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Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
Abstract
The production of foreign news by U.S. media has steadily decreased and so has the
public’s interest in such topics. Although natural disasters, revolts and protests, and economic
mayhems may generate temporary peaks of interest, the American public remains overall
indifferent to international happenings. This study attempts to understand what may trigger
interest in foreign news. This pilot study thus investigates specifically whether study-abroad
programs affect students’ interest in global issues. Results showed that students in study-abroad
programs were significantly more likely to have greater interest in foreign news than others. Data
also suggested a positive connection between the global-mindedness of participants and their
interest in global events. Practical implications are being discussed in the findings.
Keywords: foreign news, survey, international exposure, global-mindedness scale, study-abroad
programs.
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Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
The Impact of Exposure to Foreign Culture on International News Interest
Americans do not pay attention to foreign news (Hoge, 1997; Saluri Russo, 2010;
Willmott, 2010). Nor do they demonstrate boundless enthusiasm for the topic either (Pew 2008).
This blunt statement should not come as an earth shattering remark since statistics have
consistently highlighted a decline in both the production of foreign news by U.S. media over the
past 25 years and the overall interest in global news topics. The Arab spring and the natural
disaster in Japan did place foreign news at its highest level of coverage since September 2001
(Stelter, 2011), yet the state of U.S. foreign news remains gloomy (Enda, 2011; Kumar, 2011;
Sambrook, 2010). The number of foreign reporters has decreased steadily since the end of the
Cold War only to precipitate foreign news in an editorial abyss.
Kumar (2011) stated that the proportion of staff-produced foreign stories in eight
randomly selected papers by the American Journalism Review decreased from 15 percent in
1985 to four percent in 2010. Additionally, American news organizations have increasingly
closed down foreign news bureaus, limiting the budget spent on correspondents responsible for
generating global news (Enda, 2011; Sambrook, 2010). Regardless of which figures are under
scrutiny, the demise of the foreign correspondent and its impact on the production of global news
stories appears indubitable. Surveys of the foreign press corps (Constable, 2007) underscored the
staff reductions. In fact, the American Journalism Review identified 234 correspondents in 2010,
far fewer than the 307 surveyed in 2003, the last time the review conducted a census of this
cohort of journalists (Enda, 2011). This limited crafting of international stories bears minimal
consequences on the U.S. readership for data suggest only a succinct temporary interest in global
events.
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Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
Traditionally, surveys reveal that disaster news (man-made and weather related),
terrorism, conflicts involving U.S troops, and above all else the state of the domestic economy
appeal to most Americans (Pew, 2010, 2011). In fact, previous findings indicated that a majority
of American citizens only read international news when something major occurred (Pew, 2008).
Analyzing such figures leads to an assessment of five factors often quoted as editorial
values: timeliness, proximity, impact, conflict and familiarity. A study of news reading habits
indicated that the match between topics and personal interests constitutes the most important
criteria used by newspaper readers when choosing stories (Graber, 1988). Geographical
proximity, the size of headlines and visuals as well as story length also impacted reading habits
(Graber, 1988).
In light of such evidence, two questions need to be asked: (a) are news organizations
diminishing their foreign news coverage due to preemptive costs of maintaining a foreign
bureau, or because they are responding to a limited interest in international news, and (b) can
people genuinely generate an interest in foreign news independently from the nature of the media
coverage? Beyond addressing the political, practical and economical reasons associated with the
sharp decline of foreign news in U.S. media, this study precisely attempts to fill a void in the
literature and sets out to understand what may actually trigger interest in foreign news. More
specifically, this study investigates the assumption that people exposed to a foreign culture will
modify their news preferences by increasing their interest in global issues. Consequently, this
research tests whether short-term study abroad experiences impact students’ interest in global
news. Practical implications pertinent to the development of college curriculum will be
discussed.
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Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
Literature review
Communication scholars often discuss the determinants of news interests. In their
seminal study of newspapers, Gatlung and Ruge (1965) found that nations geographically
removed from the country of origin attract the attention of the audience whenever an abrupt news
event occurs, such as a natural disaster or a change in government. The events that occurred in
Japan earlier in 2011 illustrate this statement. Additionally, the authors explained that clarity and
proximity generate interest in foreign cultures. Although literature recurrently studies the
identification of news interest (Stone, 1987, Tewksbury, 2003), scholarship seldom investigates
whether direct exposure to a foreign nation affects the level of interest in international news. In
fact, limited published studies have seldom directly pondered the question leading the present
research: can the exposure to a foreign nation generate interest in international news?
Even though the paucity of work centered on the relationships between news
consumption and study-abroad programs appears indisputable, the effects of study abroad
courses have nevertheless generated several studies establishing evidence of higher intercultural
competency and stronger globalism awareness (Golay, 2006), plausible causes of foreign news
interest.
The consensual overarching assumption leading research in this area lies upon the
observation that exposure to a foreign culture through an exchange program affect individuals at
three levels: (a) feelings, (b), beliefs, and (c) behavioral intentions (Bachner, 1994).
The literature indeed emphasizes all three components, yet with no relationships or
implications with news media. Using in-depth interviews with U.S. college students involved in
study abroad programs, Pennington and Wildermuth (2005) found an increase in participants’
intercultural knowledge and sense of self-awareness. Additionally, data showed a decrease in
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Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
ethnocentrism, a lower likelihood to engage in stereotyping, and a higher intercultural desire,
conceptualized as a general motivation to interact with people of other cultures (Goodwin &
Nacht, 1988; Koskinen & Tossavainen, 2003).
Besides measuring the affective changes, tangible evidence emanating from a study on
business students’ career goals (Orahood, Kruze, & Pearson, 2004) underlined behavioral
intents. Results from the survey indicated that 94% of participants who studied abroad for six
weeks or more admitted having an interest or a strong interest in being affiliated to a U.S.
company with international perspectives. Additionally, 83% expressed the desire to work
overseas, compared to 51% for the control group in this research.
The apparent crystallization of a greater global perspective led some scholars to research
global-mindedness. Conceptualized as a “worldview in which one sees oneself as connected to
the world community and feels a sense of responsibility for the members of that community”
(Golay, 2006, p. 27), global-mindedness is measured through an additive Likert scale index
developed by Hett (1993) that focuses on five components: (a) responsibility, (b) cultural
pluralism, (c) efficacy, (d) globalcentrism, and (e) interconnectedness. Findings in several
studies suggested that study-abroad programs promoted a global-mindedness outlook among
U.S. students (Golay, 2006). Concluding discussions on the impact of study-abroad programs on
college students consequently pointed in the direction of the variability of the length of the stay,
the country visited, the interactions with the local population and the typology of activities
conducted abroad. While some studies corroborate behavioral changes (Golay, 2006, Orahood et
al. 2007), research falls short of acknowledging whether a deeper understanding of other cultures
and a stronger interest in internationalizing an education and a career translates into the
willingness to devote more attention to news in other countries, a topic now more salient to
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Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
participants. In his review of responses from U.S. students to a questionnaire attached to
applications for the international student identity card, Koester (1985) did find that participants
who had previously sojourned outside of the country reported an increased interest in
international events. This brief mention justifies the need to further investigate the issue.
Research Questions
In light of the research linking study abroad programs and intercultural awareness, this
study seeks to go further and assess whether a decrease in ethnocentricity and an increase of
intercultural desire and global-mindedness translates into a higher interest in foreign news. In the
absence of directly relevant empirical evidence supporting directional hypotheses, the following
research questions thus guided this pilot study:
RQ1: Will participation in a study abroad program influence college students’
level of interest in foreign news?
RQ2: Will participation in a study abroad program influence students’ perception
of the importance of foreign news?
RQ3: Is there a difference in foreign news interest between pre and post exposure
to a foreign culture?
RQ4: Will students’ level of global-mindedness relate to their level of interest in
foreign news?
Method
Participants
Full-time college student enrolled in a southwestern American university were recruited
for this pilot study. All students who travelled abroad during the proposed 2011 summer terms
received the questionnaire. The university proposes two different types of programs, faculty-led
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Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
and non faculty-led in 30 countries in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Students who selected
either option were targeted for this research. Additionally, full-time students, not enrolled in
similar programs were also recruited to form a control group.
All participants were made aware of a material incentive in the form of an iPod. Each
subject having completed the questionnaires was considered for the drawing to be taking place at
the end of the data collection.
Sample
This survey relies on a purposive sample. Staff from the office of international affairs
forwarded an explanatory e-mail to all students registered for a study-abroad summer session (n
= 688). The letter detailed the study’s procedure and encouraged voluntary participation in the
research. Participants composing the control group (n = 102) were also sampled conveniently
through recruitment in large undergraduate mass communication classes.
Variables
For the purpose of this pilot investigation, the exposure to a foreign culture and the
connectedness with a different nation and language, as well as measured global mindedness
represent the two main independent variables. This research focuses on the interest in foreign
news and its consumption as dependent variables. The present study controlled for age, gender,
and declared study major.
Measures
The Global-Mindedness Scale (GMS) used in the present research originated from
interviews with subjects to precisely determine topics of interest (Hett, 1993, p. 10-11). Golay
(2006) explained that Hett (1993), influenced by the work of Schrag (1967) in sociological
theory construction, developed and submitted the scale to a panel of four expert judges who rated
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Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
its content validity index at .88. The final version of the instrument comprises a total of 30
statements centered on five major themes: (a) responsibility, (b) cultural pluralism, (c) efficacy,
(d) globalcentrism, and (d) interconnectedeness. Each item is measured on a five-point Likert
scale of agreement, between strongly disagree, disagree, unsure, agree, and strongly agree. The
referenced overall internal reliability yielded a Cronbach’s coefficient alpha of .90 (Kehl &
Morris, 2008).
The sum of all responses is taken into consideration to score each participant’s level of
global-mindedness with the highest scores indicating the highest levels. The range of scores
calculated by adding every response varies from 30 to 150. Statements 4, 5, 9, 10, 16, 21, 25, 27
and 29 require reverse scoring.
Responsibility, defined as the deep personal concern for people all over the world reflects
a sense of moral responsibility from the participant who wish to improve conditions. This item is
measured through statements 2, 7, 12, 18, 23, 26, and 30. Cultural pluralism is accepted as the
appreciation in other cultures. Participants scoring high on this item demonstrate a pleasure in
experiencing and understanding other cultural frameworks. The sum of responses to statements
1, 3, 8, 13, 14, 19, 24, and 27 corresponds to this item. Efficacy represents the belief that being
involved at the national and international level is valuable and that one’s actions can contribute
to change. Compiling the scores from statements 4, 9, 15, 20, and 28 gives the total for this item.
Globalcentrism concerns the desire to make judgments based on a global approach rather than
perspectives centered uniquely on the benefits to one’s own country. Items 5, 10, 16, 21, and 29
measure this dimension. Interconnectedness, calculated by adding the scores from statements 6,
11, 17, 22, and 25, constitutes the awareness of the connection that exists between all people and
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Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
all nations. It reflects an overall sense of global belonging. Hett (1993) defined it as “human
family.”
In addition to the GSM scale, the presented pilot instrument features a set of questions
pertaining to media use and foreign news interest (statement 38 and 39) and consumptions. In the
absence of any specific instrument to evaluate foreign news interest, this study seeks to develop
measures capable of identifying it. Statements 40 and 41, centered on the value of foreign news
to the participant, aim to do so through a five-point Likert scale of agreement between strongly
disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly agree.
Survey design
The current research, presented here as a work-in-progress, serves as a preliminary study
for a year-long assessment. It employed a three-part field survey experiment to address the
research questions. Integrating the Global Mindedness Scale (Hett, 1993) along with measures
assessing use of and attention to specific global news media, a questionnaire was administered to
students enrolled in a southwestern university participating in summer study abroad programs at
three intervals of their involvement. This institution’s study abroad program accommodates more
than 45 faculty-led programs across more than 25 countries. Students participating in such
programs offered during the 2011 summer constituted the primary sample. In agreement with the
Institutional Review Board, researchers did not directly contact the participants, who instead
were forwarded an electronic letter sent by the staff of the Office of International Affairs
explaining the nature and purpose of the study. Students acknowledged their consent by
voluntarily selecting to complete the survey.
The web-based instrument was first administered one month prior to students’ departures.
The second deployment occurred one week into their program tenure, and the third took place
10 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
one month after they returned from their studies abroad. Subsequently, a group of students not
attending a study abroad program received the same questionnaire at the first interval.
Although pre-test/post-test designs in field experiments are relatively common, this
particular design allows for an additional point of comparison and analysis during the students’
involvement in their study abroad programs. This addresses issues of maturation seen in pretest/post-test only studies (Campbell & Stanley, 1966). By incorporating a comparison group, it
attenuates concerns established by Carlson and Widaman (1988) in their study of the effects of
study abroad experiences on general attitudes of other cultures. The three points of assessment
proposed for the current study also seek to establish more accurate and valid data focused on
attention toward international news media, as opposed to Carlson and Widaman’s (1988) posttest only design requiring students to retrospectively answer measures concerning past and
present attitudes toward other cultures. Although quasi-experimental designs such as this one
often receive some criticism on issues of overall validity (Field & Hole, 2003), this particular
study allows for a more enhanced interpretation of data concerning attitudes toward other
cultures, as well as an initial step in beginning to more fully understand what drives attention
toward international news.
Results
Results from this pilot study will bolster the development of a more comprehensive
assessment of the effects of study abroad experiences on attention to international news. Findings
will contribute to existing knowledge of study abroad experiences and audiences’ news interests.
Subsequently, it will allow for the development of theoretically driven hypotheses necessary for
further research in this area.
11 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
Out of the 688 students participating in a summer study abroad program, 153 students
responded to recruitment efforts for this survey experiment, resulting in a 22% response rate.
Forty-one percent of the students (n = 63) were male, and the majority of the students were
white, non-Hispanic (n = 113). The average age was 21.6 years, with a mode of 21 years.
Thirteen percent of the students (n = 20) were Hispanic or Latino, while the remaining students
were spread relatively even across African-American, Asian, and other. The bulk of the students
were classified juniors (n = 49) and seniors (n = 52), while sophomores (n = 25) and freshman (n
= 6) made up less than a quarter of the study abroad sample. Fifty-four percent (n = 83) had
previously traveled abroad for study, work, or leisure, while the remaining 70 students had not.
Among the study abroad students, the average Global-Mindedness Scale score was 112.80 (SD =
14.10) with a mode of 122.
The control group, those not attending a study abroad program during the summer,
totaled 84 students, 45% of which were male (n = 38). The average age was 20.4 years, with a
mode of 20 years. Seventy-six percent (n = 64) of the students classified themselves as white,
non-Hispanic, 18% (n = 15) as Hispanic or Latino, and six percent (n = 5) as African-American,
Asian, or other. Although no freshman and only seven seniors were represented among the
control group, sophomores (n = 39) and juniors (n = 38) made up 92% of the sample. As
opposed to the study abroad group, only 21% (n = 18) of the control group had traveled abroad
previously. The average score on the Global-Mindedness Scale for the control group was 103.30
(SD = 12.83) with a mode of 96.
RQ1 was answered through a one-way analysis of variance. Data analysis revealed a
significant main effect of study abroad participation on interest in foreign news, F(1, 235) =
9.44, p = .002. A review of the associated means suggests that students who participated in a
12 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
study abroad program (M = 3.52, SD = .98) were more interested in foreign news than nonparticipants (M = 3.12, SD = .90).
Two measures were used to address RQ2. An initial one-way analysis of variance was
used to compare the difference between both groups on their perceptions of the importance of
foreign news, resulting in an insignificant comparison, F(1, 235) = 3.16, p = .08. However, a
second one-way analysis of variance showed a significant main effect of study abroad
participation on students’ perception of whether foreign news affect their lives, F(1, 235) = 7.66,
p = .006. A review of the associated means suggests that study abroad participants more strongly
agreed that foreign news affected their lives (M = 3.24, SD = .98) than did non-participants (M =
2.87, SD = .97).
Analysis encountered difficulties when determining results for RQ3. Out of the 153 study
abroad participants who responded to the first phase of the research, only 29 responded to
another phase. Attrition further impacted the study, leaving only three of these 29 respondents
having completed all three phases of the study. Additionally, the 26 students who completed two
phases did not respond sequentially. Specifically, only 21 students responded to the first phase
and then either completed the second or third phase, while five students made their initial
response to the second phase instrument, followed by the third phase. Although response rates
lowered dramatically and occurred non-sequentially over the course of the three phases, data
from the 21 study abroad participants who completed the first phase instrument and a second or
third phase instrument was still analyzed to determine the existence of a difference in foreign
news interest between pre-exposure and exposure in general to a different country and cultural
environment. An initial one-way analysis of variance revealed no significant differences between
pre-exposure and exposure to foreign cultures and their effects on interest in foreign news, F(1,
13 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
40) = 1.27, p = .27. Similarly, a second one-way analysis of variance indicated no significant
differences between exposure and student perceptions of foreign news importance, F(1, 40) =
1.34, p = .25. Eventually, a third one-way analysis of variance equally demonstrated no
significant difference between exposure and student perception of whether or not foreign news
affects their daily lives, F(1, 40) = 2.43, p = .13.
RQ4 sought to determine the relationship between global-mindedness and students’ level
of interest in foreign news. For a more parsimonious analysis, global-mindedness scores for all
study abroad participants and non-participants combined were collapsed into six categories.
Considering that the possible scores for the GMS range between 30 and 150, the first category
collapsed scores ranging from 30 to 60 (group 1), from 61 to 80 (group 2), from 81-100 (group
3), from 101-120 (group 4), and from 121-140 (group 5). The final group (group 6) comprised
scores ranging from 141 to 150. Once all scores were collapsed, a moderately strong positive
correlation was found between global-mindedness and interest in foreign news, r (237) = .43, p <
.001. Subsequently, an ANOVA suggests a significant main effect of global-mindedness on the
level of interest in foreign news, F(5, 231) = 13.94, p < .001. A review of the associated means
reveals the overall trend that as students’ scores on the global-mindedness augments (group 1 to
6) so does the level of interest in foreign news (M = 2.83, SD = 1.84; M = 2.79, SD = .84; M =
3.37, SD = .84; M = 4.14, SD = .76; M = 3.00, SD = .00, respectively). These findings
significantly indicated that as an increase in global-mindedness occurred, an increase in students’
interest in foreign news developed as well.
Discussion
This pilot study attempted to understand the relationship that may exist between the
exposure to a foreign culture through a study abroad program and the level of interest in foreign
14 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
news among U.S. college students. Data revealed that students who participated in one of the
summer programs abroad self-reported a significantly higher interest in foreign news. Such a
conclusion coincides with previous literature, which posits that global-mindedness became more
prevalent after time spent abroad (Golay, 2006, Pennington & Wildermuth, 2005). More directly
related with this work, results also supported the conclusion drawn by Koester (1985) that an
experience abroad generates an increased interest in international issues.
While data certainly underlines the impact that travelling abroad may have had on
students’ interest of the global scene, an interpretation in line with previous research, it would be
precarious to assert that such an exposure constitutes the main reason behind a heightened
concern. Demographics of participants shed some light on other parameters. It imports to notice
that participants who travelled were dominantly either senior or graduate students (47.7%), thus
indicating a potential higher propensity to adopt a global perspective whereas students not
exposed to a foreign culture were essentially sophomores and juniors. Additionally, a majority of
students (54.2%) who took part in international programs had previously been exposed to foreign
cultures through another study abroad exchange, work, or leisure. The reinforcement of an
international exposure and the potential individual inclination to global issues most likely
influence the concern for foreign news found in this study. It also bears importance to underscore
eventually the likely impact of knowing another language. Indeed, students who took part in
international programs declared seven distinct languages (Farsi, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese,
Spanish, Thai, and Vietnamese) whereas students who remained in the U.S. only listed one
(Spanish). The aforementioned traits thus lead to conclude that even though the exposure to a
foreign culture significantly impacts one’s news preferences, other predominant factors tied to
15 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
individual differences affect news choices. The results gathered apropos of the perceived
importance of foreign news to one’s life may in fact also reflect individual differences.
In its intent to understand the genuine impact that foreign exposure may have, this work
relied on a pre/post exposure design. The unsuccessful results obtained due to the lack of data
prevent from drawing any concrete conclusions related to this component of the study. Although
literature hinted at the fact that behavioral change occurs following time spent outside of the U.S.
(Orahood, Kruze, & Pearson, 2004), only a much higher number of responses at all three points
of studies would enable the analysis to demonstrate whether sojourners abroad altered their news
preferences. The mere fact that this study demonstrated a moderately strong correlation between
scores on the global-mindedness scale and interest in foreign news represents a first cornerstone
in the attempt to understand how to boost higher concern for foreign news. This finding carries
high values for practical educational applications as it gives U.S. universities further empirical
evidence of the benefits of a study abroad program. In the context of news globalism, additional
data will likely benefit mass communication departments initially as they modify their programs
to better target a changing professional scene, and secondly the professional media world as they
continue to underline the prevalence of an international approach.
Limitations and further research
The study described above, offers admissible benefits to contribute to the literature on
foreign news, specifically as it investigates how to generate interest in global events among the
U.S. population known to demonstrate a limited desire to follow such news coverage.
Specifically, this research constitutes the first known attempt to apply the global-mindedness
scale to news consumption and foreign news more specifically. Largely discussed in inter-
16 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
cultural research (Hett, 1993, Golay, 2006), the scale’s connection with foreign news interest had
never been established.
Yet, this research nevertheless features some shortcomings. The research design
suggested for this study relied on responses from study abroad participants at distinct points in
time: before leaving the U.S., while abroad, and upon their return to America. Although none of
the questions requested socially desirable answers or touched upon sensitive topics, the student
population rarely completed all three questionnaires. In fact, a review of the data showed that
only three students completed all phases of the research. This non-response error at the unit level
appears as the pilot’s primary weakness. It prevents researchers from understanding whether the
interest in foreign news created by the exposure to a foreign culture/country, as suggested by this
study, withstands once back in the home country. Stronger incentives or a more thorough followup may enable an increase in the completion rate. Subsequently, this observation leads to a
methodological consideration and specifically the choice to include a status measurement during
the trip. Such evidence may suggest that a pre-test/posttest survey design would suffice to have
valid and reliable data. As presented here, the data prevent researchers from formulating a
complete answer to the research questions.
Additionally, this study revealed the difficulty to establish a direct causation between the
participation in study abroad programs and the news consumption. The observation that college
students heavily consume social media through mobile devices limits the impact of the
international exposure, for participants remain one click away from their relatives and friends
back in the U.S. (Pew, 2010). The immediate availability of U.S. news, e-mails and texts from
contacts in the U.S. while abroad greatly affect the potential impact of international exposure on
the individual.
17 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
The present research constitutes a first attempt to investigate the relationship between
foreign news and participation in a study abroad program. Following the revision of the
instrument, the second stage of this on-going research focuses on students taking part in
international programs in the Fall 2011 and Spring 2012 academic terms. This semester-long
study will complete the preliminary results outlined in this document. The ambition of this work
remains to develop a scale relevant to foreign news interest and foreign news consumption.
Future projects will thus specifically be devoted to this objective.
18 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
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Tewksbury, D. (2003). What do Americans really want to know? Tracking the behavior of news
readers on the Internet. Journal of Communication, 53(4), 694-710.
Willmott, O. (2010). The Decline of the Foreign Correspondent. New Statesman. Retrieved from
http://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2010/11/foreign-international-british
21 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
Appendix
You were selected to be in this study because you are taking part in a study-abroad program
offered by Texas Tech University. Please consider this feature when answering the following
questions.
Student Attitude Survey
On the following pages, you will find a series of statements. Please read each statement, and
decide whether or not you agree with it. Circle the response that most recently reflects your
opinion. There are no correct or wrong answers. Although we prefer that you complete the
whole survey, you may skip any questions.
Strongly Disagree = 1, Disagree = 2, Unsure = 3, Agree = 4, Strongly Agree = 5
SD
D
U
A
SA
1. I generally find it stimulating to
spend an evening talking with people
from another culture.
1
2
3
4
5
2. I feel an obligation to speak out when
I see our government doing something I
consider wrong.
1
2
3
4
5
3. The United States is enriched by the
fact that it is comprised of many people from
different cultures and countries.
1
2
3
4
5
4. Really, there is nothing I can do about
the problems of the world.
1
2
3
4
5
5. The needs of the United States must
continue to be our highest priority in
negotiating with other countries.
1
2
3
4
5
6. I often think about the kind world
we are creating for future generations.
1
2
3
4
5
7. When I hear that thousands of people
are starving in an African country, I feel
very frustrated.
1
2
3
4
5
8. Americans can learn something of value
from all different cultures.
1
2
3
4
5
22 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
9. Generally, an individual’s actions are
too small to have a significant effect on
the ecosystem.
1
2
3
4
5
10. Americans should be permitted to pursue
the standard of living they can afford if it
only has a slight negative impact on the
environment.
1
2
3
4
5
11. I think of myself, not only as a citizen
of my country, but also as a citizen of
the world.
1
2
3
4
5
12. When I see the condition some people
in the world live under, I feel a
responsibility to do something about it.
1
2
3
4
5
13. I enjoy trying to understand people’s
behavior in the context of their culture.
1
2
3
4
5
14, My opinions about national policies
are based on how those policies might affect
the rest of the world as well as the United
States.
1
2
3
4
5
15. It is very important to me to choose
a career in which I can have a positive effect
on the quality of life for future generations.
1
2
3
4
5
16. America values are probably the best.
1
2
3
4
5
17. In the long run, America will probably
benefit from the fact that the world is
becoming more interconnected.
1
2
3
4
5
18. The fact that a flood can kill 50,000
people in Bangladesh is very depressing to me.
1
2
3
4
5
19. It is important that American
universities and colleges provide programs
designed to promote understanding among
students of different ethnic and cultural
backgrounds.
1
2
3
4
5
20. I think my behavior can impact people
in other countries.
1
2
3
4
5
23 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
21. The present distribution of the
world’s wealth and resources should be
maintained because it promotes survival of
the fittest.
1
2
3
4
5
22. I feel a strong kinship with the
worldwide human family.
1
2
3
4
5
23. I feel very concerned about the
lives of people who live in politically
repressive regimes.
1
2
3
4
5
24. It is important that we educate
people to understand the impact that current
policies might have on future generations.
1
2
3
4
5
25. It is not really important to me to
consider myself as a member of the global
community.
1
2
3
4
5
26. I sometimes try to imagine how a
person who is always hungry must feel.
1
2
3
4
5
27. I have very little in common with
people in underdeveloped nations.
1
2
3
4
5
28. I am able to affect what happens
on a global level by what I do in my own
community.
1
2
3
4
5
29. I sometimes feel irritated with
people from other countries because they
don’t understand how we do things here.
1
2
3
4
5
30. Americans have a moral obligation
to share their wealth with the less fortunate
people of the world.
1
2
3
4
5
24 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
The following questions ask questions about your use of other media. Think about a typical day
in your life when answering these questions.
31. How much time do you typically spend reading the newspaper a day?
a. less than 30 minutes
b. 30 minutes -1.5 hours
c. 1.5-3 hours
d. 3-4 hours
e. more than 4 hours
32. How much time do you typically spend watching news on television a day?
a. less than 30 minutes
b. 30 minutes -1.5 hours
c. 1.5-3 hours
d. 3-4 hours
e. more than 4 hours
33. How much time do you typically spend listening to news on the radio a day?
a. less than 30 minutes
b. 30 minutes -1.5 hours
c. 1.5-3 hours
d. 3-4 hours
e. more than 4 hours
34. How much time do you typically spend reading news on the Internet a day?
a. less than 30 minutes
b. 30 minutes -1.5 hours
c. 1.5-3 hours
d. 3-4 hours
e. more than 4 hours
35. How much time do you typically spend reading news in the magazines a day?
a. less than 30 minutes
b. 30 minutes -1.5 hours
c. 1.5-3 hours
d. 3-4 hours
e. more than 4 hours
36. Where do you most likely go for international news?
a. Television
b. Radio
c. Newspaper
d. Magazines
e. The Internet
25 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
37. If you replied E to question 36, which online outlet are you most likely to go to
for international news?
a. U.S. online news websites (nytimes.com, cnn.com, foxnews.com…)
b. International online news websites (bbc.co.uk. Aljazeera.com…)
c. Facebook
d. Twitter
e. Others__________________
38. How interested are you in foreign news?
a. Not at all
b. Very little interest
c. Somewhat interested
d. Interested
e. Very interested
39. What type of foreign news are you most interested in? please select one:
a. Political/diplomatic
b. Economic
c. Social problems
d. Conflict(s)
e. Ordinary people
f. Culture and customs
g. Vacations (food) and travel news
h. Sports
40. Foreign news information is important to me
a. Strongly disagree
b. disagree
c. neutral
d. agree
e. strongly agree
41. International news affects my daily life
a. Strongly disagree
b. disagree
c. neutral
d. agree
e. strongly agree
Almost done! The following questions are to gather some information about our participants.
Answers are anonymous & your participation is appreciated!
42. Gender:
a. Male
b. Female
26 Running head: INTERNATIONAL NEWS INTEREST
43. Race/Ethnicity:
a. White (non-Hispanic)
b. African-Americans
c. Asian
d. Hispanic (Latino)
e. Other
44. Age
a. 1-99 [make drop down list]
45. What is your approximate annual family income?
a. <$20,000
b. $20,000 - 34,999
c. $35,000 - 49,999
d. $50,000 - 74,000
e. $75,000+
46. Classification
a. freshman
b. sophomore
c. junior
d. senior
e. graduate student
47. Major: _____________
48. Were you born in the United States? ___Yes ___No
49. What is your first language? ___English ____Other ____________________
50. Previous study/work/travel abroad? ___Yes ___No
51. Please estimate the number of college courses (including this semester) you’ve taken which
deal with global issues or in which you’ve learned a lot about countries besides the United
States.
___ None
___ 1-2
___ 3-4
___ 5-6
___7-8
___ More than 8
Thank you for your participation. We ensure you once again that your responses will remain
confidential.