continued: "Traditional Family Relationships and Television Viewing in Greece" by Thimios Zaharopoulos, Ph.D.
Department of Mass Media, Washburn University
page 2 of 2 / page 1
References
Tables

Findings
Of the 508 usable surveys, 255 came from Amaliada, and 253 from Athens. Males make up 40.9 percent of the sample (208), and females make up 58.5 (297), while three did not respond to this question. The Greek senior high school is made up of three grades, and students were equally divided between the three: 170 from the tenth, 168 from the eleventh, and 170 from the twelfth grade.

Television and Other Media Consumption
The students, on average, watch approximately 3 hours of television each day, including weekends, although they watch more on weekends than on weekdays. In terms of viewing US television programming, of the 403 students answering the open-ended question, "from which nation other than Greece do your favorite television programs come?" 323 or 63.6% said the United States. Furthermore, 18.5% of the respondents reported watching US television programs on a daily basis, 45.4% on a weekly basis, 18.1% on a monthly basis, and 18.1% reported that they rarely or never watch US shows. A Pearson correlation reveals that more television viewing (in minutes) is related to watching US programs more often during an average month [r (N = 476) = .25, p < .0001)]. Overall, respondents said they spend an average of a little over three hours a week watching US programs. Those who watch at least some US programs report that they spend an average 37.5% of their total viewing watching US television programs.

Generally males watch more than females (199 minutes per day vs. 176 for females) [F (1, 484) = 6.11, p < .014]. However, males spend 60% of their TV time watching Greek shows, while females spend 53.7% of their time doing the same [F (1, 434) = 8, p < .005].

As expected, males and females also differ in terms of what they watch. Males tend to watch NBA basketball and other sports programs, as well as Greek late night talk shows. Females watch more Greek sitcoms ("E Men kai E De," "Dis Ex' Amartin"), "Beverly Hills 90210," "Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman," "Melrose Place," and soap operas like "Loving," and Greek telenovelas or social dramas ("Telefteo Antio," "Lampsi") [X2 (30, N = 432) = 126, p < .0001]. "Beverly Hills 90210" was the most popular program overall (including Greek shows), as 8% of all students made an effort to watch it each week.

Generally the students were divided as to whether US programs accurately portray real life in the United States-38% felt they generally do, 32.6% had no opinion or did not know, and 29.4% said US programs generally do not portray accurately life in the United States.

The students were asked to respond to a series of statements regarding family relationships and values. On the statement that "young people should talk about their love relationships with their parents," the students generally agreed (mean = 2.2 on a 5-point scale, with 1 being strongly agree). However, no significant difference exists between heavy and light viewers on their response to this statement [F (1, 382) = .38, p > .05]. Similarly on the statement that "young people should talk over problems with their parents" there was no significant difference between heavy and light viewers [F (1, 388) = .3, p > .05]. However, students were more supportive of this type of communication (mean = 1.7) than communicating about love relationships. Therefore, hypothesis one is rejected.

In terms of communication with parents about love relationships, no significant difference is found between heavy and light viewers of US television programs, either in estimated hours per week [F (1, 456) = .05, p > .05], or in the percentage of their viewing dedicated to US shows [F (1, 491) = .01, p > .05]. Similarly no difference was found regarding the statement regarding communicating about problems. Heavy and light viewers of US television programs do not differ, either in estimated hours per week [F (1, 463) = .24, p > .05], or in the percentage of their viewing dedicated to US shows [F (1, 498) = .69, p > .05]. Thus, hypothesis two is also rejected.

Responding to the statement "It is good to have grandparents living with the family," students were ambivalent (mean = 3). No significant difference exists between heavy and light viewers on this issue [F (1, 381) = .2, p > .05]. Thus, hypothesis three is rejected.

However, heavy viewers of US programs, in terms of spending a greater portion of their viewing time watching US shows, tend to feel more negative about living with the grandparents [F (1, 488) = 4.4, p < .04]. Thus, hypothesis four is retained.

Students were also ambivalent in responding to the statement "family members are generally happy" (mean = 2.96). Even though there was some of the hypothetized difference between heavy and light viewers, this was not statistically significant [F (1, 380) = 3.8, p > .04]. Hypothesis five is rejected.

In testing hypothesis six, students responded to the statement, "It is natural that young people should obey their parents. They generally did not agree (mean = 3.5). There is no significant difference between heavy and light viewers on this issue [F (1, 385) = .13, p > .05]. However, those spending a greater portion of their viewing time watching US shows tend to disagree more strongly on this issue about obeying parents [F (1, 496) = 6.9, p < .01].

To test hypothesis seven, students were asked to respond to the statement that "philotimo is still an important value to hold." Philotimo, which characterizes Greek value system and embodies a combination of pride and honor, seems to still be important to these young people (mean = 1.6). However there is no difference on this issue between heavy and light viewers [F (1, 381) = .12, p > .05]. Similarly there is no difference between heavy and light viewers on how often they attend church [F (1, 363) = .10, p > .05]. The students, on average, responded that they attend a few times each year. As such, hypothesis seven is rejected.

Hypothesis eight extended the two above statements to US television viewing. The study finds no difference between heavy and light viewers of US television programs, either in estimated hours per week [F (1, 454) = .59, p > .05], or in the percentage of their viewing dedicated to US shows [F (1, 489) = .25, p > .05], about the importance of Philotimo. However, those spending a greater portion of their viewing time watching US shows tend to go to church less often than those who spend a smaller portion of their viewing time viewing US programs [F (1, 468) = 13.8, p < .001]. Therefore, only a part of hypothesis eight holds true.

Finally, students were asked what they thought of divorce. Most replied that divorce is generally a mistake. However, there is no significant difference between light and heavy viewers on this issue [F (1, 384) = 2.8, p > .05]. Nor, is there a significant difference between light and heavy viewers of US television about the issue of divorce [F (1, 488) = .46, p > .05]. Hypothesis nine is rejected.

A regression analysis was used to answer the research question "what demographic, media consumption patterns, and other socioeconomic variables play a role in how viewers see traditional family relationships?" Generally, media related variables were found to be significant predictors on most of the tested relationships.

On the issue of young people talking to their parents about love relationships, four variables accounted for 18 percent of the variance: watching TV adventure shows, perceived realism of US shows, a student's mother's politics, and family income level (see Table 1). On the other hand, there is only one significant predictor for the attitude toward talking to parents about problems: This is the student's own political position, which accounts for only four percent of the variance (see Table 1).

Table 2 outlines significant predictors of attitudes toward obeying one's parents. Media related variables account for all 14% of the variance. These are: listening to radio, reading certain newspapers, and the perception of realism reflected in Greek television programs. Perceived realism of Greek television programs is the sole predictor of the perception of happy families, accounting for 14% of the variance (see Table 3).

On the attitude regarding the role of grandparents, there are three significant predictors. However, newspaper reading is the only media related one (see table 4). Twenty-one percent of the variance is accounted for regarding values such as "philotimo" (pride/honor/shame). Four of five significant predictors are media related variables: Radio listening, reading a certain newspaper, viewing television cartoons, and viewing music television programs (see Table 5).

Church attendance is predicted by four variables (see Table 6). Watching sitcoms and perceived realism of Greek television are the only media related predictor variables. Finally, perception of divorce is predicted by the sex of the respondent and reasons for watching television. Together they account for 11% of the variance (see table 7).

Discussion
Aggregate television viewing seems to play a very limited role in the cultivation of adolescents' perceptions of Greek families, and on shaping their attitudes toward family relationships. Generally, this study finds that only on some issues do heavy television viewers differ from light viewers, and in all of these cases it is viewing US television that is related. For example, heavy viewers of US television programs tend to feel less supportive of the idea of including grandparents in their household, are less supportive of the idea that teenagers should obey their parents, and go to church less often than light viewers of US television programs. However, it is not clear from this research whether Greek teenagers have these attitudes because they watch US television, or they are attracted to US television because they hold these attitudes.

Nevertheless, television and other media, as well as media related variables, do play a role in the perceptions and attitudes of Greek adolescents. Perceived realism of television programs is especially related to cultivation effects. For example, perceived realism of television was found to be the lone predictor of the perception that families are generally happy; and a significant predictor of a positive attitude toward talking to parents about love relations, the belief that young people should obey their parents, and church attendance.

Specific TV genres also play a role in the students' attitudes toward other issues. For example, watching adventure programs is a predictor of the belief that young people should talk to their parents about love relationships. Watching cartoons and music television are significant predictors of attitudes toward the important Greek value of "philotimo." And finally, watching sitcoms is a predictor of church attendance.

Other media related variables such as newspaper reading and radio listening were also found to be significant predictors of certain attitudes. Finally, reasons for watching television was found to be a predictor of one's perception of divorce.

It seems that this study tends to reinforce findings from other studies, which point to the complexity of cultivation effects (Weaver and Wakshlag 1986; and Potter, 1986). This study also reinforces the idea that specific television content and other media consumption are factors in how young people perceive the world around them, and are related to attitudes they hold.

Obviously this study did not undertake a content analysis to determine the actual portrayal of families and family relationships on Greek television. This should be done in future studies. Also, this is a study of adolescents, and the results here cannot necessarily be generalized to the whole population. Future studies need to examine more closely how viewers actually process television entertainment and information, because television influence seems to be related to already held attitudes and perceptions. TBS

References
Tables