Search

Conceptualizes listening as the process of how individuals perceive, possess, remember, and understand oral messages. Examines four predominant listening styles as a function of respondant sex and gender-role self-perception. Concludes that gender-role self-perception mediated reported listener styles. (PM)

Asks how apprehensions about communicating with others intertwine with self-perceptions about listening. Examines correlations between communication apprehension in four settings and four listening styles. Reveals that the listening style of people with few apprehensions prefers receiving complex information that can be evaluated before responding, and concern for others' feelings. (DSK)

Objectives. We examined how different types of health information-seeking behaviors (HISBs)--no use, illness information only, wellness information only, and illness and wellness information combined--are associated with health risk factors and health indicators to determine possible motives for health information seeking. Methods. A sample of 559 Seattle-Tacoma area adults completed an Internet-based survey in summer 2006. The survey assessed types of HISB, physical and mental health indicators, health risks, and several covariates. Covariate-adjusted linear and logistic regression models were computed. Results. Almost half (49.4%) of the sample reported HISBs. Most HISBs (40.6%) involved seeking a combination of illness and wellness information, but both illness-only (28.6%) and wellness-only (30.8%) HISBs were also widespread. Wellness-only information seekers reported the most positive health assessments and the lowest occurrence of health risk factors. An opposite pattern emerged for illness-only information seekers. Conclusions. Our findings reveal a unique pattern of linkages between the type of health information sought (wellness, illness, and so on) and health self-assessment among adult Internet users in western Washington State. These associations suggest that distinct health motives may underlie HISB, a phenomenon frequently overlooked in previous research. (Am J Public Health. 2010;100: 1520-1525. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.180521)

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2009.05.011 Byline: James B. Weaver (a), Nancy J. Thompson (b), Stephanie Sargent Weaver (a), Gary L. Hopkins (c) Keywords: Adherence; Compliance; Health information; Internet; Risk perception Abstract: While the internet is emerging as an important transforming mechanism for health care and public health, questions remain about its limitations. Growing evidence indicates that a significant proportion of internet health information consumers is engaging treatment strategies inconsistent with professional recommendations. This study aimed to distinguish internet users who report non-adherence behavior from their counterparts based on several personal and environmental determinants. Using information obtained via the internet to refuse or discontinue treatment recommended by a doctor or dentist proved to be a widespread (11.2%) behavior. Internet health information bolstered non-adherence appears strongly linked with personal determinants such as anxiety, diminishing health, and gender - a pattern consistent with prior adherence research - and with environmental determinants including the perceived importance of both internet health information and internet-facilitated interpersonal interactions as well as using the internet as a social support vehicle. Author Affiliation: (a) National Center for Health Marketing, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA (b) Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA (c) Center for Prevention Research, Center for Media Impact Research, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI, USA

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2008.06.004 Byline: James B. Weaver (a), Inga Huck (b), Hans-Bernd Brosius (b) Keywords: Continuous response measurement; Presidential debates; Public opinion Abstract: Computerized displays of continuously acquired audience response measures have become an increasingly common component in television, particularly in political campaign media coverage. However, the effect of such presentations on consumer's perceptions of both the presenters and their messages remain unclear. To address this concern, simulated computerized continuous response measurement (CRM) graphics were overlaid onto apolitical video content to produce three (negative, neutral, positive) experimental manipulations. The findings revealed considerable symmetry between the valence of the CRM graphics and research participant responses. Evaluations of the presenter and message were significantly more negative following negative CRM graphic manipulation exposure (compared against the neutral and positive conditions) suggesting that CRM graphics can be a powerful device for influencing viewers' judgments. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Behavioral Science and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road, NE, Room 216, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States (b) Institut fuer Kommunikationswissenschaft und Medienforschung, Universitaet Muenchen, Germany

Scores on five personality characteristics, extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism as well as reactive and proactive rebelliousness, and the appreciation of soft/nonrebellious and hard/rebellious rock-music videotapes were explored. After completing the personality tests, female and male undergraduates were exposed to rock-music videotapes and asked to rate various aspects of their enjoyment of each. Analysis indicated that psychoticism and reactive rebelliousness were associated with enjoyment in a parallel fashion. Specifically, respondents scoring high on psychoticism or high on reactive rebelliousness enjoyed hard/rebellious rock-music videotapes more than did their peers scoring low on psychoticism or low on reactive rebelliousness. The reverse was evident for the enjoyment of soft/nonrebellious rock music video tapes. In contrast, scores on extraversion, neuroticism, and proactive rebelliousness were not associated with enjoyment. Gender differences emerged, however; women (n = 78) enjoyed soft/nonrebellious rock music more than did men (n = 60); and conversely, men enjoyed hard/rebellious rock music more than did women.

Linkages between four listening styles (people-, action-, content-, and time-oriented) and three constructs of empathy (empathetic responsiveness, perspective taking, and sympathetic responsiveness) were examined. Data from an extensive survey reveal that individuals scoring high on the people listening style reported a tendency to be sympathetic but not empathetic with regard to another in an aversive situation. Conversely, individuals scoring high on either the action or time listening styles exhibited a tendency to feel little concern or pity for others in need. And, those scoring high on the content listening style exhibited the ability to interact with emotionally upset others without experiencing a congruent affective response. Taken together, these findings provide a strong foundation for further research into the links between individual differences in listening styles and empathy.

To evaluate the mediating impact of gender and gender role self-perceptions on affective responses to rock music videos, female and male undergraduates recruited from the predominantly Caucasian population of a southeastern university completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory and then watched and evaluated nine short music video segments. Consistent with previous research, the results highlight the critical importance of gender as a determinant of affective reactions to popular music. Males, in general, showed the strongest positive reactions (i.e., greatest enjoyment, least disturbance) toward hard-rock music videos while females reported the strongest positive reactions toward soft-rock music videos. Furthermore, both genders reported significant misestimations of other-gender peers' reactions. On the other hand, the influence of gender role self-perceptions proved minimal. Some implications of these findings are discussed.

Concludes that the amount of foreign news presented on network newscasts has remained constant over a 10-year period. Indicates also that major domestic events lead to reduced foreign coverage by television networks. (FL)

Reviewed were 38 textbooks on investment analysis. Seven textbooks for undergraduate chemical engineering students are rated by 31 topics extracted by the review. Presents top-ranked texts in engineering economics and business/finance. (YP)

Discussion of mood management strategies focuses on a study of pregnant and non-pregnant women and new mothers, that was designed to examine television program preferences as a function of the physiologically induced affective stages of pregnancy. Television viewing habits are examined and affective dispositions are ascertained. (29 references) (LRW)

On 4 consecutive days, respondents were exposed to gratuitously violent or nonviolent intact feature films. They rated the entertainment value of these films. One day after exposure to the last film of the series, respondents participated in ostensibly unrelated research on emotion recognition. As they performed a test, they were neutrally or abusively treated by a research assistant. Thereafter, they were put in a position to harm this assistant. Both provocation and exposure to violent films were found to foster markedly increased hostile behavior. These effects were noninteractive. Moreover, these effects were uniform for respondent gender. Compared to men, women exhibited less hostility overall, however. The findings thus show that prolonged exposure to gratuitously violent films is capable (a) of escalating hostile behavior in provoked men and women, and (b) perhaps more importantly, of instigating such behavior in unprovoked men and women.