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Social Learning: The Impact of Media Violence on Children and

Families

Howie Fine

Paediatric Psychology Service

St. George’s Hospital

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Types of Violence in the Media

1. Violence with a weapon2. Violence without a weapon3. Crashes and explosions4. 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.

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• 35% of victims experienced unrealistically low levels of harm.

• 15% of the violent programs portrayed long-term consequences (e.g., to the victim’s family).

• 50% of the violent scenes were lethal, 40% were portrayed as humorous.

National TV Violence Study (1996-1998)

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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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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

Characteristics of Program that Affect Risk

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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 viewer’s 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?