NCJ Number
169422
Editor(s)
M Seawell
Date Published
1997
Length
587 pages
Annotation
This study identified contextual features associated with violent depictions on television that increased the risk of harmful effects on the audience and analyzed the television environment in depth to report on the nature and extent of violent depictions.
Abstract
The foundation for content analysis was a review of the scientific literature on the impact of televised violence. This analysis identified three primary types of harmful effects associated with viewing television violence: (1) learning aggressive attitudes and behaviors; (2) becoming desensitized to real world violence; and (3) developing an unrealistic fear of being victimized by violence. The study focused on violent content in relation to how characters interacted with each other when violence occurred, how violent interactions were grouped, and how violence was presented in the context of the overall program. Programs on 23 most frequently viewed broadcast and cable television channels were randomly selected for analysis over a 20-week period. The study monitored programs between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., a total of 17 hours a day. In total, the study examined about 2,500 hours of 2,693 television programs. Findings showed the context in which most violence was presented on television posed risks for viewers. Negative consequences of violence were not often portrayed in violent programming. Perpetrators were not punished in most violent scenes, and violent programs rarely employed an anti-violence theme. On the positive side, television violence was usually not explicit or graphic. Recommendations are offered for parents, television producers, and policymakers. References, tables, and figures