Entry:

Gerbner, George; Gross, Larry; Morgan, Michael; and Signorielli, Nancy, "Charting the Mainstream: Television's Contributions to Political Orientations," Journal of Communication, 32 (Spring, 1982), 100-127.


Abstract:

This study shows that heavy television viewing, as compared to light viewing, blurs traditional differences between conservatives, moderates, and liberals into a homogeneous group and bends this mainstream group toward a hardline position on issues dealing with minorities and personal rights.

GSS Years:

1975, 1977, 1978, 1980

Other Data Sets:

Census 1970; ANES 1976

GSS Codebook Variables referenced by document:

Variable Name

Variable Label

 
 
TVHOURS

HOURS PER DAY WATCHING TV

SEX

RESPONDENTS SEX

AGE

AGE OF RESPONDENT

EDUC

HIGHEST YEAR OF SCHOOL COMPLETED

INCOME

TOTAL FAMILY INCOME

REGION

REGION OF INTERVIEW

PARTYID

POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION

CLASS

SUBJECTIVE CLASS IDENTIFICATION

POLVIEWS

THINK OF SELF AS LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE

RADIOHRS

HOURS PER DAY LISTENING TO RADIO

RACSCHOL

SHOULD WHITES & BLACKS GO TO SAME SCHOOL

RACMAR

FAVOR LAW AGAINST RACIAL INTERMARRIAGE

RACDIN

OBJECT TO OPP. RACE HOME FOR DINNER

RACPUSH

BLACKS SHOULDNT PUSH

RACSEG

WHITES HAVE RIGHT TO SEG. NEIGHBORHOOD

RACOPEN

VOTE ON OPEN HOUSING LAW

RACPRES

WOULD VOTE FOR BLACK PRESIDENT

BUSING

ATTITUDE TOWARD RACIAL BUSING

HOMOSEX

HOMOSEXUAL SEX RELATIONS

GRASS

SHOULD MARIJUANA BE MADE LEGAL

ABANY

ABORTION IF WOMAN WANTS FOR ANY REASON

ABSINGLE

NOT MARRIED

ABDEFECT

STRONG CHANCE OF SERIOUS DEFECT

ABHLTH

WOMANS HEALTH SERIOUSLY ENDANGERED

ABNOMORE

MARRIED--WANTS NO MORE CHILDREN

ABRAPE

PREGNANT AS RESULT OF RAPE

RACE

RACE OF RESPONDENT

COMMUN

FEELINGS ABOUT COMMUNISM

SPKATH

ALLOW ANTI-RELIGIONIST TO SPEAK

SPKCOM

ALLOW COMMUNIST TO SPEAK

SPKHOMO

ALLOW HOMOSEXUAL TO SPEAK

SPKRAC

ALLOW RACIST TO SPEAK

SPKMIL

ALLOW MILITARIST TO SPEAK

LIBATH

ALLOW ANTI-RELIGIOUS BOOK IN LIBRARY

LIBCOM

ALLOW COMMUNISTS BOOK IN LIBRARY

LIBHOMO

ALLOW HOMOSEXUALS BOOK IN LIBRARY

LIBRAC

ALLOW RACISTS BOOK IN LIBRARY

LIBMIL

ALLOW MILITARISTS BOOK IN LIBRARY

COLATH

ALLOW ANTI-RELIGIONIST TO TEACH

COLCOM

SHOULD COMMUNIST TEACHER BE FIRED

COLHOMO

ALLOW HOMOSEXUAL TO TEACH

COLRAC

ALLOW RACIST TO TEACH

COLMIL

ALLOW MILITARIST TO TEACH

NATHEAL

IMPROVING & PROTECTING NATIONS HEALTH

NATENVIR

IMPROVING & PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT

NATCITY

SOLVING PROBLEMS OF BIG CITIES

NATEDUC

IMPROVING NATIONS EDUCATION SYSTEM

NATAID

FOREIGN AID

NATFARE

WELFARE

NATRACE

IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF BLACKS

NATCRIME

HALTING RISING CRIME RATE

NATDRUG

DEALING WITH DRUG ADDICTION

NATARMS

"MILITARY

NATSPAC

SPACE EXPLORATION PROGRAM

TAX

RS FEDERAL INCOME TAX

CUTSPDR

CUT GOVT SPENDING--RS POSITION