Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1433-9641

Date Available

6-13-2027

Year of Publication

2025

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Communication and Information

Department/School/Program

Communication

Faculty

Nancy Grant Harrington

Abstract

This dissertation explored the role of message design in shaping individuals' perceptions of their social networks and how these perceptions influence behavior.

Drawing from social network analysis, communication theory, and cognitive activation research, this study examined the impact of goal-driven messages on the cognitive activation of social networks, particularly in the context of diabetes management. The research sought to integrate network reticulation theory (NRT) and multiple goals theory to investigate whether messages influence how individuals recall and utilize their social connections. Through a multi-study experimental design, this dissertation sought to determine whether messages emphasizing identity, relational, or task goals lead to distinct patterns of network cognition among individuals with diabetes. Results showed that variation by message content, not goal type, predicted differences in network size and constraint. These findings suggest that communication theory has a role to play in future network cognition literature and theory building. Findings from this research can contribute to the fields of communication, network cognition, and health behavior by demonstrating how message construction influences social network perception and decision-making processes.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2025.254

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Available for download on Sunday, June 13, 2027

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