dc.contributor.advisor | Lizzio, Alf | |
dc.contributor.author | Ryan, Claire Margaret | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2018-01-23T02:29:30Z | |
dc.date.available | 2018-01-23T02:29:30Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2014 | |
dc.identifier.doi | 10.25904/1912/1303 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366421 | |
dc.description.abstract | Opinion leaders (OPLs) are defined as key individuals who are able to influence the attitudes and actions of members of their social network (Rogers, 2003). This research takes an innovative approach to studying the transition to university, drawing from a social contagion model to create an empowerment based intervention where ‘opinion leaders’ influence their peers to build the academic, social, and psychological capital of their cohort. Opinion leaders were prospectively identified in a new cohort of first year students, received training in how to utilise their social influence, and their behaviours and outcomes documented. A series of studies were used to evaluate the intervention. The thesis begins by reviewing the context and central constructs (Chapter 2) and then develops the design of the intervention (Chapter 3). Existing opinion leader literature speculates as to what are the best ways to train opinion leaders, and a unique contribution is offered here by summarising and integrating the most effective training approaches to partnering with opinion leaders. This development work also offers an application of empowerment theory to effective adult learning facilitation. The concept of ‘supportive leadership’, (i.e., the vehicle for opinion leaders to enact their role, is developed into a teachable framework and the design of a short 3-hour group workshop using an experiential learning approach) is presented. The workshop’s goals were to teach opinion leaders mechanisms for utilizing their social influence to mobilise the psychological, academic and social resources of their peers, and encourage proactive engagement with university. In addition, the workshop aimed to increase leaders’ senses of success (Lizzio, 2006) and increase their subjective sense of psychological capital. | |
dc.language | English | |
dc.publisher | Griffith University | |
dc.publisher.place | Brisbane | |
dc.rights.copyright | The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. | |
dc.subject.keywords | Opinion leaders | |
dc.subject.keywords | Social networks | |
dc.subject.keywords | Transition to university | |
dc.subject.keywords | Commencing university students | |
dc.title | Building the Capacity of Commencing Students to Manage Their Transition to University: An Intervention Utilizing Students as Opinion Leaders | |
dc.type | Griffith thesis | |
gro.faculty | Griffith Health | |
gro.rights.copyright | The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise. | |
gro.hasfulltext | Full Text | |
dc.contributor.otheradvisor | O'Donovan, Analise | |
dc.contributor.otheradvisor | Wilson, Keithia | |
dc.contributor.otheradvisor | Holt, Jackie | |
dc.rights.accessRights | Public | |
gro.identifier.gurtID | gu1445229562239 | |
gro.source.ADTshelfno | ADT0 | |
gro.source.GURTshelfno | GURT | |
gro.thesis.degreelevel | Thesis (PhD Doctorate) | |
gro.thesis.degreeprogram | Doctor of Philosophy in Organisational Psychology (PhD OrgPsych) | |
gro.department | School of Applied Psychology | |
gro.griffith.author | Ryan, Claire M. | |