Recent third-person perception articles suggest that optimistic bias is the mechanism underlying the perceptual bias, but fail to empirically test the assumption. Minority "at-risk" youth are neglected in both literatures, despite the fact that they are frequently the target audience for the resulting campaigns. This study sought to…

A study employed Q methodology, personal interviews, and a self-administered questionnaire to explore how female college students, a population segment with one of the highest incidences of anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders, rank magazine advertisements that feature a variety of potentially harmful female stereotypes. Specifically, the…

Suggests how the "things of learning" can be employed to promote learning by first examining learning as it occurs in education, focusing on categories of learning outcomes; and then deriving some guidelines about the use of hardware technology as an aid to instruction. (JM)

Discusses a study that sought to identify and describe the content interest patterns and print and television media preferences of middle-grade children and determine the relation of these patterns to sex, race, or socioeconomic status. (TO)

This study shows that when viewers watching an educational movie are presented simultaneously with information in two media--visual and verbal/auditory--there is no competition for resources; when visual and linguistic information are presented sequentially, the extraction of information is not increased. College students appear to be good dual…

Examines the effect that systematic loading of story presentations with criterion information has on recall of abstract and concrete prose. Results indicate oral plus picture presentations were most effective. Also, loading additional detail into visual presentations resulted in greater recall and provided greater supplementary effect to oral…

Investigated assumption that those most concerned and knowledgeable about the environment (as well as those most active) tend to use specialized media rather than mass media for environmental information. Results indicate that persons environmentally active do not necessarily use mass media differently from those not environmentally active, except…

Concludes that in-home subscriptions to magazines that appeal to students' interests can improve their reading skills. (FL)

Studies whether presentations by an iconic system (pictures) or a linguistic system (print or audio) aid learning. Tests given fourth-to-sixth graders showed alternation between systems, using each to assimilate information. Learning was not as effective when content differed between the systems and this information was presented simultaneously…

Presents a new approach to attitude measuring that provides a comprehensive index of favorability and salience, the primary attributes relevant to the study of any attitudinal issue. The new technique effectively separates indifferent research subjects from those who are neutral toward attitudinal issues. Discusses methodological advantages and…

Argues that political speech-making can have significant impact. Surveyed audiences of four presidential candidates during the 1976 Illinois primary. Analyzed attitude/behavior changes and motivations for attendance. Noted that, while the strongest motivations were of a cognitive-orientation nature, reasons related to event excitement were…

This discussion of the use of audiovisual instruction in the health sciences emphasizes the importance of instructional effectiveness and describes such activities of the media center of the Vaud University Hospital (Switzerland) as instructional development and training of media users, including World Health Organization (WHO) fellows. Eight…

Examined the concepts of legitimacy and deviance. Investigated the hypothesis that U.S. media support centrist political groups by delegitimizing deviant political groups. Found some supporting evidence that media coverage of deviant political groups makes them seem ridiculous and eccentric. Discussed implications for journalists and journalism…

Found that parents' social class was the best predictor of adolescents' perceptions of the importance of the debates. The best predictor of students' ability to attribute victory to one of the candidates was interpersonal communication prior to and immediately following the telecast. (PD)