Understanding the Media's Influence on the Development of Antisocial and Prosocial Behavior (From Preventing Violence in America, P 133-155, 1996, Robert L Hampton, Pamela Jenkins, and Thomas P Gullotta, eds. -- See NCJ-159949)

• NCJ Number: 159955
• Author(s): S J Danish; T R Donohue
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 23 pages
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Type: Research (Theoretical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter discusses the role the media play in contributing to incidents of viewer violence and antisocial acts as well as their contribution to the development of prosocial behavior and life skills.

Abstract

The authors first discuss how the concept of health- compromising and health-enhancing behaviors relate to life-span development. They specifically consider the concept of life skills and how these skills are critical to healthy development. The chapter then presents a historical perspective of the relationship between societal violence (aggression) and the media. Within this discussion, the authors examine some of the research models and methods used in studying this relationship, as well as some of the results of these studies. This is followed by an exploration of the prosocial impact of the media; several concrete examples show how the media can teach prosocial behavior and life skills. Finally, the authors present a model of the media as a resource and discuss the role that parents and teachers can and should play in using this resource productively. 1 table and 23 references