Information forecasting provides a means of anticipating future message needs of a society or predicting the necessary types of information that will allow smooth social functioning. Periods of unrest and uncertainty in societies contribute to "societal information overload," whereby an abundance of information channels can create communication…

It was the purpose of this study to assess the effects of films on children, using a measure of interpersonal aggression. It was anticipated that modeling effects would depend simultaneously upon the degree of realism of the model's performance (on a reality-fantasy dimension) and the similarity between the observer's task and the model's…

In planning media systems for individualized study it is valuable to know if printed materials are as effective as projected materials in promoting student recall. An experiment to compare printed and projected materials utilized subjects from graduate school, the tenth, and the twelfth grade. Subjects were tested on images in either printed or…

Documents the effects of one teaching experiment using video tape presentations on the cognitive learning of undergraduate students in a large introductory political science course. Discusses student reaction and actual learning outcomes. (Author/DB)

This paper argues for the increased use of mass media content in the classroom. The overall benefits of using mass media content far outweigh the negative "mental set" effect. (Author/AM)

Discusses a study designed to determine empirically the gratifications sought from communication channels and to test the assumption that individuals differentiate channels based on gratifications. (MH)

Investigates and compares events following two nuclear accidents in the United States and the Soviet Union. Considers that the accompanying flow of information shows that the optimistic bulletins of official sources provided too few facts and weakened credibility with both journalists and the public. (NKA)

Analyzes causal relationships among newspaper coverage of community issues, public concerns about them, and evaluations of related government services. Shows that amount of newspaper coverage was related to higher levels of concern about community issues and poorer evaluations of government services. Indicates (through time-series analysis) a…

Discusses the satisfaction of participants with videoconferencing when improved eye contact is incorporated into a system design. The Gazecam system is described, a study of 60 undergraduate students using the system is reported, and the need for communication researchers' involvement in the design process is considered. (Author/LRW)

Assesses the addition of sexual and/or violent images to rock music videos whose originals were both nonsexual and nonviolent. Notes that sexual stimuli intensified music appreciation in males and females, that violent stimuli sometimes did the same, but that the combination of sexual and violent images failed to enhance appreciation of the music.…

Reports on two studies which compared the impact of radio and television on children from different social classes and ethnic groups. Found that radio was more stimulating than television to the imagination (especially among white children) and that television led to greater overall recall of information. (ARH)

Discusses the influence of home computers on school education and the effects of parental involvement in children's education. Trends in home computers in the United States are presented, and research projects examining home use of computers for education are reviewed. (Author/LRW)

Provides a selected annotated bibliography of articles on mass communication published in January, February, and March 1987 in trade, scholarly, and general publications in the U.S. and abroad. Includes the topics of advertising, editorial policy and methods, history and biography, women and media, and visual communication. (MM)

Reviews evaluation studies, box-score reviews, and meta-analyses on effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) conducted from the 1960s through 1980s, using student achievement as a dependent measure. Conclusions are drawn as to CAI's effectiveness with regard to social and academic achievement and a cost analysis of CAI is provided. (29…

Measures the indirect effect a home video system has on children's leisure activities, school work, and peer contacts. Concludes that owning a video game does not greatly alter a child's activities. (HOD)