms and for prioritizing education over punitive measures.

Estimating the Prevalence and Identifying the Correlates of Sexting Behaviors Among Cambodian Male Adolescents.

Male youths are more likely to experience peer pressure that encourages them to engage in risky behaviors than female youths, and this pressure can lead to an increased risk of sexting among male youths. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with sexting among Cambodian male youths. The correlational cross-sectional study design was utilized. This study surveyed 647 Cambodian male youths aged 15 to 24 years. The measurement included sending or receiving messages (sexts) that contain sexually explicit messages, images, or videos, and affecting factors to sexting. Around 32.5% of participants sent sexts, and 38.9% received them. Open relationships, pornographic website use, perception of friends' sexual activity, frequent thoughts about sex, higher sexual sensation-seeking tendencies, positive attitudes toward sex, and sexual experience were associated with increased likelihood of sending and receiving sexts. Based on the findings of this study, by offering suitable education, guidance, and intervention programs, we can effectively mitigate the adverse repercussions of sexting while fostering healthy sexual behaviors among youths.

An Evaluation of Preschool Children’s Books with Respect to the Principle of Appropriateness for Children

This study aims to determine the suitability of the books to the principle of appropriateness for children. The research database, modelled in the form of case study, one of the qualitative methods, consists of a selection of 60 books that were randomly selected among the most read preschool children’s books, targeting an audience aged 0 to 6 years. The data, which were organized using descriptive analysis, underwent a thorough examination through content analysis. Educational messages in the books presented explicitly and implicitly were also identified using the document analysis method, analyzed through the descriptive analysis method, and evaluated in terms of children’s education and development. The cases in which the texts of pre-school children’s books can be characterized as conflicting with the principle of appropriateness for children can be categorized as follows: errors in language and expression (spelling and punctuation mistakes; non-adherence to textuality criteria; inadequate attention to consistency; selection of words unsuited to children’s cognitive development; and translation errors), errors related to images (image-text mismatch, or inconsistency between images), and errors concerning children’s universe of meaning (explicit and implicit messages that diverge from values-oriented education). The results of the study were discussed in detail, supported by the relevant literature. As a result, to mitigate the potential adverse effects arising from errors in children’s books, it becomes essential to follow the basic principles of children’s literature as to the communication of explicit and implicit messages, to review books in detail before they are presented to children, and to organize the content accordingly.

El diseño como mediación comunicativa para el desarrollo de proyectos gráficos colaborativos

Collaborative graphic design is a form of teamwork that allows the creation of visual communication projects with a broader and multidisciplinary vision. This article shows the concept of design and communication as communicative mediation and its importance in the development of collaborative graphic projects for the improvement of projects. It analyzes how design acts as a means for communication and interaction between members of multidisciplinary teams, and how it encourages creativity, understanding and effective management of the project to be developed. In addition, the relevance of design as a tool for collaboration and teamwork in the graphic field is highlighted, where the communications messages exposed in a collaborative way are projected to transmit explicit assertive messages in the projects.

UNRAVELLING THE VISION OF PEACE AND UNITY A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF JOHN LENNON'S IMAGINE

This research investigates the iconic and timeless masterpiece song "Imagine" by John Lennon, seeking to unravel the profound messages and ideologies that lie beneath its evocative lyrics for peace, unity, and social change. The study employs Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) by Teun A. van Dijk to conduct a comprehensive analysis of macrostructure, superstructure, and microstructure of the song. This research adopts a qualitative approach, utilizing content analysis and thematic analysis to explore the meanings and messages conveyed in the lyrics. Content analysis is employed to examine the explicit messages and themes presented in the song, while thematic analysis delves into the implicit meanings and underlying ideologies. This study finds that in the level of macrostructure, the vision of a utopian world free from religious, national, and materialistic barriers emerges as the central message, emphasizing the value and dignity of every individual. The superstructure analysis delves into the construction of the song's elements and their cohesive arrangement, highlighting its universal appeal and global consciousness to participate actively in creating positive change to build a better world. The microstructure analysis investigates the nuanced meanings conveyed by specific linguistic elements, such as rhetorical devices, lexical choices, emotive language, and direct address. Beyond its explicit messages, "Imagine" serves as a critique of societal constructs that perpetuate divisions and inequalities, challenging listeners to imagine alternative ways of organizing society based on compassion and shared humanity.

Munus triplex: A pedagogical application of a theological concept

The authors considered the identity of Christian teachers to be an urgent matter because of rapid changes in society, and assumed that such a consideration could help to envision education in an authentic way. They recognised that the current understanding of Christian identity emphasises unity with Christ and, therefore, set out to demonstrate that this unity is not only a matter of private spiritual life, but must also be carefully considered in professional practice. This article is not a research paper per se, but rather an exploratory, constructive essay. The authors examined and elaborated on unity with Christ with the help of the so-called three offices of Christ: prophet, priest, and king. After interpreting the Heidelberg Catechism and bringing it into critical dialogue with contemporary voices, they identified the implications of the three offices for educational practice. The office of prophet was reflected in both the implicit and explicit messages of the teacher. The office of priest was observable in a teacher’s compassionate behaviour, while the office of king was seen in the teacher’s humble citizenship and struggle against evil, as well as in the ethical views that a teacher promotes in class. Three offices were found helpful in rethinking Christian teachers’ role. The implications of this research included the potential for counterbalancing dualistic practices (role of the prophet), placing an emphasis on care instead of neoliberal pressures (role of the priest), and envisioning subject content within the coming of the kingdom (role of the king).Contribution: Through its consideration of the teaching profession in terms of the three offices of Christ, this article’s research seeks to enhance the professional identity of faithful Christian teachers. While the focus is primarily on those employed in Christian schools and also intends to influence the identity of those working in secular settings. The authors argue that teachers are prophets in the messages they impart, priests when they act compassionately, and kings when they encourage dedicated and exemplary citizenship.

ANALISIS NOVEL 00.00 KARYA AMEYLIA FALENSIA DITINJAU DARI SEGI KONFLIK BATIN TOKOH LENGKARA TINJAUAN PSIKOLOGI SASTRA

Inner conflict arises in everyone, especially when someone faces or chooses between two choices or several possibilities that are generally experienced by the main character in fictional (fictional) stories that are closely related to one's psychology. This article aims to describe and explain aspects of the inner turmoil that the character of Lengkara receives from the people around him in the novel 00.00 by Ameylia Falensia, using the literary psychology approach of Sigmund Freud. This theory explains human development and personality. Sigmund Freud divides aspects of personality structure into three parts, namely: Id, Ego and Superego. This study uses descriptive qualitative research approaches and methods through analysis of the contents of the novel using a literary psychology approach, especially in terms of inner conflict. Data analysis was carried out by covering three components namely; (1) Data reduction; (2) Data Presentation; and (3) Conclusion Drawing. This research can certainly inspire us as readers in responding to this life, even though people are mean to us as much as possible we still have to live and fight for justice for himself, why was he hated so badly by his parents, even the people around him who gradually started to hate him. This novel also contains many implied and explicit messages. Some of them, the importance of the role of the father figure in the life of his daughter and in establishing a relationship should be mutually open so that there are no misunderstandings.

Are advertising campaigns for water conservation in Latin America persuasive? A mixed-method approach

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for an urgent reduction of global water footprint. Communication is crucial to respond to this call. However, most water conservation communication campaigns use the knowledge deficit model and overlook persuasive techniques. This paper presents a mixed-method approach consisting of exploratory sequential qualitative (content) analysis followed by a quantitative (cluster) analysis. This approach was used to explore the communication strategies of 95 advertisements promoting water conservation in Latin America. Four widely used persuasion frameworks were analyzed: (1) the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), (2) prospect theory (gains vs. losses), (3) the action framework (i.e., do more vs. take less), and (4) the temporal distance frame. Regarding persuasive characteristics (ELM model), most ads excluded behavioral beneficiaries (58%) and included explicit (60%) and active (52%) messages. Virtually all ads (87%) had a denotative message. Surprisingly, only 3% and 43% of ads used social norms and an authority source, respectively. Regarding the communication strategy, 44% of ads used a loss frame, and 59% focused on the current generation. Cluster analysis was used to classify the sample of ads into homogeneous groups. This analysis leads to a better understanding of the profile of campaigns promoting water conservation. Four advertising profiles were identified: (1) Persuade to act (29%), (2) Motivate without scaring (35%), (3) Raise awareness of water problems (19%), and (4) Warn of water problems (17%). The paper offers a discussion of the implications for social marketers and directions for future research on how to design effective communication campaigns.