Reviews Illich's works. Suggests that his later ideas--particularly those about the role of language and the media in the creation of needs--deserve to be recognized by scholars studying communication and the mass media. (PD)

Examines the effect of mass media use on political party loyalty. Invalidates the floating-voter hypothesis which suggests that heavy consumption of political information through the media should be associated with higher levels of party loyalty. (JMF)

Examines the needs of media users and the perceived helpfulness of the media in gratifying these needs. Describes the relationship between the media-related needs and the use of the media and also the relationship of media use to perceived helpfulness. (JMF)

Questions various underlying assumptions about the role of communication in effecting change and suggests ways in which communication theory and research can effect change. (MH)

Focuses on audience dependency on media as information resources and discusses alteration of audience beliefs, behavior, or feelings as a result of mass communicated information. (MH)

Looks at the type of political television commercial (image or issue) and the length (five minutes or sixty seconds) and compares the effects of the type and length on candidate evaluation, recall of commercial content, and the likelihood of voting for the candidate. (MH)

Discusses results of a Wisconsin panel study supporting the hypothesis that public confidence in governmental institutions would increase during the campaign period and associates this increase with heavier exposure to the campaign and the Ford-Carter debates. Improved evaluations of candidates are associated with interpersonal discussion rather…

Discusses four conceptual issues in the uses and gratifications approach: the nature of the active audience; the role of gratification orientations in mediating effects; the social origins of media needs and uses; and the shared interest of audience members in perceptions and cognitions about mass media content. (JMF)

Suggests that the mass media serve as socializing agents by providing direct linkage to media and contents which are essential for the development of political values, and by contributing to the structuring of social contexts in which adolescents may exercise such value orientations and reinforce ties with primary socializing agents. (JMF)

Extends the theoretical concept of agenda setting to include awareness of general issues, awareness of proposed solutions, and specific knowledge about the proposals. Examines whether or not agenda setting is operative at these levels and compares findings with previous agenda setting studies. (MH)

Argues for reversing emphasis on uses and gratifications research in favor of an expectancy model which holds that selection of a particular medium depends on (1) the expectation that the choice will be followed by a message of interest and (2) the importance of that message in satisfying user's values. (PD)

Advances an expectancy model which holds that exposure to media is more likely if gratifications as a result of this exposure are both highly expected and highly valued. (PD)