Query: mascots

title: The psychosocial effects of Native American mascots: a comprehensive review of empirical research findings
abstract: Approximately 2,000 teams in the U.S. utilize Native American mascots, the majority of which are associated with schools. Across the nation there continue to be many intense conflicts over these mascots. Most conflicts focus on differences in opinion, rather than on the effects of these mascots. The purpose of this article is to provide educational decision makers with a comprehensive review of research on the psychosocial effects of Native American mascots. This body of research suggests that these mascots generate undesirable effects. First, they are psychologically detrimental to Native American students. Second, for non Native persons, they are associated with negative stereotypes of Native Americans. Third, these mascots undermine intergroup relations by increasing negative stereotyping of Native Americans. Lastly, supporters of these mascots are more apt to believe prejudicial ideas. We discuss these findings relative to broader societal contexts.

title: Addressing Social Dilemmas with Mascots, Information, and Graphics
abstract: This research was supported by funding from the National Science Foundation for the North East Water Resources Network (NEWRnet) (grant #IIA 1330406) and from the Center for Behavioral and Experimental Agri environmental Research (CBEAR) which is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service. We are grateful for comments received during the 2015 Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association Annual Meeting and the 2015 Behavioral and Experimental Economists of the Mid Atlantic Conference. Authors listed in alphabetical order.

title: Creating a Sincere Look: Face Ratios of Brand Mascots Affect Social Categorisation and Trust
abstract: Firms deploy humanised entities such as mascots or avatars in many ways. These entities have multiple purposes, including brand representation, brand message transfer, or online customer assistance. Prior research on the deployment of humanised entities has provided insight into the impact of the design of such entities. However, the existing research has primarily focused on obvious dimensions of design, such as avatar type or perceived attractiveness.

title: Mascots, Metaphor, Methodology: Counter Poetics
abstract: Through a series of counter poems, the authors, one of whom is a sport mascot performer, consider the experiences, cultural (mis)representations, and significance of sports mascots in United States.

title: MASCOTS AS SEMIOTIC COMMUNICATION IN TOURISM PROMOTION: A CASE OF THAILAND
abstract: The objective of this research was to examine semiotic communication through mascot aimed at promoting Thailand's tourism based on the theory of semiotics and the concept of mascots. Qualitative research was adopted with content analysis. The population was 20 mascots that had been constructed to promote tourism in Thailand. The findings could be divided into two respects of semiotics: the signifier and the signified. With respect to the signifier, it was found that there were five characteristics of mascots: appearance, dress code, personality, referent/object, and others. For appearance, there were 13 mascots that used animals to promote tourism in Thailand. Moreover, the dress code was another characteristic that had been found in those mascots. Such dress code included ethnic wear, combat uniform, and Thai loincloth (Pha Khao Ma in Thai) The third characteristic of mascots was personality; it was found that most mascots were cheerful, friendly, and lovely. For the characteristic of referent/object, the concept of local animals was mainly applied. For other characteristics, it was found that most of the mascots came in a single form rather than in a couple of forms. In terms of the signified, both denotative and connotative were found in those mascots. The first one was analyzed by comparing appearances and physical characteristics that the mascots were conveying the messages while the latter required that the receivers interpreted the messages from their experiences.

title: Assessment of Factors that Impact Hydration Status of Professional and Collegiate Mascots
abstract: Mascots have unique physical demands and nutrition needs. They exert themselves tremendously on a variety of game days and at practices throughout the week. Hydration is as significant for mascots as it is for any other athlete, yet there is little to no known research available to help this population achieve a good hydration status. Studying similar populations such as cheerleaders, band members, football players, and firefighters provided a better understanding of mascot hydration. The purpose of this study was to examine the level of hydration knowledge in mascots performing at the collegiate and professional levels and determine the different factors that influence their hydrated state. Multiple factors have an impact on this status such as duration of game, amount of liquid ingested, previous hydration knowledge, and environmental temperature. A questionnaire was distributed to approximately 670 people and was completed by 27 current active mascots to discover the level of their hydration and the factors that impact this status. The questionnaire was composed of questions regarding sports the participating mascots perform for, their self reported status of hydration, and potential factors that impact their hydration statuses. Results showed that there was no information presented to mascots regarding hydration, and no one except themselves was responsible for monitoring this status. The findings in this study overwhelmingly suggest that there is an educational gap in the mascot population regarding hydration. Further research is recommended, with a larger sample size, to more thoroughly assess the hydration behaviors of current active mascots.

title: Japanese Mascots: Diplomatic Tool, Domestic Escapism
abstract: In Japan, mascots are not only representatives of sports teams and sugary cereals, but are vital diplomatic tools of communication and domestic tools of escapism. Though a multitude of mascots exist, scholarship on the topic tends to portray the body of mascots as one dimensional. This thesis analyzes the modern mascot field and provides previously undefined categories for mascots based on their application, as their absence hinders further analysis. These definitions also describe the subversive social space that mascots inhabit in Japanese society and allow the thesis to examine consumers' relationships with mascots. An analysis of the U.S. and Israeli embassy mascots reveals that, through these Japanese styled mouthpieces, foreign countries can more gently promote their goals to the Japanese public. A historical contextualization of mascots elucidates their cultural heft and provides a framework to examine the mascots of the U.S. and Israeli embassies in Japan as soft diplomacy actors. Embassy mascots are unique in their form and application, presenting a Japanese styled mouthpiece whose goal is to alleviate the country specific anxieties that Japanese people experience a truly usable manner of soft power given their agency. While embassy mascot's efficacy, longevity, and matters of who controls the soft power they embody are debatable, further scholarship should examine them seriously as possibly affecting diplomatic relations with Japan and not dismiss them as simply another fad.

title: Dog whistle mascots: Native American mascots as normative expressions of prejudice
abstract: In this research we examine how normative expressions of prejudice shape university communities. Across four studies, we examine the prevalence of a former university mascot depicting harmful stereotypes about Native Americans and how exposure to that mascot influences people's attitudes and behaviors. In Study 1, images of the mascot persist on >10% of university apparel worn by students, in 50% of campus spaces, and in 5% of images searched online. Surveying students on this campus, we find that students with lower (higher) reported explicit prejudice also tended to have lower (higher) belonging at the university (Study 2) In two final experimental studies (N 683) when compared to stereotype free university advertisements exposure to the stereotypic mascot reduced donations to the university by 5.5% and in particular, among people low versus high in explicit prejudice (Studies 3 and 4) Overall, these findings suggest that institutional norms play an important role in expressions of prejudice and experiences of belonging.

title: Influence of food companies' brand mascots and entertainment companies' cartoon media characters on children's diet and health: a systematic review and research needs
abstract: Reducing the extent and persuasive power of marketing unhealthy foods to children worldwide are important obesity prevention goals. Research is limited to understand how brand mascots and cartoon media characters influence children's diet. We conducted a systematic review of five electronic databases (2000 2014) to identify experimental studies that measured how food companies' mascots and entertainment companies' media characters influence up to 12 diet related cognitive, behavioural and health outcomes for children under 12 years. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies used 21 unique popular media characters, but no brand mascots. Results suggest that cartoon media character branding can positively increase children's fruit or vegetable intake compared with no character branding. However, familiar media character branding is a more powerful influence on children's food preferences, choices and intake, especially for energy dense and nutrient poor foods (e.g. cookies, candy or chocolate) compared with fruits or vegetables. Future research should use a theoretically grounded conceptual model and larger and more diverse samples across settings to produce stronger findings for mediating and moderating factors. Future research can be used to inform the deliberations of policymakers, practitioners and advocates regarding how media character marketing should be used to support healthy food environments for children.

title: Adding character: The role of destination mascots in tourism development
abstract: This study explores the use of destination mascots in tourism development. It steps away from the traditional investigation of yuru kyara by focusing on a wider range of anthropomorphic messengers. By mapping the historical trajectory of mascots, the researchers isolate a special subcategory of anthropomorphic characters: destination mascots. Destination mascots are introduced as a new tourism construct and a distinct type of marketing activity. This paper aims to develop and promote the term destination mascot in tourism literature. It describes the many facets of destination mascots and catalogues five distinct functions mascots can carry out for their destinations: mascots as place identity markers, cultural constructs, bonding tools, social engagement tools, and information carriers. Supplemented with multiple examples from past and present literature, this study deepens and broadens our understanding of mascot culture. It brings into view many avenues that invite further exploration.