Icon of Understanding Information Exchange in Montana During the Digital Era Image of Laptop Man consuming and creating audio, visual, and textual information using laptop, tablet, smartphone, and newspaper.Icon of the outline of the state of Montana inside a televisionIcon of horizontal bar graphIcon of traditional vintage microphoneIcon of lotus flower

 

Map of the state of Montana displaying density of responses to survey by ZIP codeDensity of Survey Responses by ZIP Code (N=787)

Overview Description of Surveys

Two surveys were designed to understand the decision-making processes of information exchange among Montanans in the digital area.

The first survey, Understanding Information Exchange in Montana During the Digital Era, was designed to examine the decision-making processes of information exchange. Survey variables included: socioeconomics; demographics; political identity; frequency of online activity; internet access; internet device type(s); social media platform use; type(s) of information sources; perceptions of levels of control, accuracy, and incivility by social media, local news, and national news; Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), adapted for information exchange; knowledge of Ivan Doig; contact information.

The second supplemental survey was designed to understand how the decision-making processes of information exchange changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey variables included: socioeconomics; demographics; change in frequency of internet use; change in type(s) of information sources.

 

Key Findings of Understanding Information Exchange
in Montana During the Digital Era Survey

The survey was launched in early January 2020 and closed in late April 2020, with 787 total responses from Montanans (see density map of respondents). Respondents identified as: 17.3% were 18-29 years old, 48.6% were 30-49 years old, 23.5% were 50-64 years old, and 10.6% were over 65 years old; 70.9% were female, 28.1% were male, and 0.8% did not identify as female, male, or transgender; 85.5% were White, 3.1% were American Indian or Alaska Native, 1.8% were Asian; 0.3% were Black or African American, 2.3% were Hispanic or Latino, 1.8% were Other, and 3.6% were two or more races; 0.3% had less than a high school diploma, 4.4% had a high school degree or equivalent, 13.4% had some college no degree, and 81.9% had a college degree; 21.9% made less than $30,000 annually, 32.6% made $30,000 to $49,999 annually, 28.4% made $50,000 to $74,999 annually, and 17.1% made $75,000 or more annually. Highlights of these findings are visualized below.

 

Donut chart showing political identity of survey respondents - 4.44% very conservative, 8.33% prefer not to answer, 16.11% very liberal, 16.39% conservative, 30.28% liberal, 24.44% moderate.

 

Comparative circle chart visualizing frequency of online activity - 60.61% several times a day, 35.75% almost constantly, 1.68% several times a week, 1.40% about once a day, 0.28% less often, 0.28% never.

 

Comparative circle chart visualizing Internet device types - 31.98% mobile phone, 29.35% laptop computer, 17.61% tablet, 17.0% desktop computer, 4.05% other.

 

Horizontal bar graph visualizing social media platform use - 32.10% Facebook, 22.52% YouTube, 21.13% Instagram, 11.20% Twitter, 9.47% Snapchat, 3.58% other.

 

Series of horizontal bar graphs visualizing new sources and perceived control, accuracy, and incivility - A majority of respondents perceived: social media as having too much control; local news as having about the right amount of control; national or world news as having too much control. Additionally, a majority of respondents perceived the accuracy of information and incivility on: social media as a very big problem; local news as a small problem; national or world news as a very big problem.

 

Horizontal bar graph visualizing news sources. A majority of participants got their local or national/world news from a: TV station, radio station, daily newspaper, online-only sources, or face to face communication with other people. A minority of participants got their local or national/world news from: local organizations, a local government agency, non-daily newspaper, online forum, or newsletter/listserv.

 

Radial stacked bar chart visualizing Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) - The questions for the MAAS as well as the average response include: While I am online I experience an emotion, but am not conscious of it until some time later (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I am not conscious of what is happening around me and make mistakes because I’m not paying attention or thinking of something else. For example, drive through a red light while driving and or spill something on your computer (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I find it difficult to stay focused on what’s happening around me (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I tend to browse quickly to get from one website to the next without paying attention to what I experience along the way (somewhat frequently, on average); While I am online I tend not to notice my own feelings of physical tension or discomfort until they really grab my attention (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I tend have multiple tabs or windows open at the same time and move frequently between tabs or windows (somewhat frequently, on average); While I am online I am seem to be “running on automatic,” without much awareness of what I’m doing (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I rush through activities and websites without being really attentive to them (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I get so focused on the goal I want to achieve that I lose touch with what I’m doing right now to get there (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I do jobs or tasks automatically, without being aware of what I’m doing (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I find myself doing multiple things at the same time (somewhat frequently, on average); While I am online I browse to websites on "auto pilot” and then wonder why I went there (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I find myself preoccupied with the future or the past (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I find myself browsing websites and doing things without paying attention (somewhat infrequently, on average); While I am online I snack without being aware that I’m eating (somewhat infrequently, on average).

  

Four quadrant data visualization. Quadrant on includes the title, key differences in variables related to information exchange. Quadrant two includes data about mindfulness: Mindfulness makes a difference in information exchange - The modified Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) included 15 questions scale from 1 (almost always) to 6 (almost never). A lower score means lower mindfulness when engaging information exchange.  Respondents who are online never have a higher average MAAS score (6.0) than people who are online almost constantly (3.9). Respondents who are online almost constantly have a lower average MAAS score (3.9) than people who are online almost about once a day (4.9). Respondents who are online almost constantly have a lower average MAAS score (3.9) than people who are online several times a week (4.7). Respondents who are online almost constantly have a lower average MAAS score (3.9) than people who are online several times a day (4.4). Respondents who use social media have a lower average MAAS score (4.1) than people who do not use social media (4.8). Quadrant three includes data about education level: Education makes a difference in information exchange -  Those with a high school degree or equivalent are more likely to be conservative than those with a college degree or some college, no degree. Those with a college degree or some college are more likely to be liberal or very liberal than those with a high school degree or equivalent. Those with a high school degree or equivalent are more likely to be online several times a day than those with a college degree or some college, no degree. Those with a college degree or some college are more likely to be online almost constantly than those with a high school degree or equivalent. Those with a high school degree or equivalent are more likely to think that inaccurate news is a very big problem when it comes to local news than those with a college degree or some college. Those with a college degree are more likely to think inaccurate news is not a problem at all when it comes to local news than those with a high school degree or equivalent or some college. Those with a high school degree or equivalent are less likely to know Ivan Doig as an author than those with a college degree or some college. Quadrant four includes data about age: Age makes a difference in information exchange - Younger people are online more often than older people. Older people are less likely to own a smartphone than younger people. Older people are less likely to use social media than younger people. Younger people are more likely to view inaccurate news on social media as a moderately big problem. Older people are more likely to view inaccurate news on social media as a very big problem. Younger people are less likely to know Ivan Doig as an author than older people. Younger people were more likely to score lower on the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale than older people.

COVID-19 Survey Data

The survey was launched throughout April and May 2020 and 360 individuals from across Montana responded. Respondents identified as: 15.9% were 18-29 years old, 45.6% were 30-49 years old, 23.5% were 50-64 years old, and 13.0% were over 65 years old; 87.6% were female, 11.3% were male, 0.6% were gender queer or gender nonconfroming, 0.3% were a different identity, and 0.3% preferred not to answer; 93.2% were White, 1.1% were American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.3% were Asian; 0.3% were Black or African American, 0.8% were Hispanic or Latino, 0.6% were Other, and 3.7% were two or more races; 0.8% had less than a high school diploma, 5.6% had a high school degree or equivalent, 14.6% had some college no degree, and 78.9% had a college degree; 30.1% made less than $30,000 annually, 16.9% made $30,000 to $49,999 annually, 50.1% made $50,000 to $74,999 annually, and 2.8% made $75,000 or more annually.

 

Horizontal bar graph visualizing News sources about COVID-19: A majority of respondents got their news and information about COVID-19 from: TV station, daily newspaper, local government agency, online-only sources, face to face communication with other people. A minority of respondents got their news and information about COVID-19 from: radio station, local organization, non-daily newspaper, online forum, newsletter/listserv, other.

 

Vertical bar graph visualizing Online use before and after COVID-19: A majority of participants were online several times a day before (72.9%) and after (61.0%) the onset of COVID-19. A large increase in online use was seen after the onset of COVID-19. In particular, 17.1% of respondents identified as being online less often before COVID-19 and 0.0% of respondents identified as being online less often after the onset of COVID-19. Additionally, 12.6% of respondents identified as being online almost constantly before COVID-19 and 33.9% of respondents identified as being online almost constantly after the onset of COVID-19.

 

Stacked horizontal bar graph visualizing News/information source change since the onset of COVID-19: When compared to decreased use or stopped using entirely, a majority of participants increased use or started using for the first time the following news and information sources since the onset of COVID-19: TV station, daily newspaper, local organization, local government agency, non daily newspaper, online forum, newsletter/listserv, online only sources. When compared to increased use or started using for the first time, a majority of participants decreased use or stopped using entirely the following news and information sources since the onset of COVID-19: radio station, face to face communication.