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The Role of the U.S. Mass Media in the Political Socialization of Nigerian Immigrants in the United States

A mail survey of Nigerian immigrants in Dallas, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois, was conducted during October and November 1995. Four hundred and sixty-eight Nigerian immigrant families in the two cities were selected by systematic sampling through the telephone books. Return rate was approximately 40% (187). The variables included in the study were media exposure variables, general demographics, immigration traits, U.S. demographics, Nigerian demographics, and political and cultural traits. New variables which had not been included in previous studies were also tested in this study: television talk shows, talk radio, diffuse support for the U.S. political system, authoritarianism, self-esteem, and political participation. This study employed multiple regression analysis and path analysis of the data. This study found that Nigerian immigrants have high preference for television news as their main source of political information. This finding is in consonance with previous studies. Nigerian immigrants chose ABC news stations as their number one news station for political information. Strong positive associations existed between media exposure and length of stay in the United States and interest in U.S. politics. Talk radio positively associated with interest in U.S. politics and negatively associated with length of stay in the United States. Thus, this finding likely means that talk radio is a good source of political socialization for more recently arrived immigrants and those interested in U.S. politics. Significant associations existed between diffuse support for the U.S. government and interest in politics and security of immigration status. This study also found that adjustment to U.S. political culture was a function of media exposure, pre-immigration social class, diffuse support for the U.S. political system, and political knowledge.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc279111
Date08 1900
CreatorsOkoro, Iheanyi Emmanuel
ContributorsBooth, John A., Watson, Warren E., Wood, Sandra L., Todd, John Richard, Reban, Milan Jan, Hilliard, Constance B.
PublisherUniversity of North Texas
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formatxi, 250 leaves : ill., Text
CoverageUnited States - Texas - Dallas County - Dallas, United States - Illinois - Cook County - Chicago, 1995-10-1995-11
RightsPublic, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved., Okoro, Iheanyi Emmanuel

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