When Thunder Roars: A Quantitative Assessment of
Argument Strength, Risk Efficacy, and Cognitive Elaboration in Severe Weather
Threat Messaging. (140)
Robert MacDonald, University
of Oklahoma / Oklahoma Mesonet, Norman,
OK
Ioana Cionea, University
of Oklahoma
Abstract:
In recent years, the
importance of effectively communicating weather threats has grown substantially
in both the meteorological and social science communities. This survey study
focuses on two common National Weather Service (NWS) threat messaging campaigns
&lsquoTurn Around Don't Drown' and &lsquoWhen Thunder Roars Go Indoors'
and subsequently tests key features associated with effective communication.
Multiple pre-established
communication research scales and associated analysis methods were adapted
specifically for gauging risk efficacy and cognitive elaboration of individuals
after being exposed to multiple types of NWS threat awareness graphics. Survey
participants were randomly presented with two specific NWS hazard messaging
graphics and were subsequently asked to answer numerous questions regarding
graphic and message content. Questions were divided into sets to assess three
major components risk perception and risk efficacy, argument strength of the
graphic itself and message content, and cognitive elaboration of the
participant after being shown the message. Additionally, survey participants
were asked open-ended response questions in order to provide participants the
ability to freely elaborate their perceptions of the message and threat.
Following data collection,
each respective measure analysis technique was applied in order to
quantitatively assess the effective communication variables measured by each
scale. Furthermore, open-ended responses were analyzed to determine more
information regarding participant perception on the information,
persuasiveness, and graphic design characteristics of each message in order to
give a cohesive, in-depth look at common NWS weather messages from an
argumentation communication perspective.