The Braverman article about testimonial vs. informational messages led me to reflect on my work environment at Planned Parenthood. In the clinic waiting room, testimonial messages are presented via the television while printed pamphlets and posters offer lots of factual information. The TV programming is developed by the agency and seeks to provide both factual and testimonial audio/visual information to people who are seated in the waiting room. Some of the TV testimonials, like one segment that highlights a young person talking about their experience of STI testing, are framed in such a way to appeal to the emotional investment or "transportation" of the viewers. After reading the article, I learned how different types of messages in the waiting room could potentially be absorbed by people based on their level of involvement and interest. The discussion from the three different studies in the article helped me to understand why some people who visit the waiting room may or may not be interested in reading a pamphlet and/or listening to the TV programming.
In previous courses, I had heard about the theory of Diffusion of Innovation but never really understood how it was applied. Therefore, I thought the discussion in class about the process of adopting an innovation and the different segments of people who are involved (trendsetters, early majority, laggards, etc.) was quite interesting. The visual representation helped me better grasp the idea behind the theory.
I'm excited to explore different types of messages and channels with 4th and 5th grade students for our group project. The some of PSAs that we viewed in class were pretty creative and varied in approach. Maybe as a group we could brainstorm some PSA ideas to increase fruit and veggie consumption among our target population?
That sounds like a great idea
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