Date of Award
1980
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Communication
First Advisor
Gross
Abstract
Taken from Introduction:
Thisstudyattemptstodescribepatternsofviewerinterpretive engagementwitha film.The film usedinthestudy,JonathanDemme's CitizensBand(1977),wasselectedbecauseinmostrespectsit was like thefilmsviewerscouldseeatcommercial, first-runmovie theatres.Informantswereselectedaccordingtothefrequencywith whichtheyreportedattendingfilms.Thisselectionwasdoneinline witha modelofinterpretive behaviordevelopedby SolWorthand LarryGross.Thismodelsuggeststhat experiencewithasymbolic mode mightleadtodifferent waysofinterpreting articulations within a mode.Ithoughtthat thedegreetowhichinformantsusedthemedium mightprovideananalyticcontextforexaminingdifferent patternsof interpretive engagementwithafilm.Thus,themainpurposeofthis studywastodescribethekindsofinterpretive acts and verbal responsesactualviewersengagein(inself-selected groups)when discussinga film after a viewing.
Thisstudyattemptstodescribepatternsofviewerinterpretive
engagementwitha film.The film usedinthestudy,JonathanDemme's
CitizensBand(1977),wasselectedbecauseinmostrespectsit was
like thefilmsviewerscouldseeatcommercial, first-runmovie
theatres.Informantswereselectedaccordingtothefrequencywith
whichtheyreportedattendingfilms.Thisselectionwasdoneinline
witha modelofinterpretive behaviordevelopedby SolWorthand
LarryGross.Thismodelsuggeststhat experiencewithasymbolic
mode mightleadtodifferent waysofinterpreting articulations within
a mode.Ithoughtthat thedegreetowhichinformantsusedthemedium
mightprovideananalyticcontextforexaminingdifferent patternsof
interpretive engagementwithafilm.Thus,themainpurposeofthis
studywastodescribethekindsofinterpretive acts and verbal
responsesactualviewersengagein(inself-selected groups)when
discussinga film after a viewing.
Recommended Citation
Custen, George Frederick, "Film Talk: Viewers Responses to a Film as a Socially Situated Event" (1980). Dissertations (ASC). 55.
https://repository.upenn.edu/dissertations_asc/55