Digital Commons Network^™

The Effect Of Personality On The Spiral Of Silence Process, Kyoungtae Nam

Doctoral Dissertations

The study examines the effect of personality on the spiral of silence process. Despite the social-psychological nature of the spiral of silence theory, there has been little investigation on the relationship between personality and the spiral of silence process. In the current study, two personality constructs, independent/interdependent self-construal and right wing authoritarian personality, are examined to see how they affect a person’s willingness to speak out. In March through April 2002, 714 college students were surveyed. Three topics that were identified as highly controversial in the preliminary study were used in the final survey: abortion (n=238), affirmative action (n=234), and …

Selling The Internet: An Analysis Of Advertisements For The Internet And Related Products In Time Magazine, 1995-2000, Guiohk Lee

Doctoral Dissertations

This study attempted to examine how the Internet has been presented in advertising in the United States and to explore how cultural values play a role in shaping the images of the Internet. Using a document analysis method based on principles of qualitative research, 504 advertisements for the Internet and Internet-related products appearing in Time magazine during 1995-2000 were examined. The analysis focused on identifying categories of message strategies and technological themes used in the ads and examining the changes in the use of the message strategies and technological themes.

Careful analysis revealed that the number of ads promoting the …

An Expectancy-Value Analysis Of Web Gratifications, Meiling Shih

Doctoral Dissertations

The present study explored the mechanisms directing Web usage decisions to determine more reliable estimates of the importance of various influences involved.

A Web-based survey was administered to respondents who voluntarily participated by responding to a message posted to selected Internet discussion groups. Exploratory factor analysis and covariance structure model were employed to examine the relationships between attitude, expectancies, motivation, intention, and usage regarding the Web.

Research evidence spoke strongly against univariate or bivariate motivational schemes. In addition to surveillance and diversion functions that have been found in traditional mass media, the Web also provided two unique qualities, utility and …