Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
The article reports three studies of gratifications obtained from the household telephone by samples of respondents in Columbus (Franklin County), Ohio, and a statewide sample of Ohio. The first study consisted of open-ended qualitative interviews to ascertain reasons for using the household telephone. In the second study, gratifications questions were administered to a sample of 569 respondents from the Columbus area. A factor analysis clearly demonstrated the presence of two factors: sociability and instrumentality. Evidence suggestive of a third factor was obtained as well. In the third study, gratification questions were administered to a sample of 525 residents of the state of Ohio. A factor analysis clearly demonstrated the presence of a third factor: reassurance. Whereas the reassurance factor is a psychological-level variable, the sociability factor is linked to the process of social integration and the instrumentality factor is tied to a social process called coordination.
Dimmick et al. (Sat,) studied this question.