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**The Knowledge Gap Theory** By: Ashleigh Casanova, Torie Cueto, and Brooke Walsh ** Theory Overview **De veloped by P. J. Tichenor, G. A. Donohue, and C. N. Olien in their 1970 article, "Mass Media Flow and Differential Growth in Knowledge," the Knowledge Gap Theory states, “increasing the flow of news on a topic leads to greater acquisition of knowledge about that topic among the **more highly educated segments of society**.” Furthermore, the more highly educated segments of society also tend to be members of high socioeconomic status (SES). The Knowledge Gap Theory was based upon the idea that as media evolves, the knowledge rich members of society will gain and retain knowledge at a much faster pace than those with less knowledge. As a result, the already large gap between the two groups will further widen. Individuals with a higher SES have a greater ability to acquire information, leading them to know more. Those with a lower SES become more disconnected in our society. In 2008, PEW found that 55% of American adults have a high-speed internet connection in their homes. These people have access to an almost endless world of information at their fingertips. However, there is a direct relationship between **income and access to the internet**. “Non-internet users were more than twice as likely as users to live in low-income households.” (PEW, July 2008) This supports the idea that people with a high SES are more knowledgeable than others because of their access to certain forms of media. **Important Concepts **

**Socioeconomic Status (SES):** A person's SES is defined as their social standing or class and is measured by their education, income, and occupation. SES often determines an individual's access to resources, as well as inequalities regarding privilege, power, and control. Tichenor, Donohue, & Olien proposed **five potential reasons** for the knowledge gap. These included:
 * 1) Differences in **communication skills and education** between individuals in a high SES and those in a low SES.
 * 2) Differences in the amount of **stored information and knowledge previously acquired** between high and low SES.
 * 3) Individuals in a high SES may have more **relevant social contact** than those in a low SES.
 * 4) Selective **exposure, acceptance, and retention** may be factors.
 * 5) The mass media system is targeted toward those in a **high SES**.

In 1970 when the Knowledge Gap Theory was created, forms of mass media were very sparse compared to present day. Television distribution was only a fraction of what it is today; barely one set per home, instead of several per household with premium digital cable packages. Internet capable of connecting billions of people together in a fraction of a second was still a dream held by few. The Knowledge Gap Theory has grown with the times and is just as relevant now, four decades since its creation. Limited media has evolved into mass media causing the gap to further expand. As the demand for more instantaneous information grows, those that are still struggling to get information at all are left behind.

**Sample Studies** <span style="background-color: #00cc99; color: #000000; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">The Widening Information Gap Between High- and Low-Education Groups: Knowledge Acquisition From Online vs. Print Sources <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">Review by: Torie Cueto <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;">This study tested the **Knowledge Gap Hypothesis** amongst participants with either high or low levels of education and between two news media forms, newspaper and online news. The authors used a between-subjects experiment to conduct the first ever study to compare the relative size of education-based information gaps across forms of **old (newspaper) and new (online) media**. This study tested two hypotheses: 1. people with higher levels of education will seek more public affairs news than less educated individuals, and 2. people with higher levels of education will acquire more public affairs knowledge from news media than less educated individuals will. <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;">The background for this study is the Knowledge Gap Hypothesis, developed by P. J. Tichenor, G. A. Donohue, and C. N. Olien at the University of Minnesota in 1970. The hypothesis explains the **evolution of media increases the gap** in knowledge between people with high levels of education/people in a high socio-economic status (SES) and people with low levels of education/those in a low SES. This gap is attributed to differences in ability to access forms of media, ability to comprehend certain media, control over media and media distribution among other things. <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;">This study involved 123 volunteer participants divided into two groups, one with high levels of education and another with low levels of education. The two groups were divided by participants with some postgraduate education and those with no education higher than a high school diploma. All the participants had previously used the internet to seek news information. Participants ranged in age from their mid-20s to late 50s to exclude for age related factors in either education or internet comprehension. The study used both the **online and print** versions of the The Chosun Ilbo, a leading daily national South Korean newspaper, and was conducted in a computer lab in a South Korean University. The authors selected news days in which no breaking national or global news were factors. To assess comprehension, participants were to explain each news story they read using 5 to 10 words. Online news seeking was gathered by technological recordings, while newspaper article use was documented by researchers using a standardized protocol. In addition to studying the Knowledge Gap between the two groups, the researchers also studied what types of information participants were more likely to seek, public affairs or entertainment news. <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;">The results confirmed both hypotheses. This showed that the group of participants with high education comprehended the news material equally from both newspaper and online formats. The **low education group varied** in their media comprehension amongst the newspaper and online formats. The latter group comprehended more information from the newspaper than from the online news source. In addition, participants with higher levels of education were more likely to view public affairs information while participants with lower levels of education were more likely to view entertainment information. The results of this study confirm the Knowledge Gap Hypothesis; the evolution of media further extends the gap between the higher educated and lower educated in society. <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;"> <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: left;">

<span style="background-color: #00cc99; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #00cc99; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Online Health Communication: Source of Eliminator of Health Myths? <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Reviewed By: Brooke Walsh <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This study, by Raluca Cozma, dove into the depths of what people believe from media, especially in health related issues. <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Even before the days of mass media, people have three different “spheres” from where they gather information or look for information: **public, personal, and technical spheres**. The public sphere includes media and community. The private sphere is restricted to close friends and family. The technical sphere involves scientific findings and research journals.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Relating to media, the Internet in particular, these spheres were translated into different web outlets that people may use for health information sources. The technical sphere was translated into a health organization site. The public sphere was rendered as a news site. And the personal sphere was modeled as a blog.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">One hundred and eight undergraduate students were tested on health claims, religiosity, superstitious beliefs, and demographics. The subjects were then **randomly assigned** to one of the three websites, blog, news site, or health organization site. The three websites were all real sites that “debunked” the claim that eating carrots would improve one’s eyesight. After being exposed to the different sites, the subjects were tested again, asking about the perceived interactivity, credibility, and interest of the stories that they got of the websites.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The subjects were all found to be **heavy Internet users**. A majority of the subjects also previously reported to using the personal sphere of family and friends as their source of health information.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">This study found that **men were more likely than women** and **African-Americans were more likely than whites** to believe false health claims. However, after reading online material that discredited the health myth, participants were more likely to believe the truth. Also, having one health myth discredited made the subjects more willing to **question other health myths**. Information from the health website was seen as the most credible and was the most successful in changing people’s beliefs. For this study, the participants found the technical sphere and public sphere interesting but more credible than the personal sphere. Interactivity did not have a significant affect on the study, but credibility was a reigning factor.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">A huge objective that media should take away from this study is that journalists do not need to be flashy when taking about health stories. Health affects everyone’s lives in so many ways, media can take the time to **educate the public**. The more people are given the real story, the smaller the gap will become.



<span style="background-color: #00cc99; display: block; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif; font-size: 140%; text-align: center;">Understanding the Knowledge Gap: The Role of Experts and Journalists <span style="display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Reviewed By: Ashleigh Casanova ====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In the late-2000s Jennifer Jerit of Florida State University performed a study to better understand the knowledge gap between socioeconomic classes in regards to their **political knowledge**. People in the upper class always seem to have more of an understanding of what is going on in politics, but why? ==== ====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Jerit’s research consisted of several studies. She wanted to find out how different types of media affected the knowledge gap. She noticed that **people relied heavily upon expert analysis**. People with lower socioeconomic status are used to relying upon what experts say and therefore trust that information more than others. ==== ====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Jerit also realized that lower SES followed along with politics better after political debates rather than before. **Summaries given by media** are easier to understand than the actual conversations between two politicians. It is difficult to follow along with politics if the information is not presented in a language easily understood by all Americans. It’s not fair that people in richer areas should be given a better education than people with less money. ­ ==== ====<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">She concluded that a change in writing styles may change the knowledge gaps in society. Lower class citizens are not able to understand **higher educated language** as well as upper class citizens. This may be attributed to the fact that poorer areas do not have as high of standards for education as richer areas. I, personally, am from a lower class city called Vallejo (near Oakland, California) and always exceeded other students in high school. However, since moving on to San Diego State I have realized that there was a lot of information left out of my education. There needs to be a change to our education system in the United States if we want to correct this injustice. ====



**<span style="color: #561556; display: block; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; text-align: left;">Analysis of The Studies ** The studies described above show the various ways that the Knowledge Gap has and continues to expand. The constant theme seen in all three studies is that the **more highly educated gain more knowledge** than those people that do not have access. However, the studies also show that there are ways to correct this inequality.

The first step that needs to be taken is to **equalize education**. This is an issue across the country but if we are able to increase the population’s ability to attain information the knowledge gap decreases. Also, by using different mediums, people of all educational levels and **socioeconomic groups** will have a greater chance of reaching the information. If the language used in media can be unified people across the spectrum will have a greater chance of understanding the message.

The Knowledge Gap Theory exists because of **lack of opportunity** to the lower socioeconomic class. Our country has been working towards equality through various issues and the final frontier of equality is information. The population can only flourish if more people can learn more about their world, their government, and themselves.

We do not believe that the Knowledge Gap will ever entirely disappear. New forms of media, especially those of mass media, will continue to form and reach the higher SES first. But everyone can continue to try to **disperse information** the best that we can. The goal needs to remain to keep the gap as small as possible.

**<span style="color: #561556; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 24px; line-height: 36px;">Knowledge Gap Theory: Present & Future **
media type="custom" key="9810861" align="center" <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The Knowledge Gap Theory can be **observed in modern society**. Those with high levels of education and those in a high SES are more knowledgeable in regards to information such as public affairs. As a result, this elite group has an advantage in their ability to acquire relevant information. The Knowledge Gap is largely created by **access to media**. Print media is already more directly associated with higher SES, but now print media is beginning to become rare and media is quickly becoming more exclusively online. As information becomes farther from the lower SES, the smaller the chance we have of eliminating the gap.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Although this divide is very real and continuing to grow, not all hope is lost. Television may be **“a solution of the informational divide”** (Tichenor). Compared to the internet, television is no longer new media and has a greater reach that is independent from education or social status. If instead of over-dramatization in television, seriousness and important issues can prevail and the gap may begin to shrink. Media has a responsibility to keep the lower SES culture in mind. Targeting both high and low SES through media that is easily accessible is a simple start to **bridging the gap** between those with vast amounts of knowledge and those without.

<span style="color: #561556; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">**Sources** <span style="color: #404040; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none;">http://poq.oxfordjournals.org/content/34/2/159.short <span style="color: #404040; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> http://www.apa.org/topics/socioeconomic-status/index.aspx ; http://www.morris.umn.edu/~burkebr/spch3710ch13.txt <span style="color: #404040; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Yang, J., & Grabe, M. (2010). The Widening Information Gap Between High- and Low-Education Groups: Knowledge Acquisition From Online vs. Print Sources. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 1. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. <span style="color: #404040; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=618aca0e-7afc-4ca3-91af-b5e515724ee0%40sessionmgr14&vid=4&hid=12 <span style="color: #404040; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Cozma, R. (2009). Online Health Communication: Source or Eliminator of Health Myths?. //Southwestern Mass Communication Journal//, 25(1), 69-80. Retrieved from EBSCO//host//. <span style="color: #404040; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[] <span style="color: #404040; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Jerit, J. (2009). Understanding the Knowledge Gap: The Role of Experts and Journalists. //The Journal of Politics//, 71(2), 442-457. Retrieved from EBSCO//host//. <span style="color: #404040; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">http://www.utwente.nl/cw/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Mass%20Media/knowledge_gap.doc/ <span style="color: #404040; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[]