Leo W. Jeffres

Understanding internet adoption as telecommunications behavior

The present study profiles Internet adopters in terms of social locators, media use habits, and their orientation toward adopting new technologies. Findings, in terms of demographics and technology uses, offer some support for the early adopter profiles derived from diffusion theory. Although results fail to confirm our expectation that attitudinal variables of those served by online technology are more explanatory than demographics, we were able to identify technology and media use orientations that differentiate those with and without Internet access.

Predicting use of technologies for communication and consumer needs

Publicity concerning the “Information Superhighway”; has increased public awareness of ISDN (Integrated Systems Digital Networks). But, in gaining a better understanding of public interest in ISDN and the new communication networks, it is useful to assess why many available services have generated so little interest. This paper distinguishes between use of the new technologies for consumer purposes and use in two communications roles — the traditional role of media audiences (receiving and processing messages) and sending messages. Perspectives on diffusion theory, technology needs and communication needs are applied in an analysis of data gathered in a metropolitan area.

Ethnicity and Ethnic Media Use A Panel Study

Ethnicity continues to be a political and social force on the national and international scenes. After a discussion of the literature on ethnicity and communication, this article tracks a panel representing 13 different White ethnic groups in a metropolitan area. Data were collected every 4 years, beginning in 1976 and continuing through 1992. In 1976, 13 ethnic groups were surveyed, and 11 groups were tracked in subsequent surveys. Although each wave collected data unique to that period, all surveys included items tapping ethnic identification, ethnic behaviors, ethnic media use, and mainstream media use. Using a variety of analytic techniques, the author finds evidence that ethnic media use leads to stronger ethnic identification across time, suggesting that ethnic media can help sustain ethnic identification in a multicultural context.

Predictors of Audience Interest in Adopting Digital Television

Although the deadline for mandated digital transmission for broadcast television (DTV) is fast approaching, we still know relatively little about viewer knowledge about and interest in adopting the new, higher resolution television receivers. This study profiles likely DTV adopters in terms of social locators, media adoption, orientation toward adopting new media, and affective measures. The relative success of the latter in distinguishing between likely DTV adopters and nonadopters underscores the utility of a new set of attitudinal variables to supplement demographics and technology adoption measures. These elements were less successful in explaining DTV awareness levels, which were relatively low.

Comparing Distinctions and Similarities Across Websites of Newspapers, Radio Stations, and Television Stations

In the current Internet environment, media must not only compete with one another but with a host of newcomers, including online companies with no traditional media ties and a variety of other entrepreneurs. To what extent do the media reflect their traditional strengths and features? Furthermore, since the Internet allows for two-way communication, which of the media are taking advantage of this feature to connect with their audiences? This paper reports the results of a content analysis of 422 websites associated with local newspapers, radio stations, and television stations in twenty-five of the largest metro markets in the United States. Results show that each medium (including newspaper, radio station, and television station) has a relatively distinctive content emphasis, while each attempts to utilize its website to maximize institutional goals. Market size is found to be a relatively unimportant factor in shaping the content of these websites, but media type helps explain how these websites are differentiated.

Understanding adopters of audio information innovations

The use of two phone‐based audio innovations—audiotext audio information services and fax—was assessed in a probability survey of urban respondents. Support was found for the notion that social indicators are less important in the prediction of innovation use than are attitudinal and communication variables. Findings are interpreted in light of diffusion of innovation theory and research on the adoption of new technologies.

Perceptions of leisure opportunities and the quality of life in a metropolitan area.

Leisure activities have been linked to peoples identity and personal satisfaction, making opportunities for leisure important determinants of peoples perceptions of the quality of life (QOL). A p...

Reconceptualizing Channel Repertoire in the Urban Cable Environment

Channel repertoire, traditionally the sum of the number of channels accessed by a television/cable viewer, is extended: (1) via frequency weighting, (2) with a distinction between primary and specialized repertoires, and (3) by comparing repertoires across achievement and ascriptive social categories (e.g., income, race). In a probability computer-aided telephone interviewing (CATI) survey of 319 metropolitan cable subscribers, analyses of the new repertoires show novel discrimination among social categories and differential predictions from media and attitudinal variables.

Communication and Commitment to Community

Path analysis of neighborhood and metropolitan survey data suggest that communication contributed to commitment to remain in a neighborhood or metropolitan community via a process of belief and attitude formation. When controlling for length of residence and other social characteristics, communication variables contributed to belief and attitude formation about the area, but attitudes were a better predictor of intention to stay in a neighborhood than they were of intention to remain in the metro area.

Criticism or Praise? The Impact of Verbal versus Text-Only Computer Feedback on Social Presence, Intrinsic Motivation, and Recall

The Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) paradigm asserts that human computer users interact socially with computers, and has provided extensive evidence that this is the case. In this experiment (n = 134), participants received either praise or criticism from a computer. Independent variables were the direction feedback (praise or criticism), and voice channel (verbal or text-only). Dependent variables measured via a computer-based questionnaire were recall, perceived ability, intrinsic motivation, and perceptions of the computer as a social entity. Results demonstrate that participants had similar reactions to computers as predicted by interpersonal communication research with participants who received text-only criticism reporting higher levels of intrinsic motivation, perceived ability, and recall. Additionally, the computer was seen as more intelligent. Implications for theory and application are discussed.