Faculty

 

 


Rachel Smith


 Assistant Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences

Office: 318 Sparks Building
Telephone: (814) 863-0030

Fax: (814) 863-7986
E-mail: ras57@psu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

 

 

 

 

 

EDUCATION:

 

Ph.D. Communication, Michigan State University, 2003.
M.S. Communication, University of Arizona, 1999.
B.A. CLA, Psychology; B.S. COC, TV/Film, Boston University, 1994.


 

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND INTERESTS:

 

I investigate social influences in health communication. My research focuses on the impact of social phenomena (e.g., social networks, social support, social cognition, and stigma) on message diffusion and behavioral adoption in both domestic and international contexts. Specific interests include:

 

  • Identifying critical message features and critical people within social networks that facilitate and inhibit message diffusion, decision-making, and behavioral adoption in managing health ailments

 

  • Identifying impacts of social influence (e.g., support, norms, and stigma) on communicators' susceptibility to health aliments and immunity

 

  • Developing and extending theoretical models of stigma communication and label management

 

  • Entertainment-education interventions

 

 

COURSES:

 

CAS 202: Communication Theory
CAS 253/453: Health Communication
CAS 557: Health Communication
CAS 597E: Quantitative methods for handing data interdependence

 

 

RECENT PUBLICATIONS:


Smith, R. A., Rossetto, K., & Peterson, B. L. A meta-analysis of perceived
stigma, disclosure of one's HIV + status, and perceived social support. AIDS
Care.  Published online ahead of printing on 17 June 2008,

 

 

Smith, R.A., & Niedermyer, A.J. Keepers of the secret: Desire to conceal a

family member's HIV+ status in Namibia, Africa. Health Communication. 

 

Smith, R.A., & Nguyen, L. (2008). Searching for a "generalized social agent"
to predict Namibians' intentions to prevent sexual transmission of HIV. AIDS

Care, 20, 242-250.

 

Smith, R. A. (2007). Language of the lost: An explication of stigma

communication. Communication Theory, 17, 462-485.

 

Smith, R.A., Downs, E., & Witte, K. (2007). I want to be like you:
Entertainment education, EPPM, and Health Education. Communication

Monographs, 74, 133-153.

 

Smith, R.A., & Peterson, B. L. (2007). "Psst... what do you think?" The
relationship between advice prestige, type of advice, and academic

performance. Communication Education, 56, 278-291.

 

Smith, R.A. (2007). Picking a frame for communicating about genetics:

Stigmas or challenges. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 16, 289-298.

 

Smith, R. A. (2007). Media depictions of health topics: Challenge and stigma

formats. Journal of Health Communication, 12, 233-249.

 

Smith, R.A., Ferrara, M., & Witte, K. (2007). Social sides of health risks:
Stigma and collective efficacy in adopting AIDS orphans. Health

Communication, 21, 1-10.

 

Smith, R.A., & Morrison, D. (2006). The impact of stigma, experience, and
group referent on HIV risk assessments and HIV testing intentions in
Namibia. Social Science & Medicine, 63, 2649-2660.

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AWARDS

 

Top Paper Award, International Communication Association, Mass Communication

Division (2006), Information Systems Division (2004).

 

WEB SITE

 

CIDD:http://www.cidd.psu.edu/people/bio_smith.html

 

 
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