Experiments on mass communication. Studies in Social Psychology in World War II

Abstract

Reviews Experiments on mass communication. Studies in Social Psychology in World War II , Vol. III by C. I. Hovland, A. A. Lumsdaine, and F. D. Sheffield (see record 1950-00627-000 ). This is the third in a series of four volumes reporting the work of the Research Branch of the Army's Information and Education Division during the war. The present volume reports the work of the Experimental Section, which had as its primary responsibility experimental studies on mass communication. The book is organized into two sections, the first reporting the evaluative studies and the second the studies employing controlled variation. The first three chapters of Part I are devoted to the evaluation of the "Why We Fight" series of indoctrination films. In Part II, one chapter is devoted to a study of the short-time and long-time effects of an orientation film upon factual knowledge and opinions, another to a study of the effects on opinion change of presenting one side as compared with both sides of a controversial issue, and a third to the effect of audience participation during a film strip presentation on learning the phonetic alphabet. The reviewer suggests that few experimental studies dealing with such complex situations have been as carefully planned, executed, and analyzed as those reported in this volume. The results, and particularly the methodology, should prove of interest to psychologists, film producers, and anyone concerned with audio-visual aids in indoctrination or training programs--whether in education or industry. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)