This article explores the venerable diffusion of innovations model and how changing technologies impact its applications and generalizations viewed as “products” of the model. We've examined some of the concepts involved, including characteristics of innovations, stages in the process, and characteristics of adopters. Then we attempted to develop a more complex understanding of the diffusion process by integrating theoretical frameworks from information sciences and uses and gratifications theory in developing a model for adopting technologies themselves.

This study examines personality traits and motivations in association with individuals’ online news comment behavior. A survey of 517 participants indicated that those who were more agreeable and narcissistic were motivated for posting comments on online news. Motivations including informing, getting feedback, and exhibitionism predicted the frequency of posting on news comment sections, while social connection was a major predictor of commenting on the news shared in social media. Implications for using this online opinion-posting mechanism are discussed.

The present study assesses perceptions of (1) the quality of American graduate programs in communication, (2) the qualities that communication scholars deem important in a communication PhD program, and (3) the adequacy of the number of PhD programs with specific specialties and applications in communication. A national survey of communication faculty and chairs was conducted via the World Wide Web. Study results suggest that top evaluative criteria for doctoral programs included the quality of the university library, up-to-date computer facilities, student attendance at academic conferences, the national research reputation of the communication faculty, and faculty encouragement of students to explore diverse perspectives on communication research. The only specialty for which a majority of respondents reported there are “not enough” is Media Information Technologies. Program quality rankings confirm past work suggesting that Midwestern programs—particularly those with applied origins in agricultural journalism—continue to rank highly in the field.

Purpose: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the public relied heavily on digital media to stay tuned for the latest update. Media preference could increase risk perceptions, although the influence of diverse media exposure remains unknown. Based on protection motivation theory, this study aims to investigate how digital media exposure diversity and information verification influence vaccination intention. Design/methodology/approach: Analyzing survey data from 837 respondents in China, this study examined the effects of digital media exposure on information verification, including their influences on the threat appraisal, coping appraisal, vaccine misinformation beliefs, subjective norms and trust in vaccines. Findings: Results indicate that diversity of digital media exposure increased threat appraisal (perceived severity) and coping appraisal (response efficacy and self-efficacy), while information verification increased only coping appraisal (response efficacy and self-efficacy). In addition, diversity of digital media exposure decreased vaccine misinformation beliefs. Furthermore, digital media exposure and information verification were linked to vaccination intention via the mediations of response efficacy, subjective norms and trust in vaccines. Originality/value: This study is the first of its kind to investigate media exposure diversity in the context of vaccination and health crises. Our findings extended the PMT framework by exploring proactive information-related behaviors as antecedents of mediation processes. In addition, we examined misinformation beliefs, social norms and trust as societal influences. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.

Knowledge and the Knowledge Gap: Time to Reconceptualize the “Content”