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I. u: .1 «...-:1} u p it}... ..n..ou€-..!.i.f . bunk. “mutt! 5.1.1.3713 :2 ...... I (214).. 31 .llr -.- I! ..... . .flsi .l . . ;¢.w1l.,la.: null... .17..)31.“ o t.l.9.qx‘vtv‘i 9a ... . \P II..|« .1! - ‘§|v.§p€-| .. .I.‘ ...» (I x .. .An....ul|u;. . .vlv [yin]...vtl. v.1..Vf94“: ‘1‘».1 ..llnll‘ 1"“! I \ l THESIS llllllllllHHIIHIIHHUIUIIIUJHIJWI)lllllllHllllllUl 31293 01570 6967 This is to certify that the thesis entitled MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THE PUBLIC DISPLAY OF COMIC STRIPS presented by DHRUTI THANKI has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for MASTERS degree in TELECOMMUNICATION WWW Major professor Date Away“ (2 H7 0-7639 MS U is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution LIBRARY Michigan State Unlvorslty PLACE IN RETURN BOX to roman thi- chockout from your record. To AVOID FINES mum on or before date duo. DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE MSU I. An Affirmative ActioNEqnl Opportunity lnothlon Wanna-c1 MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THE PUBLIC DISPLAY OF COMIC STRIPS BY Dhruti Thanki A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Telecommunication 1997 ABSTRACT MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THE PUBLIC DISPLAY or COMIC STRIPS By Dhruti Thanki The popularity of comic strips has prompted much research into their appeal. However, little has been done in terms of the uses and gratifications of comic strips. This study specifically addressed the motivations behind one's decision to publicly display comic strips on one’s door or walls. A survey was administered to 81 students at Michigan State University. Scales were constructed to measure the motivations of identity expression, need for affiliation, affective need for decoration, entertainment for others, and persuasion. The question of why some people choose not to display was also addressed. In addition to the survey, a categorization analysis of comic strip display on doors in the campus dormitories was included. The results Show that expression of identity was the most salient motivation; however, more than one motivation was often behind the decision to display. The relationships among the motivations, as well as directions for further research, are discussed. To all lovers of comic strips. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Charles Atkin, Dr. Bradley Greenberg, and Dr. Ronald Tamborini for their support throughout this project. They have shared with me their knowledge and experience, thus enabling me to gain a better understanding of the research process. I would also like to thank John Sherry, who volunteered his personal time to help me with the various stages of this thesis. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................... Vi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE ..................... 1 Introduction ......................................... l The Popularity of Comic Strips ....................... l The Issue of Identification .......................... 4 Implications of Personalization ...................... 5 Personality Correlates .............................. 10 Conclusions ......................................... 10 The Present Study .................................... ll CHAPTER 2 METHOD ................................................... 14 Overview of Procedure ................................ 14 Survey ............................................... l4 Categorization Data .................................. 23 CHAPTER 3 RESULTS .................................................. 25 Quantitative Data .................................... 25 Qualitative Data ..................................... 44 Categorization Data .................................. 47 CHAPTER 4 DISCUSSION ............................................... 48 APPENDIX SURVEY .................................................... 53 LIST OF REFERENCES ....................................... 6O LIST OF TABLES Table l—Reliability analysis of motivation scales ......... 22 Table 2-Freguency analysis of demographic data ............ 26 Table 3-Crosstabs of displayer/nondisplayer by demographics ......................................... 28 Table 4-Responses to the items ............................ 30 Table 5-Correlations of the displayer scales .............. 35 Table 6—Measures of central tendency for each scale ....... 38 Table 7-Means of the motivation scales for displayers ..... 39 Table 8-Crosstab analysis of comic strip reading habits ............................................... 41 Table 9-Crosstabs of introversion and extroversion by displayer/nondisplayer ............................... 42 vi Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE Introduction Reading the comics is an important part of our daily routines. The comic section is one of the most widely read segments of the newspaper, yet relatively little research has been done on the comics’ appeal. What exactly makes the funny pages so attractive? In addition, the decoration of doors and walls with comic strips has become a popular trend. What motivation lies behind this type of public display? This project will seek to provide insight into these questions. II E 1 . E 2 . S . It may be useful to first describe the technicalities of the comic strip. M. Thomas Inge (1994) offers this definition: [The comic strip is] an open—ended humorous or dramatic narrative about a recurring number of primary and secondary characters, told in pictures and words, with the dialogue supplied in balloons, and published on a daily basis in newspapers, usually in color on Sundays. (p. 14) Harvey (1979) asserts that “it is the interdependence of word and picture that gives to the comics their most unique and distinguishing characteristic” (p. 641). Richard Felton Outcault was the first to draw comics in a series of panels in 1895--this design became the precursor of the comics as we know them today. Outcault created the well-known comics The Yellow Kid and Buster Brown. Others followed in his success, and soon the newspapers set aside an entire section for the “funnies.” .Mutt and Jeff, the first regularly published comic, led the way for such popular strips as Krazy Kat, Little Nemo in Slumberland, and Happy HOoligan (Inge, 1994). Today, approximately 70,000,000 people regularly read the comics in the newspapers (Wigand, 1986). Tan (1985) lists five basic psychological needs that the audience meets through the media: cognitive (the search for information), affective (the search for pleasurable emotional experiences), personal integrative (the desire for self-esteem), social integrative (the desire for affiliation), and escape (the release of tension and the need for diversion). Robinson and White (1960) conducted a qualitative study in which they attempted to discover which of these needs were satisfied through the reading of comic strips. When they asked their respondents why they read the strips, the most popular responses fell into the category of pleasurable affective reasons: the comics are funny, amusing, and interesting. The respondents also believed that comics provide insight into everyday living, as well as escape from everyday cares. In addition, Robinson and White (1960) interviewed people who are hesitant to read comics. These respondents believed that reading comics is associated with childish and immature behavior; they also felt that it “places their intellectual ability in question” (p. 45). Interestingly, their survey of adult comic strip readers revealed that people who do not read comics are perceived as being dull and lacking a sense of humor, while readers are considered to be youthful, normal, and are seen as having a good sense of humor. The comics also reflect the attitudes and events that occur in everyday society, and are often used as a form of communication (i.e., propaganda, advertisements, or tutorial guides). The popularity of the comics is far-reaching. The Spinach Capital of the World (Crystal City, Texas) sports a statue of Popeye as its symbol. In another example, Apollo 10’s crew answered to “Charlie Brown,” and the Lunar Escape Module was nicknamed “Snoopy” (Inge, 1979). Such evidence of the immense popularity of comics indicates that they must appeal to a wide variety of people. The following sections explore this appeal, as well as investigate the various reasons for the public display of comic strips. Authors have commented that people enjoy comics because they see some kind of similarity between themselves and the comic strip characters (e.g., Waugh, 1947). For example, one may identify with Dilbert because s/he may work in a similar environment or may have had comparable work experiences. Studies have been done on identification with characters on television. A study done by Feilitzen and Linné (1975) dealt with the application of identification theory to Scandanavian children's experience with mass communication. Identification in this context is defined as such: An individual consciously or unconsciously recognizes him/herself in, or wishes to be, another individual so that he/she becomes involved in that individual and vicariously participates in his/her activities, feelings, and thoughts. As a consequence, the individual derives greater motivation for activities, feelings, and thoughts of his/her own. (Feilitzen & Linné, 1975, p. 52) They found that the children identified with characters who were like themselves, in terms of sex, nationality and social situation. For example, children from lower social classes identified with characters who were from lower social classes. The researchers also addressed the concept of “wishful identification”, which refers to a person’s inclination to be like a particular character. Wishful identification was found to be more prevalent among older (eight- to ten-year-old) children. This type of research can be applied to the identification issue with comic strips. Readers may identify with characters who are like themselves, and as a result may publicly display the strip as a form of identity expression. However, there is little chance that readers want to “vicariously participate” in the lives of the comic strip characters. In this sense, identification can be defined as recognizing oneself in the behavior or personality attributes of a character in a particular comic strip. I 1' . E E 1' . n The posting of comic strips is related to the decoration of one’s personal work and living space, or personalization. Several studies have provided insight on the reasons and implications of decorating personal space. Mehrabian (1976) regards personalization as an avenue leading to the arousal of the senses. Clothing and makeup are used to produce feelings of pleasure, arousal, and dominance. Similarly, enhancement and decoration of personal space serve as stimulation, producing greater comfort and better work performance. He also states that personalization of dorm rooms not only aids in defining ownership of the territory, but also makes the living environment more unique to the owner. Sanders (1989) describes the social and psychological implications of personal decoration. He contends that alterations to our appearances are made as part of the ongoing construction of our social identities and self-concepts. For example, clothing is used to communicate aspects of our personalities. Fashions can announce dissatisfaction with mainstream thinking (i.e., punk styles) or can be used to proclaim group membership. Similarly, decoration of personal space can also be perceived as a way to announce a “symbolic” membership in a societal subculture. Sanders summarizes the rationale for our use of such symbols: In addition to their overt functions--keeping us warm, holding liquids, brightening our living spaces, firing projectiles, and so forth-—all of the products conceived, created, distributed, obtained, consumed, and displayed carry symbolic meaning. Most importantly, they hold information about how we define ourselves, how we want those with whom we interact to identify us, and the scope and intensity of our associations with others. (p. 149) One public example of personalization is graffiti-writing. Graffiti are often used as a form of self-expression. Brown (1978) found that graffiti are first and foremost utilized to publicize the identity of an individual or group. Other functions include a desire to communicate thoughts to others, and a way to receive recognition. Schwartz and Dovidio (1984) found that graffiti often express non-normative points of view. As graffiti-writing is an anonymous activity, such opinions can be expressed without negative societal sanction. In contrast, the display of comic strips is not anonymous, but may serve the same functions as graffiti-writing. In addition, the display of comic strips may also enable one to communicate his/her personality to others. A more common example of personalization is that of decorating classrooms, office space, and bedrooms. Wollin and Montagne (1981) found that the extent of decoration of a classroom affected students’ academic achievement, as well as the level of social interaction. Improved performance and heightened interaction were the results of attending class in the decorated classroom, while the undecorated classroom negatively affected performance and interaction. Campbell (1979) also found similar results in his study regarding the decoration in faculty offices and the effect on visitor response. He concluded that offices that were more personalized received a more positive response from visitors than offices that lacked decoration. Scheiberg (1990) investigated the personal decoration of work space. She found that employees arrange their spaces in order to achieve a certain mood (i.e., relaxation), as well as to relieve monotony and stress. For example, she noted that the displaying of comic strips serves to relieve stress through laughter. Under some circumstances, she observed, “personalizing space appears to provide an unconscious outlet for emotions that might not have the chance to be expressed” (p. 334). For example, the posting of certain sarcastic cartoons may indirectly signify some dissatisfaction with the work environment--posting allows a safe outlet for such frustrations. Scheiberg concluded that personalization of work space will lead to greater satisfaction of workers, and thus will improve work performance. Hansen and Altman (1976) conducted a study on the personalization of dormitory rooms. They found that such personalization is a universal phenomenon. Approximately 88% of their freshman sample had decorated their dorm rooms to some extent within the first two weeks of the first academic quarter; 98% had done so by the end of the term. Willis (1990) investigated the personalization of teen bedrooms. He discovered that the young people who post pictures of movie stars and sports heroes “are expressing, at the most intimate level not just their support for their local team [or star], but the place that support has in the construction of their identities” (p. 56). Steele and Brown (1995) conducted an extensive study on adolescent room culture. They have formulated an Adolescents' Media Practice Model in order to explain teens’ use of the media. The first component of the model includes selection of media, as well as the motivations behind teens’ selections. The second component is interaction. Here, teens are actively interpreting and evaluating material. For example, they identify with characters on television and in movies, and apply song lyrics to events and emotions in their lives. The process of interpretation, according to Steele and Brown, is very important during the stage of identity formation. Teens identify with and favor characters who fit into their picture of who they would like to become. The third and final element of the model is application. There are two basic categories into which teen application of the media can be divided: appropriation (i.e., wall decorations) and incorporation (integrating media into one’s attitudes and feelings). Steele and Brown assert that selection, interpretation, and application of the media are very important to teens: Adolescents’ sense of who they are and who they may someday want to become plays a central role in their use of media--affecting what media are attended to, how intensely and to what effect--while at the same time feeding forward and changing the sense of self in the process....As one teen summed it up: “I guess it’s my room in general that’s just really me.” (p. 572-573) This model can also be applied specifically to the present study. People interpret comic strips and then proceed to implement them into the ways in which they express themselves. 10 Personality Cerrelates Altman (1975) maintains that anxiety and extroversion/introversion are important correlates of personal space. Anxious people and introverts maintain greater personal distance, while extroverts like to close the gap between themselves and others. From this, it can be surmised that introverts will be less likely to post comic strips on their doors and office walls, in order to keep a safe distance from anxiety-producing social contact. Cenelusiens Research indicates that several motivations may influence one's decision to publicly display comic strips. One consideration which may be relevant to this decision is how often one reads comic strips. Two of the motivations which may play an important part in the decision are identification and the affective need for decoration. Whether one is an introvert or an extrovert may also affect the decision. The following section outlines the hypotheses tested in the present study. 11 The Present Study The studies discussed above indicate that several variables may be involved in the decision to display comic strips. First and foremost, I believe that identification may be a strong correlate of this behavior. This can be applied to comic strips in the sense that people identify with certain characters, and that the story lines are consistent with the reader’s thoughts, values, and opinions. Waugh (1947) stated that “people read comics because they find themselves reflected in them” (p. 353). In keeping with this line of thought, people may display the comics with which they feel some sort of identification-~and thus communicate aspects of their personality to others. Robinson and White (1960) contend that comic strips hold specific meanings for their readers. For example, displaying Blondie may convey an image of femininity. Thus, I have formulated the following hypothesis. 81: People who display comics on their doors/walls are more likely to score above the numerical midpoint of the identification scale than below the midpoint. People may also display comics in order to gratify certain needs, as stated by Tan (1985). Two needs which may be relevant to the decision to display are the social integrative and affective needs. Research has demonstrated that certain types of decoration can proclaim group membership and identity, and thus fulfill the need for affiliation (e.g., Brown, 1978; Sanders, 1989). 12 HZ: People who display comic strips are more likely to score above the numerical midpoint of the need for affiliation scale than below the midpoint. Affective needs can also be met through decoration of personal space (e.g., Campbell, 1979; Scheiberg, 1990). 33: People who display comic strips are more likely to score above the numerical midpoint of the affective need for decoration scale than below the midpoint. Another motivation for this type of display may be that of providing entertainment for others. 34: People who display comic strips are more likely to score above the numerical midpoint of the entertainment as motivation scale than below the midpoint. Using comic strips to persuade others to share one’s opinions is also a viable motivation for display. For example, one may display political comics in hopes of persuading others to vote for a particular candidate. HS: People who display comic strips are more likely to score above the midpoint of the persuasion as motivation scale than below the midpoint. There may also be a difference in the comic strip reading habits between displayers and nondisplayers. Do displayers tend to read comic strips more frequently than nondisplayers? H6: Displayers are more likely than nondisplayers to be regular (daily or weekly) readers of comic strips. 13 My final hypothesis addresses the issue of personality traits which are associated with the display of comic strips. Altman (1975) asserted that introversion and extroversion are important correlates of such behavior. Thus, 37: Displayers of comic strips are more likely to be extroverts, and nondisplayers are more likely to be introverts. Robinson and White (1960) demonstrated the attitudes of people who do not read comic strips. Such attitudes may also apply to people who do not display comics. This leads to another interesting question: why people choose not to display. In order to address this issue, I also propose this research question: R9: Why do some people choose not to display comic strips? Chapter 2 METHOD For the purposes of this study, I will use M. Thomas Inge’s (1994) definition of the comic strip provided in Chapter 1. This definition includes any recurring strip (daily, weekly, bi-weekly, etc.), as well as single-panel strips (ex. The Far Side). Overview of Procedure The procedure consisted of a categorization analysis and a survey. The analysis and the survey were conducted independently of one another; that is, dormitory residents were not approached during the categorization analysis and asked to take the survey. Survey Respondents The respondents were 51 female and 30 male students attending Michigan State University. Procedure Approval to conduct this study was received from the University Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects 14 15 (UCRIHS). Students were approached on campus, in various areas such as cafeterias, the library, and outside of academic buildings. They were asked to volunteer to take the survey. Approximately 20 of the students who were approached declined to participate. For those who agreed to participate, the purpose of the study was explained briefly. The respondents were not classified as displayers or nondisplayers before they were asked to take the survey. Each respondent read and signed a consent form before beginning the survey. The survey was designed to identify displayers of comic strips as well as nondisplayers. A displayer is defined as someone who has ever put comic strips on his/her door or walls inside the room. That is, s/he is still considered to be a displayer if s/he does not currently display, but has in the past. A nondisplayer is defined as someone who has never displayed comic strips. The following demographic data of the respondents were collected as the first part of the survey: age, class level, sex, and major/college. The second section of the survey dealt with the personality characteristics of introversion (3-item scale) and extroversion (4-item scale). These items were adapted from the MMPI scales. The scales and their items are listed below. (Unless otherwise noted, the possible responses for each item were “strongly agree”, “agree”, “neutral”, “disagree”, and “strongly disagree”.) 16 The first section of the survey was comprised of the extroversion and introversion items, and was answered by all of the respondents. Extroversion o I consider myself to be outgoing and eager to meet new people. 0 I mix well with other people. . I enjoy the excitement of a crowd. o I like having people stop by my door to read my comics. lntroversion o I usually avoid being in a crowd. o I find it hard to make conversation when I meet new people. . I consider myself to be private; I like to keep to myself. The questions in the second section were answered by all of the respondents. This section included questions which were intended to identify displayers and nondisplayers. o How often do you read comic strips? (Never, At least once a year, At least once every 6 months, At least once monthly, At least once every 2 weeks, At least once weekly, At least once daily) 0 Do you currently have one or more comic strips up on your door/walls? (Yes, No) If no, have you ever put comic strips up on your door/walls? (Yes, No) 17 *If the respondent answered “Yes” to either part of this question, he/she was asked to go on to the next questions. *If the respondent answered “No” to both of these questions, he/she was classified as a nondisplayer. 0 Did you put the comic strips up yourself? (Yes, No) *If the respondent answered “Yes” to this part of the question, he/she was classified as a displayer. *If the respondent answered “No” to this part of the question, he/she was classified as a nondisplayer. If no, then who did? (Roommate/Suitemate, Neighbor, Officemate, Friend, Other) The following two questions were designed for displayers. o How often do you have comic strips on your door/walls? (Always, Often, Sometimes, Rarely, Never) 0 Approximately how many comic strips are on your door/walls? (fill in number) The third section was answered by displayers, while the fourth was answered by nondisplayers. Open-ended items were also included in both the third and fourth sections in order to offer an opportunity for the respondent to expand on his/her reasons for displaying or not displaying comics. 18 With the exception of the introversion and extroversion items, the survey is comprised of entirely original items. The bulk of the survey was targeted toward displayer motives, and included scales for the various reasons for displaying comics: need for affiliation (4 items), affective need for decoration (4 items), motivation to entertain others (4 items), motivation for identification (5 items), and the motivation to persuade others (4 items). The following are the displayer scales and their items, as well as the open-ended items, which comprised the third section of the survey. Need for Affiliation o I will usually display comics that my friends like/agree with. 0 My comics let others know that I am part of a social group (ex. sports enthusiast, occupation, geographic region, age group, gender, ethnic group). . I display comics to show that I “fit in”. o I usually like to let others know that I belong to a social group(s). Affective Need for Decoration o I use the comics as decoration for my room/office. o I put comics on my doors/walls because looking at them helps me to relax. o I put comics on my doors/walls because I feel that they brighten up the room and provide something pleasant to look at. 19 I mainly display comic strips just so my walls don’t look empty. .MOtivation to Entertain Others My main purpose for displaying comics is that I want to share their entertainment value with others. I put comics on my door/walls because other people might think that they’re funny. I like it when others appreciate the comic strips that I display. I mainly display comic strips so that others can enjoy them. .Motivation for Identification I put comics on my door/walls because I feel they help me to express my personality to others. I mostly display comic strips because I feel that they represent who I am. My main purpose for displaying comics is that I want others to know what kind of person I am. The comic strips that I display portray my personality very accurately. I usually like to express my personality to other people. .Motivation to Persuade Others I want others to know that I agree with the message that the cartoonists are sending. I put comics on my door/walls because I want others to agree with the message the cartoonists are sending. 20 o I display comic strips because they help me to persuade others to share my opinions. o I hope that the comic strips that I display will help to change others’ opinions about issues that are important to me. Open—ended Items for Displayers . Please finish this sentence: I think that people who do not display comic strips are... 0 Please list the names of the comic strips that you display. (ex. Calvin & HObbes, Peanuts, B.C., etc.) 0 Do the comic strips that you display have a common theme (ex. political, career-oriented, social awareness, hobby—oriented, etc.)? If yes, please list the theme(s) below. Nondisplayers answered questions concerning their attitudes toward displayers and their reasons for not displaying comic strips. These questions comprised the fourth and final section of the survey. Items Concerning Identification for Nondisplayers o I feel that people who display comics do so to express their personalities. o I don’t display comics because I communicate my personality to others in different ways. 0 I usually like to express my personality to other people. Item Concerning Affiliation Needs for Nondisplayers . I usually like to let others know that I belong to a social group(s). 21 Open-ended Items for Nondisplayers o What do you think of people who do put comics on their doors/walls? 0 Please finish this sentence: I don’t display comics because... The full verSion of the survey is located in the Appendix. Reliabilities were run on the motivation scales for displayers and nondisplayers. This test identified weak items; after eliminating the weak items, the reliabilities were run again. The list of items removed for the purposes of increasing reliability follows: . Need for Affiliation: .My comics let others know that I am part of a social group (ex. sports enthusiast, occupation, geographic region, age group, gender, ethnic group). 0 .Affective Need for Decoration: I mostly display comic strips just so my walls don’t look empty. 0 Entertainment as Motivation: I like it when others appreciate the comics that I display. 0 Extroversion: I like having people stop by my door to read my comics. 0 Identification for Displayers: I usually like to express my personality to other people. . Persuasion as Motivation: I want others to know that I agree with the message that the cartoonists are sending. 22 Five of the 9 scales were revised by eliminating one weak item from each scale. The identification scale for nondisplayers and the introversion scale were not revised, as they both originally only contained 3 items. The standardized alpha values from the reliability analysis are displayed in Table 1. Table 1. Reliability analysis of motivation scales. L__m____mh__g~____~ __J_ Original Scale Revised Scale ' (Need for Affiliation 0.625* 0.61 t (4 items) (3 items) { )AffecfivENeZd_'—f‘6r_* I. ‘ (T767— ‘TT #7313; r1”, {Decoration 1.1 (4 items) (3 items) . iErEEéTté—ihh‘ehtis '*w )7 _"”"_07659‘ “—fi‘ _‘—bl'_éW—”"—m{ (Motivation ) (4 items) (3 items) ) (Birth—veers ion I ‘ 0.546 ' 1—m—of7f67 ) J (4 items) (3 items) Fdentification )T— 0.746— _T 0.81* (Displayer) ) (5 items) (4 items) (Identification- ( - O.742* [(Nondisplayer) (3 items) 'IfiEESGEfélon _ 0.679* ‘— 1 (3 items) I [Persuasion as Motivation 0.648 _ O.769* ! ~ (4 items) (3 items) I The values marked by an asterisk (*) indicate the higher reliability values. For the purposes of further data analysis, the original scales were used for the need for affiliation, the identification scale for nondisplayers, and the introversion scale; the revised versions were used for the remaining scales. 23 Categerizatien_Anal¥§is Only dormitories were analyzed for this study, as the potential for unhindered decoration is higher than in administration or other office buildings. Restrictions are often placed on the extent to which one can decorate his/her office or cubicle. In addition, walking around residence halls causes less consternation than walking through offices. Therefore, only dormitories were analyzed for this study. Six on-campus dormitories were chosen for the study: five undergraduate residence halls (one of these was an all-women dormitory) and one graduate residence hall. There are a total of 26 dormitories, which are arranged in 5 groups across campus. One undergraduate residence hall was randomly chosen from each group. The graduate dorm was intentionally included, in order to provide a comparison with the undergraduate dorms. Two floors in each dorm were then chosen for the analysis in the same manner that was used for the dorms. With the exception of the all-women residence hall, which had three floors, each dorm had 6 or 7 floors. The analysis of 2 floors offered a good representation of the prevalence of displaying comic strips throughout the dorm. The floors were categorized in terms of the number of doors displaying comics, and the number without comics. The titles of the displayed comics, the number displayed, and the presence of a theme were also noted. Categories had 24 been developed for the themes: political, career—oriented, social awareness, and hobby-oriented. Other categories were constructed when needed. This procedure was intended to reveal the prevalence of comic strip display among dormitory residents. Chapter 3 RESULTS Quantitative Data. The data were analyzed using frequencies, correlations, and nonparametric techniques. Frequencies were first run on the demographic data and on each item in the survey. The specific results of the demographic frequencies are listed in Table 2 below. 25 Table 2. 26 Frequency analysis of demographic data. Sex Age Class Major [Variable female male between 16 & 19 between 20 & 23 between 24 & 27 between 28 & 33 34 years & older ( freshman ) sophomore junior senior graduate sciences arts, letters, education business medicine social sciences, 3 James Madison, human} ecology no preference item: 51 30 38 ’ 24 10 24 21 10 19 15 3O 16 27 The frequency analysis also showed that the sample consisted of 45 displayers (56%) and 36 nondisplayers (44%). Furthermore, the frequency analysis also revealed that 77.8% of displayers currently have at least one comic strip on their doors. Of the total number of displayers, 68.1% did not identify a theme among their comics. Crosstabs were then run on the following pairs of variables: displayer/nondisplayer and major, displayer/nondisplayer and class level, and displayer/nondisplayer and age. The results of this analysis are displayed in Table 3. Table 3. 28 Crosstabs of displayer/nondisplayer by demographics. % of Displayers % of Nondisplayers l )MAJOR ‘ Sciences 21.4 1 17.6 ) Arts, Letters,_ ‘ '4726 A 5' ‘ 29.4 Education l 'Business 3““— 11.9 3 32.4 , LiEEIEine 7.1 T 5.9 1 I ; i 1 Soc—ia-th-ci—ence, 7.1 i 8.8 James Madison, Human Ecology N6_P£efeiéfice ‘T 4.8 5.9 ) : lCLASS 3'3 ' Freshman 31.1 28.6 ) 1 Sophomore 22.2 _) 31.4— __lll_l_ _ ____ll 1 1 Junior 13.3 1 11.4 s _, .. _1 Senior 1 11.1 ( 2.9 EEadfiSte i 22:2 ) 25.7 i l 1 AGE ' 1 Between 16 & 19 i 46.7 ! 48.6 Between 20 & 23 ““ 'EITI 2816 Between 24 & 27 8.9 17.1 Between 28 & 33 i 11.1 2.9 — - l 34 & over ' 2.2 2.9 29 Chi-square statistics were computed for each pair of variables. The chi-square for displayer/nondisplayer by major was not significant, X? = 5.603, df = 5, n.s. The chi-square for displayer/nondisplayer by class was also not significant,.X2=2.625, df = 4, n.s. Finally, the chi-square for displayer/nondisplayer by age was not significant, X? = 2.950, df = 4, n.s. While none of these tests yielded significant results, some interesting trends were revealed. The crosstabs show that 47.6% of displayers were majoring in fields related to arts, letters, and education, while 32.6% of nondisplayers were majoring in business-related subjects. The crosstabs and chi-square statistics for class level and age indicate that these variables do not have a significant effect on one’s decision to display. The items in the survey were recoded, so that a response of 1 now corresponded with “strongly disagree” and a response of 5 corresponded with “strongly agree”. Thus, a high score (4 or 5) indicates agreement with the statement. Each item in the scales was then analyzed in terms of its responses. How many people agreed or disagreed with each statement? Table 4 presents the results from this analysis. 30 Table 4. Responses to the items. Scale/Item Mean Potential Valid % Valid % Valid % Range Agree Disagree Neutral 'Need for Affiliation Scale 2.59 4 - 20 47.9 19.7 32.5 ku'comics let others 2.83 1 - 5 34.1 21.2 44.7 know that I am part of a social group. __ll_______l__h__ ; I will usually display' 3.09 ' 1 — 5 23.4 38.3 38.3 comics that my friends like/agree with. I display comic strips 1.85 1 - 5 82.9 2.1 14.9 to show that I "fit in". I usually like to let 42.57 1 -5 51.1 17.0 31.9 others know that I belong ' to a social group(s). ) 1 __ ___ _ _ _ _____ Affective Need for 13.28 3 - 15 28.4 56.0 15.6 Decoration Shale I put comics on my 3.64 1 - 5 5 12.8 68.1 19.1 doors/walls because I feel that they brighten up the room and provide something pleasant to look at. I put comics on my 2.81 ; 1 1 5 44.6 34.0 21.3 doors/walls because ! looking at them helps me i to relax. f i J ) I use the comics as 3.40 l 1 — 5 27.7 65.9 6.4 decoration for my room/office. Table 4. Con’d. 31 Scales/Items Mean TPotential Range valid % Agree valid % Disagree valid % Neutral Entertainment as 1. Motivation Scale 3.68 3 - 15 14.2 71.6 , 1 (funny. I I put comics on my :door/walls because !other people might think that they’re 83.0 “123 14.2 them. I mainly display— comic strips so that others can enjoy 3 My main purpose for displaying comics is that I want to share their entertainment value w/ others. 53.2 ”78.7 12.8 )Extrovorsion Scale I eager to meet new ;people. I mix well—Edth other people. ) l I consider myself_ j Ito be outgoing and ‘ 3.89 3.96 5—3f98h' 3 - 15 74.9 "1 — 5 77.8”’f 65.5 19.8 82.7 17.3 crowd. I enjoy the excitement of a 64.2 28.4 Table 4. Con’d. 32 Scales/Items Mean Potential Range valid % Agree valid % Disagree valid % Neutral Identification Scale for 3.10 Displayers . 1 in 4 - 20 I put comics on my 13.47 doors/walls because I (feel they help to {express my personality -to others. 1 I 1 1 1 FF—I mostly display comic 3.11 strips because I feel ' that they represent who 1 ‘I am. ‘ 1 My main purpose for displaying comics is that I want others to 1 i know what kind of 1 personal I am. ‘ ;2.79 ————— ___-4 42.1 31.4 19. ..-... WALA—_ _+— - 26.6 21. 31. P‘- ___ ' The comic Strips that (3.04 jI display portray my personality very 1 accurately. 1 P.“- .. 1 1 38.3 Introvorsion Scale 3. 571 3-915 a).____ _‘_—. _f_.______- 4). ... 60.1 _i 14.4 “25.5 I l i 1 I usually avoid being 3. 63 .in a crowd. 1—~A~ ; . - I find it hard to make 3.70 conversation when I meet1 new people. 1 I consider myself to 1 be private; I like to 1 1 3. :keep to myself. 1 1 - 5 61.7 9.9 28.4 1 1 1 _—..__ _.-*4—__.____ “(p—___ __ , . 1 69.2 __39f 13. 17.3 é_n 30.9 Table 4. Con’d. Scale/Item M939 33 Potential Range valid % Agree valid % Disagree _.,__—_. l valid % Neutral i 1 | 1 Nondisplayers: others know that I belong to a social igroup(s). 1Identification Scale Ifor Nondisplayers 1 I usually like to left 1 1 '3.29 1 - 5 20.6 44.1 35.3 1 20.6 44.1 7____ __JL— _ 35.3 50.0 19.6 30.4 I feel that people iwho display comics do iso to express their personalities. I 8557: diEElay ;comics because I lcommunicate my personality to others ‘in different ways. 1 I usually like to iexpress my personality 'to other people. 1 3:76 50.0 17.6 29.4 32.4 ‘44TI____ 11.8 14.7 1Persuasion as I Motiva tion Scale 1 I put comics on my ldoor/walls because I [want others to agree :with the message the cartoonists are ]sending. .__—_—. 1., - -___ ,. 30.5 "38.3 1 I display comic strips because they |help me to persuade 'others to share my opinions. 2.32 10.6 66.0 )I hope that the comic 'strips that I display 1will help to change :others' opinions about 'issues that are important to me. .57 17.0 53.2 23.4 29.8 34 Correlations were then run to determine relationships between the scales. The significant values are displayed in Table 5. In the interest of saving space, the titles of the scales have been abbreviated. 5 3 Hmon m. nonHmHmnHoom om QHmon