EFFECTS OF MOVIE VIOLENCE ON AGGRESSION IN A FIELD SETTING AS A FUNCTION OF GROUP DOMINANCE AND COHESION

• NCJ Number: 29734
• Journal: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Volume: 32 Issue: 2 Dated: (1975) Pages: 346-360
• Author(s): J LEYENS; L CAMINO; R D PARKE; L BERKOWITZ
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: American Psychological Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

REPORT ON A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF MOVIE VIOLENCE ON AGGRESSION AMONG DELINQUENT MALES IN A BELGIAN PRIVATE INSTITUTION FOR STATUS OFFENDERS.

Abstract

DURING THE THREE WEEK STUDY PERIOD, SUBJECTS WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS AND EXPOSED TO EITHER AGGRESSIVE OR NEUTRAL COMMERCIAL MOVIES. BEHAVIORAL OBSERVATIONS WERE OBTAINED THROUGH A NONHIERARCHICAL, MINIMALLY INFERENTIAL PROCEDURE, TAKEN DURING A BASELINE WEEK, A TREATMENT WEEK, AND A POST-TREATMENT WEEK. THE MAIN IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF THE VIOLENT FILMS WERE AN OVERALL INCREASE OF BOTH ACTIVE BEHAVIORS AND PHYSICAL AGGRESSION, WHILE THE EFFECTS OF VERBAL AGGRESSION WERE MORE PERSISTENT BUT LIMITED TO HALF OF THE VIOLENT MOVIE VIEWERS. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SINGLE INDIVIDUAL LABORATORY PARADIGM AND THE EXISTING GROUP FIELD PARADIGM IS EMPHASIZED IN THE DISCUSSION OF THE DATA PRESENTED.