Social Learning: The Impact of Media Violence on Children and Families

1
Social Learning The Impact of Media Violence on
Children and Families

• Howie Fine
• Paediatric Psychology Service
• St. Georges Hospital

2
Types of Violence in the Media

• Violence with a weapon
• Violence without a weapon
• Crashes and explosions
• Verbal violence

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By the time the average American child graduates
from elementary school, he or she will have seen
more than 8,000 murders and more than 100,000
other assorted acts of violence (e.g., assaults)
on television (APA, 1992).
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National TV Violence Study (1996-1998)

• 8,000 hrs of TV analysed
• 60 of programmes were violent.
• Good characters perpetrated nearly 40 of the
  violent acts.
• 40 of the violent acts perpetrated by bad
  characters went unpunished.
• 75 of the perpetrators showed no remorse.
• Over 50 of the victims showed no pain or
  suffering.

5
National TV Violence Study (1996-1998)

• 35 of victims experienced unrealistically low
  levels of harm.
• 15 of the violent programs portrayed long-term
  consequences (e.g., to the victims family).
• 50 of the violent scenes were lethal, 40 were
  portrayed as humorous.

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What makes observational learning more likely?

• Repeated exposure is the 1 factor!
• However, the effects of media violence may be
  increased or decreased by
• Characteristics of the individual viewer and the
  environment
• Characteristics of the media presentation and how
  the viewer perceives it

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Individual and EnvironmentalRisk Factors

• Age Media violence affects children aged 2-11
  the most
• Gender Media violence affects both boys and
  girls
• Family Co-viewing, discussion, and anti-violence
  norms reduce effect
• Cultural and gender role norms Can reduce or
  increase effect

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Individual and EnvironmentalRisk Factors

• Existing Aggressiveness Media violence affects
  aggressive and non-aggressive children
• Intellectual ability Media violence affects both
  high and low IQ children
• Social class Media violence affects upper and
  lower class children, but lower class children
  watch more media violence

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Characteristics of Program that Affect Risk

• Identification with aggressor Effects are larger
  for violent behaviors committed by charismatic
  heroes with whom the viewer identifies
• Perceived realism of aggression Effects are
  larger when violent shows are perceived as
  telling about life like it really is

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Characteristics of Program that Affect Risk

• Consequences of aggressive act Effects are
  larger when aggressor is rewarded for his/her
  actions
• Justifiability of aggressive act Effects are
  larger when aggression is portrayed as justified
• Attention to scene Effects are larger when
  viewers attention is riveted on scene

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Fifty Years of Studies Conclusion

• the causal relationship between exposure to
  televised violence and antisocial behavior is
  sufficient to warrant appropriate and immediate
  remedial action there comes a time when the
  data are sufficient to justify action. That time
  has come.
• Jesse Steinfeld, Surgeon General of the
• United States, March 1972

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Discussion point

• Discuss the relationship between watching
  television and real-world violent behavior.
• What factors may be involved in the relationship
  between TV and violence/aggression?
• Why can't we draw causal conclusions from the
  results of this research?
• If/when you are a parent, will this research
  guide your parenting and monitoring of your
  child's TV viewing? How and why?