Explicates the concept of community integration and its dimensions. Specifies structural and media antecedents and political consequences of these dimensions. Uses 15 indicators to test the hypothesis that integration is a multidimensional concept. Reveals that community integration has at least five dimensions: psychological attachment,…

Found considerable support for the hypothesis that voters who rely on television use candidates' image characteristics to make their voting choices more than do voters who rely on newspapers. Found little support for the second hypothesis that candidates' stands on issues will play a stronger role among voters who rely on newspapers. (PD)

A study investigated whether reliance on television rather than on newspapers affected the way people made voting decisions. Specifically, it focused on whether television reliance was associated with greater candidate image evaluation and newspaper reliance with greater issue importance in the prediction of voter preferences. Telephone interviews…

Examines two motivational models: a drive reduction model in which media use and satisfaction are directed by the gratifications people seek, and an exposure-learning model in which the gratifications are largely received as an accidental result of exposure to media. Concludes that both can be used effectively to represent media use and…

A study sought answers for seven questions about the public's orientation toward television news. Television interviews were conducted with 823 adult residents of Dane County, Wisconsin, during October 1983 by trained graduate students and advanced undergraduates as part of a communications research methods course. Results showed that the public…

A study examined whether public perceptions of media institutions and products are multidimensional and whether the public's image of media matters. Subjects, 512 randomly selected adult residents of Dane County, Wisconsin, were surveyed by telephone. Results revealed that public perceptions of the media are complex, multifaceted, and include more…

Examines predictive patterns of traditional and nontraditional media forms on people's campaign interest and participation, information processing strategies, knowledge of candidates' positions, perceived votes for candidates, and issue salience. Finds nontraditional media had greatest impact on labile characteristics and weakest impact on…

A study investigated audience news comprehension, focusing on objective knowledge questions measuring "acquaintance with" as contrasted to "knowledge of" as indexed by cognitive complexity and the frames of cognitive structure. A single continuing story--the Tax Reform bill that was moving through the United States Congress at…

Personal interviews were conducted with 353 eligible voters in Madison, Wisconsin, in October 1976, and repeated with all but 30 after election day to examine the correlation between voters' age, paper reading (especially public affairs), and television watching (especially public affairs), and the amount of behavioral volatility (voter…

The "limited effect" model originated by Lazarsfeld is not sufficient for full analysis of the political influences effected by television advertisements for candidates for political office. Newer political communication research indicates that, in both British and American politics, television political commercials have eroded party…

Reports on the results of a survey of homeowners in two Wisconsin communities which examined the relationship of media use to a set of cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral components of energy conservation. Suggests that conservation campaigns take into account communication patterns and energy use of specific groups of consumers. (TW)

The paper investigates whether the 1976 presidential debates contributed to political participation among all sectors of American society. Evidence was obtained from 353 eligible voters in Madison, Wisconsin, before and after the debates. Effects were evaluated by taking correlations between the level of respondents' exposure to the debates and…