THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL DESIRABILITY ON PERCEIVED MEDIA IMPACT: IMPLICATIONS FOR THIRD-PERSON PERCEPTIONS

This study examines variations in perceptions of media influencebased on the locus of impact (self vs. other) and the valenceof the message (pro-social vs. anti-social). After reading oneof four versions of rap lyrics either advocating or condemningviolence or misogyny, 406 undergraduates filled out a surveymeasuring the perceived impact of songs with that type of lyricson themselves and on other students. Results replicated previousfindings of a third-person perception for the anti-social messages.Based on an ego-enhancement motivational explanation, it waspredicted that there would be a reverse third-person perceptionfor the pro-social messages. The findings did not support thishypothesis, and for the pro-social message regarding the treatmentof women, a Lraditional third-person perception was found. However,consistent with the ego-defensive motivational explanation,the size of the third-person perception differential was significantlygreater for anti-social than for pro-social messages. Implicationsof these findings for explanations of the third-person perceptionwere discussed.     

TIME-LAG DIFFERENCES IN THE AGENDA-SETTING PROCESS: AN EXAMINATION OF FIVE NEWS MEDIA

Five news media in the U.S. were examined to determine the optimaltime-lag for agenda-setting effects to occur for each. Publicresponses to an open-ended question ‘What is the numberone problem facing our country today?’ were compared tomedia coverage from one to 26 weeks earlier. A number of differenceswere found across the five media. The results show that televisioncoverage had a shorter optimal time-lag than newspapers. Themore immediate effect of television news, however, quickly deteriorated,and newspapers had a stronger long-term agenda-setting effect.National and regional media also had a more immediate impactthan local media. All media, generally, had slightly shorteroptimal time-lags than previous research would suggest.     

THE IMPACT OF THE NEWS MEDIA ON PUBLIC OPINION: AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 1987-1988

Ideodynamics is a new mathematical model able to predict timetrends of public opinion based on information in the mass media.Using this model and a new method of computer content analysisapplied to Associated Press stories retrieved from the Nexiselectronic data base, it was possible to forecast actual opinionpoll results for the American Presidential election of 1988with very high accuracy. The average deviation between the computerpredicted values and over 120 measured poll values was 2.7 percent for George Bush versus Michael Dukakis. On election day,the deviation was 2 per cent.     

THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF CABLE TELEVISION: RESTRUCTURING CONNECTIONS WITH SELF AND SOCIAL GROUPS

The present study deals with the social implications of cablebroadcasting and explores the possible links between the spreadof global media and the development of individualistic and globalisticorientations. The study examined the function of televisionin strengthening individuals' cognitive and affective connectionswith their own selves, with social groups such as primary andethnic groups, with their society (the nation-state), and withthe global community. The beginning of the cable era in Israelcreated a unique situation which made possible the comparisonof two research populations, subscribers and non-subscribers,which were similar in all background variables, yet differentin their television supply. The main conclusion of this studywas that there are differences between the two groups in termsof their assessments of gratifications obtained from television,and concerning the strengthening of their connections with varioussocial groups and with their own selves. Moreover, there isa clear difference in the structure of the assessments of thetwo groups as presented graphically in two SSA maps-among thesubscribers there is a well defined region of variables relatedto the connection with the global community, while among thenon-subscribers these variables are scattered among variablesrelated to connections with other social groups. In addition,our data suggest that the gratifications obtained from televisionfor the self are complimentary to the gratifications relatedto connections with the global community.     

GENDER, NEWS MEDIA EXPOSURE AND POLITICAL CYNICISM: PUBLIC OPINION OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE TRANSITION

Marginalized from the center of power, women in Hong Kong maybe particularly vulnerable to the future political transition,as the territory prepares for an exchange from British to Chineserule. How do women feel about the impending changes in HongKong? According to results from a recent (April 1993) representativetelephone survey in Hong Kong (n = 502), women are less likelyto have faith in the political future of Hong Kong than men.Moreover, this relationship between gender and political cynicismbecomes more pronounced when controlling for socio-economicstatus and is more intensive among persons in their middle years.Contrary to expectations, exposure to newspapers does not encouragedistrust, but instead appears to be associated with less cynicismof the future transition, at least among men. Women, on theother hand, are less likely to be susceptible to press coverage.In a context in which political transition is pending, suchas in Hong Kong, it is imperative to attempt to understand theevolution and disintegration of political cynicism, particularlyamong those who may be vulnerable to political change.     

MASS MEDIA AND CONSUMERIST VALUES IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

In this study, we report results from parallel cross-sectionsurveys of probability samples from the two largest cities inChina. We pose two questions; What are consumerist value orientationsanchored in Chinese individualism? How is mass media exposurerelated to the emergence of such values? We find three stableconsumerist value orientations: conspicuous consumption, aspirationfor self-actualization, and worshipping Western lifestyles.Those who are younger, better educated, and financially betteroff are the most likely bearers of these values. Further, bearingthese values is related to frequent reading of consumer magazinesand exposure to outdoor advertisements. Placed in the contextof China's on-going economic reforms, we discuss how these resultsindicate the changing social and cultural milieu of China'ssocial transformation, and what their implications are for theprospect of political pluralism in post-Tiananmen China.     

THE INFLUENCE OF PERCEPTIONS OF MEDIA INFLUENCE: THIRD PERSON EFFECTS AND THE PUBLIC EXPRESSION OF OPINIONS

This paper explores the role of perceptions of the opinionsof others as they relate to the formation of public opinion.Two interrelated theories involving such perceptions, the thirdperson effect and the spiral of silence, are tested in the contextof public opinion regarding divestment of financial interestsin South Africa. As hypothesized by the third person effect, perceptions of theinfluence of media reports on others were found to be consistentlygreater than perceptions of influence on self. Findings werestrongly supportive of this component of the ‘third personeffect’ hypothesis. Perceptions of the opinions of otherswere also explored in relation to respondents' willingness toexpress their opinions publicly. As suggested by the spiralof silence theory, respondents were found to be more willingto express their opinions publicly when they perceived a trendin support of their viewpoint, or when there was a greater perceivedlikelihood of achieving success for their issue position. The size of the effect produced from joining these two processesis moderated by the role of issue salience. People perceivingdivestment as a highly important issue are more likely to ascribegreater media influence to others than to themselves, but theirwillingness to express their opinions publicly is least likelyto be influenced by perceptions of the climate of opinion.     

CRITICAL FOUNDATIONS AND DIRECTIONS FOR THE TEACHING OF NEWS JOURNALISM

It sounds like a laudable but vainglorious exercise to want to reconcile the diverse ways of teaching news journalism with each other, to show that they share common grounds, are driven by the same concerns and follow the same directions albeit in their own peculiar ways. Nevertheless, I believe that such reconciliation occurs when we ask what it is we are, as educators, responding to when teaching news journalism. I think we are responding to two things. First, a particular set of foundational questions which, when asked, force us to consider the rationale and purpose of news journalism itself. Second, bringing these considerations to light in the classroom where they can be cast into the setting of students who are actually practising news journalism itself. In this paper I argue that there are three foundational questions to which we, as news journalism educators, should respond and conclude that the classroom is a place where those responses are given dramatic practical expression. It is this process, undertaken in a self-knowing manner, which ultimately unites news journalism education no matter where it is taught.     

构建国家级人文社科文献资源保障与服务体系-《北京宣言》的理念与CASHL的实践

解读了《北京宣言》昭示的理念和CASHL文献资源共建、共知和共享的成功实践,从保证稳定的资金投入、提高资源建设与服务质量、加强宣传推广、建立评估机制等方面提出了构建国家级人文社科文献资源保障与服务体系的建议。     

人文、社会科学学科分类体系框架初探

对现行的《本科生专业目录》、《研究生专业目录》、《学科分类代码》、《中国图书馆分类法》以及《社科院目录》的学科分类进行了比较分析,并对照国外主要的学科分类体系的设置情况,找出国内现行人文社会科学学科分类体系存在的主要问题,由此阐明目前采用的人文社会科学学科分类目录及其分类标准亟待修正与调整。     

STUDYING THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

This article proposes a methodology for studying the social history of telecommunications grounded in the interrelations and contaminations between Anglophone and Continental literature; its originality lies in the fact that it presents and discusses both traditions. Before tackling the central theme, the reasons for studying the history of telecommunications will be discussed and three different approaches will be considered. The first is the constructivist approach which, examines ‘relevant social groups’ and their decisions regarding telecommunications. The second is socio-economic and considers both path dependence theories and concepts useful in understanding the network economy: natural monopolies, economies of scale, externalities and public services. Finally, the macro-systemic approach will be considered. In our proposal these three approaches, deriving from both the Anglophone and Continental schools of thought, form a methodological basis for studying the history of telecommunications.