A total of 155 nonlabeled, normal adults and 28 labeled, schizophrenic adults were interviewed in a study to determine differences in the two groups' perceptions of television utility and reality. Hypotheses were formulated concerning expected differences in the reported importance of television in interpersonal communication, relaxation, and…

Reports that prime time network television programing has more than three drinking incidents per hour, with hard liquor the drink of choice. (FL)

It was hypothesized that if perceived reality is an important factor in determining children's reactions to television, radical differences in the structure of perceived reality should lead to radical differences in its functioning as well. Questionnaires were answered by 153 children from first, third, and sixth grades in a suburban Wisconsin…

A time lapse camera loaded with Super 8 film was employed to photographically record the area in front of a conventional television receiver in selected homes. The camera took one picture each minute for three days, including in the same frame the face of the television receiver. Family members kept a conventional viewing diary of their viewing…

Discusses four propositions about television viewing by children of ethnic minorities. Presents several unaddressed issues and priorities for future research. (JMF)

This digest describes the overall pattern of the results of research on television violence and behavior. Several variables in the relationship between television violence and aggression related to characteristics of the viewers and to the portrayal of violence are identified. Viewer characteristics included: age, amount of television watched,…

Argues that television programs must be polysemic to achieve popularity because of the wide variety of subcultures represented in the television audience. Analyzes two scenes from "Hart to Hart" to demonstrate the textual devices that bear the dominant ideology and those that resist it. (JD)

A study to test the appeal, reception, and response quality in the case of programs screened at the 1st. Prix Jeunesse contest in Munich by the observation of children and juveniles (age-grouped 6 to 12, 12 to 15, and 15 and over) is described in this paper. Specific questions considered are: 1. What conditions govern appeal? 2. Are age and sex…

To compile a comprehensive review of English language scientific literature regarding the effects of television on human behavior, the authors of this book evaluated more than 2,500 books, articles, reports, and other documents. Rather than taking a traditional approach, the authors followed a new model for the retrieval and synthesis of…

A broad search of the scientifically relevant literature on television and human behavior began in the fall of 1973 and extended over a year; the search concentrated on the literature since 1960, although it attempted to include all significant earlier works. In addition, special emphasis was placed on obtaining very recent, hard to locate, and…

Three studies examine the impact of different types of television content on the social behavior of children at various ages. The studies represent research into the interrelated problem of the processes involved in media effects and age-related differences. In the first study an action-adventure program, in which a character's reputation and…

Describes study of Israeli children in grades 4, 5, and 6, ages 9-12, that was conducted to test their perception of deceitful behavior in a situation comedy. The influence of television on children's perceptions of the world and on the acquisition of behavioral patterns is discussed, and understanding characters' motivations is examined. (27…

Research assessing the impact of consistently negative motivations versus mixed negative and positive motivations for a televised character's aggressive behavior and the consequences on children's subsequent behavior is provided. This study is also reported in related document SO 008 573. Second and sixth graders viewed one of two edited versions…

Research into children's responses to constructive and aggressive behavior in a television drama is provided. This study is also reported in related document SO 008 573. A 22-minute action-adventure television program depicting an intense interpersonal conflict was edited into two versions. In one version the hero responded with physical…

This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 35 titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following: (1) television and scholastic achievement; (2) press freedom and the new world information order; (3) content analysis of Saturday morning children's television…