A study was conducted to explore the hypothesis that heavy television viewing, particularly the viewing of a great deal of violence, cultivates certain misconceptions about social reality. Four counties in Florida were selected for the study on the basis of geographical location and amount of violent crime. Survey questionnaires were administered…

Racial attitudes, race, and other demographic factors differentiated viewers' perceptions and reactions to the "Roots" series. The effects on teenagers were apparent in the viewers' immediate perceptions of the series, entertainment and information values of the series, and realistic presentation of black history. (JEG)

This study conducted with eleventh graders in the Baltimore City Public Schools was based on a correlational survey which explored the relationship between viewer perceptions of black television characters, race, racial attitudes, and viewing frequency. One questionnaire measured viewing frequency, the viewer's perceptions of eight black and…

Examines the effects of exposure to United States television programs on Icelandic respondents aged 11 through 14, with regard to respondents' attitudes toward the United States and knowledge of United States culture. (GW)

The study compared time spent viewing television and television program preferences (by title) between normal hearing and hearing-impaired teenage television viewers (880 Ss). (Author/PHR)

Survey of students (grades 6-12) reveals that those who were heavy viewers of crime shows were more likely to have anticivil libertarian attitudes. Results indicate that television entertainment may be an important source of political learning. (PD)

To determine the relationship between eighth grade students' motivation to study and the number of hours they spend in viewing television, a study interviewed 210 eighth-grade students in central Georgia concerning their daily television viewing habits. Subjects completed the Wells-Bledsoe Motivation Checklist and provided information about their…

Three hypotheses could explain a positive correlation between violence viewing and social aggressiveness in adolescents: 1) Heavy exposure to television (TV) violence somehow reinforces or induces aggressive tendencies; 2) An aggressive child is more likely to be attracted to violent TV programs; 3) Some third factors exist which could cause both…

Over 2,000 15-16 year old adolescents from central Scotland were surveyed to determine characteristics of high- vs. low-frequency television viewers. Personality characteristics, attitudes toward school and sports, and socioeconomic status were related to viewing habits. Sex of the viewer was found to be related to choice of programs. (GDC)

The first statement in this testimony points out the need for groups to define "violence" before taking any action against violent television programs, since violence means different things to different people. Many of the studies on violence use a narrow and simplistic definition of violence which does not take into account the effects of…

Students from eight Baltimore City Public Schools were given the Multifactor Racial Attitude Inventory (MRAI) to survey attitudes towards Blacks in television programs. Results indicated that, although Blacks identified strongly and more positively with Black television characters, there was no consistent pattern relative to racial attitudes and…

A survey of more than 600 Michigan high school students suggests that adolescents who prefer television news and public affairs programs tend to feel their families, friends, and schools think public affairs are important; tend to be older; and tend not to be from a minority racial background. (GT)

This paper presents evidence for the positive impact of television on 1,500 children, aged 6 to 16 years old, specifically concerning their conceptions of beauty. The role of television was repeatedly mentioned by the subjects although it was not the primary research goal of the researcher. Examples of children's descriptions of beauty as derived…

Describes a study of media deprivation which analyzed data on 215 adolescents collected during a Swedish television strike in 1980. Notions of dependency/affinity with the medium, functional alternatives to media consumption, and motives for using television were investigated. (MBR)

Interviews were conducted with 184 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students to determine patterns of pastime activities that stand as alternatives to television viewing. In the first portion of the 35-minute interview, respondents were presented with a current daily television listing and asked to indicate which programs they normally watched. To…