Abstract:

The purpose of the first pilot study was to establish that an enquiry into attention levels of the type envisaged would be practicable and that meaningful results could be obtained. 200 interviews were completed with housewives in I. T. V. homes in this study and the interviews took place in the latter part of June and early July 1960 in London, Birmingham, Leeds and Glasgow. Quota sampling methods were used with a social class control. During the interviews, housewives were questioned / about their activities during the preceding 30 minutes from the time at which contact was first established. 100 interviews began at some time between 5.30 and 6.00 p.m., and 100 between 9.00 and 9.30 p. m. All the interviews took place on weekday evenings.