Examining Predictors of US Student Intent to Study Abroad from a Communication Perspective

147 Pages·2015·1.46 MB·English

University of Miami
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2014-12-13
Examining Predictors of U.S. Student Intent to
Study Abroad from a Communication Perspective
Jasmine R. Phillips
University of Miami, [email protected]
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UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

EXAMINING PREDICTORS OF U.S. STUDENT INTENT TO STUDY ABROAD
FROM A COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE

By

Jasmine R. Phillips

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to the Faculty
of the University of Miami
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Coral Gables, Florida

December 2014
©2014
Jasmine R. Phillips
All Rights Reserved
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy

EXAMINING PREDICTORS OF U.S. STUDENT INTENT TO STUDY ABROAD
FROM A COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE

Jasmine R. Phillips

Approved:

________________ _________________
Diane Millette, Ed.D. Thomas Steinfatt, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Communication Professor of Communication

________________ _________________
Shannon Campbell, Ph.D. M. Brian Blake, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Communication Dean of the Graduate School

________________
George Wilson, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology
PHILLIPS, JASMINE R. (Ph.D., Communication)
Examining Predictors of U.S. Student Intent to Study (December 2014)
Abroad From a Communication Perspective.

Abstract of a dissertation at the University of Miami.

Dissertation supervised by Associate Professor Diane Millette.
No. of pages in text. (136)

This study of American undergraduate students explored the communication factors
that contribute to their decisions regarding participation in study abroad programs. The
theoretical framework proposed that several communication constructs were related to
intent to study abroad. Specifically, intercultural communication competence (ICC), and
social influence via face-to-face and computer-mediated communication, were proposed
to affect intent to study abroad. Hypotheses generated in this research were grounded in
literature on the above constructs and guided by the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA;
Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980). Previous literature found that intercultural attitudes such as
openness to other cultures and diversity, ethnocentrism, and intercultural communication
apprehension, influenced study abroad participation (Goldstein & Kim, 2006; Salisbury,
Paulsen, & Pascarella, 2011; Stroud, 2010). Given previous data, it was hypothesized
that ICC would influence intent to study abroad. In addition, the impressionability of
college-aged students and the widespread use of social networking sites (SNSs) led to the
hypothesis that online activities by peers regarding study abroad would influence
participant intent to study abroad. Results of this study indicated that participant level of
intercultural communication competence was not a predictor of intent to study abroad (r
= .02). This result signifies that students were interested in studying abroad regardless of
their level of intercultural communication competence. On the other hand, face-to-face
communication (r = .39) and computer-mediated communication (r = .31) were both
predictors of intent to study abroad. This result means that students were influenced by
online communication with peers and face-to-face communication people important to
them, such as faculty, advisors, parents, and friends. Study implications and suggestions
for future research are discussed.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank my family and friends for their support of this educational endeavor,
diversions along the way, and always believing in me. I would like to thank the chair of
my dissertation committee, Dr. Diane Millette, for her tireless encouragement and
guidance along this journey. I would also like to thank the members of the committee,
Dr. Shannon Campbell, Dr. Thomas Steinfatt, and Dr. George Wilson for their support
and great conversations.

iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... vi

LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................... vii

Chapter

1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 1
Statement of the Problem…………………………………………………… . 7
Purpose of the Study……………………………………………………… .... 8

2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE ........................................................................ 13
Conceptual Framework .................................................................................... 13
Theory of Reasoned Action Components .................................................. 15
Attitude toward the behavior ............................................................... 17
Subjective norm ................................................................................... 18
Motivation to comply ........................................................................... 20
Perceived behavioral control................................................................ 21
Decision to study abroad model ........................................................... 22
Present conceptual model: intent to study abroad model..................... 23
Review of Literature ........................................................................................ 26
Current Context: U.S. Students Studying Abroad ..................................... 26
Intercultural Communication Competence ................................................ 27
Dimensions of intercultural communication competence .................... 31
Cultural intelligence ............................................................................. 40
Language interest ................................................................................. 41
Influence of intercultural competence on study abroad participation .. 42
Social Influence ......................................................................................... 43
Face-to-face communication ................................................................ 43
Computer mediated communication .................................................... 44
Demographics ............................................................................................ 45
Gender, ethnicity, and major ................................................................ 47
Socio-economic indicators ................................................................... 48
Research Question and Hypotheses ................................................................. 49
Summary .......................................................................................................... 51

3 METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................... 53
Participants ....................................................................................................... 53
Procedure ......................................................................................................... 54
Materials .......................................................................................................... 56
Section one ................................................................................................. 56
Intercultural communication competence ............................................ 56
iv
Section two................................................................................................. 58
Beliefs about study abroad participation outcomes ............................. 58
Attitude toward study abroad ............................................................... 58
Section three............................................................................................... 59
Subjective norm ................................................................................... 59
Injunctive normative beliefs ................................................................ 59
Motivation to comply with injunctive normative beliefs ..................... 60
Descriptive normative beliefs .............................................................. 60
Motivation to comply with descriptive normative beliefs ................... 60
Section four ................................................................................................ 61
Intent to study abroad........................................................................... 61
Section five ................................................................................................ 61
Demographics ...................................................................................... 61
Data Analysis ................................................................................................... 62
Descriptive statistics .................................................................................. 62
Pearson’s correlation coefficient................................................................ 62
ANOVA ..................................................................................................... 62
Linear regression ........................................................................................ 63
Analysis of normative beliefs .................................................................... 63
Subjective norm ......................................................................................... 64
Summary .......................................................................................................... 64

4 RESULTS ....................................................................................................... 65
Descriptive Statistics .................................................................................. 65
Correlations ................................................................................................ 70
Research Question and Hypotheses Testing .............................................. 73

5 DISCUSSION .................................................................................................. 95
Characteristics of Students ......................................................................... 96
Relationships Among Theoretical Variables ............................................. 100
Discussion of Key Findings ....................................................................... 101
Intercultural Communication Competence .......................................... 104
Social Influence ................................................................................... 108
Implications of Study ................................................................................. 112
Limitations ................................................................................................. 113
Suggestions for Future Research ............................................................... 115
Conclusion ................................................................................................. 116

REFERENCES…………… ........................................................................................ 120

APPENDIX A: Intent to Study Abroad at University of Miami (ISA-UM)
Questionnaire ....................................................................................... 131

v
LIST OF FIGURES

Chapter Page

2 2.1 Theory of Reasoned Action …… ............................................................. 16
2.2 Equation of Subjective Norm…………………………………………… 21
2.3 Decision to Study Abroad Model…………..……………………………. 23
2.4 Proposed Conceptual Model: Intent to Study Abroad Model……………. 25
2.5 Intercultural Competency Dimensions According to Fantini……………. 39

3 3.1 Equation of Subjection Norm ................................................................... 63

4 4.1 Participant Parental Education ................................................................... 66
4.2 Participant Use of Financial Aid to Pay for College .................................. 67
4.3 Participant Likelihood of Studying Abroad as an Undergraduate Student 70
4.4 Revised Intent to Study Abroad Model ..................................................... 88
4.5 Revised Intent to Study Abroad Model Using DV Intent Regardless of
Finances ..................................................................................................... 93

vi