UROP Project
From Luxury to Necessity: Understanding how product value impacts consumer perceptions of brand activism using semi-structured interviews
brand activism, consumer perceptions, branding
Research Mentor: ajohns@fsu.edu Ashley N Johns, She/her
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Communication, Communication and Information
Contact Email: ajohns@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: School of Communication, Communication and Information
Contact Email: ajohns@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all
Mass Communication Studies
Advertising
Public Relations
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-7 hours per week, flexible schedule, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all
Mass Communication Studies
Advertising
Public Relations
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: Partially Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-7 hours per week, flexible schedule, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable
Project Description
This project will employ semi-structured interviews to understand how perceived value of a product impacts their perceptions of brand activism effortsResearch Tasks: Complete CITI Training (free research ethics course provided by the University)
Learn qualitative research methods
Develop research interviewing skills
Conduct semi-structured interviews
Understand the components of an interview analysis
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required:
Willingness to interview people you do not know→ this will be a major part of the tasks
Have a collaborative nature (you will be working on a team)
Preferred:
Baseline understanding of the research process
Basic understanding of Google Suite Applications (Google Sheets, Docs, etc)
Previous experience with qualitative research
Detail-oriented
Mentoring Philosophy
"No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world."– Mr. Keating, Dead Poets Society
At the heart of research mentorship is a belief that every student, regardless of background, experience level, or identity, has the capacity to contribute meaningfully to academic knowledge. As a mentor, I see it as my role to support, challenge, and walk alongside mentees as they explore ideas that matter to them, while developing the confidence and skillsets to navigate the research process and larger academic community. My approach to research mentorship is guided by four key commitments: (1) amplifying diverse voices and approaches, (2) connecting research to future goals, (3) meeting mentees where they are, and (4) fostering a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative research environment.