Elizabeth M. Perse

The World Wide Web as a Functional Alternative to Television

This study was designed to explore the similarities between television and the World Wide Web (WWW). We adopted a uses and gratifications framework to assess whether Web surfing is a functional alternative to television viewing. A sample of computer-experienced students completed an on-line questionnaire and a three-day on-line media-use diary. We found that three major and two minor television-like reasons for Web surfing: Entertainment, Pass Time, Relaxation, Social Information, and Information. Our respondents used the Web for school, play, to acquire information and materials, and, to some extent, for work. The WWW may be functionally similar to television, especially in its use for diversion. But there are indications that the WWW may not be as relaxing a use of time as television viewing.

Audience Activity and Television News Gratifications

The variable nature of audience activity was examined with a sample of 329 local television news viewers. Instrumental news viewing was expected to be related to audience intentionality, selectivity, and involvement with local news. Hierarchical regression found that affinity, selectivity, and involvement predicted intentionality; pass time motives, perceived realism, and reduced intentionality predicted nonselectivity; pass time motives and reduced affinity predicted distractions; and information and nonentertainment motives, perceived realism, and intentionality predicted involvement. Canonical correlation found two news viewing orientations. Instrumental use, or seeking exciting and entertaining information gratifications, was related positively to perceived news realism, affinity, intentionality, and involvement. Ritualized use, or more habitual and time-consuming viewing, was related negatively to news affinity, selectivity, and intentionality, and positively to coviewing distractions. Implications of the links between instrumental media use and audience activity for uses and effects research are discussed.

Attribution in Social and Parasocial Relationships

This study examined social and parasocial interaction from interpersonal attribution perspectives. Parasocial interaction is a perceived interpersonal relationship on the part of a television viewer with a mass media persona. We proposed that attributional confidence associated with parasocial interaction would mirror that resulting from social interaction and that personal construct theory and uncertainty reduction theory might add to knowledge about the nature of attributional confidence. Soap-opera-viewing college students (N = 105) completed questionnaires. Analysis revealed that, similar to social relationships, parasocial relationships with favorite soap opera characters were based, to some extent, on reduction of uncertainty and the ability to predict accurately the feelings and attitudes of the persona. The discussion focuses on implications of these findings for uncertainty reduction theory and personal construct theory.

Soap opera viewing patterns of college students and cultivation

This study replicated and extended previous research that investigated the contribution of soap opera viewing motives to cultivation. A survey method was employed to measure soap opera viewing motives, attitudes, behaviors, and cultivation perceptions of 313 college student soap opera viewers. Contrary to the assumptions of the cultivation hypothesis, the limited cultivation effect observed was related to more instrumental soap opera viewing motives, as well as higher soap opera viewing levels, longer viewing duration, and higher levels of affinity and perceived realism.

The utility of home computers and media use: Implications of multimedia and connectivity

This study applied the uses and gratifications perspective to home computer use. We explored how CD‐ROM ownership and Internet capability were linked to computer utility among a random national telephone survey of 1071 adults. Users found modest utility in home computers for entertainment, escape, habit, and to pass time. CD‐ROM ownership was linked to learning and escape utility. Higher levels of connectivity were reflected in using computers for entertainment and to pass time.

Media involvement and local news effects

This study considered the influence of cognitive and emotional involvement on two local news effects: information holding and parasocial interaction with a local newscaster. Adult local news viewers (N = 305) completed questionnaires. Hierarchical multiple regression indicated that local news information holding was explained by lower levels of local news affinity and entertainment viewing motive, higher levels of information viewing motive, and more elaboration on news stories. Parasocial interaction was predicted by higher levels of news realism, less recognition of news, and feeling happy while watching the news.

Chronic loneliness and television use

The study examined how chronic loneliness influenced local news and soap opera viewing. We hypothesized that chronic loneliness relates to reduced interpersonal interaction, increased electronic media use, and passive television use. The discriminant analysis distinguished chronic loneliness from nonloneli‐ness by: (a) lesser use of interpersonal channels and greater use of electronic media channels, especially television and movies; and (b) pass time viewing motivation. We discussed the implications of the results and related the findings to the links between personal and mediated communication.

A Methodological Examination of Cultivation

Two issues in clutivation research were considered. First, because cultivation methodology contains an apparent response bias, relationships were examined between television exposure and positive statements of social perceptions: faith in others, life control, interpersonal connection, political efficacy, and safety. Second, an instrumental media uses and effects model was tested. Social perceptions were expected to be linked to viewing selectivity, intention, perceived realism, and attention. Questionnaires were administered to 392 adults. Partial correlations showed television exposure to be unrelated to the social attitudes; program selectivity was related to all social attitudes except interpersonal connection. Hierarchical regression analyses added that individual demographic differences, program selectivity, and perceived realism accounted for most of the variance in personal perceptions. Methodological and conceptual implications were discussed.

Audience Selectivity and Involvement in the Newer Media Environment

This study filled gaps in previous research on audience activity by focusing on the temporal dimension of audience activity in the newer media environment. Specifically, this study considered two types of selectivity: program selection before exposure and changing channels while viewing. This study included four indications of audience involvement: intentionality, or anticipating television viewing; attention, or focused cognitive effort; elaboration, or thinking about program content; and engaging in distractions while viewing. Because the newer media environment provides more program choice, 342 cable subscribers who also owned remote-control devices completed questionnaires. Partial correlations indicated that selectivity and involvement were not necessarily consistent across time. But more salient viewing motives are linked to more preexposure activity. Canonical correlation revealed that instrumental use is marked by higher levels of activity before exposure and involvement during exposure. Ritualistic television use is reflected in higher selectivity before and during exposure but less involvement during exposure. The discussion focuses on implications of these findings for gratification-seeking activity and media effects.

The interpersonal communication motives model

This study tested a model of interpersonal communication motives and the construct validity of the Interpersonal Communication Motives Instrument (ICM). Specifically, we hypothesized that ICM would be differentially related to who we talk to, how we talk, and what we talk about. In Study 1, questionnaires were completed by 319 adults who rated their interpersonal communication motives to a target person at one of six relationship levels: stranger, formal friend, co‐worker, close friend, family member, and spouse/lover. Study 2 involved 586 adults who completed questionnaires assessing ICM, likelihood of self‐disclosure, and communicator style. Results indicated that more intimate relationship levels were better seen as fulfilling affection and inclusion motives. Escape and control were related to both the directive and active dimensions of communicator style. Breadth of disclosure was related to pleasure, affection, inclusion, and escape motives; depth of disclosure was related to inclusion, escape, and c...