Contributes to research on schema theory and media effects by examining how violence is portrayed in comedy programs. Finds a high rate of violence (especially verbal forms) on comedy programs; and the combination of humor, minor acts of violence, and program context tend to trivialize its presence. Suggests that viewers' schema for comedy uses…

Uses three strategies (dividing cultivation into component subprocesses, testing for an intervening variable, and contingent relationships) for elaborating the cultivation hypothesis. Finds evidence that cultivation effects do exist but that dividing the socialization process does not increase the predictive power of the cultivation hypothesis.…

Investigates the nature and extent of violence contained in television programming that targets children aged 12 and younger. Notes that the violence itself is just as likely to be glamorized in children's as in nonchildren's shows, but it is even more sanitized and more likely to be trivialized. Documents five subgenres of children's programming…

Contrasts the demographic properties--gender, race, and age--of the perpetrators and receivers of antisocial and prosocial acts on prime-time network television. Concludes that antisocial activity has declined and that a White, middle-class male is now most likely to be the perpetrator or recipient. (MM)

Attempts to elaborate the cultivation hypothesis by examining some proposed subprocesses, especially learning and construction with first- and second-order measures. Examines the relationship between first- and second-order measures. Argues that cultivation theory needs to be extended. (SR)

Content-analyzes prime time television to determine the frequency of certain contexts in which prosocial activity is portrayed. Finds that prime time television continues to portray a great deal of prosocial content presented in prosocial contexts. (RS)

Examines the relationship in adolescents between exposure to various types of television programs and measures of achievement. Supports a differential viewing hypothesis and a displacement of time hypothesis as explanations for the relationship. Indicates no adverse academic achievement affect from television viewing until viewing exceeds 10 hours…

Presents a critical analysis of how cultivation (long-term formation of perceptions and beliefs about the world as a result of exposure to media) has been conceptualized in theory and research. Analyses the construct of television exposure. Suggests revisions for conceptualizing the existing theory and extending it. (RS)

Finds that middle and high school students change their views of television watching along three ways of evaluating television: as a "magic window" to reality; as a utility route to information; and as an identity source of almost real people. Concludes that views of television reality are complex and dynamic. (SR)

Argues that the thinking behind three legislative proposals intended to protect children from the harmful effects of TV violence is fundamentally flawed. Analyzes a composite week of television programming. Finds that many children watch television after 9 P.M., and the lowest percentages of punishment for aggressive acts and major consequences to…

Assesses aggressive behavior on television in terms of its realism. Replicated and contextualized reality were assessed for 100.5 hours of programming. Replicated reality compared television portrayals to real world characteristics, and was similar in seriousness to aggression and gender patterns of perpetrators and victims. Contextual reality…

Analyzes primetime commercial television content showing that heroes, villains, and secondary characters are almost always being rewarded or justified when commiting antisocial acts, frequently portrayed as being internally motivated. The context is also portrayed as very antisocial. (SD)

Reviews literature dealing with perceived reality in the television effects process from a construct validation perspective. Topics discussed include variables that influence the degree to which individuals perceive reality in televised messages, relationships with attribute variables, influence of reality perception on viewers' behavior and…

Describes study of students in grades 8 through 12 that was conducted to determine the degree to which television messages influence a person's construction of reality (the cultivation hypothesis). Research methodology that tests the effects of television exposure is examined with emphasis on the importance of demographic control variables. (38…

Tested cultivation hypothesis by studying relationships between amount of television viewing by high school students and college students and their estimates of chances of victimization and causes of death. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to determine importance of perceived reality, demographic, and televison viewing measures…