Tag Archives | Diane Badzinski

Morgan, Tanja N., Cheryl A. Hampton, Shanise Davenport, Ellen Young, Diane M. Badzinski, Kathy Brittain Richardson, and Robert H. Woods. “Sacred Symbols with a Secular Beat? A Content Analysis of Religious and Sexual Imagery in Modern Rock, Hip Hop, Christian, and Country Music Videos.” Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 24, no. 3 (Fall, 2012): 432-448.

Abstract: A content analysis of music videos for the 2008 top-rated songs in four musical genres was conducted in order to gauge change in the presence of religious and sexual symbols since the mid-1990s and to determine if sexual and religious images were prevalent in the increasingly popular hip hop genre. Religious images appeared in about one-third of videos across genres, and sexual images appeared in more than half the videos and in all of the hip hop videos. Hip hop and country videos had the highest co-occurrences of religious and sexual imagery, although there was co-occurrence in each genre. The significance and possible interpretations of the symbols and their co-occurrence are discussed.

Woods, Robert H., Diane M. Badzinski, Janie M. Harden Fritz, and Sarah E. Yeates. “The ‘Ideal Professor’ and Gender Effects in Christian Higher Education.” Christian Higher Education 11, no. 3 (July 2012): 158–176.

Abstract: A survey was administered to 451 undergraduate students at a private liberal arts Christian university to identify students’ perceptions of the ideal professor. The survey revealed that the ideal professor places great emphasis on the integration of faith and learning, is flexible (and even easy), maintains high academic standards, encourages students, and has an adaptive teaching style. Findings also highlighted gender differences in student perception of the ideal professor. Women perceived an adaptable teaching style, encouragement, and integration of faith and learning as slightly more important than men did in defining the characteristics of an ideal professor. Implications are framed in terms of student expectations for content and relationship dimensions of learning associated with Christian colleges and universities.

Hirdes, Wendy, Robert Woods, and Diane M. Badzinski. “A Content Analysis of Jesus Merchandise.” Journal of Media and Religion 8, no. 3 (2009): 141-157. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15348420903091030.

Abstract: Despite the growing popularity of Jesus merchandise in Christian retailing, little attention has been given to nontraditional religious media such as Jesus merchandise. The present study examined the persuasive appeals associated with various forms of Jesus merchandise and the primary communication functions that such merchandise fit. A content analysis of 982 pieces of Jesus merchandise revealed that informational and “good times” appeals are the two most common appeals used to promote Christianity. Jesus’ name is used in logical or rational appeals designed to change beliefs and promote positive attitudes toward the Christian faith, while Jesus’ image is used in emotional appeals. Edification is the most common communication function that fit Jesus merchandise analyzed in this study, with evangelism and public relations finishing a distant second and third, respectively. Implications of using certain persuasive strategies and associating particular values with Jesus merchandise were considered.