Watching Ronald Reagan
Viewers' Reactions to the President on Television
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6183248 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Roberta Glaros, Roberta B Glaros (Albany State University), Bruce Miroff (0000-0001-9913-8795, Albany State University) |
| Year | 1983 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 25-46 |
| Publication date | 1983-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Congress & the Presidency (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0734-3469 • E-ISSN: 1944-1053 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/07343468309508025 |
| OpenAlex | W1979946889 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 8 |
Utilizing open-ended, in-depth interviews, this article explores the reactions of viewers shortly after they watched a televised press conference and an address to the nation by President Reagan. The majority of our subjects chose from two alternate value systems and images of America, and evaluated Reagan's performances in light of those values and images. Perceptions of the president's character and competence differed according to the subjects' ability to identify with presidential themes. Presidential performances fostered feelings of integration or alienation among our audience, with supporters finding self-validation in watching the president and opponents experiencing powerlessness. Most subjects were aware of the dramatic elements in televised presidential performances; feelings about the integrity and value of presidential drama were related to support for the president. Even with a president with finely-tuned communication skills, we found an audience in which skepticism ran high and support was difficult to mobilize
Alienation · Art · Audience response · Competence (human resources · Drama · Feeling · Literature · Management · Media studies · Perception · Political science · Politics · Presidential system · Skepticism · Sociology · Value (mathematics · Vice president · Law · Media Studies and Communication · Psychology · Public Relations and Crisis Communication · Rhetoric and Communication Studies · Social Psychology
| Unique citing works | 5 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,18 |
| Citation span | 1998 - 2023 (26) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 5 |