When studying mass media functions and effects, it is my philosophy that in order to truly understand and explain the positive or negative effects of the media in people's lives, research must also focus on how media are used by people and serve the needs of people and of societies.  The manuscripts listed on my curriculum vitae have one common thread: they address concerns about media use and gratifications as well as other psychological effects of media content on consumer behavior.

    My  main research focus and concern is to understand the wants, desires, thoughts, concerns, motivating forces and ideas of the consumer.  It is my desire to develop, refine, and evaluate advertising messages in order to gain an understanding of how certain messages and appeals affect a consumer's sense of self and self-worth.  For example, a plethora of research on effects of advertisements suggests that idealized images of women in advertisements significantly affects and lowers  self-concepts and esteem for teenage girls and women who are low in self-esteem.  Unfortunately few, if any, of these studies focus on how idealized images affect ethnic women, nor do any of these studies focus on how idealized images of males affect the male consumer's self-concept and self-esteem… until now.  Within the next year, I hope to complete several studies aimed at examining how idealized images affect behaviors of two specific markets and segments (men and women of various ethnic backgrounds).

    Another interesting study that I am working on, along with Associate Dean Esther Thorson and Dr. Craig Frisby, of the College of Education, focuses on the effects of advertising on the attitudes, expectations and behaviors of urban African-American youth. The research will be used to inform and aid in the design of media literacy curricula that can be used by public schools to develop students' critical viewing and media literacy skills in relation to advertising and the functions and roles of advertising in society.  Funding has been requested for one full year to conduct a study in partnership with urban, predominantly African-American middle schools (grades 6-8) in St. Louis and Kansas City to study the effects of alcohol billboard advertising on cognition, attitudes, alcohol expectancies and alcohol-related behaviors.

  Many of my studies focus on defining viewing habits and behaviors of specific markets and segments in order to determine the media vehicles that might best reach cerain audiences.  By combining social psychological theory along with theories of mass communication, my research agenda has two objectives: (1) to identify and carefully define specific media audiences, and  (2) to provide explicit explanations for why people watch the shows they do so that programmers and advertisers may adjust or enhance the content of the show and commercials.

           The heart of my research, therefore, examines the impact of television on the way consumers see themselves as a society, exploring specifically advertising and television programs and the messages that are transmitted.  One of my professional goals is to be able to assess and identify how certain media images will influence viewers and consumer behavior. 

Audience Use and Gratification Research

       My main research interest lies in investigating audience use of and interaction with media.   One of the most important pieces of information that my research can provide the field of journalism and mass communications is that it provides an understanding of how consumers are influenced by as well as how they view and use the media.  Many of my future research projects will specifically explore and examine the impact of media content on the way consumers see themselves as a society, exploring specifically advertising and television programs and the messages that are transmitted.  It is my research goal to assess how media images and media content (i.e., TV talk shows) influence viewers and consumer behavior.   The paragraph that follows will provide a brief description of two future research projects that I plan to complete next year.  The major goal of these projects is to examine how media affect consumer behavior.

  There are two major challenges facing advertisers today in searching the media for target audience opportunities.  My research tends to provide quantitative data profiles of target audiences--profiles that focus on descriptions of the sample's interests, activities, attitudinal concerns, decision-making abilities, cognitive processing of advertising and other media messages, and the effects of how information is processed.  Data obtained in much of my research provides information about people's viewing and reading habits, evaluates editorial content and programming of various media vehicles, and determines how specific target groups are affected by certain media messages and/or advertising campaigns. 

     Presently, one 30-second commercial on television could cost an advertiser anywhere from $250,000 to well over $ 2 million dollars.  As a result, advertisers want to be assured that they are buying the "right" audience. Consequently, network programmers and producers, attempt to create and transmit the sorts of television programs that will attract the "right" audiences. Television content not only attracts a particular sort of audience, but also provides a good context for advertising messages and appeals.  My program of research is meaningful for advertisers, network programmers, producers, and mass communication theorists because results identify how certain audience characteristics (i.e. gender, personality, and motivations) influence viewing behaviors and program choice. 

Media and Market Research

     A major objective of media planning is to define the target audience.  Defining the target audience is one key step that media planners and advertisers must take in the advertising development process.  My research agenda focuses on developing ways of examining people on the basis of lifestyle of "psychographic" characteristics. Many of my studies focus on and define the viewing habits and behaviors of specific markets and segments in order to determine what media they can be reached and through what outlets the advertisement can best be distributed.   Combining social psychological theory along with theories of mass communication, my research agenda has two objectives: (1) to identify and carefully define specific media audiences, and  (2) to provide explicit explanations for why people watch the shows they do so that programmers and advertisers may adjust or enhance the content of the show and commercials.

My Research Method(s)

               I  have included on my site a few abstracts from some of my "best" and most interesting research studies: advertising, on TV talk shows, the remote control, and media audiences.