James Lull

How Families Select Television Programs: A Mass-Observational Study.

Mass observation and survey data reveal how family position and family communication patterns influence the selection of television programs under naturalistic conditions at home.

Choosing television programs by family vote

This study investigated the nature of verbal interaction and interpersonal influence operating within middle‐class Midwestern families as they selected television programs for group viewing in their homes. A task‐specific Bales‐type coding scheme was used to analyze the talk generated by fathers, mothers, older and younger children. Interaction structure, ability to express a preference, preference consensus, and perceptions of influence reveal differential success in gaining access to favored programs. Younger children, who are known to control viewing under other circumstances, were the least successful participants in this verbal negotiation.

Feminism as a predictor of mass media use

The mass media habits of men and women who hold discrepant attitudes toward traditional female sex-role expectations were assessed. From a random sample of more than 500 citizens of Santa Barbara, California, high feminists (respondents who agreed with womens movement ideals) were found to differ significantly in several respects in their uses of media from low feminists (individuals who did not agree with movement ideals). Feminism differentially predicted the amount of television viewing for highly educated audience members. Significant differences were also found between high and low feminists for television program and radio format preferences, but not for newspaper reading habits.

Radio listeners’ electronic media habits

Profiles of the electronic media habits of radios subaudiences are provided together with a multiple discriminant analysis which reveals the relative distinctness of each group. Media consumption indices in the aggregate were found to be more powerful than demographic characteristics as predictors of format preference.

Slicing the attitude pie: A new approach to attitude measurement

A new approach to attitude measurement is presented that provides a comprehensive index of favorability and salience, the primary attributes relevant to the study of any attitudinal issue. The new technique effectively separates “indifferent” research subjects from those who are “neutral” toward attitudinal issues. Methodological advantages and theoretical applications of the new technique are discussed in relation to research in interpersonal communication, persuasion and attitude change, and mass communication. Reliability and validity of “attitude pie” were tested vis‐a‐vis semantic differential and Likert‐type scales using a variant of the multitrait‐multimethod (MTMM) procedure. A large reliability and validity study involving 10 attitude traits, four methods, and more than 100 subjects at three points in time over a two‐month period was undertaken. Reliability for “positivity” and “salience” of the new technique compared favorably with standard scales. Validity of the new technique was acceptable on...

Effectiveness of a TV Counter Ad

Experiment with aspirin ads finds no evidence a counter ad will significantly alter attitudes toward product.