Examines whether role assignments to television sets (assignments of particular content to particular screens) influence what viewers think about what they watch. Finds that designating TV sets for specialized functions or uses results in more positive evaluations of the content, even when the TV sets and programming are identical. (SR)

Finds that, among college students, (1) both related and unrelated cuts resulted in cardiac orienting responses; (2) processing unrelated cuts required more capacity than processing related cuts; and (3) memory was better for information presented after related cuts, with this effect greater for visual memory than for audio memory. (SR)

Explores the effects of nonverbal reactions of a talk show host and studio audience members to arguments presented by a talk show guest on a low-involvement topic. Suggests that positive audience or host reactions can enhance persuasive influence; however, if those cues are incongruent, persuasive influence may be negated. Addresses implications…

Argues that effects of emotional visuals accompanying television news broadcasts are reflected not in the exact recall of text but through specific kinds of errors in recall and the relation of these errors to certain parts of the item. (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…

A study examined the uses and functions of broadcast sports programming as compared with in-person attendance of sporting events by focusing on the motivations, behavior, and attitudes of audiences toward such activities. Subjects, 219 students from a major western university, completed a survey instrument. Findings indicated that: (1) sports…

Teen television, which in large part is made up of moral dilemmas, is often a topic of adolescent discussion. Discussions among adolescent friends are viewed as playing an essential role in moral reasoning development, making it important to investigate television's potential to stimulate these discussions. A study investigated adolescent girls'…

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.…

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…

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…

Finds that female adolescents responded less positively than males to beer advertisements and to sports content of advertising, and more positively to nonbeer advertisement. Shows also that positive responses to beer ads predicted alcohol use among female and male adolescents. Finds no differences in response patterns to ads due to Latino…

Examines the validity of audience involvement in the context of local television news by testing the relationships among (1) strength of news viewing motivation and involvement intensity; (2) type of news viewing motivation and involvement orientation; and (3) cognitive and emotional involvement. Finds that audience involvement during message…

This review of communication research on television viewing by intellectually gifted children examines the number of hours such children spend watching television, types of programing they watch, their capacity to process and comprehend program content, appropriate child role models in television programing, and mediation of television viewing by…

Explores the implications of the interrelationships that exist among the narrative paradigm, children's television, media deregulation, epistemology, and education. Pays particular attention to the concept of narrative fidelity and the impact of television's "first stories" upon the evolution of that concept in children. Addresses…