Television Violence: Effects and Remedies: Prepared Statement of Ronald G. Slaby, Ph.D., Education Development Center and Harvard University (From the oversight field hearing on the issue of violence on television before the House Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Crime and Criminal Justic

• NCJ Number: 150865
• Author(s): R G Slaby
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Harvard University; Education Development Ctr
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Legislative Hearing/Committee Report
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: This testimony was included at the International Conference on Violence in the Media: Prospects for Change, held on October 3-4, 1994, in New York City. The conference was sponsored by St. John's University.

Annotation

Television violence and its effects are discussed.

Abstract

The author of this prepared testimony is a developmental psychologist who has investigated and reviewed the effects of television and film violence on children. His testimony addresses two broad questions: what the research evidence reveals about the problems produced by television violence and what specific steps can be taken toward solving these problems. The author concludes that the research demonstrates that television is a teacher from which all viewers, particularly children, learn skills, values, and behaviors. The viewing of television violence by children is one of the best predictors of their criminal violent behavior as adults. Television violence is often misleading, unrealistic, and glorified, teaching children that violence is often clean, legitimate, effective, justified, heroic, rewarded, funny, and even pleasurable. Uncritical viewers such as children have relatively little real world experience with which to evaluate television's misleading presentations. The author briefly defines four harmful effects produced by television violence: an aggressor effect, a victim effect, a bystander effect, and a self- socialization effect. Although the television industry has the potential to contribute substantially to the solutions to violence in society, it has publicly attacked and, at times, distorted research evidence that documents that television viewing contributes to violence. The Children's Television Act (1990) and the Television Violence Act (1990), however, put the legal responsibility on American television to help solve the problem of violence in America. The author's recommendations to assist in this process include the requirements that: television stations and cable companies reduce the total amount of violent programming presented and increase nonviolent alternative programming; television stations and cable companies demonstrate to the Federal Communications Commission and to the general public significant accomplishments in serving the specific educational and informational needs of children regarding violence and how to prevent it; and producers and disseminators of programming provide clear and easy-to-use warning labels of violent material to permit viewers to make informed choices. In addition, the television industry should develop guides and community outreach activities in conjunction with other educational campaigns to help the viewing public develop the skills that can reduce the damaging effects of television violence. Included with this paper are a biographical sketch of the author and a witness list.