AN ANALYflS OF THE CHARACWMS‘HCS QF WRETEJN RESFQE‘MENW TQ A FARM ANE HCME TELEVEMQN F‘RQGRAM IN SGUTH CENTRAL MICHEGAH “west: £09 We Daqv‘ec of Ms A. WCKEGEK STATE URI‘V’EESETY Thomas B. Bare 1966 LIBRARY; Michigan State ‘ University —-— ”1—.- THESIS —— f“ “(I \ ‘79. '1 ' foq‘ ‘1 “.1“- no; Sf E N [Q C) Q \) 6 \1 “k C; E4_ \ < ABSTRACT AN ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WRITE-IN RESPONDENTS TO A FARM AND HOME TELEVISION PROGRAM IN SOUTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN by Thomas B. Bare This thesis was designed to obtain information con- cerning certain characteristics of write-in respondents to "Rural VieWpoint,' a daily farm and home television show. Information was obtained about information seekers in eight related areas: the type of materials sought, demographic characteristics, television viewing habits, reasons materials were requested, what happened to materials after they were received, the viewers' ability to diffuse innovations, mass— media orientation, and attitudes toward the source of information. To accomplish this purpose a random sample of 161 information seekers was selected from files of "Rural Viewpoint's" information seekers and a written questionnaire was administered. Questionnaires were completed by 80% of the respon- dents and represented four types of information seekers: home economics, home and lawn, agriculture, and miscellaneous. A majority of "Rural VieWpoint's" information seekers were women . Thomas B. Bare Almost half of the information seekers resided in rural areas. Over 80% of the information seekers had a high school education or better. Information seekers' ages varied widely from 20 to 70. The number of children at home also varied widely but correlated with the information seeker's age. Only 25% of the information seekers worked full time. Of those employed, a majority were craftsmen, opera— tive or kindred workers. Less than 1% of the information seekers were farmers. Michigan State University, the information seeker's source of information, had been attended by less than 50% of the information seekers or their families. "Rural VieWpoint" was watched on a regular basis by more than half of the information seekers. Over 80% of the information seekers said they liked the feature segment of the program best. The feature segment was the first indication to information seekers that materials were available to help them with certain problems. A majority of the information seekers asked for materials because they were interested in the subjects pre- sented on "Rural VieWpoint" and not necessarily because they had a Specific need to be met. Thomas B. Bare Information seekers tended to rely on the materials they received. Half of the recipients indicated they took action as suggested by the materials received. The recipients further suggested their faith in the materials by recommend- ing them to their friends. Although many of the information seekers gave advice of a farm and home nature to their friends, thus diffusing ideas, few saw themselves as innovators. Infor- mation seekers tended to ask their friends for about as much advice as vice-versa. Television was the leading source of farm and home information for the group surveyed, but there was a great tendency among the respondents to be strongly multi-media oriented. The attitude of information seekers toward Michigan State University, the disseminator of their information materials, was quite positive. This was eSpecially true for agriculture information seekers. AN ANALYSIS OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF WRITE-IN RESPONDENTS TO A FARM AND HOME TELEVISION PROGRAM IN SOUTH CENTRAL MICHIGAN BY . I Thomas B. Bare A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Television and Radio 1966 f 1‘ I " Approved ‘/‘ I /£Z£L (\\\M YMajor Professor ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to take this opportunity to ex- press his gratitude for the assistance received from many people in the completion of this thesis. Perhaps the greatest debt is owed to my associates of the Cooperative Extension Service of Michigan State University. Had it not been for the direction, encourage- ment, and guidance offered by Mr. B. E. Davis and Dr. Howard Miller, Department of Information Services, and Dr. Mason Miller, Instiuite for Extension Personnel Development, this thesis might not have been completed. Mr. Donald Gregg, Extension Publications Editor, was of great assistance in supplying necessary information in classify- ing and identifying the materials used in the survey. Mrs. Mary Palmer deserves a Special thanks for typing and mimeographing questionnaires and numerous drafts of this thesis. Had it not been for the resources and talents with- in the faculty of the Department of Television and Radio this study would have moved at a snail's pace. The encouragement and the motivation provided by Mr. Arthur Weld have resulted in this thesis. Mr. Thomas Baldwin was particularly helpful in designing the survey instru- ment. Gratefully acknowledged are the primary suggestions ii for this study made by Dr. Gordon Gray who also served as my graduate advisor before taking sabbatical leave. Mr. Leo Martin was particularly helpful in acquiring funds for computer operations. Dr. Everett Rogers and Mr. Albert Talbott of the Department of Communication offered excellent guidance in the designing, coding and computing of the questionnaire. A debt is owed to my wife, Patricia, for the help she rendered in many phases of the study. iii PREFACE My interests in rural people and Cooperative Extension Service work began when I was a West Virginia farm boy. Although I did not Study agriculture in high school and college, I kept abreast of the developments in the field. The academic background I chose was highly oriented toward communications and the serving of vast rural publics via the medium of television and radio. I accepted a graduate assistantship in the Department of Information Services at Michigan State University because 1) the Department of Information Services is part of the Cooperative Extension Service, and 2) this was a chance to further develop my interests and career by serving the rural publics of Michigan via television. As a graduate assistant, I have served as the pro— ducer of "Rural VieWpoint" a daily farm and home television program Sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service. The responsibilities of the producer include: coordinat- ing the schedule, providing film and visual aids to the guests, acting as liasion between the station and the University and serving as master of ceremonies on the program. Considerable resources are involved in the pro- duction of "Rural VieWpoint." Therefore, it is essential iv that we know to whom we are programming. Although a former producer, James Harrison, surveyed the people who watched the program and critically analyzed the program's format in 1962, his studies were not designed to elicit information concerning the occupations, educational levels, family characteristics, etc. of the audience. Therefore, I felt that it was essential to probe the audience in depth and find if possible their motivations and needs. I quickly discovered that numbers of the group whom I call the "information seekers" must have particular needs to be met Since they had written in to the program for supplemental materials after having seen a show. Since little research had been done in this area, and for the preceding reasons, I undertook this study. Perhaps this thesis can aid in suggesting fruitful topics for further research of rural as well as non-rural television and radio audiences by pointing to vast areas of untapped research information. There remains a great challenge for future research as one seeks for new objectives different from the old. The main emphasis of this work concerns my research findings, but a framework is laid for further studies. 1James A. Harrison, "Rural Viewpoint Analysis," (unpublished manuscript in the Department of Television and Radio, Michigan State University, Summer, 1962). Chapter TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Description of the Program Description of the Location of the Survey Written Materials Offered Purpose of the Study II. DESCRIPTION OF THE METHOD . . . . . . . . . Design of the Study Hypothesized Characteristics of the Respondents Limitation Imposed Categories of the Publications Requested Construction of the Questionnaire Sampling Method Used Description of the Questionnaire Pilot Study Response Obtained III. RESULTS OBTAINED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Population Profile Relationship between Types of Materials Requested and Characteristics of the Respondents Statistical Analysis IV. DISCUSSION AND EXPLICATION OF RESULTS . . . . BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDICES 9 O O 0 O O C O O O O 0 0 0 C O O O 0 vi Page U'lrwa (I) 10 12 l3 14 15 15 l7 l7 l9 19 25 42 47 57 59 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix Page I. TYPES OF RESEARCH MATERIAL UTILIZED IN THE STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 II. TABULATION OF RESEARCH DATA (GENERAL) . . . . 72 III. TABULATION OF RESEARCH DATA ACCORDING TO TYPE OF MATERIAL REQUESTED . . . . . . . . 80 IV. TABLES OF STATISTICAL ANALYSIS . . . . . . . 86 vii Table 10. 11. LIST OF TABLES Relationship between residence and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . Relationship between employment and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . Relationship between the number of housewives not employed outside the home and type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . . Relationship between agriculturally related occupations and type of material requested Relationship between the segment of ”Rural Viewpoint" liked best and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . Relationship between reasons bulletins were requested and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Relationship between extent the information was found useful and the type of material re— quested . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Relationship between the recommendation of materials and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Relationship between number of times friends have asked for information and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . . Relationship between advice-giving based on ”Rural VieWpoint" material and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . Relationship between dependence of friends on an information seeker's advice and the the type of material requested . . . . . . viii Page 26 28 28 29 32 33 34 36 36 37 38 Table Page 12. Relationship between number of times information has been sought from friends and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . 39 13. Relationship between the information seeker's opinion of Michigan State University's efforts to help adult citizens and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . 41 ix LIST OF APPENDIX TABLES Appendix II Table Page 1. Predominant types of bulletins requested by information seekers . . . . . . . . . . 73 2. All types of bulletins requested by information seekers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 3. Residence categories of information seekers . . 73 4. Educational level of information seekers . . . 74 5. Age level of information seekers . . . . . . . 74 6. Number of children at home of information seekers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 7. Employment status of information seekers . . . 75 8. Occupational categories of information seekers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 9. Number of information seekers and their families who have attended Michigan State University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 10. Times per week information seekers watched "Rural Viewpoint" . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 11. Segment of "Rural Viewpoint" liked best by information seekers . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 12. Reasons information seekers requested materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 13. Extent to which materials were useful to information seekers . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Table 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Extent to which materials received from "Rural Viewpoint" were recommended by information seekers . . . . . . . . . . . . Number of times friends have sought information from information seekers . . . . . . . . . Degree to which advice given to friends has been based on materials received from "Rural Viewpoint" . . . . . . . . . . . . . Extent to which friends depend on advice given by information seekers . . . . . . . . . . Degree to which information seekers have sought information from friends . . . . . . . . . Information seeker's primary source of farm and home information . . . . . . . . . . . Information seeker's attitude toward Michigan State University's efforts to help adult citizens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Appendix III Relationship between the educational level of information seekers and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . . Relationship between information seekers' age and the type of material requested . . . . Relationship between number of children at home and type of material requested . . . . Relationship between occupation of information seekers and the type of material requested . Relationship between number of family members that attended Michigan State University and the type of material requested . . . . . . Relationship between time spent per week watching "Rural VieWpoint" and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . xi Page 77 77 78 78 78 79 79 81 82 82 83 83 84 Table Page 7. Relationship between what happens to materials after they are received and the type of material requested . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 8. Relationship between use of all media as information sources and the type of mater- ial requested . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 9. Relationship between the most important single source of farm and home information cited and the type of material requested . . . . 85 Appendix IV 1. Relationship between the predominant type of materials requested and the information seeker's occupation . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 2. Relationship between place of residence and number of requests for agricultural information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 3. Relationship between place of residence and mention of farm meetings as an important farm and home information source . . . . . 88 4. Relationship between place of residence and mention of Michigan State University Extension materials as an important farm and home information source . . . . . 89 5. Relationship between educational attainment and number of requests for agricultural information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 6. Relationship between educational attainment and occupations of agricultural information seekers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 7. Relationship between educational attainment and the reliance information seeker's friends place on advice received . . . . . 91 8. Relationship between the number of children at home and the ages of information seekers . 91 xii Table 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. l6. l7. 18. Page Relationship between the number of children at home and mention of newspapers as an important source of farm and home information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Relationship between the number of children at home and mention of magazines as an important source of farm and home infor- mation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Relationship between the number of children at home and mention of neighbors as an important source of farm and home infor— mation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Relationship of "Rural VieWpoint" viewing habits to the ages of information seekers . . . . 93 Relationship of "Rural VieWpoint" viewing habits to the number of children at home . 94 Relationship of "Rural Viewpoint" viewing habits to number of information seekers who recommend bulletins to their associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Relationship between information seeker's educational attainment and number of times friends have sought their advice . . . . . 94 Relationship between the number of times information seeker's friends had a farm and home problem and the number of times information seekers recommended "Rural VieWpoint" materials . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Relationship between the number of times infor- mation seeker’s friends have sought farm and home advice and the number of times the advice given was based on materials received from "Rural Viewpoint" . . . . . . . . . . 95 Relationship between the number of times an information seeker's friends received farm and home advice and extent to which they relied on the advice . . . . . . . . . . . 95 xiii Table 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Page Relationship between the number of times information seekers have sought advice from friends and number of times friends have sought advice from information seekers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Relationship between number of times information seeker's friends sought advice and number of information seekers who say farm meetings are an important information source . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Relationship between number of times infor- mation seeker's friends sought advice and number of information seekers who say Extension personnel are important farm and home information sources . . . . . . . 97 Relationship between number of times infor- mation seeker's friends sought advice and number of information seekers who say neighbors are an important information source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 Relationship between number of times infor— mation seeker's friends sought advice and number of information seekers who say Michigan State University Extension bulletins are an important information source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Relationship between the number of times information seekers have sought advice from friends and number of information seekers who say friends and neighbors are an important source of farm and home information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 xiv CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Description of The Program "Rural Viewpoint" is a daily fifteen-minute farm and home public service television program produced by the Michigan State University Cooperative Extension Service on television station WJIM-TV in Lansing. WJIMrTV'S 100,000 watt transmitters emit a signal that may be received in forty South Central Michigan counties and in three Indiana and three Ohio counties; however, the strongest signal is received within a 65 mile radius of the transmitters.1 The show appears Monday through Friday from 12:15 to 12:30. Extension personnel from four counties in the WJIM-TV viewing area and state extension personnel from Michigan State University cooperate with the Department of Information Services to produce the program. The program is comprised of three segments: weather report, feature and livestock market report. The mid—day temperature, relative humidity, baro- metric pressure, wind direction and weather forecast for the 1See Appendix I,"Field Intensity Contours"for WJIMrTV's area of coverage. next 24 hours comprise the weather report which is of two to three minutes in length. The United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service Daily Report from Detroit, Michigan, is the source of information for the three- minute livestock market segment of the program. This segment of "Rural Viewpoint" is made up of the latest prices being paid at the Detroit Livestock Yards for cattle, hogs, sheep and lambs, poultry and eggs. The Michigan Elevator Exchange also contributes to this part of the program by providing the latest prices being paid for grain and beans at the Lansing, Michigan, elevators. The feature segments of the prOgram are in-depth reports on some topic of current interest, as contrasted with a brief "spot news" type of story. Features are from five to ten minutes in length, and deal with a subject of farm—home importance. One feature may concern canning home- grown vegetables, while another may describe the finer points of grooming a calf for the county fair. Therefore, the range of topics discussed during any one-week period may be great. Extension personnel appear on the program as guests to present the features. Although most discussions of the features are initiated by the host through leading questions or factual introductory statements, a few of the guests prefer simply to be introduced and then given full charge of the feature segment unaided. At the close of the segment, the guest who has pre- sented the subject matter will often offer further informa- tional materials free of charge to viewers. To receive the materials offered, a viewer writes to WJIM—TV in care of "Rural Viewpoint." Description of the Surveyed Location Theoretically, if the atmospheric conditions within a 90 mile radius of Lansing are ideal, and if every man, woman and child has access to a television set, over six and one-half million people could watch WJIM-TV's programs. A general population profile would show the area of WJIM-TV's coverage to be about the same in socio-economic character- istics as any comparable area in the country. The one exception might be a higher percent of industrialization. The relation of non—agriculturally related jobs to agricul- turally related jobs is in excess of a twelve to one ratio. The median family income is in excess of $6,256. The median number of school years completed is 11.0 for those persons over 25. Over 40% of the population has completed high school. Less than 40% of the population are under 18 years, and over 50% are in the 18-64 year group. About 9% of the population is non-white; 2% are foreign born, and other 9% are native of foreign or mixed parentage. 2U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Census of Population: 1960, V01. 1 Characteristics of the Population, Part 24, Michigan. Tables 13, 20, 22, 34 and 81. Written Materials Offered Materials offered are publications provided by the Cooperative Extension Service of Michigan State University. These are popularly referred to as "Extension Bulletins." Each bulletin is planned and written to fill a specific teaching need in a Cooperative Extension Service program area. They are used as teaching aids in informal Extension classroom situations; and they are distributed also to the general public on an individual request basis through county Extension offices and through the Michigan State University Bulletin office. Each bulletin is written to cover a specific topic. Examples by title are "Fruit Spray Recommendations for 1966," ”Peach Culture in Michigan," "Strawberries for the Home Garden," "Lawn Weed Control," and "Mealtime for Little Folks." Bulletins are printed in a standard 8 1/2 x 11 inch format. They range in length from 2 pages to over 100, depending on the specific subject matter and extent of coverage deemed necessary to meet the specific Extension teaching and informational need. In the early 1960's a card file was started that recorded the names of those who sought information from "Rural Viewpoint” and the bulletin or bulletins they received. This file appears to have been started so that updated information could be sent periodically to these information seekers. Purpose of the Study Information needed in relation to "Rural Viewpoint."—- One may theorize that people who write in to television and radio programs are different from the majority of viewing and listening audiences. Many studies have been conducted to determine who listens to radio and who views television and why. However, while this voluminous amount of research has been conducted, little attention has been given to an analysis of the information seekers themselves. "Rural VieWpoint" is a public service program and has as its general objective the enrichment and enlightenment of its audiences: therefore, better ways of disseminating information are continually being sought. Since the infor— mation seekers have responded to the program for further enrichment or enlightenment, it was hypothesized that these people are the group to whom "Rural VieWpoint" and possibly other public service programs should primarily be aimed. In order to implement the study of this hypothesis, information was needed that would give a demographic profile of information seekers -- what materials different demo— graphic groups seek, to what extent the information is useful, what their most important information sources are, and what their opinions are of the sources of information. Therefore, with the hope that a new body of know- ledge would be made available which would complement the now existing audience research and offer a basis for interpre— tative judgments and decisions by Extension personnel, broadcasters, and teachers of communication, this study of these information seekers was initiated. Possible uses for the results.--The results obtained by this research could serve as a base of comparison for research of the diffusion of innovations by Extension people. Extension personnel might find this information helpful in working with both rural farm and rural non-farm segments of the population. The lists of bulletins and materials liked and disliked by the reporting information seekers could offer Extension people guidance in choosing better programs for their publics. . Program producers and broadcasters may find in this study insights into the interests, motivations and responses of information seekers to television. The reSponse made to different types of information could serve as a criterion for program content selection and choice. Advertisers should be interested in knowing what people respond to what kind of needs. Moreover, advertisers may want to review their present concepts and discover new methods of improving program content. Teachers of communications may wish to review the conclusions of the study in an effort to examine more fully the nature of diffusion concepts. As a medium which interests and holds the attention of the information seekers, tele- vision can serve as a vital tool for the diffusion of innovations. Herein, the educator and broadcaster may join to better serve the public. Students of sociology may wish to examine these findings to determine the sociological characteristics of people who ask for different types of bulletins. For the many who deal with the activities and interests of information seekers, this study should prove of value. The next chapter of this thesis describes the purposes of this reserach, sets forth the questions and hypotheses, designates the limitations of the study, and defines the research methodology. The results obtained in this research are set forth in the third chapter. A survey profile, as well as answers and tests of the hypotheses, is included. Interpretative summations of the results obtained in Chapter II and suggestions for application and future research are included in Chapter IV. The appendix contains tables, questionnaires, and other materials relevant to the study. CHAPTER II DESCRIPTION OF METHOD Design of the Study This study was undertaken in an attempt to delineate, document, and offer new research information concerning television information seekers. A research design was chosen which sought to determine characteristics of infor- mation seekers and ascertain to what extent materials re— ceived by them were useful. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, an investigation was directed toward obtaining information in eight related areas of interest. 1. The first of these areas was the type of materials for which information seekers asked. A survey of publica— tions in stock in the Michigan State University Extension Bulletin Office indicates that there are more materials available on subjects of an agricultural nature than any other. waever, mailing records from this office indicate that the majority of bulletin requests are for materials pertaining to home economics. 2. Perhaps regulating, and related to, the materials sought are the background and environment of the information seekers. A determination of the demographic characteristics of the information seekers was necessary so that the nature and existence of such characteristics could be ascertained. Sources of control then could be differentiated. 3. Viewing habits of the information seekers were the third area with which this study was concerned, including a determination of the number of times per week "Rural Viewpoint" was viewed and what segment was best liked. 4. An allied area studied concerned why materials were requested. And, after materials were received,to what extent was the information sought useful? 5. The fifth area of examination was concerned with exploring what happened to the materials after they were received. This area of study did not concern itself with the perceived usefulness of the materials sought, since this was previously determined. 6. Although each of the information seekers questioned had received some type of material, it was desired to inquire into the nature of his ability in diffusing innovations and whether information seekers are leaders or followers. As a corollary to this area of study, it also appeared useful to determine what an innovator's information sources are. 7. Another area of interest closely allied to each of the aforementioned is that of an information seeker's mass-media orientation. That is, were those who requested publications from the television program more frequent observers of television and radio, and more frequent readers 10 of the printed media, than others? In this case, information seekers received materials from television programs; tradi- tionally, it has been held that farm and home information seekers are more highly oriented to printed media.3 How— ever, recent studies conducted by the University of Wisconsin tend to Show that farm and home information seekers are becoming more broadcast media minded.4 An inquiry was made to see to what extent "Rural Viewpoint's" information seekers followed this pattern. 8. The eighth purpose of this study was to determine. if possible, what relation the attitude of the information seeker has toward the source of his information; that is, did the information seekers hold a positive or negative attitude toward the Michigan State University Extension Service? Hypothesized Characteristics of the Respondents A limited number of pre-survey questionnaires and limited contact with information seekers had enabled the author of this study to draw conclusions concerning the characteristics of information seekers. It was desired to further test these tentative con— clusions for their accuracy and validity, along with a 3"Where Farmers Get Information," Agricultural Communications Research Report 14, College of Agriculture, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, May, 1963, pp. 1-14. 4John E. Ross and Lloyd R. Bostian, "Functional Orientation of Wisconsin Farm Women Towards Mass Media," Bulletin 33, College of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin, August, 1965. 11 number of hypotheses and questions suggested by them. The following characteristics were expected to be revealed: 1. 10. 11. 12. The majority of "Rural Viewpoint's" viewers would be women. A high percentage of the information seekers would desire home economics materials. Most of the information seekers would live in urban- suburban areas. The majority would have at least a high school education. Ages would range from 20 to 70. The number of children at home would vary widely. Few information seekers would be employed outside the home. Of those employed outside the home, the majority would be farmers or craftsmen. Many of the information seekers would have attended Michigan State University. Information seekers would tend to watch "Rural Viewpoint" on a regular basis. Since the information received was first mentioned on the feature segment of "Rural Viewpoint," most information seekers would indicate they like and remember this part of the program best. People would tend to ask for materials because they have a specific need to be met. 12 13. If the recipients have found the material useful, they would probably take some form of action as suggested in the materials received. 14. Once information seekers have used the materials, they would either file the materials for future reference or pass them along to friends. 15. These people would probably recommend materials to their friends. 16. Due to the less formal way of life in an agricul- tural society, agricultural information seekers would tend to give their friends more advice than would those of a more formal urban or suburban society. In addition, answers to the following questions were sought: 1. Does educational attainment correlate with the type of materials sought? 2. Does the age of an information seeker affect the type of materials he may seek? 3. Do most "Rural Viewpoint" information seekers watch the show on a regular basis? 4. Why do people ask for materials presented on a farm-home Show? 5. What happens to the materials after they are received? Limitations Imposed Several limitations were imposed as a means to define this study. 13 Only those information seekers who had received materials from "Rural Viewpoint" were surveyed for this thesis. In order to keep the research as up to date as possible, only those who had written for materials between January 1, 1964 and November 1, 1965 were surveyed. Also, by selecting this period of time, it was felt that some of the problems of attempting to locate individuals who might have moved away would be alleviated. Therefore, the per- centage of returned questionnaires would be higher. As a means of more sharply defining the interests of information seekers, each recipient was classified according to the major type of materials for which he had asked. If a recipient had received materials of two types, he was randomly assigned to only one area by using a table of random numbers. Categories of Publications Requested The types of material sought came under four categories: home economics, home and lawn, agriculture, and miscellaneous, as categorized and defined by Mr. Donald Gregg, Michigan State University Extension Publications Editor. Mr. Gregg defines home economics materials as those materials which are centered on the problems of interior home management. Included are those materials which relate to foods, nutrition, clothing, child development, storage facilities, and other related equipment. 14 Home—Lawn materials are those materials which relate to exterior home beautifucation. Included are materials concerned with landscaping, weed control, and related home improvement. Materials classified as agricultural in nature include commercial field crop production, storage, and related cultural practices. Materials having to do with the non-commercial production of sweet corn in the home garden, for example, would not come under agriculture but rather home and lawn. Included in the materials labelled miscellaneous are those of a public-affairs nature or those that go beyond the realm of the immediate family circle. A complete list of materials and their classifi— cation may be found in Appendix 1.5 Construction of the Questionnaire In order to refute or substantiate the hypotheses, and find acceptable answers for the questions raised con- cerning information seekers, sixteen questions were de— signed to be asked of a selected segment of "Rural Viewpoint" information seekers. Thhs was the sole instrument used to fulfill the purpose of this study. In view of the limited resources available for the execution of this study, a written questionnaire was viewed as a means of 5See Appendix I,"Lists of Bulletins According to Classification." 15 reaching a substantial sample of information seekers in a relatively short time. Sampling Method Used A survey population of 161 men and women was selected at random from the files of "Rural Viewpoint" information seekers for the years 1964 and 1965. These files Show that some 1,615 individuals requested materials in this two—year period. However, many of these information seekers requested materials more than once. To insure that the survey population was of the same ratio as the total population of information seekers available for random sampling, every tenth recipient of materials was selected. The initial population thus selected was composed of 116 women (72%) and 45 men (28%), or a total of 161 information seekers. From the information made available by the information seekers file of "Rural Viewpoint,’ it was possible to de— rive the full name of the recipient, his address, and the exact titles of materials he had received. Description of the Questionnaire The questionnaire was constructed in such a way that when it was administered, coded and analyzed, the hypotheses and questions listed at the outset of this study would be answered.6 Each information seeker's name 6See Appendix I, "Questionnaires." 16 was written on the questionnaire. This provided the answer to the recipient's sex as well as a tabulation of the recipients who returned their questionnaires. It was also hoped that he would see this as a personal request to have him help out in this study. Closely related to this gesture of friendship was a listing of the materials received by an information seeker. Herein, the information noted was essential to the study, and to the recipient's recall of materials sought. Questions one through six deal with the demography of the information seekers. Questions seven and eight were designed to find the amount of time spent per week watch- ing "Rural Viewpoint,‘ the information source used, and what parts of the program were most interesting to him. Determining why materials were sought from "Rural Viewpoint" and how useful they were to the recipients was the pertinent reason for questions nine and ten. In order to better know what happens to materials after they have been received, questions eleven and twelve were employed. Questions thirteen and fourteen of the instru- ment were employed to learn if information seekers are innovators within their communities. Question fifteen requested information about the information seeker's orientation to all types of communi— cations disseminators. The final question involved the information seeker's opinion of Michigan State University, the source of his information requests. 17 Answers obtained by the questionnaire were tabulated and transferred to IBM cards for computer analysis. Where there were open-ended questions, a code was established after a sample of the questions had been analyzed. Pilot Study As previously stated, a pre-survey questionnaire was administered to a random sample of twenty-five informa- tion seekers in the immediate vicinity of Lansing. This pilot study was conducted to test the reactions of the recipients and their ability to answer the questions. The pre-survey instrument was mailed October 10, 1965. Within two weeks 75% of the questionnaires had been returned and evaluated. From this instrument, it was noted that there needed to be three question revisions. Once these revisions were completed, the primary instrument of the study was ready to be employed. Responses Obtained On October 29, 1965, a total of 161 questionnaires were mailed. By November 14, 1965, 50% of the instruments had been returned, and it was felt since two weeks had elapsed a follow-up questionnaire should be sent. On November 17, 1965, 79 instruments were mailed to those who had not responded. After an interval of one month, one hundred twenty-nine questionnaires had been returned. This represented 80% of the sample, and was felt to be the 18 . . 7,8 max1mum pOSSlble response. As the initial phase of data analysis, coding was entered for each vairable. With the assistance of Albert Talbott, Department of Communication, Michigan State University, and Thomas Baldwin, Department of Television and Radio, Enchigan State University, the coded information was entered on IBM cards and analyzed by the facilities of the Computer Center of Michigan State University. Numeri- cally accounted responses, percentages which represented the numerical responses, and tables of significance were received in the form of computer data. In the following chapters of this study, the data obtained by computer have been set into tables in the form of results. 7In addition, five questionnaires were returned stating that the addressee had moved and left no forwarding address. 8According to Clyde W. Dow, An Introduction to Graduate Study in Speech and Theater (East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1961), p. 241. Dow states that a 50% reply to a written questionnaire is acceptable; therefore, the reply to this questionnaire was outstanding. CHAPTER III RESULTS OBTAINED This study's results were drawn from a small sample of the information seekers of a limited geographic area of south central Michigan.9 Although variations in cultural patterns of behavior may be delineated within the state and nation, our assumption was that these differences will not significantly distort the data regarding information seek- ers. Therefore, the relationships reported may have broader implications for studies of information seekers on a some- what larger scale. Popplation Profile Ninety-seven of the 129 respondents were women and 32 were men. Materials requested.--Home Economics materials were the predominant type asked for by the information seekers who returned questionnaires.lo In checking all types of materials sought, 68% asked for home economics materials and 44% the three other material types:ll’ 12 9See Appendix I, "Field Intensity Contours." 11 10Appendix II, Table 1. Appendix II, Table 2 12Some respondents requested more than one type of material, so the total is more than 100%. 19 20 home and lawn, agriculture, and miscellaneous. Residence and education.—-Although WJIM-TV is located in a metropolitan area and more than half (55.8%) the total information seekers said they live in an urban or suburban area according to terms as defined in this report, a rather large percentage (44.2%) acutally live in rural 13 areas. A majority of the respondents have a high school education or better. Only 19% have not received high school educations.l4 Age, children at home, employment.—-Percentage of respondents by age did not significantly differ from twenty years up. However, there was a trend to seek less information after seventy. At the opposite end of the scale, few if any asked for information in the less than twenty year age group.15 The number of children at home varied widely. A high percentage had no children at home (42.6%). A majority of those with children at home had from two to six children.16 Few information seekers in this study were employed. Only 25% worked full time.17 However, 58.1% of the un- employed were housewives. Over nine percent of the employed Appendix II, Table 3. 14Appendix II, Table 4. Appendix II, Table 5. 16Appendix II, Table 6. 13 15 17Appendix II, Table 7. 21 were craftsmen, operative or kindred workers; this might be expected since this is a highly industrialized area. Of the occupational groups listed, it is interesting to note that less than one percent of the information seekers were farmers although ”Rural Viewpoint" is a public service farm and home show.18 It should be further noted that of those employed only 1.6% had jobs that are agricultural or agriculturally related. Attendance at Michigan State University.--Only 40.3% of the information seekers or their families had attended Michigan State University. Of the information seekers or their families who had attended Michigan State University, only six percent of the respondents had attended and five percent of their spouses; however, ten percent of their children had attended.19 Regularity of viewing.——When asked the number of times per week information seekers usually watched "Rural VieWpoint," almost 49% said they watched regularly while only 12% indi- cated they did not watch the program on a regular basis. However, this group must have seen the program occasionally to have asked for materials.20 Of those who had watched the program, well over 80% said they liked the feature segment the best. This was to be expected since this is the program segment which offered the information seeker 18Appendix II, Table 8. 19Appendix II, Table 9. 20Appendix II, Table 10. 22 materials. A trick question was asked to make sure the information seekers knew from which program they received materials, and only 1.6% stated "Rural VieWpoint" programmed . . . 21 muSlc or sports announcements which it does not. Use of materials received.-—The information seekers indicated that they asked for materials primarily because they were interested in the subject (63.6%). However, over 25% of the information seekers said they had a specific problem to be solved.22 After receiving the materials, over 70% of the recipients found the materials to be useful either for solving their farm and home problems or satis- fying their interest in the subject.23 When asked what happened to the materials after they had been received from "Rural Viewpoint," 9.3% said they read the materials but took no action, but 49.6% indicated they read the materials and took the action suggested. Only 6.2% said they read the materials pro- vided and then took action other than suggested. Slightly over sixteen percent (16.3%) of the information seekers passed the materials on after they had used them. Seventy- one percent (70.5%) said they filed the materials and kept them for further reference. Nine percent (8.5%) indicated they put the materials to other uses. And only one 21Appendix II, Table 11. 22Appendix II, Table 12. 23Appendix II, Table 13. 23 information seeker (0.8%) said he disregarded the materials without reading them. After looking at what information seekers did with their materials, it was interesting to note that over 85% indicated they recommend materials received to their friends at least sometimes.24 Advice given and received.-—Many of the friends of farm and home information seekers depend on them for advice. Almost forty percent (39.5%) indicated their friends had asked for advice in the past six months. It was further noted that 35.7% of those who had asked for information had asked more than two times over the past six months' period.25 Of the information seekers giving advice to their friends, 24.5% said their advice was based on materials received from "Rural VieWpoint."26 Although many information seekers gave advice to their friends (39.5%) only 24.8% felt that their friends depended on their advice.27 Therefore, it appears that although these information seekers diffuse innovations they did not generally see themselves as leaders. Information seekers appear to ask their friends for more advice than vice-versa; however, the comparison is not Significant (40.3% to 39.5%). This seems to indicate that information seekers tend to look for information from 24Appendix II, Table 14. 25Appendix II, Table 15. 26Appendix II, Table 16. 27Appendix II, Table 17. 24 many sources. Some 34 percent (34.1%) of the information seekers asked their friends for information the same number of times, whereas 35.7% of their friends have asked them for information. The one percent difference is not signifi- cant.28 Sources of farm and home information consulted.-- In order to better understand an information seeker's orientation to all forms of farm and home communications, the instrument allowed the recipient to check all his sources of farm and home information. The following per- centages indicate the sources of farm and home information used by information seekers: newspapers, 77.5%; television, 93.0%; radio, 41.1%; magazines, 77.5%; Michigan State University Extension publications, 37.2%; neighbors, 19.4%; farm meetings, 7.0%; Extension personnel, 15.5%; and other 3.9%.” This would tend to indicate that farm and home information seekers are oriented toward many sources of information. However, when asked what their most important single source of information was, 43.4% said television, and this is a higher percentage than newspapers, magazines, radio, Extension personnel, and neighbors combined.29 It should here be pointed out, however, that this sample of information seekers came from a television-oriented group. Attitude toward Michigan State University.-- Finally, it was desired to determine if information seekers 28Appendix II, Table 18. 29Appendix II, Table 19. 25 had a positive or negative attitude toward Michigan State University, the disseminator of their information materials. The attitude proved to be positive; 53.5% said Michigan State University's efforts to help adult citizens were very helpful and a substantial number (34.1%) indicated the efforts were outstanding.30 Relationships between Types of Material Reguested and Characteristics of the Respondents To further implement the knowledge gained from this study, it was necessary to divide the completed 129 question- naires into the four predominant material types sought by the information seekers: home economics, home and lawn, agriculture and miscellaneous. Place of residence.—-It appears from Table 1 that no matter what the information seeker's residence, there is a desire for home economics material. The group living in the rural non—farm areas asked for the highest percent- age of these materials (30.5%) but the urban—suburban area group vnns not far behind (26.8%). Furthermore, it is interesting to note that this same group was also in- terested in home and lawn materials. However, a large number (47.6%) of the urban dwellers were interested in materials dealing with the home and lawn. The percentage of those living on farms and asking for materials concerning \y 30Appendix II, Table 20“.)~ 26 agriculture (47.1%) is not surprising, although the per- centage of people living in the other three areas and asking for agriculture materials was very high. The majority of those seeking materials labelled as miscellaneous reside in urban areas. Table 1. Relationship between residence and the type of material requested. Types of Material Requested Residence Home Economic Home-Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=l7 N=9 Urban N=40 26.8 47.6 17.7 55.6 Suburban N=32 26.8 19.1 17.7 33.3 Rural Non— Farm N=33 30.5 23.8 17.7 .0 Farm N-24 15.9 9.5 47.1 11.1 Note: Percentages total vertically. Level of education.--A rather small percentage of information seekers asking for materials in any of the four categories had less than a high school education. The highest percentage (71.5%) of those with less than a high school education asked for home and lawn materials. With the exception of the home and lawn category, the other three groups of information seekers had about equal percentages of those with high school educations. The majority of the group with advanced degrees asked for home economics materials. 31Appendix III, Table 1. 31 27 Agg.--An information seeker's age does not appear to greatly affect the type of bulletin he selects. The number of information seekers asking for home economics and home and lawn materials was almost equal at all ages. For those who sought agricultural materials, the age groups were again nearly equal with only a slight rise in the 40-49 year age group. Those who sought materials labelled as miscellaneous were primarily in the 20-39 year age groups. Children at home.——Information seekers with no child- ren at home tended to write for more materials of all types. On the other hand, those with many children seemed to ask for fewer publications of any type. Families with two or three children sought about equal numbers of materials of all types. It is interesting to note that families with only one child asked for few materials related to the home but a rather high percentage of agricultural (23.5%) and miscellaneous materials (33.3%).33 Employment status.—-The ranks of the unemployed make up two—thirds of home economics, home and lawn and miscellaneous information seekers, but only one-third of those who asked for agricultural materials. Furthermore, those who sought agriculture materials had the highest percentage (47.1%) of full-time work. The same relation- ship remained constant for part—time employees. 32Appendix III, Table 2. 33Appendix III, Table 3. 28 Table 2. Relationship between employment and the type of material requested. Types of Materials Requested Employment Home Status Economics Home-Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=l7 N=9 Percent Unemployed N=86 70.7 76.2 35.3 66.7 Full time N=33 22.0 23.8 47.1 22.2 Part time N=10 7.3 .0 17.7 11.1 Note: Percentages total vertically. Unemployed housewives asked for more than two- thirds of all material types with the exception of agricul- tural materials. Table 3. Relationship between the number of housewives not employed outside the home and type of material requested. Types of Materials Requested Housewives Home Ecomonics Home—Lawn Agriculture Nuscellaneous N=83 N=21 N=l7 N=9 Percent No N=54 36.6 38.1 76.5 33.3 Yes N=75 63.4 61.9 23.5 66.7 Note: Percentages total vertically. 29 Types of emplgyment.-—Of the employed information seekers, the types of occupations were highly diversified among the four types of materials sought. The largest percentage (18.2%) of those predominantly seeking home economics materials were clerical, professional or semi- professional workers. Home and lawn information seekers appeared to be either craftsmen or laborers (19.0%). Only 6% of those seeking agricultural materials were farmers while the majority were craftsmen or laborers. Professionals, semi-professionals, craftsmen, and laborers equally sought materials labelled as miscellaneous.34 When occupations were divided into agriculturally related and non—related industries, only those who had pre- dominantly asked for agricultural materials make up even a small percentage. Table 4. Relationship between agriculturally related occu- pations and type of material requested. Types of Material Requested Agricultural Related Home Occupations Economics Home-Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=l7 N=9 Percent No N=127 100.0 100.0 88.2 100.0 Yes =2 .0 .0 11.8 .0 Note: Percentages total vertically. 34Appendix III, Table 4. 30 Attendance at Michigan State University.——Less than half of the information seekers or their families in any of the four groups had attended Michigan State University. However, of those attending the highest percentage (22.2%) asked for miscellaneous materials. Three times as many children of information seekers in the home economics group attended Michigan State University as had their parents; of the home and lawn group, the percentage was the same. None in the agricultural and miscellaneous groups had attended Michigan State University. As a group, few information seekers' wives had attended Michigan State University. However, in the home and lawn, agricultural and miscellaneous groups, information seekers' relatives had attended Michigan State University in fair numbers.35 Regularity of viewing.-—With the exception of the miscellaneous group, 50% of the information seekers watched "Rural Viewpoint" regularly (four or more times per week). Of the information seekers who watched the program at least three times per week, agricultural information seekers led the way (76.4%) with home economic and home and lawn infor- mation seekers close behind. Therefore, 70% of these three groups watched "Rural Viewpoint" at least three times per week. On the opposite end of the scale, miscellaneous information seekers were the highest percentage (33.3%) who did not watch ”Rural Viewpoint" at least once a week. The 35Appendix III, Table 5. 31 next largest percentage (17.7%) not watching "Rural Viewpoint” at least once a week were agricultural infor- mation seekers. However, let it be remembered that 75% of this same group watched the show three or more times per week.36 Best-liked segment.--Universal agreement appears to exist among the information seekers as to what segment of "Rural Viewpoint" they best liked-—the "feature." It should be noted that the feature segment deals with the topic for which information seekers may receive additional materials. People seeking home and lawn materials agreed 100% that the feature was their favorite. In contrast, the agricultural information seekers enjoyed the feature, but they were also very much interested in the market reports as well as the weather. The home economics group appeared to be slightly interested in the market reports and a little less interested in the weather than the farmers. Why bulletins were requested.--It was hypothesized that "Rural Viewpoint” information seekers ask for materials primarily because they are interested in the subject and want to know more about it. With the exception of the home and lawn segment, 65% of all requests were for these reasons. However, a rather high percentage of all the group types asked for information because they had some Specific need to be met. This was especially true of the agricultural 36Appendix III, Table 6. 32 Table 5. Relationship between segment of "Rural Viewpoint" liked best and the type of material requested. Types of Material Requested "Rural VieWpoint” Home Home- Segments Economic Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=l7 N=9 Percent Weather N=5 4.9 .0 5.9 .0 Features N=108 82.9 100.0 70.6 77.8 Market Reports N=3 1.2 .0 11.8 .0 Other N=2 1.2 .0 11.8 .0 No Answer =11 8.5 .0 11.8 22.2 Note: Percentages total vertically. information seekers. Many of the information seekers wished to receive information to help out their friends, especially the home and lawn group. Not a significant percentage, but a couple of the survey group wished to use materials received for instructional purposes. Usefulness of information.-—To what extent was the information useful to the information seeker after he re- ceived it? Less than 12% of any group said the materials received were of little or no use. The majority of the information seekers found the materials received to be use- ful or very useful. Over 60% of the home and lawn information 33 Table 6. Relationship between reasons bulletins were re- quested and the type of material requested. Types of Material Requested Reason for Home Home- Request Economic Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent Specific Need N=34 24.4 33.3 35.3 11.1 Interested In Subject N=82 67.1 42.9 64.7 77.8 Instructional Purposes N=2 2.4 .0 .0 .0 To Help a Friend Solve a Problem N=4 1.2 14.3 .0 .0 No Answer N=7 4.9 9.5 .0 11.1 Note: Percentages total vertically. seekers found the materials they received to be very use- ful. An even higher percentage (64.7%) of the agricultural group found their materials to be useful. Although home and lawn and agricultural information seekers totaled the highest percentage saying their materials were either use- ful or very useful, over 75% of the home economics and miscellaneous recipients found their materials to be either useful or very useful. I l Pf] C) sue 34 Table 7. Relationship between extent the information was found useful and the type of material requested. Types of Materials Requested Usefulness Home Home- of Materials Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent No Use N=5 4.9 .0 .0 11.9 Little Use N=4 3.7 .0 .0 11.1 Some Use N=16 14.6 9.5 11.8 .0 Useful N=6l 48.8 28.6 64.7 44.4 Very Useful N=43 28.1 61.9 23.5 33.3 Note: Percentages total vertically. Use of materials.——Table 10, Appendix III revealing "What Happens to Materials After They Are Received?" re- cords what information recipients in each of the four groups did with their materials. (NOte: a recipient might record more than one response.) Sixty-five percent of the agri- cultural information seekers indicated they read the materials received and took the action suggested by said materials. In the three other groups at least 45% of the recipients followed the directions given. However, less than 10% of any group appeared to have read the materials received and then taken action other than suggested. A relatively high percentage of the home economics and home and lawn group r- a... VlC Vv frie 35 appeared to pass the materials received on to friends. Over 50% of all the groups kept the materials received for further reference. The home and lawn group appeared to lead this category with 81% filing their materials, while the miscellaneous and home economics groups were not far behind. Only one information seeker discarded the materials received without reading them.37 Recommendation of materials.-—Home and lawn infor- mation seekers appeared to recommend materials to others more than any of the other three groups. One hundred percent said they recommend materials to their associates either sometimes or always. Not far behind, 94% of the agricultural information seekers recommended materials either sometimes or always. In the home economics group the percentage was the same for those who never recommend materials and those who do always; however, over two- thirds of this group recommended bulletins at least some- times. Number seeking information.-—Friends and associates of agricultural information seekers asked for far more ad- vice of a farm and home nature than any other group (70.6%). At least two-thirds of the other information seekers' friends never asked for farm and home advice. Friends and associates of home economics information seekers were 37Appendix III, Table 7. 36 Table 8. Relationship between the recommendation of materials and the type of material requested. Types of Material Requested Times Materials Have Been Home Home— Recommended Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent Never N=15 14.6 .0 5.9 22.2 Sometimes N=90 70.7 76.2 58.8 66.7 Always N=24 14.6 23.8 35.3 11.1 Note: Percentages total vertically. second in the amount of farm and home advice sought, but they were on a much smaller scale than the agricultural group. Table 9. Relationship between number of times friends have asked for information and the type of material requested. Types of Material Requested Times Advice Home Home- Was Sought Economic Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent Never N=78 62.2 71.4 29.4 77.8 Once N=5 3.7 9.5 .0 .0 Twice N=18 12.2 9.5 23.5 22.2 Many Times N=28 22.0 9.5 47.1 .0 Note: Percentages total vertically. 37 Number basing information on "Rural VieWpoint."-- Of those giving advice to their friends and associates, almost half (47.1%) of the agricultural group indicated their advice was based on materials received from "Rural Viewpoint." At the same time, agricultural information seekers had the highest percent (23.5%) who gave information but did not base it on ”Rural Viewpoint" materials. In the other three groups, more of the information seekers based advice given to friends and associates on "Rural VieWpoint" materials than those who did not. Table 10. Relationship between advice-giving based on ”Rural VieWpoint" material and the type of material requested. Types of Material Requested Advice Based On "Rural Home Home- Viewpoint" Economic Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent No N=l9 15.9 9.5 23.5 .0 Yes N=32 22.0 19.1 47.1 22.2 No Information Asked For N=78 62.2 71.4 29.4 77.8 Note: Percentages total vertically. Number depended on by friends for advice.--When asked if friends and associates depended on advice received from information seekers, 64% of the agricultural group who had 38 been asked for advice, indicated they felt friends depended on their advice. All of the miscellaneous group who had been asked for advice felt their friends depended on it. More home and lawn information seekers felt their friends did not depend on their advice than felt they did. Table 11. Relationship between dependence of friends on an information seeker's advice and the type of material requested. Type of Material Requested Do Friends Depend On Home Home- Your Advice? Economic Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent No N=19 17.1 19.1 5.9 .0 Yes N=32 20.7 9.5 64.7 22.2 No Information Asked For N=78 62.2 71.4 29.4 77.8 Note: Percentages total vertically. Number seeking advice from friends.—-With the ex- ception of agricultural information seekers, 55% or more of all the groups had not asked their friends for advice. Of those seeking information from friends, 33% of the miscel- laneous information seekers asked their friends and associates for more advice than the friends asked them, while less than 10% of any of the other groups indicated this. By far, more information seekers who asked for advice in the 39 agricultural, home economics, and home and lawn groups asked for advice the same number of times from friends, than those who asked for advice more or fewer times. Table 12. Relationship between number of times information has been sought from friends and the type of materials requested. Type of Material Requested Number of Home Home— Requests Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent More Times N=ll 6.1 9.5 5.9 33.3 Same Number N=33 28.1 14.3 41.2 .0 Fewer Times N=8 3.7 4.8 17.7 11.1 No Advice Sought N=77 62.2 71.4 35.3 55.6 Note: Percentages total vertically. Sources of farm and home information.-—Over 70% of the information seekers in each of the four groups received farm and home information from newspapers. And an equal percentage in each group considered magazines to be an important source of information. One hundred percent of the home and lawn information seekers indicated they considered television to be a source of farm and home infor- mation. On the other hand, less than half as many infor- mation seekers in any group considered radio as important 40 a source as television. Agricultural information seekers (76.5%) indicated they consider Michigan State University Extension publications as an important source more than the other groups. More miscellaneous information seekers appear- ed to rely on neighbors as a source of farm and home infor- mation than other groups. As might be expected, more agricultural information seekers considered farm meetings to be an important source of information than other groups. This also held true for extension personnel as a source of information.38 Over 50% of the miscellaneous group, 40% of the home economics and home and lawn groups, and 35% of the agricultural group said television was their most important source of information. The home economics information seekers considered newspapers their second most important single source of information with magazines not far behind. For home and lawn information seekers, magazines were the second most important single source of information; news— papers and Extension bulletins were third. Agricultural information seekers indicated Extension bulletins were their second most important source of information and maga- zines were their fourth. This group also had the highest percentage (5.9%) indicating that Extension personnel were a most important source of information. Twenty-two percent of the miscellaneous group indicated radio was their second 38Appendix III, Table 8. 41 most important source of information; the third most im- portant source of information was newspapers and magazines.39 Evaluation of Michigan State University's efforts to help adult citizens.--Generally, the attitude concerning Michigan State University's efforts to help citizens dif- fered among the four groups, but it appeared that the highest percentage of each group lay in the helpful or out- standing category. A majority of the home economics and the home and lawn group indicated Michigan State University's efforts to help citizens were helpful. More of the agri- cultural group found the efforts to be outstanding. Table 13. Relationship between the information seeker's opinion of Michigan State University's efforts to help adult citizens and the type of material requested. Types of Material Requested MSU'S Efforts Heme Home- to Help Adults Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent Poor N=2 1.2 .0 .0 11.1 Some Help N=11 8.5 .0 17.7 11.1 Helpful N=69 58.5 57.1 35.3 33.3 Outstanding N=44 29.3 42.9 47.1 33.3 No Answer N=3 2.4 .0 .0 11.1 Note: Percentages total vertically. 39Appendix III, Table 9. 42 Statistical Analysis Tests of significance were made for certain variables in the study. The Chi Square method was employed, which relates theoretical frequency to frequency actually found. Several of the variables had to be collapsed in order to get percentages that were large enough to be work- able in the tabulation of types of material requested. For example, the greatest number of requests were for home economics material: home and lawn, agricultural, and mis- cellaneous materials were grouped together, and this group of information seekers was compared with the home economics group. Likewise the residence variables were collapsed into two groups: 1) urban—suburban and 2) rural non-farm and farm. Education was collapsed to 1) less than eighth; 2) eighth through twelfth; and 3) all levels of formal college. Children at home was collapsed to 1) none and 2) one through eight children at home. Times per week "Rural Viewpoint" is watched was collapsed to 1) none through twice per week and 2) three to five times per week. Times friends have asked for farm and home information in the past six months was collapsed to 1) never and 2) one to many times. Times information had been sought from friends by information seekers in the past six months was collapsed to l) more times and 2) same number of times, fewer times and no advice sought. These groups were recorded and then each was com- pared with the other variables. Only fifty of some three 43 hundred tables compared had relative significance at either the .01 or .05 percent level of probability. Of the fifty significant tables, only those that appeared relevant to this study are here quoted. When predominant bulletin types were compared, the only significant difference found was in the profession of the information seekers. There were significantly more craftsmen, operatives, farmers and laborers who sought all other material types than who sought home economics.40 Significantly more rural non-farm and farming information seekers asked for agricultural materials than urban-suburban residents.41 This group also considered farm meetings a more important information source than urban-suburban dwellers.42 Likewise, rural information seekers considered Extension materials to be an important source of information significantly more than their counterparts.43 The percentage of information seekers who asked for agricultural materials dropped significantly as the information seeker's educational attainment increased.44 As an information seeker's educational attainment increased, his position on the scale of occupations from laborer to professional status increased.45 Although 100% of those 4OAppendix IV, Table 1. 41Appendix IV, Table 2. 42Appendix IV, Table 3. 43Appendix IV, Table 4. 44Appendix IV, Table 5. 45Appendix IV, Table 6. 44 with less than an eighth grade education felt friends de- pended on them for advice, Significantly more people with some high school education felt their friends depended on their advice than felt they did not.46 As might be expected, the number of children at home correlated with the information seeker's age.47 Of those who considered newspapers as an important source of infor- mation, significantly more had children at home than did not.48 They had the same opinion in relation to maga— zines,49 and neighbors.50 The difference in "Rural Viewpoint" viewing habits was very great in the younger age groups. The younger the information seeker, the fewer times per week he watched "Rural VieWpoint." However, in the 40-49 year age group the trend shifted to regular viewing.51 Information seekers with children at home tended to watch the Show more times per week than those who did not have children; however, more watched the Show none, one, or two times per week than regularly.52 Those who watched "Rural VieWpoint" regularly recommended more materials to friends than those who were infrequent watchers.53 46Appendix IV, Table 7. 47Appendix IV, Table 8. 48Appendix IV, Table 9. 49Appendix IV, Table 10. 50Appendix IV, Table 11. 5J‘Appendix IV, Table 12. 52Appendix IV, Table 13. 53Appendix IV, Table 14. 45 Of the television information seekers with friends who asked for information, Significantly more with some high school education were asked for information one, two or three times than any other educational grouping.54 A significantly higher percentage of those with friends who asked for information Sometimes recommended materials than those who did not.55 Almost twice as many of these tele- vision information seekers based their recommendations to their friends on "Rural VieWpoint" materials as those who did not.56 Likewise, a high percentage of respondents who based their recommendations on "Rural Viewpoint" materials felt their friends depended on their advice.57 Television information seekers whose friends asked them for advice likewise asked the friends for advice more than those who did not.58 More information seekers with friends who sought advice felt that farm meetings,59 Extension per- sonnel,60 neighbors,61 and Michigan State University Exten- sion bulletins62 were important sources of information than those who had friends that never asked for farm and home advice. 54Appendix IV, Table 15. 55Appendix IV, Table 16. 56Appendix IV, Table 17. 57Appendix IV, Table 18. 58Appendix IV, Table 19. 59Appendix IV, Table 20. 60Appendix IV, Table 21. 61Appendix IV, Table 22. 6Kppendlx IV, Table 23. 46 On the other hand, television information seekers who asked friends for information rated only neighbors as an important source of information more than those who did not ask their friends for advice.63 63Appendix IV, Table 24. CHAPTER IV DISCUSSION AND EXPLICATION OF RESULTS64 A majority of "Rural VieWpoint'S" information seekers are women. Of the 129 questionnaires returned, 97 were returned by women and 32 by men. Since "Rural VieWpoint" is a mid-day show, most of the viewers will be women, children home for lunch and the unemployed. Home economics materials were sought by information seekers more than other types of materials. This can be expected in relation to the number of women participants in the study. It is interesting to note that almost one-half of the information seekers reside in rural areas. This is important because the primary emphasis of "Rural VieWpoint" programming has recently been shifted more toward aspects of homelife than toward practical aspects of farming. Less than 20% of the information seekers have less than a high school education, reflecting the growing emphasis currently being placed on education. Most of the information seekers were between the ages of twenty and seventy. Those under twenty are probably 64See Chapter II, subhead "Hypotheses." 47 48 not too concerned about the home, or are in school, or in the working class, and would not be very interested in the program. Further, there is very little on "Rural Viewpoint" that would attract those in the seventy—year-age group. The number of children at home varies widely. The figures would tend to correlate with the information seeker's age span. More than half of the information seekers were un- employed housewives. Only 25% worked full time. The rather high percentage of unemployed correlates with the fact that "Rural VieWpoint" is a noon-time program and many potential viewers are thus eliminated. In the preliminary prediction, it was hypothesized that of those employed the majority would be farmers or craftsmen. Of all the information seekers surveyed, 9% were craftsmen, operative or kindred workers. Less than one percent of the total were farmers. Only 33.4% of all the information seekers surveyed were employed either full or part time; therefore, since craftsmen and farmers make up only 10% of the total surveyed, they are not a majority. Less than 10% of the information seekers or their spouses have attended Michigan State University. However, when children or relatives are included, a total of 40% of the information seekers or their families have attended Michigan State University. Half of the information seekers said they watched "Rural Viewpoint" on a regular basis. This accords with the 49 fact that many information seekers have asked for materials more than one time. The feature segment was the first indication to information seekers that materials were available to help them with certain problems; it is perhaps not surprising, therefore, that over 80% said they liked this part of "Rural VieWpoint" the best. Only 25% of the information seekers sought materials because they had a specific need to be met. The majority asked for materials because they were interested in the subjects presented on "Rural Viewpoint." Half of the recipients indicated they took action as suggested by the materials. This indicates the reliance of information seekers on materials they receive. Once the information seeker had used the materials, he either filed them for future reference or passed them on to a friend. Faith in the materials is further suggested by the high percentage (85.0%) of the information seekers who recommended the materials received to their friends. Twenty-five percent of the information seekers said the advice they gave friends was based on materials re- ceived from "Rural VieWpoint." It is interesting that 40% of the information seekers gave advice to their friends, but only 25% felt that their friends depended on the advice received. Therefore, it appears that information seekers diffuse ideas, but they do not see themselves as innovators. 50 Information seekers ask their friends for advice about as much as vice—versa. This would tend to indicate that most information seekers look for information from many sources. It has been confirmed that information seekers actually are oriented to many sources of information. The highest percentages are well oriented to the print and broadcast media. However, television leads the way. This might be expected since the participants in this study re- ceived their information from television. The attitude of the information seekers toward Michigan State University, the disseminator of their infor— mation materials, was quite positive especially for agri- cultural information seekers. More than half of the information seekers indicate that Michigan State University's efforts to help adult citizens is very helpful, and a sub- stantial number indicated that the efforts were outstanding. Although information seekers living in rural areas significantly ask for agricultural materials, there is not necessarily a correlation between all areas of residence and the type of materials sought. No matter what the infor- mation seeker's residence, there is a desire for home economics materials. Rural non-farm people ask for the highest percent of these materials but the urban-suburban dwellers are not far behind. The highest percentage of home and lawn information seekers are urban dwellers. Agricultural people seek materials that will help them in 51 their work. Therefore, they have a need for materials that are rather limited to one area of interest. On the other hand there is a general desire among women to possess basic homemaking needs no matter where they reside; therefore, the wide interest in homemaking materials. It appears that the fewer children one has, the more time he has to devote to other interests. The information seekers with few children tend to ask for all types of materials. On the other hand, although those with several children probably need the materials available to better Ineet their needs, they actually ask for fewer publications. This may be accounted for by a lack of time for television viewing. Agricultural information seekers are primarily farmers who are home for lunch and, therefore, able to learn about the availability of materials that may supplement their knowledge. Two—thirds of the information seekers who ask for home economics, home and lawn and miscellaneous materials are unemployed or housewives. This accords with the fact that "Rural Viewpoint" is a mid—day show and most employed people would be at work. Since this is a noon-time program and unemployed housewives make up a large part of the audience, it is hardly surprising that two-thirds of all materials requested were requested by women. The Single exception was the information seekers who asked for agricultural materials. 52 Universal agreement exists among information seekers who say the feature is the segment of "Rural Viewpoint" they best like. All of the home and lawn information seekers like the feature best. Likewise, home economics information seekers like the feature best; but a small percentage of this group likes the livestock market reports and weather. This may be because the livestock market reports and the weather have a direct relation on the cost of foods and what the viewers' outside activities may be. The farmers like the feature segment, but they are also more interested in the weather and livestock market segments than any other group, because these segments have a direct effect on their livelihood. Most of the information seekers of this study have asked for materials more than once. The majority say they have found the materials to be either useful or very use— ful. Over three-fourths of the home economics and miscel— laneous groups found the materials received to be either useful or very useful. Of the home and lawn and agricultural groups, only slightly fewer found their materials to be useful or very useful. More agricultural information seekers give advice to friends who ask them for farm and home information than any other group. This is probably because life in a rural society is less formal than in an urban society, and that a flow of questions and answers between two people is easier. 53 Two—thirdscxftflmaother three categories of information seeker's friends never ask for advice. Over one-third of the information seekers' friends ask them for advice on a regular basis. This probably indicates at least some reliability on the part of information seekers. Secondly, this would tend to indicate that infor— mation seekers are community innovators. Rural non-farm and farming information seekers ask for significantly more agricultural materials than urban- suburban information seekers. Likewise, the farming and rural non-farm group considers farm meetings and Extension publications to be Significantly more important information sources than the urban-suburban groups. The following answers were also found:65 1. Educational attainment does not appear to have much effect on the type of materials for which an infor— mation seeker will ask. A very Small percentage of the information seekers in any group have less than a high school education. A high percentage of those without high school educations ask for home and lawn materials. Since a majority of those asking for home and lawn materials were unemployed, they would not use such materials to supplement their job knowledge. Some in this group may like to "putter" around the home and lawn as a hobby; 65See Chapter II, subhead "Hypotheses." 54 therefore, they might desire new ideas to improve the home or lawn. Information seekers with educa- tional attainments above the high school level tend to ask for more materials of a home economics nature. This may indicate that information seekers with this level of education are more concerned with home economics practices. An information seeker's age has little bearing, if any, on the materials he seeks. Miscellaneous in- formation seekers, however, tend to be concentrated in the 20-40 year age group. All other types of information seekers are in a broad Spectrum of age groups. This may be accounted for by the wide appeal of "Rural VieWpoint" and the great diversity of materials sought. Fifty percent of the home economics,home and lawn and agricultural information seekers watch "Rural Viewpoint" on a regular basis (four or more times per week). Likewise, these groups have the highest percentage of information seekers who watch the program at least three times per week. This would tend to indicate that the information seekers of "Rural Viewpoint" are a rather loyal audience. Information seekers ask for materials primarily because they are interested in the subject and want to know more about it. Secondly, information seekers of all four groups ask for information 55 because they have a specific need to be met. A small percentage ask for materials to help out friends, and an even smaller percentage seek mater- ials for instructional purposes. The majority of the information seekers found the materials they received to be useful or very use- ful. This accords with the fact reported in the questionnaires that over two-thirds of the agri- cultural information seekers read the materials received and took action suggested by said materials. Of the home economic, home and lawn, and miscel- laneous groups, almost half said they did the same. Half of all the groups kept the materials for future reference. A high percent of the remaining home economic and home and lawn groups passed on their materials to friends after they had used them. In addition, the following relations were revealed: The percentage of information seekers asking for agricultural materials drops significantly as the information seeker's educational attainment increases. As the level of educational attainment of a farmer goes up the less likely is it that he will be actually involved in "down-on-the-farm" work. Information seekers with less than a high School education seem to think that their friends always depend on their advice. If an information seeker 56 has at least some high school education, he will less likely feel that his friends depend on his advice. More families with children at home consider newspapers, magazines, and neighbors as important sources of information than families who do not have children in the home. Likewise, information seekers with children at home watch "Rural VieWpoint" on a more regular basis. Information seekers whose friends ask them for advice likewise ask the friends for advice more than those who do not. Where information seekers ask their friends for information, they will tend to rank these friends and neighbors as important sources, but those who do not ask their friends for information do not consider their friends as an important informa— tion source. Although the blank Spaces at the end of the instru— ment labelled "Comment" yielded no information pertinent to the study, two comments will long remain with the author: "God Bless You Sonny Fer Trying to Find Out What We Want and Need," and "This Study Is a Gross Misuse of U.S. Taxpayer's Money." BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Dow, Clyde W. An Introduction to Graduate Study in Speech and Theater. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1961. Moser, Claus Adolf. Survey Methods in Social Investigation. London: W. Heinemann, 1958. Nafziger, Ralph O. and White, David M. Introduction to Mass Communication Research. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1958. Parton, Mildred. Surveys, Polls, and Samples. New Ybrk: Harper, 1950. Rogers, Everett M. Diffusion of Innovations. New York: The Free Press of Glencoe, 1962. Wilson, Logan and Kolb, William L. Sociolggical Analysis. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1949. Bulletins Ross, John E. and Bostian, Lloyd R. "Time Use Patterns and Communications Activities of Wisconsin Farm Families in Wintertime," Bulletin 28, College of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin, March, 1958. Ross, John E. and Bostian, Lloyd R. "Functional Orientation of Wisconsin Farm Women Towards Mass Media," Bulletin 33, College of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin, August, 1965. Extension Editorial Office. "Where Farmers Get Information," Agricultural Communications Research Report-l4, College of Agriculture, University of Illinois, May, 1963. 57 58 Extension Editorial Office. "Illinois Farmers' Opinions about Three Farm Publications," Agricultural Communi- cations Research Report—21, College of Agriculture, University of Illinois, December, 1964. Public Documents U.S. Bureau of the Census. United States Census Population- Characteristics of the Population: 1960. Vol. I, Part 24, Michigan, Tables 13, 20, 22, 34 and 81. Unpublished Materials White, Steward. "A Study of the Characteristics and Viewing Habits of the Boston Urban Area Write-In Audience of WGBH—TV.” Unpublished Master's dissertation, Boston University, 1958. APPENDICES APPENDIX I TYPES OF RESEARCH MATERIAL UTILIZED IN THE STUDY field intensity contours sales area . . . FIELD INTENSITY CONTOURS igc‘ifv'ffl‘fifffl’il’z Carl W. Oahu Chic! Elfin." LANSING- W" I L I N T - JACKSON cIIAIIIIEI 6 ~v" I . . \ . Hartman II 'I'Ghdmntf . .‘ . I . . IPort Aust n ‘\ CBeaverton ‘— OKInde Clare I IBAY . ‘ 9‘93?" Huber Beach __ o — — -P 9' "r _______ +_..._. InconnIng .Emom' . . QBad Axe ISABELLA lOColeman | _ . '.’,.‘h I ROSGDUSI’I 'MIDLAND I , ’ .. ‘81 a Ub”0_ __ :I o | | I ‘I I I | a l _‘ 60,703. ,1sgI'I'mAC - M I i ' ' . t PleasanIl '6 and #89,? CI . - VIIIe 2::rre:ve .C p'?’ 'Degkgm ShepherdO 2.3.66" -'Z""aU."°f_II COLA| gt’CIaro I I —Carrollton0 IORee w m ha e a ”“9"” Wm“)T aaInI oMerrll OgISa Inaw V355 a’ g I 0H0 . MONT' 'LM EdmOIP I Alm- LOUIS _1|: Frankenmuth.| Mayvllle I oSaInI Charles | MIIIIgoIon I .Efi-I:~I_aIrIeII- . ISAGINAW BIrcn Run: I ,Branchl JIMIdglelon o IChesanIng ------ —"|"_ 0 lc Brown IIY Carson Qty 1 Ashley |_ _I I oCqurn “me |""". "'7'.- I “““““ ’Ic‘urfiGfi _E_IsIE'oISHIAWASS£EU-shlw.I 'M‘ Mgrar'Ssor I:Lap ' ISAINI cu .3 - 3 I Ca ac ' ~ Ionia FoYIqu .Owosso ”In.“ © 'I Imlay CII ID . o "I" I I Sparlln IIIeo 53,11 I | I I I E.Grand [OwellO U Samt° 0y] 0 OLyons John M ‘ Almont | M ville. IRapIds I OSaranac | o .ISwartz _°Gr_and| _____ __._ —. 4‘ . BureIIngame Portland. I De WIIIo .I Creek 0“ KLAND Oxford A adao 5’1"" 9" Romeo 'Ric ~ I I Lake Odessa ,. F nIo_n H II . _. _______________ “31329 Ledge e__ o 0 Y . ' T OMIddIIwIIle 0"? "5'“9 IUV'NGSTO'F _'I Lake Hallo” IM Ncoegnmorlc ‘~ I’M ° and. IBARRY V'em mom-La.“ "Sing IFowlerwlle ' POCheSI". IN Anc Ir Bav Gardens Hamilton >0 km | Hastmgs: .| VIlle PottemIIel . WIIIIamsIonl Oxbow.Ponuac°Auhur|an Is. om. de egélgonac Fennvllle D q Shwlle‘l “Ch rIOIIc”. OII °Mason HOWEIIo MIIIQIG'Birm'nqham- 'CIa .on ° “'5 "" MICHIGAN . mam ' Mm" I Royal Oak. If?" We Allegan Itsegol OliyetE aton'RaIpIds Pmckney $0th Lyon jerndale .Hl'l rk Sl Clair I _PIaInwe_|l_ I .Bellevue J _______ L __ T‘Igh Ta-Fk . Hamtfam.Ck .. -——--—T k d WASHTENAW d Pk n h [Haven— | LAMAZOO cA—I LHO oun JACKSON 81°C b“ Gel WAYNE De Ier K Parch eat .GalesbII'rg,Banleu Creekl Chelsea ‘ Dearbom. “5:093! a mac-Nod: Springfield Parma ngson I Ann Arbor o YIDSIIarIti I. SI "d oPaw Pa i Portage I Ma Sha” A‘D'O“ I C MIcnI5an G'asi-E .Ann AIDOI'LIDC In PaJkttR A .I 0 I an 0 e “3"" .Lamm‘ . jaguar: IConcord C6“ . M h t '55 me fly . up: 91“ SchoolI: ' ”“005“ Home 'I 3'00“an WC ‘35 9' Fllat— Ro_cko ~ Leamlngton , _______________________ ' . SAINT . OUnIon cny [HILLSDALE .CIInIonIMmde RWW'“ IJOS EPH “Olonl BRANCH JonQSVIlle. o OAddIsnn o I ONEWISO I - _ VIIIeCOIGWaIg’ . North Adams Tecumseh! oDundee .f... :_ p. .. Own!” HIIlsdale I. Adnanu O. uMgnfoe I. .Constantme Ionson ' Pete 'r I o IHu dson BIISSI‘QIG'Y ’IOI; “eog qufl'Ibus Grove .To. Hue ' ' . an: 3 ’ 5‘939‘ Md what-PI . ISturgIs I Readmg N oHowe ISTEUB ‘ Fay'ilen' °M°renm ’ [94:79 . . , 6- venue Park. :0 . ', / SI, 0 A ‘ (o , -range "go": a MonIDelIer MI “mm/3805f ‘ - .~ 5 . . leasant Lakeo o °WesI UmtIISDeIEIIm'Iouting.1 :/ ' g I. .- I ' L . u - . ‘ v . a. A. " I - ___A_srmey_ ° 5‘10“ Archbold. a . KALB Wauseon_ IPerr burn. A . ‘ r yang 0 Butler .Edgérton Stryke', HENRY I FIANCE Napoleon“o L'b .. Mt "NWT-'5‘" I‘«"‘W 03.2..- ‘~"" ' ‘ 4' ‘ ‘ 4;.‘hbn' . 2le right Rand McNally & Cm. 3.1..“st v)\\ “I ngpl’k BLAIR TELEVISION \VA 9' ' ’Ir ‘6‘ '11 615/1," . ~$‘\ 4’0 III us“ 62 Lists of Bulletins According to Classification Home Economics Beltsville Kitchen No. 3 Charcoal Broiled Chicken Storing Garden vegetables Removing Stains from Fabrics kaing Sauerkraut Of Meats and Might Descent and Distribution of Property and Wills Tailor's Ham Food and Your Weight Freezer Refrigerator Fallout Protection Planning the Use of the Family Dollar Outdoor Cookery for the Family Mealtime for Little Folks Home Canning of Fruits and Vegetables Home Freezing of Fruits and vegetables kaing Pickles and Relishes Using Modern Laundry Aids Parents' Newsletters How to Prepare and Serve vegetables Textile Care Meals for the Middle Years Sewing Shortcuts Game Recipes Kitchen Storage Household Storage Automatic Dishwasher Your Household Range Christmas Tree Wreaths Information on Loom and Rug Weaving Plumbing Kitchen Arrangement Home Improvement Plans Simplified Sewing - Foam Laminates Simplified Sewing - Stretch Fabrics Simplified Sewing - Interfacings Simplified Sewing — Sleeves Believe It or NOt Children's Book List Nutrition For You Information on Michigan's Health Magazine Refinishing Furniture Discipline for Young Children Care of Metals and Kitchenware Plan for Today's Home 63 Making the Most of Your Meal Money Casserole Cookery Managing Your Family's Credit Home and Lawn Lawn Weed Control Home Vegetable Garden Ornamental Vines Ornamental Shrubs Landscaping Pruning Deciduous Shrubs and Woody Vines Birdhouse Plans Beautiful Home Grounds Making a New Lawn Care of an Established Lawn Bird Feeder Plans Landscape Planning for Residential Properties Forcing Trees and Shrubs for Indoor Bloom Lawn Diseases Peonies and Perennials Roses in the Home Transplanting Shade Trees Protecting Shade Trees and Shrubs from Construction Damage Fertilizing Shade Trees and Evergreens Agriculture Family Farm—Operating Agreements Portable Hothouse Vermontville Syrup Festival Insects Growing Sweet Corn in Michigan Facts about Deer Browsing Staking and Pruning Tomatoes Western Ewes for Michigan Farm Flocks Farmers' Tax Guide Strawberry Growing Research Is for People Quack Grass Can Be Controlled Miscellaneous Tornadoes Gun Safety 4-H Entomology Members Manual Information on Occupations Farmers' Week Program Job Guide Publications List . ~ . ' . ‘ . .Q n . ' . ~' ' \ o ' . "l..' l' . u s '. '0 fig 6‘ ’ ‘ .v '; ~ ~ ' '. 9 ‘. n - . u ‘ §L -. v C . h . . _ ' u - \ u " ‘ .5. ' . - l - a ‘ o-os . q .. ..- » .- .~_.~.-..§ \ . l . ' -' 1 . ~.‘. -‘u-Jyn c... ..u...-o v' .n- hoo'OII'.-"~I v. o u - "“" . 0. - V . x - .. - '3 . l I ‘ - ' ’ ' .' fl . . . - l I II I U ' l I q ’ C . I n . . ' a - ‘ o . I u ‘ "' .I . n ' . " , '. A , u I" " . . - . . . , - . .. . _ . a . .. . .. , _ ' . o -, ' . . 7 .o . .. . .-'\ .. . - ,‘ , a, . ‘ ;- .- - .. O a. . ‘ 4 . . \ ' - - . ‘ ~ ‘ ' . . .- . .. . .0 .' - - - . ‘ .. . ‘ ., u‘. ."H .n 124' .1”. '1- . .- . a . -, -..v‘—~.-.n‘ ‘2.“ s’-.-.,- - .; . 13...... IO- . . q . .. .. ~ ‘ u .- I u .n 0 -MI\ - - ~-.0- .Iu ---~.~. ....,, . u ‘ . . u ‘n I n l -. luv-u I. o. . - .. o a o. . rl ' cs.- - —. .. . ~~ .... A . - . v i . I“ . .- n u 0". I ~y-co’v000u .~- - I- . - 00‘». - o.— ..o ' . c‘ v - _- u. I A I a ' a ' n ' ' a . \ ‘ ~ I ' s ‘ n , ‘ ’ . ' , 4 . ' ‘,l 9 v o ‘. ~ . - ». mrfn COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY ° EAST LANSING Department of Information Services AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COOPERATING November 17: 1965 Dear ‘Within the last two years you have requested the following bulletin (s): from "Rural Viewpoint." Because of the interest you have shown in "Rural Viewpoint", I asked you for your assistance in evaluatinz the materials you received. The questionnaire you received, if returned, would enable me to present programs that are more useful and interesting to you and other "Rural Viewpoint" viewers. I have gotten a large number of renlies. However, I do not want to make any decisions based on the results until remaining few questionnaires are returned. Another questionnaire is enclosed in case yours has been misnlaced or not received. Would you nlease take a few minutes to fill out this nuestionnaire and return it in the enclosed stamned, addressed envelooe? 1. In what area do you live? _/_‘_7 Urban 1:7' Suburban 1:7’ Rural Non-Farm 5:7' Farmina 2. What was the last year of formal education you comnleted? 3. What is your age? [:7 Under 20 [:7 H0 - lI9 [:7 Over 70 £7 20 - 29 L7 50 - 59 47304-39 £760-69 10. -2- How many children do you have at home? _______ Are you employed at present? _/__'_7No 'UYeB 5a. Full time or Dart-time? | 1:7' Full time I £7 Part time ' 5b. What is your occupation? Have you or any member of your family attended Michiaan State University? _/_:7No t.(____'.7Yes 6a. If so, who? ' ‘L:7 You 4:7' Snouse I [:7 Your children 1:7' Other relative How many times per week do you watch "Rural Viewpoint"? What segment of "Rural Viewpoint" do you like best? 1:7' Weather 1:7' Market Reports L7 Music [:7 Snort s {£:7 Features You requested a bulletin from "Rural Viewpoint" because: To what extent was the information you received useful? 4:7' Very useful 1:7' Little use [:7 ‘Useful 4:7' No use 4:7’ Some use 'rs..‘. ' . . . t . . e ,7. . r o- : I .- e u. . . . '. . l . . l o . , a . I n I _ . u . . C l I C v ’ . l - . A . . . v ‘ ' .I “ e n. 4 n . i . n ' . ' ' u . ' , I ...." ' q'". 0‘. _ . '- - n . I e . A . . . . . .- . I A e -u l v . . . . . -—- .m -3- 11. What did you do with the bulletin after you received it? (Check all the following that applies.) 1:7 [.7 L7 [.7 £7 [.7 [.7 Read it and took no action _ Read it ahd took action suscested in the bulletin Read it and took action other than bulletin suggestions Passed it along Discarded it without reading Kept it for further reference Other (snecify) 12. Do you generally recommend bulletins you receive from Michiean State University to your friends? 1:7' Never 1:7 Always [.7 Sometimes 13. In the past six months have your friends asked you for farm and home advice? 1:7' No ‘ 1:7 Yes 13a. How many times? ‘ 1:7’ Once I 1:7' Twice i 1:7 Many times | l 13b. Was your advice based on the material you received from "Rural Viewnoint"? 17 Yes 17 No i 13c. Do you think that your friends depend on i your farm and home advice? I 1:7 Yes 1:7 No slut In the past six months have you souwht farm and home advice from your friends and neighbors? 1:7 No ‘1:7 Yes 10a. 1:7' More times than they have asked you | 1‘] About the same number of times they have asked you I 1:7’ Fewer times than they have asked you .4_ e» ' ~ . I ' . . I. o . _, ~., . ‘ . . . ‘ 'v E ‘ v.- , .'. ' ' . , w ‘ n - l . . . f ! . . u . ‘1 . , I ‘ O u I . . _ 1 _. .. . ~ Ta , : . ‘ ' — '\:. n _ . . n ' I . ‘ $3 .. ‘ . , . . ; . i.. ‘ .‘ ..f° I ~ . . ' I ' u I .A ~ . .. . . 1’ I . .I . s . , ‘ . . a. I . - .' ' ' ’ g. . e I . I . .T . .. . . , 1». . v . . 7‘ ‘I w 0 . . ‘ '. .. . . . . ' M - a " . _- ‘ . ' . ' “' - ' " . V. 5 . I ‘ I . 0 ' _ e»' . r.. , . . . , .. I... . I ".“-~" -’ - I - -s tea-a. uoq-u ._. ....... .t . .. J n . . ' .. ‘. ‘ - ' ' ' i , ' o - . : ' . ‘ . ~ .‘ . ‘ ' ‘ .A I- ‘ I I I ' , | ' .. , . u 4 ’ ;\'. . .1. l a a ‘ .0 ..,.- . '. ’,_. . . , , .1 ,‘ , . .. 3 . - e . ~ 0 ‘ h . I , _| . l.. . . . . .’ C ' 'V'.‘ . ' I ‘ ' _ v ' . . r .' . r . t . e I . - u.o.. ,. _. L. . . ‘ h u'. ‘ u . I ' n . , _ . v . I . '.I... o . . T.‘ e_ - . .1 1 .. ...- 3.0: u .. . . I .- . .. ‘. o ' a . I . . .. I ., _. . .‘ . . , -,. . ‘. . ' 3' ._ A l .0. .- . -«.- . ' ‘ . - I ' l I. ‘ - . . .. .. _ 1“ ‘ - .. 'r'- - - I4" .. ., «I. , a I ‘ i ’ . .,‘., I I t. ' . ' " ." -' . .‘i. ' 1 . e- ~.' . . , D. . . . . . ‘ , _. l ' , ~ . ‘ ’ r . . '4 . I 1 . . ‘1‘ l V. C . , I ' . .. a >0 - - . , I" i ._ V.’ '3 . - . ' ‘,' f u . p I ' , . x _ . .Q I n . - .. .-. , 1 'Of ' .‘ , \ .. - ‘ . ' I . , H ‘ , I ,, q I .," l - -. . :A . .~ ..I ‘ . .' n . . - . _ ., .. p . .-. 1 . .. , , . .., u ‘ ..-‘ . . . .' ‘t . I ’ I I. ...¢~ ' 7 . .« ' . . . -‘.1 . .. A I ' _ . . . . . - *- .-' ' .' . A .., n ‘ J.‘ . o -u- 15. Which of the following are your most important sources of farm and home news? (Check all sources that apply.) 1:7’ Newspapers 1:7' Neighbors 17 Television 17 Farm Meet inns 1:7' Radio 1:7' Extension People 1:7' Magazines 1:7’ Other (Specify) ‘ 17 Michigan State University Extension Bulletins 15a. Please circle the most important single source above. 16. What is your Opinion of Michigan State University's efforts to help adult citizens? 1:7 Poor 17 Some help 1:7' Helpful 1:7’ Outstanding Comments: ‘rhank you for your assistance and cooneration with this project. Sincerely, Thomas Bare Extension Television TB/mlp I I ,nhr‘ .X .C'I‘I. ', '0 x'-\ 0.9!- 'n~u a. .‘1 to.- no I o a no.— ,srr’ .. II ‘. APPENDIX II TABULATION OF RESEARCH DATA (GENERAL) 73 Table l. Predominant type of bulletins requested by information seekers. N=129 Home Economic Home-Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous Number 82 21 17 9 Percent 63.6 16.3 13.2 7.0 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 2. All types of bulletins requested by information seekers. N=145* Home Economic Home-Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous * Number 88 24 21 12 Percent 68.2 18.6 16.3 9.3 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. *Several information seekers have requested more than one type of bulletin. Table 3. Residence categories of information seekers. N=129 Rural Urban Suburban Non-Farm Farm Number 40 32 33 24 Percent 31.0 24.8 25.6 18.6 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. 74 Table 4. Educational level of information seekers. N=129 Less Sopho- Ad- Than more Col- vanced No 8th 8th 10th 12th College lege Degree Trade Answer Number 3 ll 10 78 8 12 l 3 3 Percent 2.3 8.5 7.8 60.5 6.2 9.3 0.8 2.3 2.3 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 5. Age level of information seekers. N=129 Under 20- 30— 40- 50- 60- 70 or No 20 29 39 49 59 69 Over Answer Number 0 27 25 25 26 18 8 0 Percent 0.0 20.9 19.4 19.4 20.2 14.0 6.2 0.0 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 6. Number of children at home of information seekers. N=129 None One 2-3 2-4 6—7 8 or over Number 55 11 39 18 4 2 Percent 42.6 8.5 30.3 14.0 3.1 1.6 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 75 7. Employment status of information seekers. N=129 Unemployed Full Time Part Time Number Percent 86 33 10 66.7 25.6 7.8 Note: Table Numbers and percentages total horizontally. 8. Occupational categories of information seekers. N=129 Pro- fes- sion— al & Pro- Pro- Unem- Semi— prie- Cler- Crafts- Farm- tec— Labor- ploy- Prof. tors ical man ers tive ers ed Not list- ed Num- ber Per- cent 7 l 11 12 l O 8 86 3 5.4 0.8 8.5 9.3 0.8 0.0 6.2 66.7 2.3 Note: Table NUmbers and percentages total horizontally. 9. Number of information seekers and their families who have attended Michigan State University. N=129 No One No Answer Several You Children Spouse Relative Members Number 74 8 Pera Cent 14 7 22 l 3 57.4 6.2 10.9 5.4 17.1 0.8 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. 76 Table 10. Times per week information seekers watched ”Rural Viewpoint." N=129 0 Once Twice Three Regular No Answer Number 16 8 17 22 - 63 3 Percent 12.4 6.2 13.2 17.1 48.8 2.3 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 11. Segment of "Rural VieWpoint" liked best by information seekers. N=129 Weather Features fizgfiifi Other Angger Number 5 108 3 2 11 Percent 3.9 83.7 2.3 1.6 8.5 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 12. Reasons information seekers requested materials. N=129 Specific To Help A No Need to Interested Instruction- Friend Ans— Be Met In Subject a1-Purposes Solve Problem wer NUmber 34 82 2 4 7 Percent 26.4 63.6 1.6 3.1 5.4 Note: NUmbers and percentages total horizontally. 77 Table 13. Extent to which materials were useful to infor- mation seeker. N=129 No Use Little Use Some Use Useful Very Useful Number 5 4 16 61 43 Percent 3.9 3.1 12.4 47.3 33.3 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 14. Extent to which materials received from "Rural VieWpoint" were recommended by information seeker. N=129 Never Sometimes Always Number 15 90 24 Percent 11.6 69.8 18.6 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 15. Number of times friends have sought information from information seekers. N=129 Never Once Twice Many Times Number 78 5 18 28 Percent 60.5 3.9 14.0 21.7 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. 78 Table 16. Degree to which advice given to friends has been based on materials received from "Rural VieWpoint." N=129 No Yes No Information Asked For Number 19 32 78 Percent 14.7 24.5 60.5 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 17. Extent to which friends depend on advice given by information seekers. N=129 No Information NO Yes ASked For Number 19 32 78 Percent 14.7 24.8 60.5 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 18. Degree to which information seekers have sought information from friends. N=129 More Same Number Fewer No Advice Sought Number 11 33 8 77 Percent 8.5 25.6 6.2 59.7 Nete: NUmbers and percentages total horizontally. 79 Table 19. Information seekers' primary source of farm and home information. N=129 Exten— sion Exten— News- Maga- Bulle— Neigh- sion paper TV Radio zines tins bors People Other Number 21 56 6 24 16 2 3 1 Percent 16.3 43.4 4.7 18.6 12.4 1.6 2.3 0.8 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. Table 20. Information seekers' attitude toward Michigan State University's efforts to help adult citizens. N=129 Poor Some Help Helpful Outstanding No Answer Number 2 ll 69 44 3 Percent 1.6 8.5 53.5 34.1 2.3 Note: Numbers and percentages total horizontally. APPENDIX III TABULATION OF RESEARCH DATA ACCORDING TO TYPE OF MATERIAL REQUESTED 81 Table 1. Relationship between the educational level of information seekers and the type of material requested. Types of Material Requested Educational Home Home and Level - Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent Less than 8th N=3 1.2 19.1 11.8 .0 8th N=ll 8.5 9.5 .0 .0 10th N=10 7.3 42.9 11.8 .0 12th N=78 63.4 9.5 58.8 77.8 Soph. College N=8 6.1 9.5 .0 11.1 College N=12 9.8 .0 5.9 11.1 Adv. Degree N=l 1.2 4.8 .0 .0 Trade School N=3 1.2 4.8 5.9 .0 No Answer N=3 1.2 .0 .0 .0 Note: Percentages total vertically. 82 Table 2. Relationship between information seekers' age and the type of material requested. Type of Material Requested Respondent's Home Home and Age Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent Less than 20 N=0 .0 .0 .0 .0 20—29 N=27 19.5 14.3 17.7 55.6 30-39 N=25‘ 19.5 19.1 17.7 22.2 40-49 N=25 19.5 14.3 29.4 11.1 50-59 N=26 21.95 19.1 17.7 11.1 60—69 N=18 14.6 19.1 11.8 00 Over 70 N=8 4.9 14.3 5.9 .0 NOte: Percentages total vertically. Table 3. Relationship between number of children at home and type of material requested. Number of Type of Material Requested Children At Home Home and Home Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent None N=55 46.3 47.6 29.4 22.2 One N=ll 3.7 4.8 23.5 33.3 Two-Three N=29 29.3 33.3 29.4 33.3 Four-Five N=18 15.6 9.5 11.8 11.1 Six-Seven N=4 3.7 .0 5.9 .0 Eight or Over N=2 1.2 4.8 .0 .0 Note: Percentages total vertically. 83 Table 4. Relationship between occupation of information seeker and the type of material requested. Type of Material Requested Home Home and Occupation Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent Professional Semi-Profes- sional N=7 .1 .0 5.9 11.1 Proprietors N=l .2 .0 .0 .0 Clerical N=ll 12.2 4.8 .0 .0 Craftsmen N=12 .9 9.5 29.4 11.1 Farmers N=l .0 .0 5.9 .0 Protective N=0 .0 .0 .0 .0 Laborers N=8 2.4 9.5 11.7 11.1 Unemployed N=86 70.7 76.2 35.3 66.7 Not Listed N=3 2.4 .0 5.9 .0 Note: Percentages total vertically. Table 5. Relationship between number of family members that attended Michigan State University and the type of material requested. Family mebers Types of Material Requested That Attended Michigan State Home Home and University Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent No One N=74 57.3 61.9 52.9 55.6 You N=8 4.9 4.8 5.9 22.2 Your Child N=l4 15.9 4.8 .0 .0 Spouse N=7 7.3 4.8 .0 .0 Relative N=22 13.4 19.1 29.4 22.2 Several members N=l . 4.8 .0 . No Answer N=3 1.2 .0 11.8 . Note: Percentages total vertically. 84 Table 6. Relationship between time spent per week watching "Rural VieWpoint" and the type of material requested. Times Per Week Types of Material Requested One Watches Home Home and "Rural Viewpoint" Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent None N=16 11.0 4.8 17.7 33.3 Once N=8 6.1 4.8 5.9 11.1 Twice N=17 14.6 14.3 .0 22.2 Three Times N=22 17.1 14.3 23.5 11.1 Regular N=63 48.8 57.1 52.9 22.2 No Answer N=3 2.4 4.8 .0 .0 Note: Percentages total vertically. Table 7. Relationship between what happens to materials after they are received and the type of material requested. Types of Material Requested Ways Materials Home Home and Are Used Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent Read Bulletin and Took Action N=12 11.0 4.8 5.9 11.1 Read, Took Action Suggested N=64 45.1 57.1 64.7 44.4 Read, Took Action Other than Sug— gested N=8 6.1 9.5 5.9 Passed Along N=21 19.5 19.1 .0 11.1 Discarded Without Reading N=l 1.2 .0 .0 .0 Kept for Future Reference N=9l 69.5 81.0 58.8 77.8 Other Uses of Bulletin N=ll 6.1 9.5 17.7 11.1 Note: A recipient might record more than one response. 85 Table 8. Relationship between use of all media as information sources and the type of material requested. Types of Material Requested Farm and Home In- Home Home and formation Sources Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent NeWSpapers N=100 79.4 76.2 70.6 77.8 Television N=120 93.9 100.0 82.4 88.9 Radio N=53 40.2 42.9 35.3 55.6 Magazines N=100 79.4 76.2 70.6 77.8 MSU Extension Bulletins N=48 32.9 23.8 76.5 33.3 Neighbors N=25 19.5 19.1 17.7 22.2 Farm Meetings N=9 6.1 .0 23.5 .0 Extension People N=20 17.1 4.8 29.4 Other N=5 .00 14.3 11.8 . Note: A respondent might check as many sources of farm and home information as he uses. Table 9. type of material requested. Relationship between the most important single source of farm and home information cited and the Most Important Types of Material Requested Single Source Of Home Home and Information Economics Lawn Agriculture Miscellaneous N=82 N=21 N=17 N=9 Percent Newspapers N=21 19.5 9.5 11.8 11.1 Television N=56 42.7 47.6 35.3 55.6 Radio N=6 3.7 4.8 .0 22.2 Magazines N=24 18.3 23.8 17.7 11.1 Ext. Bulletins N=16 11.0 9.5 29.4 .0 Neighbors N=2 2.4 .0 .0 .0 Ext. Personnel N=3 2.4 .0 5.9 .0 Other N=l .0 4.8 .0 .0 NOte: Percentages total vertically. APPENDIX IV TABLES OF STATISTICAL ANALYSIS 87 Table 1. Relationship between the predominant type of materials requested and the information seeker's occupation. Types of Predominant Materials Requested Occupations Home Economics All Other Types N=82 N=47 Percent Professional and Semi-Professional N=7 6.]. 403 Proprietors, Managers and Foremen N=l 1.2 .0 Clerical, Sales and Kindred N=ll 12.2 2.1 Craftsmen. Operatives and Kindred N=12 4.9 17.0 Farmers and Farm Workers N=1 .0 2.1 Protective Service N=0 .0 .0 Laborers (except farm) N=8 2.4 12.8 Unemployed N=86 71.0 59.6 Not Listed N=3 2.4 2.1 NOte: Percentages total vertically. Chi Square = 16.50, 7 d.f., p<:.05 88 Table 2. Relationship between place of residence and number of requests for agricultural information. Agricultural Information Seekers Did Not Ask for Asked for Agricultural Residence Agricultural Materials Materials N=108 N=21 Percent Urban— Suburban N=72 90.3 9.7 Rural-Farm Rural Non-Farm N=57 75.4 24.6 Note: Percentages total horizontally Chi Square = 5.14, 1 d.f., p<:.05 Table 3. Relationship between place of residence and mention of farm meetings as an important farm and home information source. Farm Meetings As An Information Source Residence No Yes Percent Urban—Suburban N=72 100.0 .0 Rural Farm, Non- Farm N=57 84.2 15.8 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 12.22, 1 d.f., p<:.01. 89 Table 4. Relationship between place of residence and mention of Michigan State University Extension materials as an important farm and home infor— mation source. Extension Materials As An Information Source Residence No Yes N=81 N=48 Percent Urban—Suburban N=72 72.2 27.8 Rural Farm, Non- Farm N=57 50.9 49.1 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 6.20, 1 d.f., p<:.05 Table 5. Relationship between educational attainment and number of requests for agricultural information. Agricultural Information Seekers Education Level No Yes N=104 N=19 Percent Less than 8th N=3 33.3 66.7 8th — 12th N=99 83.8 16.2 Some College - Advanced Degrees N=21 95.2 4.8 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 7.90, 2 d.f., p<<.05, undefined = 6. 9O .6 n 3536:: .S.Vm .06 3 .36... mumsvm HQU .xaamucomfluon HMDOD muawoumm "muoz m.¢ ©.n¢ o. o. o. o. m.¢a m.¢ ©.mm HNHZ . mmwaaoo o.m h.m© H.m o. o.a H.HH H.@ o. o.H mmuz numalsum o. o.ooa o. o. o. o. o. o. o. mnz sum cozy mmmq pcmuumm muz Hmnz muz onz HHZ HHHZ HHHZ HHZ huz Umumaq pmmoamam mHmHOQmA m>flpumu mHmEHmm cmE HMUfiumHU muoumHHQonm Hmcoflm Hm>mq uoz ICD loam Imummuo Imwmohm HmcoflumUSGM mGOHummsooO .mnmxmmm COHDMEHOMCH amusuasoflnmm mo mcoflpmmsooo 0cm pcwficflmupm HMCOHDMUSGO cmmBuwQ QHSmCOHMMHmm .0 OHQMB 91 Table 7. Relationship between educational attainment and the reliance information seekers' friends place on advice received. Do Friends Depend on Your Advice? Educational Level No Yes No Information Asked For N=19 N=31 N=73 Percent Less than 8th N=3 .0 100.0 .0 Some High School N=99 13.1 22.2 64.7 Some College N=21 28.6 28.6 42.9 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 13.46, 4 d.f., p><:.01, undefined = 6. Table 8. Relationship between the number of children at home and the ages of information seekers. Age of Information Seekers Number of Under Over No Children 20 20—29 30—39 40-49 50-59 60—69 70 Answer N=0 N=27 N=25 N=25 N=26 N=18 N=8 N=O Percent No Children N=55 .0 10.9 1.8 5.5 34.6 32.7 14.6 .0 Children N=74 .0 28.4 32.4 29.7 9.5 .0 .0 .0 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 74.29, 5 d.f., p<:.01. 92 Table 9. Relationship between the number of children at home and mention of newspapers as an important source of farm and home information. Are Newspapers An Important Source? Number of Children No Yes N=29 N=100 Percent No Children N=55 34.6 65.5 Children At Home N=74 13.5 86.5 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 8.01, l d.f., p<.01. Table 10. Relationship between the number of children at home and mention of magazines as an important source of farm and home information. Are Magazines An Important Source of Information? Number of Children No Yes N=29 N=100 Percent No Children N=55 32.7 67.3 Children N=74 74.9 85.1 Note: Percentages total horizontally Chi Square = 5.78, 1 d.f., p<(.05. 93 Table 11. Relationship between the number of children at home and mention of neighbors as an important source of farm and home information. Are Neighbors An Important Source of Information? Number of Children No Yes N=104 N=25 Percent No Children N=55 90.9 9.1 Children N=74 73.0 27.0 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 6.50, 1 d.f., p<:.05 Table 12. Relationship of "Rural Viewpoint" viewing habits to the age of information seekers. Frequency "Rural VieWpoint" Is Watched Age 0—1—2/week 3-4/week N=4l Percent N=88 Under 20 N=0 .0 .0 20-29 N=27 36.6 13.6 30-39 N=25 24.4 17.1 40-49 N=25 16.6 21.6 50-59 N=26 17.1 21.6 60-69 N=18 .0 20.5 Over 70 N=8 7.3 5.7 Note: Percentages total vertically. Chi Square = 17.31, 5 d.f., p<:.01. 94 Table 13. Relationship of "Rural VieWpoint" viewing habits to the number of children at home. Frequency "Rural Number of Children At Home Viewpoint” Is Watched No Children Children N=55 Percent N=74 0-1-2/week N=41 29.3 70.7 3—4/Week N=88 48.9 51.1 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 4.39, 1 d.f., p<:.05. Table 14. Relationship of "Rural VieWpoint" viewing habits to number of information seekers who recommend bulletins to their associates. Frequency "Rural Do You Recommend Bulletins? Viewpoint" Is Watched Never Sometimes Always N=15 N=90 N=24 Percent 0—1-2/week N=41' 26.8 63.4 9.8 3—4/week N=88 4.6 72.7 22.7 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 14.82, 2 d.f., p<:.01. Table 15. Relationship between information seekers' edu— cational attainment and number of times friends have sought their advice. Educational Level Less than 8th High School Times Information Has Been Sought College or Advanced Degree N=3 N=99 N=21 Percent Never N=73 .0 87.7 12.3 1—2-3 N=50 6.0 70.0 24.0 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 7.90, 2 d.f., p<.05, undefined = 6. 95 Table 16. Relationship between the number of times infor— mation seeker's friends had a farm and home problem and the number of times information seekers recommended "Rural Viewpoint" materials. Times Friends Do You Recommend Materials Received? Have Sought AdVice Never Sometimes Always N=15 N=90 N=24 Percent None N=78 16.8 71.8 11.5 1—2—3 N=51 3.9 66.7 29.4 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 9.72, 2 d.f., p<:.01. Table 17. Relationship between the number of times informa— tion seekers' friends have sought farm and home advice and the number of times the advice given was based on materials received from "Rural Viewpoint." Was Advice Given Based on "Rural VieWpoint" Materials? Times Friends Have Sought Advice No Yes No Advice Sought N=19 N=32 N=78 Percent None N=78 .0 .0 100.0 1=2-3 N=51 37.3 67.8 .0 Note: Percentages total horizontally. Chi Square = 129.00, 2 d.f., p