NCJ Number
46389
Journal
Journal of Research in Personality Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1976) Pages: 399-409
Date Published
1976
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE CONSEQUENCES OF VIEWERS' IDENTIFICATION WITH THE VICTIM OF A FILMED AGGRESSIVE ASSAULT ARE COMPARED TO THOSE OF VIEWERS' IDENTIFICATION WITH THE VICTOR.
Abstract
SUBJECTS WERE INITIALLY ANGERED AND THEN SHOWN THE AGGRESSIVE BOXING SEQUENCE FROM THE FILM THE CHAMPION. THE SUBJECTS WERE EQUALLY DIVIDED INTO THREE GROUPS WITH DIFFERING IDENTIFICATION INSTRUCTIONS--WINNER, LOSER, AND NO IDENTIFICATION CONTROL. TO ONE-HALF OF THE SUBJECTS IN EACH IDENTIFICATION GROUP, THE FILM VIOLENCE WAS INTRODUCED AS JUSTIFIED, WHILE TO THE OTHER HALF, IT WAS PORTRAYED AS UNJUSTIFIED. IN AN EFFORT TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT IMPLICIT AGGRESSIVE VERBALIZATION AFFECTS AGGRESSION, ONE-HALF THE SUBJECTS IN EACH GROUP WERE INSTRUCTED TO EXPRESS COVERT VERBALIZATIONS CONSISTENT WITH THEIR ASSIGNED IDENTIFICATION EACH TIME THEY PRESSED A BUTTON MARKING THE LANDING OF A PUNCH. SUBJECTS IN THE AGGESSOR IDENTIFICATION ROLE WERE ASKED TO SAY 'HIT HIM' OR 'KILL HIM', AND VERBALIZING SUBJECTS IN THE VICTIM IDENTIFICATION ROLE WERE TO SAY 'OW' OR 'UH.' VERBALIZING SUBJECTS IN THE NO IDENTIFICATION GROUP WERE INSTRUCTED TO SAY SIMPLY 'NOW.' THE NUMBER OF TIMES EACH SUBJECT PRESSED THE BUTTON DURING THE FILM WAS AUTOMATICALLY RECORDED. EACH SUBJECT WAS ASSIGNED AN EXPERIMENTAL CONFEDERATE POSING AS ANOTHER SUBJECT. BEFORE THE VIEWING OF THE FILM, EACH SUBJECT WAS ASKED TO COME UP WITH FIVE IDEAS FOR A PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN, WHICH WOULD BE EVALUATED BY HIS CONFEDERATE BY APPLYING ONE TO FIVE MILD ELECTRICAL SHOCKS TO THE SUBJECT'S WRISTS. THIS PORTION OF THE EXPERIMENT WAS DESIGNED TO ESTABLISH A COMBATIVE CLIMATE BETWEEN THE SUBJECT AND CONFEDERATE. AFTER THE VIEWING OF THE FILM, THE ROLES AND INSTRUCTIONS WERE REVERSED TO TEST THE SUBJECT'S AGGRESSIVENESS IN A COMBATIVE SITUATION FOLLOWING HIS ROLE IDENTIFICATION IN THE FILM. SUBJECTS WERE ALSO GIVEN QUESTIONNAIRES DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EXPERIMENTAL MANIPULATIONS AND REACTIONS TO THE FILM. RESULTS SHOWED THAT IDENTIFICATION WITH AGGRESSIVE FILM CHARACTERS DOES NOT INEVITABLY LEAD TO SUBSEQUENT INCREASED AGGRESSION IN THE OBSERVER. AGGRESSIVE CONSEQUENCES OF IDENTIFICATION WERE LIMITED TO THOSE INSTANCES WHERE SUBJECTS IDENTIFIED WITH THE WINNER OF THE FIGHT, THUS GAINING REINFORCEMENT FOR AGGRESSIVENESS. THE SURPRISING ASPECT OF THE STUDY LAY IN THE DIMINISHING IMPACT WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO VERBALIZE HAD ON IDENTIFICATION WITH THE FILM AGGRESSOR. (RCB)