Media Violence: History, Impact & Policy

1. Media Violence:History, Impact & Policy

2. What are the possible effects of watching television? Your question… • Can watching violent content in the media cause real-life aggression? Why or why not? Placing the debate in context… • Media violence is ONE factor that contributes to aggression & violence in society. • What are others?

3. Placing the debate in context… • Media violence is not the only factor, nor is it most influential…however… • The impact is cumulative. • We have control over it (e.g., NTVS). • Change in mass media content has the potential to influence mass audiences.

4. Theoretical Perspectives…Why do we think TV has these effects? • Social Learning Theory • Schema or Script Theory • Cultivation Theory • Priming Effects Theory • Desensitization

6. Media content… Is all violence the same?

7. National Television Violence Study1996, 1997, 1998 Foundations: • TV violence has harmful effects. • Three effects can occur • Learning attitudes & behaviors • Desensitization • Increased fear • Not all violence poses same degree of risk. • Not all viewers are affected by violence in the same way. Method • Content Analysis – Amount, Nature, Context

9. Violence sells… Marketing Violent Entertainment to Children Federal Trade Commission Report http://www.ftc.gov

10. Marketing Violent Entertainment • Impetus • Columbine School Shootings • Overarching Goals • Do industries promote violent content in venues where children and teens comprise a substantial percentage of the audience? • Are these ads intended to attract underage youth?

11. Marketing Violent Entertainment • Sources of Data • Documentation submitted by industry (60) • Movie Previews • Sound Recordings • Game Demo Disks • Magazine & TV Ads • Confidential discussions w/trade groups • Conversations w/ invested parties • Review of marketing & media plans

12. Marketing Violent Entertainment Movies rated R for violence (n=44)* • 80% targeted children under 17 yrs • 64% - marketing plans contained express statements that the target audience included children under 17. Music w/ explicit lyrics (n=55) • 73% targeted children under 17 yrs • 27% - marketing plans identified teens Electronic Games w/ M rating (n=118)* • 70% targeted children under 17 yrs • 51% - marketing plans identified teens *Follow-up – movies & games made progress

14. Television Policy… Television Ratings & the V-Chip: A Family Systems Perspective

15. The Study of Media Policy from a Systems Perspective Culture History Family Child Politics Economics Regulations

16. A History of Public Concern… • Decades of research on TV violence • Public organizations take a stance • Telecommunications Act of 1996 • Ratings implemented in 1997 • V-Chip technology rolls out 1999/2000

17. V-Chip Ratings (TV Parental Guidelines)

23. The V-Chip Study:We wanted to know… • Access • Must have a new TV set • Information • Must possess awareness & understanding • Impact • Does V-Chip influence viewing? • Does it influence family dynamics? • What factors outside the family shape use?

24. The Research Approach • Longitudinal field experiment: • Home environment • Collected data about the natural environment • Multiple assessments • Media activity logs • Telephone Interviews • Home Visits • Longitudinal • Followed families over a 1 – year period • Two waves of data collection

25. Method • Sample • 150 mother-child pairs • Target children 7 – 10 years • Diverse SES backgrounds • Apparatus • V-Chip equipped TVs in homes • Conditions • High Information • Low Information • Control

30. Did the families “use” the V-Chip? • 49% (n=53) tried the V-Chip • Of those who tried, 17% (n=9) had the V-Chip programmed and engaged at our last home visit

31. “Use” is a multidimensional concept • Tried and Turned Off • Unlocking too time consuming • Other adult unhappy • Didn’t block enough or too many • Didn’t need it • Parents wanted to watch their shows • Tried and Failed • Perceived as complicated • Missed a step in the program process • Compatibility • Mechanical failure • Tried and Didn’t Know it • Someone else programmed the technology

32. Reasons for not using the V-Chip

33. V-Chip “Users” • n=9 families • Distinguishing characteristics • Married • Caucasian • Younger children • Homemaker • Worked less • Higher income • Fewer TVs in child bedrooms • More skill with V-Chip • Greater technical efficacy • Greater concerns about TV

34. Removing the Technological Obstacle: A Follow-Up • Purpose • What happens when families actually use the V-Chip? • Research method • Home visits to program V-Chip • Focus group discussions • Sample characteristics • 28 families of diverse backgrounds • Past/present users & non-users

35. Reflections on Use • Mother’s Experiences • Supervision, control & awareness • Multiple TVs in home • Children’s Experiences • Lives relatively unaffected • The Family System • Fathers • Siblings • Family pressures & priorities

36. The Meaning of the V-Chip within the Family System • Multiple media context of the home • Interdependence of family members • Reframing the message to parents

37. Implications? • Effectiveness of TV Ratings & V-Chip Technology • Parents as Gatekeepers of Media Content • Public Outreach Efforts • Universal Ratings System

40. Challenges for Parents: Monitoring the Web • Web is virtually unlimited; • Enormous presence of commercial sites; • Children may know more than parents; • Web filter may be ineffective.

41. Next week… Identity refers to personality characteristics that define the self by the individual and others. • Consider the following: Can one’s identity be shaped by the media? Under what circumstances might this occur? • Approx. 1 page; email response on 10/8 by noon.