This chapter explains how the show "The Avengers," a popular British television program with an unusual female lead role, captured the imagination of women viewers in England from 1962 to 1964. After describing the show and then the research project investigating viewers' responses to it, this chapter explores the experience of watching…

The mass media contribution to education politics is explored through the application of a pluralistic theoretical framework to evidence connected with the making of an episode of a U.K. current affairs television program. The episode addressed a politically contentious educational issue but proved controversial in itself. Several sources…

Examines the relative power of visual, audio, and audiovisual television messages on people's understanding of political issues. Shows that audio alone is just as effective as a combined audio and visual presentation for conveying information. Shows little difference between the effective responses to audio and video channels. (SR)

Attempts to elaborate the cultivation hypothesis by examining some proposed subprocesses, especially learning and construction with first- and second-order measures. Examines the relationship between first- and second-order measures. Argues that cultivation theory needs to be extended. (SR)

Investigates similarities in how people respond to mediated presentations and nonmediated experience in the realm of social interaction. Finds that viewing distance manipulation failed to support predictions and watching larger television screens led to more positive emotional responses, in which subjects selected a viewing position that…

Tests the proposition that message structure (cuts) affects attention to television differently, depending on whether the cuts link related or unrelated content. Finds cuts in unrelated sequences require more attention than cuts in related sequences. (NH)

To measure Denver viewers' parasocial tendencies (inclinations to establish vicarious relationships) with TV news personalities, a study conducted a telephone survey in the Denver metropolitan area in October and November, 1987. The study examined viewer reactions to four local stations'"news teams" and individual news…

Finds a small, but statistically significant, association between exposure to U.S. entertainment programs and attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors of foreign audiences. Finds also that, when taking study characteristics into consideration, only language of the questionnaire produced a significant difference in correlation size; and that the…

A study investigated whether adolescents' schemas about contraceptive use would influence their perceptions that a soap opera couple used birth control during sex. The study also examined the effects of increasing explicitness of characters' conversations about contraceptives on viewers' perceptions of the couple's contraceptive use. Thirty-six…

Examines the text, audience readings, and historical placement of an episode of "Cagney & Lacey" concerning abortion. Suggests that the ability of audiences to shape their own readings is seriously constrained by a variety of factors in any given rhetorical situation. (SR)

Studies a large sample of Dutch children. Finds that a positive-intense daydreaming style was stimulated by watching nonviolent children's programs and was inhibited by watching violent dramatic programs, while an aggressive-heroic daydreaming style was stimulated by watching violent dramatic programs and inhibited by watching nonviolent programs.…

Children's discussion of television horror shows is the basis for examining television's effect on children and the relationship between television and reading. It is recommended that more attention be paid to the importance of social contexts in which both reading and responding to television occur. Implications for classroom instruction are…

Tests the impact of cable, VCRs, and remote control devices on fear of crime and interpersonal mistrust. Finds that interpersonal mistrust was linked to greater exposure to cable's broadcast-type channels, but fear of crime and mistrust were negatively related to increased exposure to specialized cable channels. Finds fear of crime linked…

Researchers who study television's cultivation effects believe that heavy television viewing exposes people to consistent messages that lead them to be more fearful and mistrustful of others. The widespread adoption and use of new television technologies, such as cable, VCR, and remote control devices (RCD), however, have the potential to alter…

Examines the role of motives, attitudes, and audience activity in explaining affective, cognitive, and behavioral involvement of daytime soap opera viewers. Finds that viewing attention and perceived realism of soap opera content correlated with parasocial interaction, suggesting that parasocial interaction may be a functional alternative to…