Parsing the Resource Pie: Using STRTs to Measure Attention to Mediated Messages

This study directly tests the hypothesis that secondary task reaction time (STRTs) measured during television viewing index available resources rather than resources allocated by the viewer, resources required by the message, or resources remaining in the system. An initial test of the hypothesis di...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Media psychology 2006-11, Vol.8 (4), p.369-394
Main Authors: Lang, Annie, Bradley, Samuel D., Park, Byungho, Shin, Mija, Chung, Yongkuk
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Psychology
Studies
Television programs
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Summary:This study directly tests the hypothesis that secondary task reaction time (STRTs) measured during television viewing index available resources rather than resources allocated by the viewer, resources required by the message, or resources remaining in the system. An initial test of the hypothesis did not support the theoretical interpretation of STRTs as either available or remaining resources. A subsequent secondary analysis introduced a new measure of television message complexity called information introduced. The stimuli were recoded using this measure and reanalyzed to test the same hypothesis. Results of the secondary analysis yielded a pattern of STRT responses supporting the prediction that STRTs are indexing available resources.
ISSN:1521-3269
1532-785X
DOI:10.1207/s1532785xmep0804_3