TELEVISION USE BY CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

The investigation explored the relationships between child and adolescent television use motivations and various sociodemographic characteristics, television viewing levels, program preference, and television attitudes. Six viewing motivations were identified: learning, passing time or habit, companionship, escape or forget, arousal, and relaxation. Age was the only demographic correlate of most of these functions. All viewing motivations correlated positively with television viewing levels, medium attachment, and perceived content reality. However, when age and level of viewing were partialed out, habitual viewing was no longer found to correlate with perceived reality. Several significant associations between viewing motivations and program preference were also noted. Arousal viewers preferred dramatic programs, while habitual, escapist, and companionship viewers favored comedies. Habitual viewers also shunned news and public affairs programs. Implications of the findings were discussed within the conceptual rubric of the uses of gratifications research perspective.     

Notes on Research Associated With Values Clarification and Value Therapy

This article critically reviews research on two ways of practicing Values Clarification and Value Therapy. It views Values Clarification research as derived from its widespread practice, whereas Value Therapy is seen as derived from experimental research. In evaluations of the claims of the Glaser-Kirschenbaum article in this issue, two studies that sought to enhance self-esteem are described as related to Values Clarification goals. In evaluations of the claims of the research cited in the Rokeach-Regan article, one Value Therapy study, by Greenstein, is examined in detail. The author suggests a need to consider how these approaches work with different age groups.     

CODING VERBAL CONFLICT TACTICS: NONVERBAL AND PERCEPTUAL CORRELATES OF THE “AVOIDANCE-DISTRIBUTIVE-INTEGRATIVE” DISTINCTION

Coding procedures developed by Sillars (1980a) classified statements made during interpersonal conflict into “avoidance,”“integrative,” and “distributive” categories. In the present paper we present evidence that these distinctions provide an intuitively sound and theoretically meaningful basis for coding communication during conflict. Two studies are reported. In the first study, verbal tactics correlated in the expected ways with observer perceptions of the disclosiveness and competitiveness of conflict discussions. In the second study, several predicted relationships between verbal tactics and nonverbal behaviors were confirmed, although regression analysis indicated that most of these relationships could be accounted for by the high degree of talkativeness associated with integrative tactics. Overall support for the coding distinctions was obtained from the two studies.     

THE STRANGER AND THE SPOUSE AS TARGET PERSONS FOR COMPLIANCE-GAINING STRATEGIES: A SUBJECTIVE EXPECTED UTILITY MODEL1

This study examines the use of compliance-gaining message strategies in “interpersonal” versus “noninterpersonal” relationships. Subjects were asked how likely they would be to use persuasive strategies in a hypothetical situation involving either a spouse (interpersonal situation) or new neighbors (noninterpersonal situation). A subjective expected utility model is proposed to account for subjects' choice of strategies. According to the SEU model, subjects weigh the expected advantages and disadvantages of strategies both in terms of their persuasiveness and their effects on the relationship with the persuadee. Regression analysis supported the use of the SEU model to predict subjects' choice of strategies. Situational comparisons of SEU indicated that most strategies are rated more persuasive, less likely to damage the personal relationship, and more likely to be used in the spouse situation than in the neighbor situation.