Measuring Motivations for Media Exposure: A Thesis

Authors: Hendriks Vettehen P.G.¹; Van Snippenburg L.B.²

Source: Quality and Quantity, Volume 36, Number 3, August 2002 , pp. 259-276(18)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

The present article discusses the problem of separating the motivation concept empirically from other relevant concepts in research on mass media audiences. For about half a century, audience researchers use questionnaire items with a distinct format as measurements of motivations for media exposure. It is argued that these motivation items grammatically reflect the nature of the motivation concept as a theoretically intermediate variable between behaviour and its social or mental background, thus constituting the most plausible indicators of the concept. However, it is also argued that these questionnaire items are double-barrelled and that any measurement of motivations based on the items can largely be considered an ambiguous mixture of behaviour and its social or mental origin. A study is presented that provides empirical support for this position.

Keywords: measurement; motivations; Uses & Gratifications; audience research; construct validity

Language: English

Document Type: Regular paper

Affiliations: 1: Author for correspondence 2: Department of Communication, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Publication date: 2002-08-01