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U.S. television programming’s effects on aggressive behavior of children and adolescents

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Abstract

Discussions about the effects of television violence often fail to clearly define the nature of the effect and of the televised material. This article reviews the various facets of the issue and of the research that deals with them, focusing on one specific aspect that is often regarded as most crucial in public discussions and among researchers: the effect of actually televised entertainment programs on the aggressive behavior of children and adolescents. There is little research on that aspect of the issue and, in contrast to laboratory experiments on media violence, it does not show significant television effects. However, none of the existing studies reflect the changes in home entertainment available now as a result of cable television and VCRs and their possible effects on viewers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Social Research, National Broadcasting Co., 10112, New York, NY

    Horst Stipp & J. Ronald Milavsky

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  1. Horst Stipp
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  2. J. Ronald Milavsky
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Stipp, H., Milavsky, J.R. U.S. television programming’s effects on aggressive behavior of children and adolescents. Current Psychology 7, 76–92 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02686665

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