COMM 216 TEST 1 STUDY GUIDE
qualitative research - Answers - using research methods that provide deeper insight into
attitudes and motivations but don't provide statistical significance
ex) focus groups, interviews, observations
quantitative research - Answers - using research methods that yield reliable statistics
data
ex) surveys, content analysis
secondary research - Answers - information previously assimilated for other purposes
that can be adapted for your needs
ex) .gov, academic publications, trade magazines, commercial resources: trend
watching.com/ consumer reports
primary research - Answers - firsthand information gathered specifically for your current
purpose
ex) conducting an experiment, focus groups,
demographics - Answers - information used to segment publics according to tangible
characteristics such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status
cognitive dissonance - Answers - festinger, 1957
comm theory: behavior
when cognitive elements are in conflict, people reduce or eliminate the dissonance by
changing the elements
spiral of silence - Answers - noelle-neumann, 1984
comm theory: public opinion
an individual's fear of isolation may cause him/her not to verbalize an opinion he/she
perceives to be in the minority; the "sleeper" effect [also note asch- "3 lines" experiment
selective exposure - Answers - klapper, 1960
comm theory: public opinion
meaning is in people; perception is reality
individuals choose the stimuli to pay attention to, and they choose those messages they
want to perceive as well as retain; using perceptual screen to filter media and messages
[today's politics]
uses and gratifications - Answers - blumler & katz, 1973
comm theory: public opinion
suggests three motives for media use: surveillance, diversion, and interaction; people
choose how media will serve them and use media to satisfy their own purposes [today,
more media choices]
, agenda setting - Answers - comm theory: persuasion
mccombs & shaw, 1968
-mass media don't tell ppl what to think but rather what they think about [content
prioritization], individuals select what they pay attention to in order to reinforce existing
VALS
-media framing: media develop and communicate a set of attributes that affect how an
audience perceives a story
media priming: creating a salience or importance of issues thru amount of media
coverage given to an issue/topic [see elizabeth harden example on pg. 37]
benchmarking - Answers - looking at things over a period of time
bandwagon - Answers - -an appeal to conformity with the majority, this method tries to
persuade by encouraging people to join their friends and neighbors because
"everybody's doing it"
-social validation (self persuasion)
advertising equivalency - Answers - earned media
don't have to pay for the advertising
the ability to gain free media attention through good coverage
ex) cofc basketball so good made national headlines, cofc solar eclipse
psychographic data - Answers - information used to segment publics according to
values, attitudes, and lifestyles
VALS - Answers - -values, attitudes, lifestyles; "life guides" that help determine daily
behavior and goals; values and beliefs organize around a focal point (issue, event,
person, etc.) to form an attitude; attitudes are predispositions to behavior [see bernard,
1923; knowing what people think isn't enough]
-values and lifestyles segmenting research methodology that classifies publics not just
by demographics but also by psychographics or attitudes, believes and lifestyles
public opinion - Answers - -the collection of beliefs, attitudes, and opinions expressed by
the majority of individuals within a particular public about an issue or topic of interest to
them (see lip pan, 1922); frame of reference determines how we perceive our world
,which in turn develops our opinions
-what most people in a particular public express about an issues that affects them
issue management - Answers - a long-term approach to identifying and resolving issues
before they become problems or crises
crisis management - Answers - the process of anticipating and meditating problems that
could affect an organization's environment and profitability
qualitative research - Answers - using research methods that provide deeper insight into
attitudes and motivations but don't provide statistical significance
ex) focus groups, interviews, observations
quantitative research - Answers - using research methods that yield reliable statistics
data
ex) surveys, content analysis
secondary research - Answers - information previously assimilated for other purposes
that can be adapted for your needs
ex) .gov, academic publications, trade magazines, commercial resources: trend
watching.com/ consumer reports
primary research - Answers - firsthand information gathered specifically for your current
purpose
ex) conducting an experiment, focus groups,
demographics - Answers - information used to segment publics according to tangible
characteristics such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status
cognitive dissonance - Answers - festinger, 1957
comm theory: behavior
when cognitive elements are in conflict, people reduce or eliminate the dissonance by
changing the elements
spiral of silence - Answers - noelle-neumann, 1984
comm theory: public opinion
an individual's fear of isolation may cause him/her not to verbalize an opinion he/she
perceives to be in the minority; the "sleeper" effect [also note asch- "3 lines" experiment
selective exposure - Answers - klapper, 1960
comm theory: public opinion
meaning is in people; perception is reality
individuals choose the stimuli to pay attention to, and they choose those messages they
want to perceive as well as retain; using perceptual screen to filter media and messages
[today's politics]
uses and gratifications - Answers - blumler & katz, 1973
comm theory: public opinion
suggests three motives for media use: surveillance, diversion, and interaction; people
choose how media will serve them and use media to satisfy their own purposes [today,
more media choices]
, agenda setting - Answers - comm theory: persuasion
mccombs & shaw, 1968
-mass media don't tell ppl what to think but rather what they think about [content
prioritization], individuals select what they pay attention to in order to reinforce existing
VALS
-media framing: media develop and communicate a set of attributes that affect how an
audience perceives a story
media priming: creating a salience or importance of issues thru amount of media
coverage given to an issue/topic [see elizabeth harden example on pg. 37]
benchmarking - Answers - looking at things over a period of time
bandwagon - Answers - -an appeal to conformity with the majority, this method tries to
persuade by encouraging people to join their friends and neighbors because
"everybody's doing it"
-social validation (self persuasion)
advertising equivalency - Answers - earned media
don't have to pay for the advertising
the ability to gain free media attention through good coverage
ex) cofc basketball so good made national headlines, cofc solar eclipse
psychographic data - Answers - information used to segment publics according to
values, attitudes, and lifestyles
VALS - Answers - -values, attitudes, lifestyles; "life guides" that help determine daily
behavior and goals; values and beliefs organize around a focal point (issue, event,
person, etc.) to form an attitude; attitudes are predispositions to behavior [see bernard,
1923; knowing what people think isn't enough]
-values and lifestyles segmenting research methodology that classifies publics not just
by demographics but also by psychographics or attitudes, believes and lifestyles
public opinion - Answers - -the collection of beliefs, attitudes, and opinions expressed by
the majority of individuals within a particular public about an issue or topic of interest to
them (see lip pan, 1922); frame of reference determines how we perceive our world
,which in turn develops our opinions
-what most people in a particular public express about an issues that affects them
issue management - Answers - a long-term approach to identifying and resolving issues
before they become problems or crises
crisis management - Answers - the process of anticipating and meditating problems that
could affect an organization's environment and profitability
