Editing Knowledge gap hypothesis (section)

==Hypothesis operationalization ==
According to the authors, Jack Rosenberry and Lauren A.Vicker, " A hypothesis is basically a research question: the researcher needs to ask questions and answer them in order to formulate theory.  The term "hypothesis" also can be used to describe a theory that is still in the development stage or that has not been fully researched and verified.  Because of the somewhat contradictory nature of the research findings, the knowledge gap has not yet achieved theory status and is still known as a hypothesis."<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Rosenberry |first1=Jack |title=Applied mass communication theory: a guide for media practitioners |last2=Vicker |first2=Lauren A. |publisher=Routledge |year=2022 |isbn=978-0-367-63036-2 |edition=3rd |location=New York |pages=103–106}}</ref>

Since the 1970s, many policy makers and social scientists have been concerned with how community members acquire information via mass media.  Throughout the years, extensive research has been conducted and taken different approaches to researching the Knowledge Gap Hypothesis.  The hypothesis operationalization consists of the following:

* For [[Cross-sectional study|cross-sectional research]], the knowledge gap hypothesis expects that "''at any given time'', there should be a higher correlation between acquisition of knowledge and education for topics highly publicized in the media than for topics less highly publicized.<ref name="Tichenor Donohue Olien 1970">{{cite journal |last=Tichenor |first=P.A. |author2=Donohue, G.A. |author3=Olien, C.N. |year=1970 |title=Mass media flow and differential growth in knowledge |journal=Public Opinion Quarterly |volume=34 |issue=2 |pages=159–170 |doi=10.1086/267786}}</ref> Tichenor, Donohue, and Olien (1970) tested this hypothesis using an experiment in which participants were asked to read and discuss two news stories of varying publicity. The results of the experiment support the hypothesis because [[correlation]]s between education and understanding were significant for high publicity stories but not significant for low publicity stories.<ref name="Tichenor Donohue Olien 1970" />
* For [[Time series|time-series research]], the knowledge gap hypothesis expects that "''over time'', acquisition of knowledge of a heavily publicized topic will proceed at a faster rate among better educated persons than among those with less education." Tichenor, Donohue, and Olien (1970) tested this hypothesis using [[public opinion surveys]] gathered between 1949 and 1965 measuring whether participants believed humans would reach the Moon in the foreseeable future. During the 15-year span, belief among grade-school educated people increased only about 25 percentage points while belief among college educated people increased more than 60 percentage points, a trend consistent with the hypothesis.