Effect of Media Violence on Children's Toleration of Real-life Aggression: A Replication and Extension of the Drabman and Thomas Experiments

• NCJ Number: 151063
• Author(s): F Molitor; K W Hirsch
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 20 pages
• Corporate Author: Southhampton Institute of Higher Education; California State University-Sacramento
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Paper presented at the International Conference on Violence in the Media, New York, NY, October 3 and 4, 1994

Annotation

Using contemporary video materials, this study replicates and extends the experimental procedures originally used by Drabman and Thomas to determine whether exposure to media violence desensitizes children to actual aggression.

Abstract

The research involved fourth and fifth graders who watched edited versions of the film Karate Kid and a set of selected sporting events form the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. The results confirm the original findings; children tend to tolerate the aggressive behaviors of others more if they have first seen media violence. This effect was found despite the probable long-term desensitization of children to depictions of fictitious violence as a consequence of the substantial increase in the amount and explicitness of violent acts in current film and television content. The tendency to accept others' aggression after watching television and film violence was most pronounced for boys. The research also revealed that the introduction of cooperative play through a board game called "A Beautiful Place" was also found to produce a change in the desired direction. Although the change was not statistically significant, the topic should be the subject of further research. Tables and 22 references (Author abstract modified)