THE GRATIFICATIONS OF THE HOUSEHOLD TELEPHONE - SOCIABILITY, INSTRUMENTALITY, AND REASSURANCE

The article reports three studies of gratifications obtained from the household telephone by samples of respondents in Columbus (Franklin Co unty), Ohio, and a statewide sample of Ohio. The first study consisted of open-ended qualitative interviews to ascertain reasons for using t he household telephone. In the second study, gratifications questions were administered to a sample of 569 respondents from the Columbus are a. A factor analysis clearly demonstrated the presence of two factors. sociability and instrumentality. Evidence suggestive of a third facto r was obtained as well. In the third study, gratification questions we re administered to a sample of 525 residents of the state of Ohio. A f actor analysis clearly demonstrated the presence of a third factor: re assurance. Whereas the reassurance factor is a psychological-level var iable, the sociability factor is linked to the process of social integ ration and the instrumentality factor is tied to a social process call ed coordination.