About

Dr. Holli Leggette (Archer) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications at Texas A&M University. She received her B.S. in Agribusiness from Oklahoma Panhandle State University, her M.S. in Agricultural Communications from Oklahoma State University, and her Ph.D. in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications from Texas A&M University in 2013. Dr. Leggette joined the department in 2014 and teaches courses in writing, research, and public engagement. Her research focuses on investigating methods for preparing scientists to be effective science communicators, conducting information needs assessments, audience analyses, and social acceptance studies. Her work aims to develop research projects, educational programs, and production tools based on these insights. As a principal investigator or co-principal investigator, she has secured over $2.9 million in direct research funding. Dr. Leggette has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and professional publications, and she serves on the editorial team of the Journal of Applied Communications. Her contributions to the field have been recognized through several awards, including the AAAE’s Distinguished Agricultural Communications Educator Award in 2025, and awards from AAAE Western Region, NACTA, and Texas A&M AgriLife.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Business
• Marketing
• Psychology
• Computer Science
• Medicine
• Agricultural economics
• Mathematics
• Environmental health
• Ecology
• Social psychology
• Environmental resource management
• Environmental planning
• Geography
• Knowledge management
• Environmental science
• Economics
• World Wide Web
• Statistics

Selected publications

• Gauging student perceptions of artificial intelligence in agricultural leadership, education, and communications

  Natural sciences education · 2026-04-24

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into higher education, yet students have diverse perceptions regarding its role in education. Our study aimed to explore how students view AI as an educational tool. Using a phenomenological approach, we employed an online open‐ended questionnaire with students from Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, specifically in the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications. The technology acceptance model guided the study in which we sought to answer three research questions: (1) How do students in agricultural education perceive the ethical and cognitive implications of using AI in their academic work? (2) In what ways do students in agricultural education perceive AI tools, such as ChatGPT, as useful for enhancing their academic performance and creativity? and (3) What are students’ experiences and expectations regarding the integration of AI technologies in college‐level agricultural education classrooms? The findings revealed a range of student perceptions and experiences that provide valuable insights into how to establish ethical guidelines for AI use and to better understand students' educational values and AI preferences. These insights suggest AI's integration in education must be carefully considered. As AI becomes more prevalent in daily life, it is crucial to prepare students for a workforce where AI tools will likely be encountered to ensure they can use these tools responsibly and effectively.

  PublisherDOI

• What Lies Below: A Theory of Planned Behavior Study of Septic System Owners’ Practices in the Attoyac Bayou Watershed

  Environmental Management · 2026-01-30

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  As populations increase, water quality is increasingly affected by failing septic systems that introduce harmful fecal bacteria (e.g., E. coli) into watersheds. Septic system owners play a vital role in reducing the impact of such bacteria. Therefore, our study aimed to examine factors that influence septic system owners' decisions to improve septic system maintenance and protect watershed health in the Attoyac Bayou, located in East Texas. Using the theory of planned behavior, we addressed three research questions: (1) What are the characteristics of septic systems within the Attoyac Bayou watershed?; (2) How have septic system owners in the Attoyac Bayou watershed maintained their systems?; and (3) How do attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control predict septic system maintenance behaviors? We sent a questionnaire to septic system owners in the Attoyac Bayou watershed that included questions about septic system characteristics, maintenance histories, and owners' perceived norms, controls, attitudes, and intentions about septic systems. We found most septic systems in Attoyac Bayou are older conventional models with many owners lacking service contracts and reporting various times since the last pump out or inspection. While septic system owners generally demonstrate positive attitudes and confidence toward maintenance, our results revealed that attitude accounts for the greatest variance in maintenance behavior, with social norms and perceived behavioral control being less influential. Therefore, we recommend targeted messaging and interventions to reinforce positive attitudes, enhance perceived behavioral control, and promote consistent maintenance behaviors.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Perceptions of Drinking Water and Safety: A Public Survey of U.S. Residents

  JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association · 2025-10-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  ABSTRACT There is an increasing need for safe drinking water. Yet, public perceptions of drinking water providers are not always positive. Incidents like those in Flint, Michigan, and Jackson, Mississippi, contribute to mistrust and poor perceptions of public water providers. To better understand public perceptions, we conducted an exploratory survey with 1100 respondents using online Qualtrics panels, guided by five research questions. First, we explored public perceptions of drinking water safety. Most respondents used municipal water and generally trusted their source although many reported problems such as odd smells, tastes, or hardness. Second, we examined trust in entities involved in drinking water management. Water utilities were the most trusted, followed by local and state governments. Respondents also believed these groups were responsible for ensuring water safety. Third, we analyzed water problems respondents had experienced, which included odd tastes, smells, and hardness. Fourth, we identified concerns about contamination sources with pesticides, industrial chemicals, pathogens, and heavy metals ranking highest. Fifth, we explored sources of information, finding respondents relied primarily on water providers, social media, and word‐of‐mouth. Our findings emphasize the need for educational programs and transparent communication about drinking water safety, particularly targeting groups with higher distrust (e.g., women, non‐whites, renters).

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Mapping the Path to Functional Food Acceptance: A Framework Based on the Value-Attitude-Behavior Model and Theory of Planned Behavior

  New Prairie Press (Kansas State University) · 2025-12-19

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Research on functional foods has expanded rapidly, yet findings on what drives consumer acceptance remain fragmented. To synthesize and organize the most common predictors of functional food acceptance and propose a unified, theory-driven framework, we conducted a review of reviews that built upon our prior scoping review and incorporated two additional reviews published through 2025. We then conducted a secondary-level synthesis of the primary studies cited within these reviews to refine construct definitions and strengthen the evidence base. Seven factors, grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Value–Attitude–Behavior model, were identified as key influences on consumer acceptance of functional foods: knowledge, value, health consciousness, subjective norm, self-efficacy, attitude, and purchase intention. The proposed conceptual framework serves as a roadmap for both research and practice, illustrating the key factors and the relationships among them that shape consumer acceptance. By applying this framework, researchers and industry professionals can enhance consumer perceptions of food health innovations, increase purchase intentions, and ultimately contribute to improved public health. In addition to these seven factors, product characteristics and consumers’ socio-demographic attributes should also be considered when evaluating acceptance of different types of functional food products.

  Publisher

• Cash crops or cover crops? The reasons and barriers for adopting cover crops in the Southern Great Plains of Texas and Oklahoma

  Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · 2025-10-15

  articleOpen accessCorresponding

  Water conservation practices such as cover crop adoption have been promoted as effective strategies to improve water quality and soil health. However, cover crop adoption rates have remained low in Texas. A better understanding of the barriers to farmer cover crop adoption can highlight new pathways, encouraging conservation practice adoption across regions of the U.S. Our study examined reasons and barriers to cover crop adoption, including farmers’ demographics and farm characteristics. Using guidance from social cognitive theory and the theory of social normative behavior, we also examined how personal, cognitive, and environmental factors shaped farmers’ behaviors. The data collection process took place starting May 5, 2022, and ending December 30, 2022. A random sample of 3,000 participants was selected from the 88 counties in the Southern Great Plains of Texas and Oklahoma, using the 2021 USDA farm payment payees’ online files. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey to describe characteristics of farmer populations (e.g., farmers, ranchers, land managers). Results indicated adaptors were largely 51–70 years old (58.3%), female (55.6%), and white (94.4%), with a majority being highly educated [i.e., having a graduate (22.2%) or bachelor’s (36.1%) degree]. Moreover, adoption reasons increased as farmers attained smaller income amounts from agricultural products. Of farmers who adopted cover crops, 38.9% did not use irrigation while 22.2% irrigated between 81 and 100% of their farmed land. Most adopters (61.8%) farmed annual crops. Adopters and non-adopters were significantly different in their environmental and economic barrier perceptions for cover crop adoption. We conclude by discussing situational and economic factors driving these findings and providing opportunities for future research.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Editor Thank You to Reviewers for 109(1)

  Journal of Applied Communications · 2025-01-01

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  The editors thank the reviewers of Volume 109, Issue 1.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Editor Thank You to Reviewers for 109(2)

  Journal of Applied Communications · 2025-08-25

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  The editors thank the reviewers of Volume 109, Issue 2.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Harvesting Trust: Exploring Credible Information Sources about Soil Health Practices for U.S. Wheat Farmers

  Journal of Applied Communications · 2025-01-09 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access

  Despite farmers’ knowledge and awareness of soil health practices and the growing body of evidence indicating their effective use, many farmers continue to reject such practices. To further explore the role of information source credibility in the adoption of soil health practices, we sought to measure wheat farmers’ perceived source credibility of research scientists, Extension scientists, industry scientists, and general scientists and the likelihood they would adopt information about reduced and no-till practices and cover crop practices from these sources. Using an experimental survey instrument, we collected data from 127 U.S. wheat farmers. We found most wheat farmers considered themselves, Extension professionals, researchers, and other producers as scientists when seeking information about soil health practices. Participants perceived other producers, Extension professionals, and themselves as having the most trust with Extension professionals, other producers, and themselves as having the most goodwill. The means and standard deviations of perceived source credibility suggest that participants perceived each information source—general scientists, research scientists, Extension scientists, and industry scientists—as similarly credible information sources about soil health practices with a statistically significant relationship between farmers’ perceived course credibility of the four scientists and likelihood of adopting information about soil health practices from them. Our results did not indicate differences between participants’ perceived credibility of the four types of scientists or their likelihood to adopt information about soil health practices from the scientists. Effective communication has potential to impact wheat production positively, but achieving communication effectiveness could take years without intentionality from credible information sources.

  PublisherDOI

• Editor Thank You to Reviewers for 108(4)

  Journal of Applied Communications · 2025-02-17

  articleOpen access

  The editors of 108(4) would like to thank the reviewers of this issue. We have also included a note on new journal processes.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Milking Insights: An Ethnographic Examination of Fairlife's Instagram Content

  Journal of Applied Communications · 2025-01-09

  articleOpen access

  The dairy industry is currently facing challenges in meeting the ongoing needs of a growing population while meeting the increased demands for dairy products, which have resulted from the growing demand for protein-based dairy products. Simultaneously, the dairy industry faces several challenges in improving consumer perceptions of dairy production as they gather much of their information about the dairy industry, including crisis information, from mass media and social media sources. Therefore, we sought to use a short-term ethnographic approach to explore the content presented on @fairlife’s Instagram, including categories of products promoted; emerging themes of content presented; consumer interactions and engagement; and @fairlife’s presentation during and after the Fair Oak’s crisis (a major animal welfare scandal). We analyzed 732 posts posted on the Instagram account between January 25, 2014, and March 6, 2024, with 161 being videos or reels, 506 single photos, and 65 carousels. We found 45,750 comments and 206,510 likes among the 732 posts with a total response (engagement: likes and comments) of 253,260. We found that 2% ultra-filtered milk is presented the most on @fairlife’s Instagram profile. We identified 12 emerging themes with the most prominent being seasonal or holiday related. Most comments included positive words with Fairlife being the most frequently used word. Consumers were initially disappointed in Fairlife after the crisis, but consumer sentiment eventually shifted, which could have been the result of the company’s strategic crisis communication efforts. Additionally, we found that @fairlife maintains its audience interest beyond product promotions.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Theresa Pesl Murphrey

  Texas A&M University

  37 shared

• Jean A Parrella

  Virginia Tech

  21 shared

• Audra W. Richburg

  Texas A&M University

  16 shared

• Jean A. Parrella

  Virginia Tech

  14 shared

• Shannon Norris-Parish

  New Mexico State University

  13 shared

• Shannon Norris

  12 shared

• Gary Wingenbach

  Mitchell Institute

  11 shared

• Madalynn Kainer

  Texas A&M University

  9 shared

Education

• B.S., Agribusiness

  Oklahoma Panhandle State University

• M.S., Agricultural Communications

  Oklahoma State University

• Ph.D., Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications

  Texas A&M University

Awards & honors

• AAAE’s Distinguished Agricultural Communications Educator Aw…
• AAAE Western Region’s Outstanding Research and Distinguished…
• NACTA’s Bob Gough Teaching Tip Award (2021)
• NACTA’s Educator Award (2018)
• Texas A&M AgriLife’s Vice Chancellor’s Award in Excellence E…