Political rallies: Their uses and effects

Arguing that political speech‐making can have significant impact, this study surveyed 416 members of the audience at appearances by jour presidential candidates during the 1976 primary in Illinois. The researchers concluded that rallies attract a large percentage of persons who are not members of the featured candidate's political party. From a uses and gratifications perspective, audience motivations for rally attendance were complex, and, while the strongest motivations were of a cognitive‐orientation nature, reasons related to the excitement of the event were surprisingly prominent.