NCJ Number
46726
Date Published
1976
Length
26 pages
Annotation
RESEARCH FINDINGS ON THE CONTENT OF TELEVISION PROGRAMS, THE VIEWING PATTERNS OF CHILDREN, AND THE EFFECTS OF TELEVISION VIOLENCE ON THE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR OF VIEWERS IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
A REVIEW OF RESEARCH FINDINGS RELATIVE TO SEVERAL HYPOTHESES ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF TELEVISION VIOLENCE -THAT IT INCREASES AGGRESSION, THAT IT DECREASES AGGRESSION, THAT ITS EFFECT DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL -DEMONSTRATES THAT TELEVISION CAN INFLUENCE CHILDREN'S SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES. EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF YOUNG CHILDREN'S IMITATIVE RESPONSE TO AGGRESSIVE MODELS -- LIVE AND ON FILM -- CONSISTENTLY SHOW A LINK BETWEEN EXPOSURE TO AGGRESSION AND LEVELS OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR. A LONG-TERM STUDY SHOWED A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VIEWING OF TELEVISION VIOLENCE N THE THIRD GRADE AND VIOLENT BEHAVIOR 10 YEARS LATER FOR MALES BUT NOT FOR FEMALES. ATTEMPTS TO SHOW A CATHARTIC EFFECT FOR TELEVISION VIOLENCE HAVE NOT HAD MUCH SUCCESS. THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT FACTORS OTHER THAN PROGRAM CONTENT INFLUENCE A CHILD'S RESPONSE TO TELEVISION VIOLENCE. SURVEY STUDIES HAVE PROVIDED DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION ON THE TELEVISION VIEWING HABITS OF CHILDREN, AS WELL AS SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA THAT THE EFFECT OF TELEVISION VIOLENCE DEPENDS ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS, INCLUDING THE CHILD'S PERSONALITY AND FAMILY ENVIRONMENT. FROM 1967 THROUGH 1973, THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE IN TELEVISION PROGRAMMING DID NOT CHANGE; BOTH THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY AND ADVERTISERS CITE A NUMBER OF EXPLANATIONS. PARENTS APPARENTLY DO NOT TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE THEIR CHILDREN'S VIEWING HABITS. IN LIGHT OF EVIDENCE THAT TELEVISION CAN AFFECT BEHAVIOR, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT RESEARCH SHOULD FOCUS ON WAYS OF MAKING THAT EFFECT POSITIVE INSTEAD OF NEGATIVE. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)