The Impact of Televised Violence

Introduction to Televised Violence

Questions surrounding the impact of televised violence began with early congressional hearings in the 1950s, focusing on its effects on juvenile behavior. Prominent social scientists highlighted the need for extensive research on the influence of television, differentiating it from other forms of media like movies and comic books.

Historical Evidence of Concern

  • Congressional Hearings (1954-55): Series of investigative hearings regarding the link between television programming and juvenile delinquency began, influenced by societal fears over media's role in youth behavior.

  • Prominent Testimonies: Researchers like Eleanor Maccoby and Paul Lazarsfeld pointed out the potential risks of televised violence, calling for further inquiry into how it might affect viewers.

Landmark Reports and Findings

Numerous reports have validated concerns over media violence, including:

  • National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence

  • Surgeon General's Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior (1972)

  • American Psychological Association's Task Force on Television and SocietyCollectively, these reports established a long-term perspective on the effects of televised violence on both children and adults.

Challenges of Perception

Despite extensive research, the perception remains that findings are unclear or contradictory, which is misleading as the accumulated evidence shows a concerning trend involving televised violence and viewer behavior.

Viewing Patterns of Children

  • Early Viewing: Children are exposed to television from as early as six months, consistently consuming content, especially violent programming, from a young age.

  • Statistics: Typical households have televisions on for over seven hours daily. Children aged 2-11 average around 28 hours of viewing a week, notably including violent content.

Analysis of Violence in Television

  • Gerbner's Studies (1967-1989): Analysis over two decades revealed a high incidence of violence on television, with children’s programming often identified as particularly violent.

  • Viewing Trends: A significant increase in violence was seen during various periods, suggesting fluctuations correlated to societal contexts.

Correlational Studies of Violence and Aggression

Research consistently points to a link between viewing violent television and increased aggressive attitudes and behaviors, evidenced in numerous studies

  1. Robinson & Bachman: Found a correlation between hours of viewing and self-reported aggressive behavior in adolescents.

  2. Atkin et al.: Demonstrated differences in aggressive response rates between heavy and light viewers of violent content.

Experimental Studies Supporting Causality

Initial experiments, notably by Albert Bandura, illustrated that children exposed to televised aggression exhibited more aggressive behaviors in play settings.

  • Follow-up studies continued using more representative materials, confirming early findings on aggression arising from exposure.

Field Studies’ Insights

In real-life settings, researchers have observed changes in behavior among children exposed to differing types of televised content, emphasizing both prosocial and antisocial influences.

  • Stein & Friedrich's Work: Evaluated preschool children's behaviors after exposure to prosocial vs. antisocial programming, revealing significant behavioral changes.

Longitudinal Studies and Long-term Effects

Long-term studies highlight that preferences for violent media in childhood can predict aggressive behavior in later years, as demonstrated in the Lefkowitz study.

  • Aging Correlations: Found that early violent media exposure correlates with future aggression into adulthood, supporting a cyclical pattern of violence and media consumption.

Conclusion and Implications

The cumulative research and insights suggest that televised violence has a measurable impact on aggression and behavior among viewers of all ages. Recommendations include

  • Improved ratings systems by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to protect youth during high viewing hours.

  • Understanding of social learning theory and viewer interaction remains crucial in continuing studies on media influence. Despite continued debate, evidence shows that prolonged exposure to televised violence is linked to negative behavioral outcomes.