Results
Hypothesis 1 predicted that Air Force members who are more motivated
toward professional activities are more compelled to utilize base
newspapers, base Web sites, Air Force Web sites, commanders’
access channels, etc. To assess this prediction, correlations
were computed using Pearson r examining motivation toward professional
activities and communication use. The results failed to support
this prediction. Indeed, correlation analysis revealed that those
more motivated toward professional activities were significantly
less likely to utilize: base newspapers, r (1,236) = -.191, p
< .001; Airman Magazine, r (1,236) = -.187, p<.001; Air
Force Link, r (1,234) = -.206, p < .001; Air Force TV News,
r (1,231) = - .127, p < .001; Air Force Policy Letter Digest,
r (1,229) = - .140, p < .001; commanders’ access channel,
r (847) = - .115, p < .001; and Air Force Radio News, r (907)
= - .114 p < .001.
Hypothesis 2 posited that Air Force members who are more motivated
toward community activities are more inclined to utilize base
newspapers, base Web sites, Air Force Web sites, commanders’
access channels, etc. Pearson r correlations were computed. Again,
there was no correlation between interest in community activities
and utilization of any Air Force media venue. Those more motivated
toward community activities are significantly less likely to utilize:
base newspapers, r (1,238) = -.228, p < .001; Airman Magazine,
r (1,238) = -.218, p < .001; Air Force Link, r (1,236) = -.218,
p < .001; Air Force TV News, r (1,233) = -.172, p < .001;
Air Force Policy Letter Digest, r (1,231) = -.117, p < .001;
commanders’ access channel, r (85) = - .102, p < .001;
and Air Force Radio News, r (91) = -.151 p < .001.
Hypothesis 3 predicted that USAF Field Grade Officers (O-4 and
above) and Senior Noncommissioned Officers (E-7 and above) are
more inclined to actively process information and, as a result,
lean toward the print news medium. Pearson r correlations were
completed to analyze this hypothesis. Survey results did not support
the prediction that senior Air Force members are more involved,
r (1,277) = -.203, p < .001, instead higher ranks were significantly
less likely to actively process information. However, the results
did show support for the prediction that the higher ranks were
inclined toward Air Force print news media such as their local
base newspaper, r (1,423) = .265, p < .001; Airman Magazine,
r (1,415) = .175, p < .001; and Air Force Link, r (1,400) =
.078, p < .01. In fact, the results showed a propensity by
this response group to utilize all Air Force news communication
forms, however, statistical support for the print media were particularly
robust.
Hypothesis 4 stated that USAF Company Grade Officers (O-1 thru
O-3) and Junior Enlisted Airmen (E-1 thru E-6) are more inclined
to passively process information and, therefore, lean toward electronic
venues. The results failed to support the prediction that lower
enlisted airmen and junior officers are likely to process information
passively; the Pearson r correlation was statistically insignificant.
Moreover, the results failed to support the prediction that this
response group prefers electronic media. Lower officers and enlisted
ranks were not disposed to any communication form: Air Force television
news, r (1,199) = -.096, p < .05; Air Force radio news, r (877)
= -.130, p < .001; or viewing the Commander’s Access
Channel on cable television, r (754) = -.099, p < .01.
Hypothesis 5 posited that Air Force members would assign greater
credibility to communication venues that feature, a) more immediate
contact or are b) more visual. Respondents were asked to rate
importance and believability of 18 information sources on a 10-point
scale. To assess this prediction, credibility scores were compared
across communication forms and students' t-tests computed. The
results supported the first half of the prediction but not the
second. When compared to all other forms of immediate contact,
the unit commander was higher in credibility than all others.
The results of t-tests comparing unit commanders and each alternate
communication form were significant. The results for immediate
contact as indicated in Table 1 are: (M = 8.52) for unit commander
and (M = 7.69) for first sergeant and (M = 7.67) for direct supervisor.
The latter means also are among the highest in credibility. The
second part of the hypothesis which examined whether or not the
participants would rate more visual communication higher was not
supported. The results in Table 1 revealed that more visual media
were among the lowest in credibility, for example: for Air Force
Policy Digest (M = 7.89), for Aim Points (M = 7.53) , and for
civilian Web sites (M = 7.71).
Research question 1 queried whether or not there was a correlation
between ones education level and preference for communication
venues. Pearson r correlations were computed. Results indicated
that there was a positive correlation between those of a higher
education level and how often they read a printed copy of the
base newspaper, r (2,846) = .093, p < .001.
There was a negative correlation between those of a higher education
level and how frequently they read Air Force Policy Letter Digest,
r (2,827) = -.059, p < .01; and viewing of the Commander’s
Access Channel on cable television, r (1,921) = -.061, p <
.01. No other relationships involving education and communication
venues were statistically significant.
