THE MASS MEDIA, POLITICAL ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIOR

Abstract

The primary concern of this study is the effect f mass media on behavioral and attitudinal patterns of the general public. Specifically, the study focuses on the effects of media on political behavior and attitudes. Previous research indicates that it is difficult to distinguish these effects from other factors such as social class. In a 1966 study of the effects of the media on the political attitudes and behavior of southern blacks, Matthews and Prothro found that exposure to the media favorably affected political participation, interest, information, efficacy, and attitudes toward change. In 1975, Strouse reanalyzed their data—this time using multivariate techniques—and found that their conclusions were sound and not due to lack of proper statistical controls. The present study utilizes the perspectives of modernization theory and the more recently formulated uses and gratifications approach in an effort to go beyond Matthews and Prothro, and with a more recent sample. Using data gathered in 1974, samples of blacks and whites were compared for the effects of media on various indicators of their political attitudes and behavior. The findings indicate that there is a differential effect of the media on blacks and that specific media forms operate differently for blacks than for whites.