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Dissertation Information for Annie Lang

NAME:
- Annie Lang
- (Alias) Annie Louise Lang

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Mass Communications

SCHOOL:
- University of Wisconsin, Madison (USA) (1987)

ADVISORS:
- None

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- None

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Inspected

Title: The effects of the formal features of television on viewers' attention and arousal: Cardiac response, attention, and arousal

Abstract: "Two questions were investigated in this research. First, how do the formal features, level of complexity, and level of emotionality of television affect the variation in viewers' phasic attention and tonic arousal level. Second, can phasic and tonic cardiac responses be used to measure attention and arousal simultaneously.

The interbeat intervals of 14 subjects were measured while subjects watched television. Cardiac response curves (CRC) were created for subjects by events and for events by subjects to index phasic cardiac response. Measures of average interbeat interval over ten second time periods were calculated to measure tonic cardiac change.

It was found that commercial onsets and formal features of television elicit orienting responses in viewers. Some formal features may elicit startle responses. In addition, emotional commercials cause tonic heart rate increase over 30 seconds. Levels of complexity do not elicit change in tonic heart rate. Further, Orienting Responses to formal features in emotional commercials are larger and longer than those in mixed or rational commercials.

It appears that heart rate can be a useful measure for on-line real time measurement of change in attention and variation in autonomic arousal."

MPACT Scores for Annie Lang

A = 1
C = 3
A+C = 4
T = 1
G = 1
W = 1
TD = 1
TA = 0
calculated 2010-10-18 16:08:01

Advisors and Advisees Graph