Carroll J. Glynn

Perceived Support for One's Opinions and Willingness to Speak Out: A Meta-Analysis of Survey Studies on the 'Spiral of Silence'

The authors report a meta-analysis of survey studies examining the relationship between peoples perceptions of support for their opinions and their willingness to express those opinions. Evidence from the analysis indicates the presence of a very small but statistically significant, relationship between the degree to which a person believes others hold similar opinions and the willingness to express those opinions. Moderator analyses did not reveal significant moderators of this relationship, although the observed correlations were statistically heterogeneous, suggesting at least one undiscovered moderator

All the news that's fit to post: A profile of news use on social networking sites

Facebook and other social networking sites (SNSs) are altering the way individuals communicate. These online environments allow users to keep up with friends, network with colleagues, and share their personal views and observations with others. Previous work describes typical social networking site users as young, extroverted, and technologically savvy. Little research exists, however, on the emerging role of news in the social network environment. With over 500 million global Facebook users, both print and television based media outlets are making concerted efforts to become part of this important and increasingly ubiquitous virtual world. The present study uses a sample of students, faculty, and staff from a large university to investigate the factors that are related to news use on Facebook. Findings indicate that while news use is still a minor component of overall social network site activity, certain key variables, such as gender and life satisfaction, have a significant impact on how Facebook is used for news-related purposes. Future implications for news in the social networking world are presented and discussed.

The Matilda Effect in Science Communication An Experiment on Gender Bias in Publication Quality Perceptions and Collaboration Interest

An experiment with 243 young communication scholars tested hypotheses derived from role congruity theory regarding impacts of author gender and gender typing of research topics on perceived quality of scientific publications and collaboration interest. Participants rated conference abstracts ostensibly authored by females or males, with author associations rotated. The abstracts fell into research areas perceived as gender-typed or gender-neutral to ascertain impacts from gender typing of topics. Publications from male authors were associated with greater scientific quality, in particular if the topic was male-typed. Collaboration interest was highest for male authors working on male-typed topics. Respondent sex did not influence these patterns.

Cautions Regarding the Interpretation of Regression Coefficients and Hypothesis Tests in Linear Models with Interactions

Manuscripts submitted to Communication Methods and Measures and most empirical journals in the field of communication frequently rely on some kind of linear model in the data analysis. Most of the more popular statistical methods can be framed in terms of a linear model, including the independent and dependent groups t tests, analysis of variance and covariance, multiple regression, multilevel modeling, and structural equation modeling. Of these methods, multiple regression and its special cases, such as analysis of variance and covariance (Cohen, 1968), are by far the most frequently used. It is safe to say that in order to understand and publish in the empirical communication literature, familiarity with the basic principles of linear modeling is a necessity. While the use and interpretation of a linear model is standard curriculum in research-oriented graduate programs in communication, a solid understanding of the versatility and subtle complexities of linear modeling requires more than just a week or two devoted to the topic in an introductory data analysis course. The ability for variables in a linear model to influence each other’s effects is a case in point. When two variables are allowed to influence each other’s effects, meaning that two variables interact, the interpretations of some of the coefficients in a linear model are quite different compared to when interaction effects are not included. The additional complexities and potential for misinterpretation are so great that whole chapters of statistical methods texts (e.g., Cohen, Cohen, West, & Aiken, 2003, chapters 7 and 9; Darlington, 1990, chapter 13; Hayes, 2005, chapter 16) and even entire books are devoted to the topic of interactions in multiple regression (e.g., Aguinis, 2003; Aiken & West, 1991; Jaccard & Turrisi, 2003; Kam & Franzese, 2007).

Psychology of Communication Technology Use in the Workplace

It is generally understood that employees in organizations misuse technology in specific ways--by sending and receiving personal email, frequenting chat rooms, and using the Web for non-work-related reasons. However, little research has focused on what motivates this type of use. The present study extends existing communication technology and organizational literatures by going beyond usage assessments and examining how an employees psychological state influences motivations for non-work-related communication technology use during company time.

The Spiral of Silence in the 1948 Presidential Election

Noelle-Neumanns spiral of silence is tested with data from the 1948 Elmira election study. Results indicate that support for the theory and trends in the data are consistent with expectations for the spiral of silence as an additional explanation for the famous election misprediction. Statistical tests affirm Noelle-Neumanns suggestion that social isolation is associated with fear of isolation and provide partial support for the idea that social isolation interacts with fear of isolation in the spiral of silence effect.

Difficulties in measuring adoption of apple IPM: A case study

Abstract This research investigates the process of measuring integrated pest management (IPM) and the implications of particular measurement in understanding IPM adoption. Data collected from apple growers in New York State in 1991 were used to develop a measurement of IPM adoption based on nine subscales combining 35 IPM components. Three factors or dimensions of IPM were found: scouting/monitoring, cultural controls and biological controls. Scouting and monitoring practices were associated with beliefs about costs and benefits of IPM; the use of cultural controls was related to economic factors, and the use of biological controls was negatively related to perceived credibility of chemical fieldmen.

Community involvement and risk perception at personal and societal levels

Some risk perception studies suggest that personal and societal level risk judgements are distinct and largely separate, and people do not necessarily draw personal implications from their general views about society. This study explores the role of community involvement in peoples risk judgements at personal and societal levels. Using risk judgements about four health issueswater contaminants, radon, AIDS and heart diseasewe examined if community involvement decreases the discrepancy between personal and societal level risk perceptions. The data were collected through a mail survey of a random sample of 750 upstate New York residents. Across the four issues people tend to have significantly more concern at the societal level than at the personal level. Multiple regression analysis shows that community involvement decreases the difference people have between the personal and societal level risk judgements and that it has a direct impact on peoples personal level of concern about AIDS. Compared with men, women tend to have higher levels of societal concern across all four health issues. Interpersonal communication primarily influences personal judgements. These findings have important implications for health education campaigns and deserve more attention from researchers.

The Matilda Effect—Role Congruity Effects on Scholarly Communication: A Citation Analysis of Communication Research and Journal of Communication Articles

Using role congruity theory as the basis for the study, an analysis of 1,020 articles published 1991-2005 in Communication Research and Journal of Communication, as well as the ISI citations these articles received and the citations these articles included, was conducted. In line with a hypothesized “Matilda effect” (underrecognition of female scientists), articles authored by female communication scientists received fewer citations than articles authored by males. Hypotheses on moderating impacts of research topic, author productivity, and citing author’s sex, as well as on change in the effect’s extent across time were derived from the theoretical framework. Networking conceptualizations led to an additional hypothesis. Five of six hypotheses were supported.

Communication and energy conservation

Abstract Surveys of homeowners in two Wisconsin communities examined the relationship of media use to a set of cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral components of energy conservation. The perceived importance of the energy issue was associated with media use in both communities. In addition, this relationship was stronger the more energy related the communication variable. Communicaton did not, however, relate consistently to energy behavior. Utility pamphlets had opposite relationships with energy conservation across communities. It is suggested that conservation campaigns must take into account the communication and energy use environment of specific groups of consumers, and that research into the impact of mass media on energy issue salience is particularly important in times of energy “gluts.”