NCJ Number
89596
Date Published
1982
Length
158 pages
Annotation
After the minutes of the workshop, workshop papers are presented on the validity of research findings, the variety of regulatory approaches that might be used to address TV violence, and the constitutional issues related to governmental regulation of television programming.
Abstract
Workshop participants were social scientists, legal researchers, and broadcasting practitioners. A focus of the workshop was the report on 'Television and Behavior' prepared by the National Institute of Mental Health. In the general discussion of social science research evidence and the need for further research, workshop participants agreed that the evidence indicates a time-lagged association between viewing violence on television and behaving aggressively, when the initial level of aggression is held constant; however, the magnitude and the exact nature of this association in the general population are unknown. Research on TV violence and aggressive behavior has been hindered by an overly broad definition of aggression that fails to distinguish adequately between aggression and assertiveness or limited antisocial behavior. The workshop participants agreed that more research on TV and social behavior is needed. Priority should be given to the complex factors that lead to the selection of particular types of programs and the effect of these programs on viewers of different ages. Other suggestions for research are offered, and the three workshop papers are provided.