[Article] Phases of Mass Media Research - Summary of Mass Media Research by Wimmer and Dominick

Research is an attempt to discover something. Research can be very informal, with only a few (or no) specific plans or steps, or it can be formal, where a researcher follows highly defined and exacting procedures. Both procedures can be good or bad – it depends on how the research is conducted. The important thing for all researchers to understand is the correct methods to follow to ensure the best results.

Two basic questions a researcher must learn to answer are 1) How to use research methods and statistical procedures and 2) When to use research methods and statistical procedures.

Both statisticians and researchers are involved I producing research results, but their functions are quite different, even though one person may sometimes serve in both capacities. Among other complex activities, they generate statistical procedures, or formulas, called algorithms. Researchers use these algorithms to investigate research questions and hypotheses. The results of this cooperative effort are used to advance our understanding of the mass media.

Phases of Mass Media Research

Mass Media research has evolved in definable steps, and similar patterns have been followed in each medium’s needs for research.

In Phase 1 of the research, there is an interest in the medium itself. What is it? How does it work? What technology does it involve? How is it similar to or different from what is already available? What functions or services does it provide? Who will have access to the new medium? How much will it cost?

In Phase 2, research begins once the medium is developed. In this phase, specific information is accumulated about the uses and users of the medium. How do people use the medium in real life? Do they use it for information only, to save time, for entertainment, or for some other reason? Do children use it? Do adults use it?  Why? What gratification does the new medium provide? What other types of information and entertainment does the new medium replace? Were original projections about the use if the medium correct? What uses are evident other than those that were predicted from initial research?

In Phase 3, includes investigations of the social, psychological, and physical effects of the medium. How much time do people spend with the medium? Does it change people’s perspectives about anything? What do the users of the medium want and expect to hear and see? Are there any harmful effects related to using the medium? In what ways, if any, does the medium help people? Can the medium be combined with other media or technology to make it even more useful?

In Phase 4, research is conducted to determine how the medium can be improved either in its use or through technological developments. Can the medium provide information or entertainment to more types of people? How can new technology be used to perfect or enhance the sight and/or sound of the medium? Is there a way to change the content to be more valuable or entertaining?

 

The above figure is not intended to suggest that the research phases are linear – that when a phase is over, it is never considered again. In reality, once a medium is developed and established, research may be conducted simultaneously in all four phases.

Research is a never-ending process. In most instances, a research project designed to answer one series of questions produces a new set of questions no one thought of before.

YouTube Video on Communication Research. 

You can buy Mass Media Research: An introduction by Wimmer and Dominick by clicking here: https://amzn.to/31lEPOv