1. The Influence of Media on Audiences
October 7, 2009 Fordham University Rose Hill Campus
Fordham University
Project Dura,on: 20‐30 minutes
Contact: John C. Ianniello, project manager
jianniello@fordham.edu 516‐395‐0987 2505 Lorillard Place
Bronx, NY 10458
This experiment is a project for an undergraduate class in research methods which will focus on parVcipants’ reacVons to certain forms of media, specifically clips from movies. As part of the
procedure, you and other parVcipants will be viewing a total of four movie clips. Upon compleVng the viewing of the clips, you and other parVcipants will be asked to free‐write your
thoughts on what you have seen as well as answer some quesVons specific to each clip.
Overall, this procedure will take a minimum of twenty minutes and a maximum of thirty minutes to complete. Aer the experiment is over, you will receive an opVonal follow‐up quesVonnaire
that will reveal the results of the research and evaluate your thoughts on your parVcipaVon in the research.
It is anVcipated that not only will the researcher receive benefits from this project, but you will benefit as well, as the research will reveal the influence of the media you have viewed. A follow‐
up quesVonnaire will include relevant informaVon that will allow parVcipants to find benefits from their feedback during the experiment.
Please do not conVnue if you have any nervousness or apprehension regarding violence, blood, etc. If you do not feel comfortable viewing anything involving these images, you should not
parVcipate in the experiment. Although these images will not be very graphic in nature, you do not have to conVnue any further if you feel these images would be too graphic or would
be a risk to your well‐being.
Your parVcipaVon in this experiment is completely voluntary and you can choose to stop parVcipaVng at any Vme if you feel uncomfortable for any reason at all without penalty.
No personal informaVon about you or any other parVcipant will be disclosed to any third party. Your status in the experiment and the data is purely staVsVcal and anonymous and no personal
informaVon will be disclosed. All aspects of your parVcipaVon are purely confidenVal.
Contact informaVon is listed above if you or any other parVcipants have any quesVons regarding the specifics of the research project. You may contact the researcher at any Vme before or aer
the experiment has taken place with any quesVons you might have.
If you agree to all the above text and are willing to parVcipate in this research study, please read, print your full name, and sign below.
I, ___________________________ understand fully the purpose and procedure of this experiment and agree to parVcipate. I understand fully my rights as a parVcipant to stop at any Vme
without penalty and understand that my personal informaVon will be kept anonymous and confidenVal.
Date: ______________________________
Printed Name: ______________________________
Signature: ______________________________

2. The Influence of Media on
Audiences
Thank you for agreeing to parVcipate in this study on the media’s effect on audiences. By
parVcipaVng in this study, you will be helping to analyze the influences that the media has on
audiences. As you already know, you have the right to stop parVcipaVng in this study at any
Vme and all of your personal informaVon will be kept anonymous and confidenVal.
Please write out your answers to the quesVonnaires in an email made out to
jianniello@fordham.edu
You may also send any emails regarding quesVons or addiVonal comments you may have
regarding the study.

3. General QuesVons
1. Do you watch television on a daily basis?
1. If yes, how many hours per day do you watch television?
2. If no, how many hours per week do you watch television?
2. Do you tend to watch ficVonal or non‐ficVonal programs more oen?
3. Do you have any personal experience with mental disorders?
1. If yes, how so?
4. Do you have any personal experience with drug abuse?
1. If yes, how so?
5. Do you have any personal experience with violent behavior?
1. If yes, how so?
6. Would you say your knowledge of mental disorders is influenced by television in any way?
1. If yes, explain.
7. Would you say your knowledge of drug abuse is influenced by television in any way?
1. If yes, explain.
8. Would you say your knowledge of violent behavior is influenced by television in any way?
1. If yes, explain.

4. “The Other Sister”
hjp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuEO1‐2YLGE
The link that appears above is a link to a scene from the movie “The Other Sister.”
In this scene, Carla expresses to her mother that she wants to marry her boyfriend
Danny, who is mentally challenged. Please watch the clip and then answer the
quesVons regarding Carla in the next slide. If you have any addiVonal comments,
you may write them out aer wriVng down your answers to the quesVons
provided. Also, please note before answering the ques8ons provided if you have
seen this movie prior to watching the clip.

5. “The Other Sister”
• Carla is: (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree 5 = strongly agree)
1. Responsible
2. Dangerous
3. Unpredictable
4. Smart
5. Caring
6. Capable of being in a relaVonship
7. Capable of being in a relaVonship with a man with a mental disorder
8. Capable of making her own decisions
9. Capable of living on her own
10. Capable of planning her own wedding
11. “Carla is to blame for her illness.”
12. “I would have sympathy for Carla’s situa,on.”
13. “Carla would make me angry.”
14. “I would feel unsafe around Carla.”
15. “Carla would terrify me.”
16. “I would not socialize with Carla.”
17. “I would make sure Carla took medica,on.”
18. “Carla should be in a mental hospital.”
19. “I would help Carla in a situa,on in which she is incapable.”

6. “The Rules of AjracVon”
hjp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GAwi34vHyQ
The link that appears above is a link to a scene in the movie “The Rules of AjracVon.” In this clip,
a girl who remains unnamed throughout the movie commits suicide because she does not
receive responses to the love lejers she has been sending to one of the main characters
Sean. Please watch the clip and answer the quesVons regarding the clip in the next slide. If
you have any addiVonal comments, you may write them out aer wriVng down your answers
to the quesVons provided. Also, please note before answering the ques8ons provided if
you have seen this movie prior to watching the clip.
PLEASE USE THIS LOGIN INFORMATION TO ACCESS THE CLIP ON YOUTUBE
USERNAME: MethodsResearch
PASSWORD: rmethods

7. “The Rules of AjracVon”
(1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree 5 = strongly agree)
• The girl from this scene has some type of mental disorder
• The girl from the scene is depressed
• MedicaVon would have prevented the girl in the scene from killing herself
• Therapy would have prevented the girl in the scene from killing herself
• It is possible that with proper professional help that the girl in the scene would not have commijed suicide
• The girl in the clip is fully responsible for her acVons
• The girl in the clip should have been put in a mental hospital
• The girl in the clip thought what she was doing was the right thing to do
• The girl in the clip did not want to die
• The girl in the clip would not have killed herself if Sean told her he loved her
• The girl in the clip would have had a normal relaVonship with Sean if he told her he loved her
• Sean is fully responsible for the girl in the clip’s suicide

8. “The Basketball Diaries”
hjp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsuEQP9i3iw
The link that appears above is a link to a scene from the movie “The Basketball
Diaries.” In this scene, the main character Jim is in the heart of a drug addicVon
and comes to his mother for money to buy heroin. Please watch the clip and then
answer the quesVons regarding the clip in the following slide. If you have any
addiVonal comments, you may write them out aer wriVng down your answers to
the quesVons provided. Also, please note before answering the ques8ons
provided if you have seen this movie prior to watching the clip.

9. “The Basketball Diaries”
• Jim is: (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree 5 = strongly agree)
1. Responsible
2. Dangerous
3. Unpredictable
4. Smart
5. Caring
6. Mentally Stable
7. “Jim is to blame for his situa,on.”
8. “I would have sympathy for Jim’s situa,on.”
9. “Jim would make me angry.”
10. “I would feel unsafe around Jim.”
11. “Jim would terrify me.”
12. “I would not socialize with Jim.”
13. “I would make sure Jim took medica,on.”
14. “Jim should be in a mental hospital.”
15. “I would help Jim in a situa,on in which he is incapable.”

10. “The Rules of AjracVon”
hjp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK9‐7‐20TAg
The link above is a link to another scene from the movie “The Rules of AjracVon.” In
this scene, two college students go out to dinner with their mothers. Please watch
the clip and then answer the quesVons regarding the clip in the following slide. If
you have any addiVonal comments, you may write them out aer wriVng down
your answers to the quesVons provided. Also, please note before answering the
ques8ons provided if you have seen this movie prior to watching the clip.

11. “The Rules of AjracVon” (Clip 2)
• Richard is (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree 5 = strongly agree)
1. Responsible
2. Dangerous
3. Unpredictable
4. Smart
5. Caring
6. Mentally challenged
7. Intoxicated or under the influence of other drugs
8. “Richard is to blame for his current condi,on.”
9. “I would have sympathy for Richard.”
10. “Richard would make me angry.”
11. “I would feel unsafe around Richard.”
12. “Richard would terrify me.”
13. “I would not socialize with Richard.”
14. “I would make sure Richard took medica,on.”
15. “Richard should be in a mental hospital.”
16. “I would help Richard in a situa,on in which he is incapable.”

12. Thank you!
• Thank you for parVcipaVng in this study. If you have any quesVons or comments
feel free to email them to jianniello@fordham.edu.