Residents in a southern California city were surveyed by telephone about their attitudes toward the telecast of the motion picture "Academy Awards" presentations. Of the 141 respondents, 71 had not watched the telecast, 42 had watched some of the broadcast, and 28 had watched all of it. Less than one third of the survey questions were specifically…

This study examined the structure underlying preferences for content in books, motion pictures, and television programs. Multidimensionally scaled correlations revealed two dimensions; entertainment-diversion versus aesthetic-intellectual preferences and expressive versus instrumental behavior. Findings are discussed. (Author/MT)

Parents of preschool, first- and fourth-grade children were surveyed regarding media presentations that caused fear in their children. Results demonstrate that theories of cognitive development may provide an explanatory and predictive framework for understanding children's fears. (PD)

This book addresses possible negative effects of children's viewing of inappropriate media content and how parents can respond. The discussion of children's responses to frightening mass media is based on the findings of controlled research but also includes real-life examples, many presented in a child's or parent's own words. Following an…

Investigates the five-factor model of personality (neuroticism, extroversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) as a correlate of mass media use. Shows strongest relationships for mass media use between openness and pleasure reading, extroversion and negative pleasure reading, and openness and negative TV viewing. Finds that…

Views "The Wizard of Oz" as a yearly media ritual, performing the psychological and socializing functions of traditional fairy tales, yet containing contemporary political orientations and social values. Sees its rhetoric as therapeutic insofar as the story's rationale describes psychological problems and offers prescriptive remedies…

Results demonstrate that adolescents experience enduring fright reactions from scary television shows and films, yet their mothers are often unaware of their responses. Concludes that family communication about how and when a child is frightened is poor. (PD)

Discusses research on the negative impact of television and movies, scientific research on television violence and aggression, laboratory research, criticisms of laboratory research, field research, correlation studies. Concludes there is no evidence that viewing television violence increases aggression in children or adults but viewing it can…

Found that (1) persons who were more apprehensive about crime demonstrated a greater avoidance of drama featuring victimization than persons less apprehensive about crime and (2) persons who were made apprehensive about crime demonstrated a greater preference for drama featuring just resolutions. (PD)

Research literature relating to the power of dramatic television or movie entertainment for value, attitude, and behavior change is reviewed. Section 1 of this paper covers the research literature bearing on the effects of mass entertainment on adults, adolescents, and children. Section 2 briefly describes the research needs to be addressed by the…

Presents media literacy research of eighth-grade students to determine the level of recognizing and understanding visual and nonvisual codes that make up motion-picture stories. Study focused on rhetoric of the film medium: trust, confidence and belief in films among children is very high; if this trust coincides with ignorance of media codes,…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 45 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) the relationship of Jungian psychological traits and the effects of comparative advertising; (2) processing and reconstructing television narrative content;…

The impact of news film on children's learning was investigated by presenting 193 fifth, seventh, ninth, and eleventh grade students with one of two versions of a newscast. The children viewed a videotape of a newscaster introducing film reports of six stories or listened to the newscaster reading the news stories. The children provided responses…

This grade 7-8 level course guide covers aspects of media communication such as verbal and nonverbal communication theory, forms of modern media (newspapers, feature films, artistic films, music, advertising, etc.), and practice for the student in the various aspects of communication media. The guide is designed for a one-year course and enhances…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 36 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) content diversity in local television news; (2) advertising influences on consumers' use of evidence; (3) organized labor and the mass media; (4) feminist film…