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How Cosmopolites React to Messages: America Under Attack

2005; Routledge; Volume: 22; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/00036810500057963

1746-4099

Cheryl Campanella Bracken, Leo W. Jeffres, Kimberly A. Neuendorf, Jenifer E. Kopfman, Fani Moulla,

International Relations and Foreign Policy

Abstract The diffusion of information about critical events has been studied using events of differing importance in Americans' lives: This study explores the diffusion of information about a tragedy that touched Americans and others around the world. Specifically, we explore how the time a person learned of the September 11 attacks influences their selection of communication channel(s) in passing on the information to others. This study also explores the impact of the notion of "cosmopoliteness" on channel selection and its impact on the diffusion process. The results of this study inform the diffusion literature by providing evidence that cosmopoliteness does affect the diffusion process. Implications are discussed. Keywords: DiffusionCosmopolitenessCritical EventsTechnology Notes An earlier version was presented to the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research at the annual conference, Chicago, IL, November, 2002. The authors are in the School of Communication, Cleveland State University, OH, USA. This dimension is found in descriptions of local–non-local cosmopolite dimensions, Dye's (Citation1963) local cosmopolitan scale, and the literature on parochialism. Dye's (Citation1963) conceptualization of cosmopoliteness includes the notion that one identifies with larger systems. Earle and Cvetkovich's (Citation1997) view of cosmopolitanism and the local–non-local dimension imply an appreciation of others' cultures. Paine saw education creating a "cosmopolitan" awareness of the world (Walker, Citation2000) and communication scholars have linked cosmopoliteness to education. Knowledge of current events and knowledge of cultures are probably related, but they are separate concepts, the former capturing currency in the news and the latter knowledge of peoples and backgrounds more closely tied to education than topical news. Each medium provides opportunity for audiences to expose themselves to unfamiliar events as well as ideas, peoples, and places from cultures and contexts different from their own, e.g., reading or ignoring international news in print media, reading magazines in other languages, seeing foreign films in theaters, watching films with subtitles on television, watching foreign news or content from distant places on television, visiting websites from other countries, etc. Audiences have an almost unlimited and unprecedented opportunity to embrace different cultures and familiarize themselves with unfamiliar events in today's media-rich environment. Although Sotirovic and McLeod (Citation2001) looked at diversity of ideas, we focus on diversity of backgrounds of partners in our interpersonal communication networks. Diversity today should capture both ethnicity and religion. A random sample of telephone numbers was drawn from the telephone directory and random numbers were then substituted for the last two digits. The three items measuring knowledge of religion were: (1) Which of the following religions believes in reincarnation? Islam, Hinduism (correct answer selected by 43.4 per cent), Confucius, Christianity. (2) Which of the following accurately describes the Advent season in Christianity? It occurs in the period just before Easter, to herald the crucifixion; It follows Easter as a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus; It occurs in the weeks prior to Christmas as a period of penitence (correct answer selected by 47.2 per cent). (3) In describing the religion Islam, which of the following is true? All of the Bible is rejected; Jesus is accepted as a prophet (correct answer selected by 29.1%); Mohammed is another word for God; The holy site of Mecca is in Afghanistan. (4) The four items measuring knowledge of different cultures were: The African-American Kwanzaa celebration migrated to the USA from Kenya, where it is an old tradition (false, correctly given by 27 per cent); (5) China was a strong unified country run by the Manchu Dynasty until it was invaded by Japan in World War 2 (false, correctly given by 37.4 per cent); (6) Brazil is the most populated Spanish-speaking country in Latin America (false, correctly given by 41.3 per cent); (7) The Persian Empire was centered in Iran (true, correctly given by 48.5 per cent); (8) The largest American Indian tribe, the Navajo, live in the Southwest (true, correctly given by 71.5 per cent). Five items tapped ethnicity: (1) Someone from an Asian background such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thailand, Indonesia, or the Philippines (talked to by 58.1 per cent); (2) Someone from the subcontinent of Asia, such as India or Pakistan (talked to by 42.6 per cent); (3) Someone who is Hispanic, from Latin America or Puerto Rico (talked to by 60.4 per cent); (4) Someone who is Middle Eastern, such as Lebanese or Arab (talked to by 54.7 per cent); (5) Someone who is African-American or Black (talked to by 87.9 per cent). The items measuring religious communication network diversity were: (1) Someone who is an Orthodox Christian (talked to by 47.7 per cent); (2) Someone who is a Catholic (talked to by 90.6 per cent); (3) Someone who is protestant (talked to by 68.3 per cent); (4) Someone who is Jewish (talked to by 61.5 per cent); and (5) Someone who is Moslem (talked to by 38.3 per cent). Additional informationNotes on contributorsFani Moulla An earlier version was presented to the Midwest Association for Public Opinion Research at the annual conference, Chicago, IL, November, 2002. The authors are in the School of Communication, Cleveland State University, OH, USA.