Date of Award

4-5-2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

School of Communication

First Advisor

Kevin R. Meyer

Abstract

A single study was conducted exploring perceptions of causal attributions communicated through a task performance error during a live sports broadcast. Participants were recruited from within the live broadcast sports community and causal attributions of a camera operator’s performance were measured using a Multidimensional Observer Attributions for Performance Scale (MOAPS) developed by Rutherford, Harari, and Rudolph (2013). Additional scales were created to measure perceptions of importance, frequency, and future hiring recommendations. Results found that following a camera mistake in a live sports broadcast, the camera operator’s relationship with the director significantly influenced future hiring recommendations and attributions of ability in certain conditions. A camera operator in a close relationship with a director was more likely to be recommended for future work compared with a camera operator in a distant relationship with a director. As expected, fatigue had no significant impact on future hiring recommendations. However, fatigue influenced attributions of luck in certain conditions. This study extended attribution theory into the area of live sports broadcasts and sports communication generally. Practical and theoretical implications of the results are discussed.

Comments

Imported from ProQuest Lynn_ilstu_0092N_11193.pdf

DOI

http://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2018.Lynn.B

Page Count

172

Included in

Communication Commons

Share

COinS