Josh Compton

Selected Publications

• Compton, J., Wigley, S., & Samoilenko, S. (2021). Inoculation theory and public relations. Public Relations Review47(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2021.102116

• Compton, J. (2021). Threat and/in inoculation theory. International Journal of Communication 15, 1-13. doi:1932–8036/2021FEA0002

• Compton, J., van der Linden, S., Cook, J., & Basol, M. (2021). Inoculation theory in the post-truth era: Extant findings and new frontiers for contested science, misinformation, and conspiracy theories. Social and Personality Psychology Compass (15), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12602

• Clear, S. E., Dimmock, J. A., Compton, J., & Jackson, B. (2021). How do inoculation messages work? A two-study mixed-method investigation into inoculation mechanisms. Asian Journal of Communication 31(2), 83-104. https://doi.org/10.1080/01292986.2021.1888306

• Compton, J. (2020). Prophylactic versus therapeutic inoculation treatments for resistance to influence. Communication Theory 30(3), 330-343. https://doi.org/10.1093/ct/qtz004

• van der Linden, S., Roozenbeek, J., & Compton, J. (2020). Inoculating against fake news about COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.566790

• Compton, J., & Mason, A. (2020). Narrative and the inoculation theory of resistance to influence. In S. S. Dunn & G. Nisbett (Eds.), Innovations and implications of persuasive narrative (pp. 23-42). Peter Lang Publishing.

• Compton, J. (2019). “Inoculate yourself with the word of God”: Persuasion inoculation, medical inoculation, and religious rhetoric. Journal of Media and Religion, 18(4), 115-121. https://doi.org/10.1080/15348423.2019.1696122

• Compton, J. (2019). Inoculation at play: Happiness, funniness, types of play, and inoculation theory. STAM Journal, 49, 1-16.

• Compton, J. (2020). Inoculation against/as character assassination. In S.A. Samoilenko, M. Icks, J. Keohane, & E. Shiraev. (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of character assassination (pp. 25-35). London, New York, NY: Routledge.

• Compton, J., & Craig, E. A. (2019). Family communication patterns, inoculation theory, and adolescent substance abuse prevention: Harnessing postinoculation talk and family communication environments to spread positive influence. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 11(2), 277-288. https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12328

• Compton, J. (2019). Late night television comedy, mid-afternoon congressional testimony: Attacks on Stephen Colbert’s House Judiciary committee appearance. Comedy Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/2040610X.2019.1623439

• Compton, J. (2019). Inoculation theory and metaliterate learning. In T. P. Mackey & T. Jacobson (Eds.), Metaliterate learning in the post-truth world (pp. 63-79). Chicago: ALA Publishing.

• Compton, J. (2019). A vaccine for boredom? Considering inoculation theory as a messaging strategy to better engage, and retain, a millennial workforce. In S. A. Smith (Ed.), Recruitment, retention, and engagement of a millennial workforce (pp. 163-176). Landham, MD: Lexington Books.

• Compton, J. (2018). Inoculating against/with political humor. In J. Baumgartner & A. B. Becker (Eds.), Political humor in a changing media landscape: A new generation of research (pp. 95-114). Landham, MD: Lexington Books.

• Compton, J., & Ivanov, B. (2018). Inoculation messaging. In B. Jackson, J. Dimmock, & J. Compton (Eds.), Persuasion and communication in sport, exercise, and physical activity. (pp. 73-90). Abington, UK: Routledge.

• van der Linden, S., Roozenbeek, J., Oosterwoud, R., Compton, J., & Lewandowsky, S. (2018). The science of prebunking: Inoculating the public against fake news. In Written evidence submitted to the Parliamentary Inquiry on Fake News. Available: http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/digital-culture-media-and-sport-committee/fake-news/written/79482.html

• Compton, J. (2018). Osler’s Man’s Redemption of Man: Preemptive protection, attitudinal inoculation, and smallpox inoculation. Proceedings of the 2018 Conference of the Society for the Academic Study of Social Imagery, 22-25. https://www.unco.edu/sassi/SASSIPROCEEDINGSII.pdf

• Compton, J. (2018). When weather forecasters are wrong: Image repair and public rhetoric after severe weather. Science Communication.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1075547018799101

• Compton, J., & Compton, J. L. (2018). The athlete’s image, visual representation, and image repair/image prepare: Tom Brady, Jane Rosenberg, and the courtroom sketches. The International Journal of the Image, 9(2). https://doi.org/10.18848/2154-8560/CGP/v09i02/73-88

• Compton, J. (2018). Presidents on speechwriting: United States presidents’ public statements about speechwriting. The Forensic of Pi Kappa Delta, 103(1), 1-12.

• Compton, J. (2017). Food safety and corporate public relations: Image repair and the Tesco horse DNA scandal. PRism, 14(1), 1-8.

• Jackson, B., Compton, J., Thornton, A. L., & Dimmock, J. A. (2017). Re-thinking anxiety: Using inoculation messages to reduce and reinterpret public speaking fears. PLoS ONE 12(1): e0169972. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0169972

• Compton, J. (2016). Inoculating against a losing season: Can inoculation-informed public relations strategies protect fan loyalty? International Journal of Sport Communication, 9(1), 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/ijsc.2015-0116

• Compton, J. (2016). Image prepare: Image repair, inoculation theory, and anticipated attacks on credibility. The International Journal of the Image, 8(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.18848/2154-8560/CGP/v08i01/1-9

• Compton, J., Jackson, B., & Dimmock, J. A. (2016). Persuading others to avoid persuasion: Inoculation theory and resistant health attitudes. Frontiers in Psychology 7 (122). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00122

• Compton, J. (2015). Political humor on the radio, image repair, and Gracie Allen’s 1940 presidential campaign. Journal of Radio and Audio Media, 22(2), 255-264. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19376529.2015.1083158

• Compton, J., & Compton, J. L. (2015). Open letters from the National Football League, concussion prevention, and image repair rhetoric. International Journal of Sport Communication 8(3), 266-275. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/IJSC.2015-0049

• Ivanov, B., Sims, J. D., Compton, J., Miller, C. H., Parker, K. A., Parker, J. L., Harrison, K. J., & Averbeck, J. M. (2015). The general content of postinoculation talk: Recalled issue-specific conversations following inoculation treatments. Western Journal of Communication, 79(2), 218-238. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10570314.2014.943423

• Jackson, B., Compton, J., Whiddett, R., Anthony, D. R., & Dimmock, J. A. (2015). Preempting performance challenges: The effects of inoculation messaging on attacks to task self-efficacy. PLoS ONE 10(4): e0124886. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124886

• Compton, J., & Compton, J. L. (2014). College sports, losing seasons, and image repair through open letters to fans. Communication & Sport, 2(4), 345-362. https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479513503542

• Compton, J. (2013). Inoculation theory. In J. P. Dillard & L. Shen (Eds.), The Sage handbook of persuasion: Developments in theory and practice, 2nd ed., (pp. 220-237). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

• Compton, J., & Ivanov, B. (2013). Vaccinating voters: New directions for political campaign inoculation scholarship. Annals of the International Communication Association, 37 (1), 250-283. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/23808985.2013.11679152

• Compton, J., & Kaylor, B. T. (2013). Inoculating for small pox inoculation objections in Reverend Cooper’s Letter to a Friend in the Country. Journal of Communication and Religion, 36(1), 92-107.

• Miller, C., Ivanov, B., Sims, J. D., Compton, J., Harrison, K. J., Parker, K. A., Parker, J. L., & Averbeck, J. M). (2013). Boosting the potency of resistance: Combining the motivational forces of inoculation and psychological reactance. Human Communication Research, 39, 127-155. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2012.01438.x

• Compton, J., & Ivanov, B. (2012). Untangling threat during inoculation theory–conferred resistance. Communication Reports, 25(1), 1-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08934215.2012.661018

• Ivanov, B., Miller, C. H., Compton, J., Averbeck, J. M., Harrison, K. J., Sims, J. D., Parker, K. A., & Parker, J. L. (2012). Effects of post-inoculation talk on resistance to influence. Journal of Communication, 62, 701-718. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2012.01658.x

• Parker, K. A., Ivanov, B., & Compton, J. (2012). Inoculation’s efficacy with young adults’ risky behaviors: Can inoculation confer cross-protection over related but untreated issues? Health Communication, 27 (3), 223-233. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2011.575541

• Compton, J. (2012). Frustration vaccination? Inoculation theory and digital learning. In S. P. Ferris (Ed.), Teaching, learning and the net generation: Concepts and tools for reaching digital learners (pp. 61-73). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

• Compton, J. (2011). Surveying scholarship on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. In A. Amarasingam (Ed.), The Colbert/Stewart effect: Essays on the real impacts of fake news (pp. 9-33). Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company.

• Compton, J., & Pfau, M. (2009). Spreading inoculation: Inoculation, resistance to influence, and word-of-mouth communication. Communication Theory, 19, 9-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2885.2008.01330.x

• Compton, J. (2008). More than laughing? Survey of political humor effects research. In Morris, J. S., & Baumgartner, J. C. (Eds.) Laughing matters: Humor and American politics in the media age (pp. 39-66). New York: Routledge.

• Compton, J., & Pfau, M. (2008). Inoculating against pro-plagiarism justifications: Rational and affective strategies. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 36(1), 98-119. https://doi.org/10.1080/00909880701799329

• Compton, J. (2006). Serious as a heart attack: Health-related content of late night comedy television. Health Communication, 19(2), 143-151. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327027hc1902_6

• Compton, J. (2006). Remembering, forgetting, and memorializing the past: Considering forensics from a collective memory theoretical perspective. The Forensic of Pi Kappa Delta, 91, 27-45.

• Pfau, M., Compton, J., Parker, K. A., An, C., Wittenberg, E. M., Ferguson, M., Horton, H., & Malyshev, Y. (2006). The conundrum of the timing of counterarguing effects in resistance: Strategies to boost the persistence of counterarguing output. Communication Quarterly, 54(2), 143-156. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463370600650845

• Compton, J., & Pfau, M. (2005). Inoculation theory of resistance to influence at maturity: Recent progress in theory development and application and suggestions for future research. Annals of the International Communication Association, 29 (1), 97-145. https://doi.org/10.1080/23808985.2005.11679045

• Compton, J., & Pfau, M. (2004). Use of inoculation to foster resistance to credit card marketing targeting college students. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 32, 343-364. https://doi.org/10.1080/0090988042000276014

• Pfau, M., Compton, J., Parker, K. A., Wittenberg, E. M., An, C., Ferguson, M., Horton, H., & Malyshev, Y. (2004). The traditional explanation for resistance versus attitude accessibility: Do they trigger distinct or overlapping processes of resistance? Human Communication Research, 30(3), 329-360. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2004.tb00735.x