LIVING WITH TELEVISION - THE VIOLENCE PROFILE

• NCJ Number: 37456
• Journal: Journal of Communication Volume: 26 Issue: 2 Dated: (SPRING 1976) Pages: 173-199
• Author(s): G GERBNER; L GROSS
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 27 pages
• Corporate Author: Annenberg School Press
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS OF AN INVESTIGATION OF THE ROLE TELEVISION PLAYS IN CULTIVATING CERTAIN SOCIAL PATTERNS, PERCEPTIONS, AND CULTURAL ATTITUDES IN THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, WITH EMPHASIS ON TELEVISION'S PORTRAYAL OF VIOLENCE.

Abstract

EARLY RESEARCH IN THIS PROJECT INDICATED THAT TELEVISION IS DIFFERENT FROM OTHER MEDIA AND THAT RESEARCH ON TELEVISION REQUIRES A NEW APPROACH. ACCORDINGLY, THIS PAPER OFFERS A CRITIQUE OF THE USUAL RESEARCH METHODS EMPLOYED IN THE INVESTIGATION OF TELEVISION, AND OUTLINES A NEW APPROACH: CULTURAL INDICATORS. THE STUDY FIRST PRESENTS THE RESULTS OF A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF VIOLENCE IN PROGRAM CONTENT FOR THE THREE MAJOR NETWORKS AND THE PATTERNS OF VIOLENCE AND ACTION PORTRAYED IN THESE PROGRAMS. CLAIMING THAT TELEVISION IS USED TO ENCULTURATE THE PREVAILING ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF SOCIETY THROUGH THE SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION OF EXISTING CONDITIONS OF POWER AND CULTURAL PERCEPTIONS OF RIGHT AND WRONG. THE AUTHORS NOTE THAT WHITE MALE CHARACTERS PREDOMINATE, THAT MOST CHARACTERS ARE SHOWN TO BE EMPLOYED, THAT WOMEN TYPICALLY REPRESENT ROMANTIC OR FAMILY INTEREST, AND THAT VIOLENCE IS COMMON. THROUGH USE OF A 'VIOLENCE PROFILE' ANALYSIS OF PROGRAMS, THE AUTHORS DEMONSTRATE THAT VIOLENCE HAS CONTINUED AT HIGH LEVELS DESPITE NETWORK EFFORTS TO REDUCE ITS LEVEL. THE AUTHORS SUGGEST THAT THIS PRESENTATION OF VIOLENCE IS A DEMONSTRATION OF POWER AND AN INSTRUMENT OF SOCIAL CONTROL SERVING TO PRESERVE THE EXISTING SOCIAL ORDER. THE STUDY THEN TURNS TO A MEASURE OF THE IMPACT OF TELEVISION VIOLENCE ON PUBLIC ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS. THE AUTHORS ARGUE THAT SINCE TELEVISION VIEWING HAS SERVED TO SHAPE AND DIRECT THE CULTURAL VIEWS OF THE POPULATION, IT IS NOT LEGITIMATE TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF ONLY ONE ASPECT OF THAT VIEWING, SUCH AS VIOLENCE. INSTEAD, THEY STATE THAT THE MOST VALID WAY TO MEASURE DIFFERENCES IN THE OUTLOOKS AND BELIEFS OF TWO GROUPS: HEAVY TELEVISION VIEWERS AND LIGHT TELEVISION VIEWERS. WHEN THIS METHOD WAS EMPLOYED, IT WAS FOUND THAT HEAVY TELEVISION VIEWERS HAD OPINIONS ON VIOLENCE THAT WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE VIEWS PRESENTED IN THE MEDIA: THAT VIOLENCE IS VERY FREQUENT, THAT PEOPLE CANNOT BE TRUSTED, AND THAT A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION IS EMPLOYED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. LIGHT VIEWERS HAD BELIEFS MUCH MORE CONSISTENT WITH ACTUAL CONDITIONS.