Masters Theses

Date of Award

3-1981

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

Joseph P. McKerns

Committee Members

Robert Howard

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to determine if a majority of journalists sampled have a right, left or integrated style of information processing as determined by the measuring instrument and whether the editors, reporters and photographers differ in styles of thinking.

It was hypothesized that a majority of journalists in the sample would prefer a right or integrated style of information processing. It was also hypothesized that the styles of learning and thinking would differ among the three groups of editors, reporters and photographers -- specifically, a majority of executives and photographers would prefer predominantly a right or integrated style of information processing, while a majority of reporters would prefer a left style of information processing.

The styles of information processing are based on research showing that each area of the brain (right and left hemispheres) is specialized for certain information processing and that usually the appropriate one is selected first.

A mail questionnaire field survey was used with 100 journalists on three major newspapers in Tennessee--The Tennessean (Nashville), the Knoxville News-Sentinel and the Chattanooga News-Free Press. The sample included 33 executives, 37 reporters and 30 photographers.

The measuring instrument was a 36-item self-report, multiple-choice questionnaire devised by Dr. Paul Torrance at the University of Georgia. It classifies respondents according to right, left and integrated styles of information processing.

Data from the obtained 60-subject sample were analyzed by means of chi-square and item analyses.

There were no statistically significant differences in the scores of the three groups on the right and left and integrated scales.

However, Hypothesis I was proven true in that a majority (38 of 60) of the journalists preferred the right and integrated styles of thinking.

When the groups were collapsed to reflect reporters vs. editors and photographers on the left vs. all other modes, a relationship was found between reporters and the left style of thinking, which supported Hypothesis II.

Overall, the research supported the notion that journalists may have two cognitive styles--left and integrated, with reporters preferring the left and editors and photographers preferring integrated.

The journalistic data were compared with that of other occupation groups--teachers, internal auditors and students, and statistically significant relations were found among the groups on various items characterizing the styles of thinking.

Results from the study indicated the integrated style of thinking may be the one most needed to be utilized in journalism education.

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