In China, since the beginning of the 21st century, the study of sports communication has gradually attracted the attention of the academic community, and a number of valuable achievements have emerged. The 2,863 articles that were published by core journals of sport communication from 1982 to 2018 and collected from the CNKI database were chosen…

This article describes how 2 classrooms of 4-year-old children incorporated popular media (cartoons, television shows, video games, movies, and music) into their conversations with peers during writing. The findings assert that (a) children naturally incorporate popular culture into their writing, (b) children include popular culture in their…

The recent increase in short messaging system (SMS) text messaging, often using abbreviated, non-conventional "textisms" (e.g. "2nite"), in school-aged children has raised fears of negative consequences of such technology for literacy. The current research used a paradigm developed by Dixon and Kaminska, who showed that exposure to phonetically…

This study experimentally tested the knowledge gap from an information processing perspective. Specifically, knowledge acquisition was investigated under conditions of medium and low news message arousal, with time delay. Results show the persistence of a knowledge gap, particularly for low arousing messages. In fact, at low levels of message…

A sample of 118 U.S. 6th and 7th graders was used to examine early adolescents' views of whether video games negatively influence themselves, others of the same age, and younger others. Six specific games ranging in rating from E for Everyone to M for Mature were listed for the early adolescents to respond to, with questions asked about both…

Although research suggests that manifestations of blatant racism are on the decline, findings additionally demonstrate that subtle racism remains prevalent when contexts provide sufficient ambiguity for the expressions to go unnoticed. Notably, studies examining these outcomes have typically been confined to intergroup contexts, despite the fact…

This experimental study assessed the effectiveness of fundraising messages. Based on recent findings regarding the effects of message framing and evidence, effective fundraising messages should combine abstract, statistical information with a negative message frame and anecdotal evidence with a positive message frame. In addition, building on…

Using radon (a naturally-occurring radioactive gas linked to lung cancer) as the health risk factor, a study examined which risk-taking tendencies interact with different health-risk message strategies. A phone survey pretested 837 randomly selected homeowners from three Florida counties with the highest levels of radon in the state (706 agreed to…

Points out some of the mutually illuminating relationships that offer an astringent challenge to communication/community research. Argues that community mass media campaigns can be very successful when they are part of an integrated program that uses local celebrities, live meetings, and easily measured finite goals. (RAE)

Finds that (1) messages discrepant with existing beliefs have a greater impact on confidence in beliefs than do nondiscrepant messages; and (2) more expert sources slightly increase confidence in beliefs. Suggests that effects of message exposure on confidence and the effects of confidence on belief change persistence may depend on whether beliefs…

Supports the hypothesis that exposure to nonmediated information that conflicts with information gained from a media source would cause an increase in media skepticism. Suggests that media skepticism may be a useful construct for future research in communication processes and effects. (NKA)

"If communications research is now in ferment, that ferment can be attributed to its invasion by a broader set of multidisciplinary concerns and particularly to a reunion of the social sciences with the humanities." (Author)

Finds that (1) for neutral ads, people estimated themselves to be more resistant than others, but for emotional ads, more yielding to influence than others; (2) for public service announcements, there were no differences in perceived self and other influence; and (3) judgments of persuasive influence on self and others were markedly overestimated.…

Studied the effects of the February 20, 1980, debate involving seven Republican candidates. Results strongly suggest that watching a televised debate early in the presidential primary season can increase respondents' interest in, and knowledge about, the campaign. (PD)

Examines the impact of sex role stereotyping in advertising on the perception of the degree to which women possess managerial attributes considered requisite for success in business. Finds that depicting women in professional roles in magazine ads results in higher evaluations by male subjects of the degree to which the nonrole female possessed…