Objectification of Subjectivity: International Experience in Selection of TV Stimuli in Mass Media Effect Research
Objectification of Subjectivity: International Experience in Selection of TV Stimuli in Mass Media Effect Research

Summary/Abstract: The objective of the study was to classify the existing methods of the TV news content selection, and to assess the advantages and shortcomings of each approach. To achieve this goal, the following tasks have been performed: 1) considering the existing approaches to the selection of the TV news content, applied in the media effects studies; 2) summarizing and classifying the approaches used for the selection of the TV news stories for experiments in the media effects studies; 3) analysing the advantages and disadvantages of each technique of the experimental selection of the TV news content. The research was conducted through the use of scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, transition from the abstract to the concrete, and document review. Several criteria were applied to the selection of the studies to be included in the review of methods of the TV news materials selection: 1) only those experimental articles and thesis were selected, in which the TV news was the independent variable, and the reaction of surveyed people was the dependent variable; 2) the articles and theses should include a clear description of the methods of the TV news selection. Results and Conclusions. The TV news content was examined as a basic material for experiments in social communications. Based on the academic publications of the American and European scientists, we elaborated the classification of methods for the media content selection in the media effects studies. Different approaches to the selection of news material were proposed. According to the proposed classification, all methods of the media content selection were divided into the primary methods (pool method) and secondary methods (Self-Assessment Mannequin test; semantic differential method; R. Likert emotion assessment scale; J.B. Haskins scale for the good-bad news assessment). The validity and reliability of these techniques was proved by the studies in the TV news effects.

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