"Roots: The Next Generation"-Who Watched and With What Effect?

Abstract

Questions about who watched “Roots: The Next Generation,” and with what effect, were addressed through pre- and posttest surveys of two eastern Washington cities. Evidence was obtained suggesting selectivity in the viewership of Roots II: Multivariate analysis revealed that a general dimension of egalitarianism distinguished Roots II viewers from nonviewers, even when various personal and demographic variables were controlled. However, tests for interactions between level of viewing and pretest-posttest provided no evidence to suggest that Roots II had significantly affected egalitarianism.