Professor and Director, Murrow Center for Media & Health Promotion ResearchErica Weintraub Austin (Ph.D., Stanford University, 1989) is the founding director of the Edward R. Murrow Center for Media and Health Promotion Research in the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. She served as Washington State University’s Vice Provost for Academic Affairs from 2013-2019. From June of 2015 to June of 2016 she served as Interim Co-Provost. She previously served as the inaugural dean for the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. She also is an “adopted Cougar” by the WSU Alumni Association and the proud Coug Mom of a 2018 WSU graduate.
Dr. Austin is internationally recognized for her research and outreach on how media literacy and parent-child communication about media contribute to decision making about health and civic affairs among children, adolescents and young adults. She has served as an advisor to the Washington state and federal government and to organizations nationwide on media literacy issues and health communication campaigns. The American Academy of Pediatrics has cited her research in multiple policy statements about the health effects of the media on children and adolescents. Dr. Austin led the Murrow School of Communication to College status and served as its inaugural dean. She also established and led a research consortium that earned formal university recognition as a research center in 2010. She was awarded the 2001 Krieghbaum Under-40 Award from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the Samuel H. Smith Leadership Award from Washington State University in 2008.
Dr. Austin has served as PI, subcontractor, or consultant on media literacy and campaign design/evaluation projects funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture & Food Research Initiative, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation, the Washington State Department of Health, and the Washington State Division of Social & Health Services. She has taught courses in public relations, health promotion and communication campaigns at Washington State University since 1989.
Austin has over 90 published articles and chapters on health promotion and media literacy, as well as a textbook on strategic communication campaign planning, co-authored with Bruce Pinkleton.
Publications:
Austin, E. W., Austin, B. W., Kaiser, C. K., Edwards, Z., Parker, L., & Power, T. (2020). A media literacy-based nutrition program fosters parent-child food marketing discussions, improves home food environment and youth consumption of fruits and vegetables. Childhood Obesity. https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2019.0240
Austin, E. W., Austin, B. W., Kaiser, C. K. (2020). Effects of family-centered media literacy training on family nutrition outcomes. Prevention Science, 21(3), 308-318. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-020-01101-x
Austin, E. W., Austin, B. W., French, B. F., & Cohen, M. A. (2018). The effects of a nutrition media literacy intervention on parents’ and youths’ communication about food. Journal of Health Communication, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2018.1423649
Austin, E. W., Muldrow, A., & Austin, B.W. (2016). Examining how media literacy and personality factors predict skepticism toward alcohol advertising. Journal of Health Communication, 21(5), 600-609. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2016.1153761
Hoffman, E. W., Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., & Austin, B. W. (2016). An exploration of the associations of alcohol-related social media use and message interpretation outcomes to problem drinking among college students. Health Communication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2016.1195677
Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., Chen, Y., & Austin, B. W. (2015). Processing of sexual media messages improves due to media literacy effects on perceived message desirability. Mass Communication and Society, 18, 399-421. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205436.2014.1001909
Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. P., Radanielina-Hita, M. L., & Ran, W. (2015). The role of parents’ critical thinking about media in shaping expectancies, efficacy and nutrition behaviors for families. Health Communication, 30(12), 1256-1268. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2014.930550
Hoffman, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, E. W., & Reyes-Velázquez, W. (2014). Exploring college students’ use of general and alcohol-related social media and their associations to alcohol-related behaviors. Journal of American College Health, 62, 328-335. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2014.902837
Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, E. W., Chen, Y., & Cohen, M. (2013). Assessing effects of a media literacy-based intervention on U.S. adolescents’ responses to and interpretations of sexual media messages. Journal of Children and Media, 7, 1748-2801. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482798.2013.781512
Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, B. W., & Van de Vord, R. (2012). The relationships of information efficacy and media literacy skills to knowledge and self-efficacy for health-related decision making. Journal of American College Health, 60, 548-554. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2012.726302
Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, E. W., Zhou, Y., Willoughby, J. F., & Reiser, M. (2012). Perceptions of news media, external efficacy, and public affairs apathy in political decision making and disaffection. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 89, 23-39. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077699011428586
Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, E. W., Chen, Y., & Cohen, M. (2012). The role of media literacy in shaping adolescents’ understanding of and responses to sexual portrayals in mass media. Journal of Health Communication, 17, 460-476. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2011.635770
Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, E. W., Van de Vord, R. (2010). The role of realism, similarity and expectancies in adolescents’ interpretation of abuse-prevention messages. Health Communication, 25, 258-265. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410231003698937
Kupersmidt, J. B., Scull, T. M., & Austin E. W. (2010). Media literacy education for elementary school substance use prevention: Study of media detective. Pediatrics, 126, 525-531. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-0068
Kistler, M., Rodgers, K. B., Power, T., Austin, E. W., & Hill, L. G. (2010). Adolescents and music media: Toward an involvement-mediational model of consumption and self-concept. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 20(3), 616-630. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00651.x
Austin, E.W., Van de Vord, R., Pinkleton, B. E., & Epstein, E. (2008). Celebrity endorsements and their potential to motivate young voters. Mass Communication & Society, 11, 420-436. https://doi.org/10.1080/15205430701866600
Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, E., W., Cohen, M., Chen, Y., & Fitzgerald, E. (2008). Effects of a peer-led media literacy curriculum on adolescents’ knowledge and attitudes toward sexual behavior and media portrayals of sex. Health Communication, 23, 462-472. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410230802342135
Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., & Funabiki, R. P. (2007). The desirability paradox in the effects of media literacy training. Communication Research, 34, 483-506. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650207305233
Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., & Hust, S. J. T. (2007). The locus of message meaning: differences between trained coders and untrained message recipients in the analysis of alcoholic beverage advertising. Communication Methods & Measures, 1, 91-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/19312450701399354
Pinkleton, B. P., Austin, E. W., Cohen, M., Miller, A., & Fitzgerald, E. (2007). A state-wide evaluation of the effectiveness of media literacy to prevent tobacco use among adolescents. Health Communication, 21, 23-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410230701283306
Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., Van de Vord, R., Arganbright, M., & Chen, Y. (2006). Channel One and effectiveness of media literacy. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 10(3), 115.
Austin, E. W., Chen, Y., Pinkleton, B. E., & Quintero Johnson, J. (2006). The benefits and costs of Channel One in a middle school setting and the role of media literacy training. Pediatrics, 117, e423-e433. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2005-0953
Austin, E. W., Chen, M., & Grube, J. W. (2006). How does alcohol advertising influence underage drinking? The role of desirability, identification and skepticism. Journal of Adolescent Health 38, 376-384. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2005.08.017
Austin, E. W., & Hust, S. J. T. (2005). Targeting adolescents? The content and frequency of alcohol and nonalcohol beverage ads on magazine and video formats November 1999-April 2000. Journal of Health Communication, 10, 769-785. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730500326757
Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., Hust, S. J. T., Cohen, M., &. (2005). Evaluation of American Legacy Foundation/Washington State Department of Health media literacy pilot study. Health Communication, 18 (1), 75-95. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327027hc1801_4
Pinkleton, B. E., & Austin, E. W. (2004). Media perceptions and public affairs apathy in the politically inexperienced. Mass Communication & Society, 7, 319-337. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327825mcs0703_4
Fujioka, Y., & Austin, E. W. (2003). The implications of vantage point in parental mediation of television and child’s attitudes toward drinking alcohol. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 47(3), 418-434. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15506878jobem4703_6
Austin, E. W., & Chen, Y. (2003). The relationship of parental reinforcement of media messages to college students’ alcohol-related behaviors. Journal of Health Communication, 8, 157-170. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730305688
Fujioka, Y., & Austin, E. W. (2002). The relationship of family communication patterns to parental mediation styles. Communication Research, 29, 642-665. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365002237830
Pinkleton, B. E., & Austin, E. W. (2002). Exploring relationships among media use frequency, perceived media importance and media satisfaction in political disaffection and efficacy. Mass Communication & Society, 5, 141-164. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327825MCS0502_3
Pinkleton, B. P., Um, N., & Austin, E. W. (2002). An exploration of the effects of negative political advertising on political decision making. Journal of Advertising, 3(1), 13-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2002.10673657
Andsager, J. L., Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2002). Gender as a variable in interpretation of alcohol-related messages, Communication Research, 29, 246-269. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650202029003002
Austin, E. W., Miller, A. R., Silva, S., Guerra, P., Geisler, N., Gamboa, L., Phakakayai, O., & Kuechle, B. (2002). The effects of increased awareness on college students’ interpretations of magazine advertisements for alcohol. Communication Research, 29, 155-179. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650202029002003
Pinkleton, B. E., & Austin, E. W. (2001). Individual motivations, perceived media importance, and political disaffection. Political Communication, 18, 321-334. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584600152400365
Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, E. W., & Fujioka, Y. (2001). The relationship of perceived beer ad and PSA quality on high school students’ alcohol-related beliefs and behaviors. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 45, 575-597. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15506878jobem4504_3
Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2001). The role of parental mediation in the political socialization process. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 45, 221-240. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15506878jobem4502_2
Andsager, J. L., Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2001). Questioning the value of realism: Young adults’ processing of messages in alcohol-related public service announcements and advertising. Journal of Communication, 51, 121-142. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2001.tb02875.x
Austin, E. W., & Knaus, C. (2000). Predicting the potential for risky behavior among those ‘too young’ to drink, as the result of appealing advertising. Journal of Health Communication, 5, 13-27. https://doi.org/10.1080/108107300126722
Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., & Fujioka, Y. (2000). The role of interpretation processes and parental discussion in the media’s effects on adolescents’ use of alcohol. Pediatrics, 105(2), 343‑349. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.105.2.343
Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., & Dixon, A. (2000). Barriers to public relations program research. Journal of Public Relations Research, 12, 235-253. https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532754XJPRR1203_2
Knaus, C. S., Pinkleton, B. E., & Austin, E. W. (2000). The ability of the AIDS Quilt to motivate information seeking, personal discussion and behavior as a health communication intervention. Health Communication, 12, 301-316. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327027HC1203_05
Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. & Fujioka, Y. (1999). Assessing pro-social message effectiveness: Effects of message quality, production quality and persuasiveness. Journal of Health Communication, 4, 195-210.
Austin, E. W. & Pinkleton, B. E. (1999). The relation between media content evaluations and political disaffection. Mass Communication & Society, 2, 105-122.
Knaus, C. S., & Austin, E. W. (1999). The AIDS Memorial Quilt as preventative education: A developmental analysis of the Quilt. AIDS Education and Prevention, 11, 525-540.
Fortman, K. K. J., Clarke, T. L., & Austin, E. W. (1998). Let’s talk about what we’re watching: Parental mediation of children’s television viewing. Communication Research Reports 15, 413-425. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824099809362141
Austin, E. W., Bolls, P., Fujioka, Y., & Engelbertson, J. (1999). How and why parents take on the tube. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 43, 175-192. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838159909364483
Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, E. W., & Dixon, A. L. (1999). Orientations in public relations research and campaign evaluation. Journal of Marketing Communications, 5, 85-95. https://doi.org/10.1080/135272699345680
Austin, E. W., Knaus, C., & Meneguelli, A. (1998). Who talks how to their kids about TV: A clarification of demographic correlates of parental mediation patterns. Communication Research Reports, 14, 418-430. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824099709388685
Pinkleton, B. E., Austin, E. W., & Fortman, K. K. J. (1998). Relationships of media use and political disaffection to political efficacy and voting behavior. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 42, 34-49. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838159809364433
Austin, E. W., & Johnson, K. K. (1997). Immediate and delayed effects of media literacy training on third graders’ decision making for alcohol. Health Communication, 9, 323-349. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327027hc0904_3
Bolls, P., Tan, A., & Austin, E. (1997). An exploratory comparison of Native American and Caucasian students’ attitudes toward teachers’ communicative behavior and toward school. Communication Education, 46, 198-202. https://doi.org/10.1080/03634529709379091
Austin, E. W. & Freeman, C. (1997). Effects of media, parents and peers on African-American adolescents’ efficacy toward media celebrities. Howard Journal of Communication, 8, 275-290. https://doi.org/10.1080/10646179709361759
Austin, E. W., & Johnson, K. K. (1997). Effects of general and alcohol-specific media literacy training on children’s affinity for alcohol. Journal of Health Communication, 2, 17-42. https://doi.org/10.1080/108107397127897
Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (1995). Positive and negative effects of political disaffection on the less experienced voter. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 39, 215-235. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838159509364300
Austin, E. W. & Meili, H. K. (1994). Effects of interpretations of televised alcohol portrayals on children’s alcohol beliefs. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 38, 417-435. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838159409364276
Austin, E. W. & Dong, Q. (1994). Source v. content effects on judgments of news believability. Journalism Quarterly, 71, Winter, 973-983. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769909407100420
Austin, E. W. & Nach-Ferguson, B. N. (1995). Sources and influences of young school-age children’s general and brand-specific knowledge about alcohol. Health Communication, 7, 1-20.
Austin, E. W. (1993). The importance of perspective in parent-child interpretations of family communication patterns. Journalism Quarterly, 70, 558-568. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769909307000308
Austin, E. W. & Nelson, C. L. (1993). Influences of ethnicity, family communication and media on adolescents’ socialization to U.S. politics. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 37, 419-435. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838159309364233
Austin, E. W. (1993). Exploring the effects of active parental mediation of television content. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 37, 147-158. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838159309364212
Austin, E. W. (1992). Dialogue: Parent-child TV interaction: The importance of perspective. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 36, 359-361. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838159209364184
Austin, E. W., Roberts, D. F., & Nass, C. I. (1990). Influences of family communication on children’s television interpretation processes. Communication Research, 17, 545-564. https://doi.org/10.1177/009365090017004008
Book
Austin, E. W. & Pinkleton, B. E. (2015). Strategic public relations management: Planning and managing effective communication campaigns, third edition. Routledge. First edition published in 2001; second edition published in 2006.
Refereed Book Chapters
Kaiser, C. K., & Austin, E. W. (2020). Advertising Message Interpretation Processes. In J. Van den Bulck (Ed.), The International Encyclopedia of Media Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2016). The Viability of Media Literacy in Reducing the Influence of Misleading Media Messages on Young People’s Decision-Making Concerning Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Substances. Current Addiction Reports, 3(2), 175-181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-016-0100-4
Austin, E. W. and Kistler, M. (2015). Family Mediation of Children’s Media/Internet Use. In C. R. Berger, M. E. Roloff, S. R. Wilson, J. P. Dillard, J. Caughlin, and D. Solomon (Eds.), The International Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Communication. 1–10. John Wiley & Sons. doi 10.1002/9781118540190.wbeic0245
Pinkleton, B. E., & Austin, E. W. (2014). Using continuous-response feedback to distinguish perceptions of effectiveness from actual effectiveness in adolescents’ reactions to anti-tobacco advertising. In Kandi L. Walker, Stuart L. Esrock, and Joy L. Hart (Eds.), Talking Tobacco: Interpersonal, Organizational, and Mediated Messages (pp. 157-171). New York: Peter Lang.
Austin, E. W. (2013). Processes and impacts of political socialization. In D. Lemish (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Children, Adolescents and Media, pp. 264-270. New York: Routledge.
Chen, Y., & Austin, E. W. (2012). The role of parental mediation in the development of media literacy and the prevention of substance use. In E. Scharrer (Ed.), Media Effects/Media Psychology (International Companion to Media Studies), Vol. V, Media Effects/Media Psychology, chapter 32, pp. 1-19. Blackwell-Wiley Publishing. doi: 10.1002/9781444361506.wbiems137
Austin, E. W., Hust, S. J. T., & Kistler, M. E. (2009). Powerful media tools: Arming parents with strategies to affect children’s interactions with commercial interests. Parents and children communicating with society: Managing relationships outside of home, 215-240.
Hust, S. J., Austin, E. W., Pinkleton, B. E., & Chen, Y. (2009). Beer advertising in magazines and its effects on adolescents. In V. R. Preedy & R. R. Watson (Eds.), Beer in health and disease prevention Academic Press-Elsevier.
Pinkleton, B. E., & Austin, E. W. (1998). Media and participation: Breaking the spiral of disaffection. In T. J. Johnson, C. E. Hays & S. P. Hays (Eds.), Engaging the Public: How Government and the Media Can Reinvigorate American Democracy (pp. 75-86). Boulder, Co: Rowman & Littlefield.
Austin, E. W. (1995). Direct and indirect influences of parent-child communication norms on adolescent’s tendencies to take preventive measures for AIDS and drug abuse. In G. Kreps and Dan O’Hair (Eds.), Relational Communication and Health Outcomes (pp. 163-183). SCA Applied Communication Series.
Invited Book Chapters
Austin, E.W., Kallman, D. I., & Kistler, M. (2017). Media literacy approaches for improving youth and family health. In (B. D. Abreu, P. Mihailidis, A. Y. L. Lee, J. Melki, and J. McDougall), The International Handbook of Media Literacy Education. Routledge.
Austin, E. W., & Kistler, M. (2016) Family Mediation of Children’s Media / Internet Use. In Berger, C., & Roloff, M. (Eds.) Encyclopedia of Interpersonal Communication. DOI: 10.1002/9781118540190.wbeic0245
Pinkleton, B. E., & Austin, E. W. (2016). Media literacy. In D. K. Kim and J. Dearing (Eds.), Health Communication Research Measures (pp. 65-76). New York: Peter Lang.
Pinkleton, B. E., & Austin, E. W. (2016). Negative political advertising. In G. H. Stempel & T. K. Hargrove (Eds.), The 21st Century Voter: Who votes, how they vote and why they vote (pp. 298-300). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
Pinkleton, B. E., & Austin, E. W. (2016). News media consumption and political decision making. In G. H. Stempel & T. K. Hargrove (Eds.), The 21st Century Voter: Who votes, how they vote and why they vote (pp. 304-306). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
Pinkleton, B. E, & Austin, E. W. (2015). Media consumption and political decision making. The 21st Century Voter: An encyclopedia of political of who votes, how they vote and why they vote. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
Pinkleton, B. E, & Austin, E. W. (2015). Negative political advertising. The 21st Century Voter: An encyclopedia of political of who votes, how they vote and why they vote. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
Pinkleton, B. E, & Austin, E. W. (2015). Political cynicism. The 21st Century Voter: An encyclopedia of political of who votes, how they vote and why they vote. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
Austin, E. W. (2013). A bicycle riding theory of media literacy. In Silverblatt, A., Encyclopedia of Media Literacy (ABC-Clio).
Austin, E.W. (2008). Using receiver-oriented message analysis to measure media content: Lessons from alcohol advertising. In D. Kunkel, A. Jordan, J. Manganello & M. Fishbein (Eds.), Media Messages and Public Health: A Decisions Approach to Content Analysis. Routledge.
Austin, E. W. (2008). Apathy. In L. L. Kaid & C. Holtz-Bacha (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Political Communication. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Austin, E. W. (2007). Family communication patterns. In J.J. Arnett (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Austin, E. W. (2007). Coviewing. In J.J. Arnett (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Austin, E. W. (2007). Parental mediation. In J.J. Arnett (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Austin, E. W. (2007). The Message Interpretation Process model. In J.J. Arnett (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Austin, E.W., & Pinkleton, B.E. (2007). Alcohol advertising, effects of. In J. Arnett (Eds.), Encyclopedia of children, adolescents, and the media, vol. 1 (pp 90-92).
Austin, E. W. (2001). Effects of family communication on children’s interpretation of television. In J. Bryant & J. A. Bryant (Eds.), Television and the American Family, 2nd Ed. (pp. 377-396). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Austin, E. W. (1995). Reaching young audiences: Developmental considerations in designing health messages. In R. Parrott & E. Maibach (Eds.), Designing Health Messages: Approaches from Communication Theory and Public Health Practice (pp. 114-144). Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.