NCJ Number
46714
Date Published
1976
Length
30 pages
Annotation
A REVIEW OF THE RECENT LITERATURE SHOWS THAT TELEVISION CAN BE USED TO MODIFY CHILDREN'S INTERPERSONAL BEHAVIOR FOR PROSOCIAL ENDS.
Abstract
TELEVISION (TV) IS A LARGE INFLUENCE IN THE LIFE OF THE CHILD, AN INFLUENCE FAR BEYOND THAT OF MERE ENTERTAINMENT. VIOLENCE HAS BEEN A LARGE PART OF CHILDREN'S TV, THOUGH RECENTLY DECLINING FROM LETHAL VIOLENCE TO AGGRESSION. SEVERAL STUDIES SUPPORT THE SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY THAT CHILDREN CAN LEARN ANTISOCIAL OR AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR BY WATCHING MODELS PRESENTED ON TV, ALTHOUGH ONE MAJOR STUDY SUGGESTS THAT VIEWING TELEVISED VIOLENCE ACTUALLY REDUCES THE LIKELIHOOD OF AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR. SIMILARLY, OTHER STUDIES SUGGEST THAT PROSOCIAL OR SOCIALLY VALUED BEHAVIOR SUCH AS SHARING, COOPERATION, AND HELPING CAN BE LEARNED AS EASILY AS ASSAULTIVE OR NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR. WHILE THE QUESTION OF NEGATIVE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR HAS DRAWN THE MOST ATTENTION, IT NOW SEEMS CLEAR THAT POSITIVE INTERPERSONAL BEHAVIOR AND SKILLS CAN BE LEARNED FROM TV. PROSOCIAL BEHAVIOR MAY BE ENHANCED BY APPROPRIATE ROLE MODELS TELEVISED TO THE CHILD. EXTENSIVE REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DJM)