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Two issues in clutivation research were considered. First, because cultivation methodology contains an apparent response bias, relationships were examined between television exposure and positive statements of social perceptions: faith in others, life control, interpersonal connection, political efficacy, and safety. Second, an instrumental media uses and effects model was tested. Social perceptions were expected to be linked to viewing selectivity, intention, perceived realism, and attention. Questionnaires were administered to 392 adults. Partial correlations showed television exposure to be unrelated to the social attitudes; program selectivity was related to all social attitudes except interpersonal connection. Hierarchical regression analyses added that individual demographic differences, program selectivity, and perceived realism accounted for most of the variance in personal perceptions. Methodological and conceptual implications were discussed.
Rubin et al. (Fri,) studied this question.