Motion Picture Attendance and Factors Influencing Movie Selection among High School Students.

In an audience research study, 64 high school students responded to a questionnaire concerning their movie attendance habits and the importance of ten variables to their decision-making process when choosing a movie to see. The results indicated that 26.6% attended movies once a month, 23.4% twice monthly, 6.3% three times a month, 4.7% four times a month, 1.6% more than four times a month, and 37.5% less than once a month. Of the ten variables (plot, friends' comments, rating, director, female star, music, male star, parents, producer, and writer), the most important variable to these respondents was the movie's plot. Nearly 85% of the sample reported film plot as either very important or important in influencing their film attendance decision. Summing the very important and important percentages of responses, other influential variables included: friends' comments, the film's rating, female star, and male star. Alternatively, almost an equal number judged the female and male stars respectively as neither important nor unimportant. Males reported friends' comments and film plot as significantly more important to their attendance decision than did females. (MKM)