Social Learning: The Impact of
Media Violence on Children and
Families
Howie Fine
Paediatric Psychology Service
St. George’s Hospital
1
Types of Violence in the Media
1.
2.
3.
4.
Violence with a weapon
Violence without a weapon
Crashes and explosions
Verbal violence
2
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).
3
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.
4
National TV Violence Study (1996-1998)
• 35% of victims experienced unrealistically low
levels of harm.
• 15% of the violent programs portrayed longterm consequences (e.g., to the victim’s
family).
• 50% of the violent scenes were lethal, 40%
were portrayed as humorous.
5
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
6
Individual and Environmental
Risk Factors
Age: Media violence affects children aged 211 the most
Gender: Media violence affects both boys
and girls
Family: Co-viewing, discussion, and antiviolence norms reduce effect
Cultural and gender role norms: Can
reduce or increase effect
7
Individual and Environmental
Risk 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
8
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
9
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
10
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
11
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?
12