Optimism as a Mediating Factor in the Relationship between Anxiety and News Media Exposure in College Students

Recently, media research has focused on young people to determine what effect violent media images may have on aggressive behavior, but little research has investigated the kind of psychological distress similar images may cause. What emotional impact does increased exposure to negative and even violent news coverage have on young adults? In this study, the relationship between such news media and anxiety levels is examined, as well as the possible mediating role that an optimistic life orientation may play in that relationship. It is hypothesized that the degree to which these individuals follow news media will positively correlate with their state anxiety levels, but when accounting for an optimistic worldview, this effect will be minimized or eliminated. A survey was administered to a sample of 278 undergraduate students attending Bryant University that measured their anxiety levels, life orientation in terms of optimism, and news media viewing habits. The results showed no significant correlation between news media viewing and state anxiety, and therefore also could not support any mediating role of optimism either. Limitations and mitigating factors regarding this study as well as possible avenues for future research are discussed

Exploring, Engaging, Understanding in Museums

Patterns of accessibility through the space of the exhibition, connections or separations among spaces or exhibition elements, sequencing and grouping of elements, form our perceptions and shape our understanding. Through a review of several previous studies and the presentation of new work, this paper suggests that these patterns of movement form the basis of visitor understanding and that these effects can be deliberately controlled and elaborated through a closer examination of the influence of the visual and perceptual properties of an exhibition. Furthermore, it is argued that there is also a spatial discourse based on patterns of access and visibility that flows in its own right, although not entirely separate from the curatorial narrative

Television Viewing, Satisfaction and Happiness: Facts and Fiction

Despite the increasing consumption of new media, watching television remains the most important leisure activity worldwide. Research on audience reactions has demostrated that there are major contradictions between television consumption and the satisfaction obtained from this activity. Similar findings have also emerged in the relationship between TV consumption and overall well-being. This paper argues that television viewing can provide a major example where consumption choices do not maximize satisfaction. We review the evidence on the welfare effects of TV consumption choices, focusing on two complementary dimensions: consumption satisfaction and overall well-being Within each of these two dimensions, we consider both absolute and relative over-consumption, referring to quantity and content of television viewing, respectively. We find that research in different social sciences provides evidence of overconsumption in television viewing. The relevance of these findings for consumption of new media is discussed in the conclusions.satisfaction, rationality, media consumption, television

Mediated Contact and Intergroup Relations: When Koreans Met Americans through U.S. TV Dramas

This study tested and compared two structural models (i.e., the mediated and the mediated and direct contact) for examining the relationships between the Korean young adults' (N = 288) consumption of American television dramas and direct contact with an American person and their attitudes toward Americans. Overall, findings have demonstrated that both mediated (e.g., parasocial interaction) and personal contact (e.g., contact quality) had a positive effect on intergroup attitudes, albeit contact frequency was a negative contributor. In addition, results indicated that media had different and stronger influences on participants' intergroup attitudes when they did not have any personal contact with Americans. Furthermore, results revealed that intergroup anxiety was a partial mediator of the contact and attitudes link. Implications of the findings and future research are discussed in light of prior literature on media effects and intercultural communication and in the theoretical domains of the intergroup contact hypothesis and cultivation theory

Exposure to Political News Accompanying Violent Demonstrations as Reflected in Adopting Conspiracy View Against Egypt

A field study was conducted at time of violent events that accompanied demonstrations against the Military Council who assumed the power to govern Egypt after 25th January Revolution to determine the effects of exposure to political news on three dependent variables; public opinion belief in conspiracy theory against Egypt, tolerance and affect towards the two parties of the violence (rebels and the Military Council) through the interim transition of military rule. The study found that Egyptian journalism, other political factors and demographic variables predicted the public's adoption of foreign and domestic conspiracy view whether positively or inversely. Unlike newspapers and online journalism, TV satellite channels were the only source predicting public's tolerance and affect. The study also found correlations between respondents' adoption of conspiracy theory and their tolerance judgments and feelings toward the parties of the conflict.

TV Audience Fragmentation: Measurement, Causes, And Economic Consequences

Modern video distribution has increased the quantity and variety of programming available to viewers. Multichannel broadcasters using high-bandwidth distribution mechanisms such as satellite and cable television are able to deliver hundreds of channels to each home. Video on demand (VOD) allows users to select and watch video content at will. Digital video recorders (DVRs) have made it possible to watch any program at any time using an electronic program guide and recording shows onto a hard disk. Yet attention remains limited, as audience members are able to watch only a limited number of programs offered by different networks. As a result, the viewing audience today distributes itself over a larger set of programs than in the past. This process is called audience fragmentation. Television audiences are fragmented to different degrees, even if the set of available viewing options is similar. The level of audience fragmentation depends on factors such as the audience\u27s geographic location and its demographic composition. A fragmented audience is more difficult to reach with advertising. Knowing the factors that determine audience fragmentation could be important for advertisers who are trying to send marketing messages to a certain group of consumers, as well as for programmers designing entertainment targeted at different groups. This thesis seeks to explain the relationship between audience characteristics, audience fragmentation, and advertising prices

An Analysis of Competition-based Television Reality Shows in Nigeria

Television reality shows have amassed incredible popularity with high-profile viewership and become a topic of wide-ranging criticisms in Nigeria. This study analyzes the country's entertainment scene changes through reality show programming. In the cards are factors influencing gratification, viewing habits, and attraction to reality shows, using an online survey of 464 respondents. The work anchors on the sensitivity theory of motivation and offers a unique analysis of the primary motivations of respondents for their preferred reality shows and their attraction to them. Findings show that the audience perceived the 'real' in reality genre as partially scripted and content less informative. The respondents also showed higher attraction to singing competition reality shows. Producers should use social media platforms for feedback to enhance reality show programming. They can engage more non-actors and actresses to escalate the ‘reality’ concept and improve the integrity of the shows

Subpopulations of liver coated vesicles resolved by preparative agarose gel electrophoresis.

Rat liver clathrin coated vesicles (CVs) were separated into several distinct subpopulations using non-sieving concentrations of agarose, which allowed the separation of species differing primarily in surface charge. Using preparative agarose electrophoresis (Kedersha, N. L., and L. H. Rome, 1986, Anal. Biochem., in press), the CVs were recovered and analyzed for differences in morphology, coat protein composition, and stripped vesicle protein composition. Coat proteins from different populations appeared identical on SDS PAGE, and triskelions stripped from the different populations showed the same mobility on the agarose gel, suggesting that the mobility differences observed in intact CVs were due to differences in the surface charge of underlying vesicles rather than to variations in their clathrin coats. Several non-coat polypeptides appeared to segregate exclusively with different populations as resolved by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Stripped CVs also exhibited considerable heterogeneity when analyzed by Western blotting: the fast-migrating population was enriched in the mannose 6-phosphate receptor, secretory acetylcholine esterase, and an Mr 195,000 glycoprotein. The slow-migrating population of CVs was enriched in the asialoglycoprotein receptor, and it appeared to contain all detectable concanavalin A-binding polypeptides as well as the bulk of detectable WGA-binding proteins. When CVs were prepared from 125I-asialoorosomucoid-perfused rat liver, ligand was found in the slow-migrating CVs, suggesting that these were endocytic in origin. Morphological differences were also observed: the fast-migrating population was enriched in smaller CVs, whereas the slow-migrating population exhibited an enrichment in larger CVs. As liver consists largely of hepatocytes, these subpopulations appear to originate from the same cell type and probably represent CVs of different intracellular origin and destination