Talk Show Viewing Motives: an Exploratory Perspective
Date of Graduation
Spring 1995
Degree
Master of Arts in Communication
Department
Communication
Committee Chair
John Bourhis
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis was to explore the relaltionship between gender, age, and talk show viewing motives. Talk show viewing motives were operationalized using Rubin's motive instrument. Students from six randomly selected introductory communication classes, members of a nontraditional student organization (OASIS), and residents of a retirement home were given Rubin's instrument to assess their talk show viewing motives. The results, listed in order of frequency of response, showed that the three primary viewing motives of talk shows were entertainment, to pass time, and relaxation. Quantitative analysis of the data revealed that women viewed talk shows significantly more each week than men, but the motives for viewing televised talk shows were not different between the genders. Significant differences were also found between subjects' life stages and six of the viewing motives: companionship, pass time, entertainment, social interaction, information, and arousal.
Subject Categories
Communication
Copyright
© Stacy L Cress
Recommended Citation
Cress, Stacy L., "Talk Show Viewing Motives: an Exploratory Perspective" (1995). MSU Graduate Theses. 277.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/277
Dissertation/Thesis
