Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences ETDs

Publication Date

5-3-1971

Abstract

It was the purpose of this study to evaluate the effects of selected methods of transmitting information and place of residence on participation of university male students, undergraduate and graduate, in the Intramural Sports Program at The University of New Mexico. Nine methods of communication were selected for experimentation. They were the daily campus newspaper, a personal letter, the telephone, both a letter and the telephone, the intramural bulletin board in the gymnasium, the bulletin board in the student union building, the campus radio station, the grapevine, and chance observation by students who happened to be in the gymnasium when the selected activity was in progress. Place of residence was determined by whether the subject was affiliated with a fraternity, lived in a dormitory, or lived off-campus.

It was hypothesized that there would be no significant difference in intramural sports participation when the place of residence was considered, the channel of communication was varied, and the interactions of the nine methods of message transmission with the three places of residence were considered.

The procedures which were used in conducting the study involved the transmission of the message by the nine methods of communication. The message gave information about an intramural sports activity. Data were obtained by means of a questionnaire filled out by each participant before he took part in the selected activity.

The statistics used to determine the level of confidence were chi-square, chi-square with Yates' correction, and the Lawshe-Baker Nomograph for testing the significance of the difference between two percentages.

The results of the study indicate that there was a significant difference in intramural sports partici­pation when the place of residence was considered, and when the channel of communication was varied. There was no significant difference in intramural sports participation when the interactions of the nine methods of message transmission with the three places of residence were considered.

Results imply that off-campus residents are less likely to participate in intramural sports than are

students who live in fraternities and dormitories. There may be need for a communication plan which would contribute to cohesiveness and motivation among off-campus independents.

Telephone calls and letters to students chosen at random appeared to be a poor method of influencing students to participate in the selected activity.

Findings about the interaction hypothesis suggest further study is necessary to explore variation of communication method according to recipients' predetermined orientation to sports and social structuring of their place of residence.

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Physical Education

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences

First Committee Member (Chair)

Armond H. Seidler

Second Committee Member

Gerald Martin Goldhaber

Third Committee Member

David H. Hunt

Fourth Committee Member

Harold Eugene Kenney

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