RELATING HELMET SAFETY MESSAGES TO MOTORCYCLE RIDERS Susan Amy Voight ...

235 Pages·2013·1.22 MB·English

by  Voight, Susan Amy

CRACKED SKULLS AND SOCIAL LIABILITY: RELATING HELMET SAFETY
MESSAGES TO MOTORCYCLE RIDERS

Susan Amy Voight

Submitted to the faculty of the University Graduate School
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
of the degree
Master of Arts
in the Department of Communication Studies,
Indiana University

August 2013
ii

Accepted by the Faculty of Indiana University, in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts.

Elizabeth M. Goering, Ph.D., Chair

Master’s Thesis
Committee

John Parrish-Sprowl, Ph.D.

Nancy Rhodes, Ph.D.
iii

DEDICATION

This thesis is dedicated to my late grandmother, Meta Ruthenbeck, who every day
of my young life told me, “Susie, you can do anything you want to do, if you just set your
mind to it.”
iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to acknowledge and offer my utmost appreciation to my thesis committee,
three professors who have guided me through my coursework and this thesis. Dr.
Elizabeth Goering, Dr. John Parrish-Sprowl, and Dr. Nancy Rhodes have not only helped
open my mind to the world of academic research, but also have provided extraordinary
encouragement for me, a middle-aged, late-blooming student. Dr. Parrish-Sprowl
introduced me to the many theoretical perspectives available to the communication
scholar. He empowered me by his encouragement to ignore boundaries and seek the
perspectives of all disciplines, and to recognize the value of all opinions. Dr. Elizabeth
Goering helped me to build upon my undergraduate interest in group and intercultural
communication. She has given me tools that I may take with me to future work in
academia and very importantly, in the real world. Dr. Nancy Rhodes helped me with a
difficult, yet fascinating journey to explore human communication from the perspective
of psychology and cognitive processes. Dr. Rhodes has given me the benefit of learning
that a psycho-socio perspective will add value to my previously developed socio-cultural
interest. The quality that each of these professors possess, that was so extraordinary to
me, was the ability to focus upon my individual needs. With all of the responsibilities
balanced by Dr. Goering, Dr. Parrish-Sprowl and Dr. Rhodes for undergraduate and
graduate students, when I met with them, I felt as if I were their priority. I thank each of
you because you have shown me what it means to be supportive and to foster a sense of
empowerment in every student. It is now my strongest desire to support non-traditional
students in the same positive and unwavering way that you have done for me. I am filled
with gratitude and inspiration. Thank you.
v

I am deeply grateful to the motorcycle riders who shared their time with me so
that I could learn of their culture. Some shared memories that I am sure were painful to
discuss, yet of the utmost importance to this study. I thank the eighteen riders who were
so kind as to share their experience with me. In the beginning, one rider told me that no
matter how scruffy and scary motorcycle riders might look on the outside, I would find
that they are the nicest group of people that I could ever meet. As my interviews
progressed, I surely found this to be true.
Most importantly, as in all of my life, I have had the unconditional love and
support of my family and friends. My parents have been especially supportive through
my graduate school experience. I wish to offer a special word of thanks to them. It has
been through experiencing life with these two people, part of “The Greatest Generation”,
I have come to value hard work, being open-minded, and offering a kind welcome to
people of all cultures.
Thank you to all who have helped me complete this educational journey.
vi

ABSTRACT
Susan Amy Voight
CRACKED SKULLS AND SOCIAL LIABILITY: RELATING HELMET SAFETY
MESSAGES TO MOTORCYCLE RIDERS
Grounded theory analysis, informed by a socio-cultural lens, was applied to the
narratives of eighteen motorcycle riders in order to understand, from the rider’s
perspective, receptivity to warning messages regarding motorcycle helmet use. This study
relied upon narrative analysis to identify patterns in communication that surround
motorcycle riders’ experiences. Socio-cultural cues identified importance in the process
of interest development in motorcycle riding, search for information regarding
motorcycle riding, response to danger within the motorcycle riding experience, and
attitude toward protection messages. Narratives specific to danger, or experiences of
motorcycle accidents were analyzed for comparison with fear appeal theory. Special
focus was applied to Terror Management Theory (TMT) and applied to the
communication surrounding the real experiences of motorcycle accident and the
perceived threat of danger while motorcycle riding. Communication evidencing relational
influence was examined for examples of socially constructed interpretation of social
identity and an individual rider's perspective of their lifeworld. The analysis revealed
evidence of the TMT concept of burying or denying thoughts of danger. The TMT
concept of lifeworld influence on behavior was evidenced in riders who did not accept
warning messages involving helmet use. Examples of attitude and behavior change where
present in two study participants’ narratives that described experience of severe injury
and also the death of a friend. The riders cited these occurrences as experiences that
vii

inhibited their previous behavior of placing thoughts of motorcycle injury and death in
the back of mind. Although small in number, this participant group offered multiple
categorizations of rider descriptions. The narratives offered distinction in time of life
when riding interest developed. As well, motorcycle training facilities were often noted
as a source of communication from which riders obtained influence on their future
behaviors. From this information insight was gained to offer suggestions for future
research on time of message delivery. Riders who develop interest in riding as adults
represent a category on which to focus preliminary educational messages. Individuals
who have not yet developed an interest in motorcycle riding may benefit from societal
cues that demonstrate safe riding behavior. Future research in mass media appeals
focused on motorcycle riders are suggested, as is development of educational programs
for delivery to high school audiences.
Elizabeth M. Goering, Ph.D., Chair
viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1-Introduction .........................................................................................................1
Agency Statistics on Highway Safety ..................................................................................1
History of Public Communication Related to Motorcycle Helmets ....................................2
History of Motorcycle Helmet Laws in the United States ...................................................3
Rationale for Study ..............................................................................................................4
Chapter 2-Literature Review ................................................................................................6
Linear Model of Fear Appeal ...............................................................................................7
Influences on Self Protection Behaviors ..............................................................................8
Importance of Narrative .....................................................................................................14
Research Questions ............................................................................................................15
Chapter 3-Methodology .....................................................................................................17
Overview of Experiment ....................................................................................................17
Interview Structure.............................................................................................................19
Participant Recruitment and Data Collection ....................................................................20
Sample Profile ....................................................................................................................20
Data Analysis .....................................................................................................................21
Chapter 4-Findings and Analysis .......................................................................................24
Self-reported Behaviors .....................................................................................................24
Danger ................................................................................................................................25
Cognitive Processing of Warning Messages......................................................................26
Categorization of Group Characterizations .......................................................................27
Relational Influences .........................................................................................................28
ix

Societal and Cultural Influence ..........................................................................................31
Safety .................................................................................................................................35
Specific Relational Associations on Behavior ...................................................................43
Protective Behaviors ..........................................................................................................45
Media Influence .................................................................................................................48
Chapter 5-Conclusion ........................................................................................................51
Evidence of Theory ............................................................................................................51
Relational Influence ...........................................................................................................56
Societal Influence...............................................................................................................57
Response to Research Questions .......................................................................................57
Chapter 6-Recommendations .............................................................................................60
Chapter 7-Limitations ........................................................................................................64
Appendix A: Motorcycle Rider Interview Guide ..............................................................66
Appendix B: Motorcycle Rider Interview Transcripts ......................................................67
References ........................................................................................................................216
Curriculum Vitae
1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
Agency Statistics on Highway Safety

Un-helmeted motorcycle crashes are deemed costly for riders and the public.
Traffic safety studies show that the motorcycle riding community is a population at risk
of severe and costly injury (Naumann and Shults, 2012; Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety, 2012; CDC, 2012, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration
[NHTSA], 2005, NHTSA, 2009). Statistics show that helmets provide significant
protection from traumatic brain injury upon motorcycle crash (Crompton, et al., 2012;
Cavalcante, et al., 2012; Houston, 2010; Ulmer and Northrup, 2005). On the
organization’s website, the NHTSA provided information for the year 2008, reporting
that 5,290 motorcyclists were killed. This number was an increase over 2007 statistics.
The NHTSA estimated that helmets saved the lives of 1,829 motorcyclists in 2008, and
that 823 more lives could have been saved if all motorcyclists had worn helmets
(NHTSA, 2008). These statistics suggests that more riders should be converted to being
helmet-wearing riders if fatality rates are to decline. Yet, as evidenced by the post
mortem count provided by the NHTSA, some riders choose to avoid helmet use
(NHTSA, 2008). The repercussions of motorcycle accidents go beyond pain and possible
death of the non-helmeted rider. For non-helmeted riders, emergency care is more
extensive and the time needed for physical rehabilitation is greater than for helmet riders
after a crash (Brandt, et al., 2002). Recuperation time for the accident victim may take
him or her away from work for an extended period of time, thereby creating a financial
hardship on top of medical bills. The financial consequences of non-helmeted motorcycle