Based on a review of television's influence on social reality beliefs, a model is proposed to examine how individuals use television to construct such beliefs. Evidence suggests that television has some influence on attitudes related to violence, sex, old age, and family values and structure. Twenty-two references are cited. (Author/MER)

A language sample and television viewing log were collected from 93 preschool children to explore the relationship between viewing habits and spoken language. Findings showed a negative inverse relationship between language sophistication levels and television exposure, and suggested support for an environmentalist theory of language development.…

Presents a content analysis of the prosocial and aggressive content of a sample of child-oriented television commercials and compares the results with a similarly conducted study of child-oriented television programs. (JVP)

Tested hypotheses that action/adventure characters are perceived by teenagers as likely to engage in antisocial conflict resolution; situation comedy/family drama characters, in prosocial modes. Also tested was hypothesis that, as favorite character's perceived use of a mode increases, so does the viewer's intention to use the same mode. (SW)

Analyzes the manner in which prosocial behaviors are currently presented on entertainment television, including various categories of prosocial behavior in a detailed profile of a sample week of prime-time television, and seeks to determine positive behaviors performed, frequency, program types, time slot, which networks, and by what character…

This longitudinal study of ethnicity, sex, and role significance as it relates to both was designed to determine whether gains made by nonwhite minorities have been consolidated, improved upon or declined; to determine trends for women; and to qualify changes in terms of numbers, proportions, and/or role significance. (JEG)

Reviews literature on pronutrition messages in children's commercials and describes a study involving children ages 3 to 14 to test the effectiveness of incorporating health information disclosures into actual television commercials for highly sugared cereal and candy products. Results indicate most children were able to recall and make sense of…

Reports and discusses the findings of a study which analyzed the relationships between the television viewing, IQ (intelligence quotient), and academic achievement of 625 students in the sixth through ninth grades of a public school in suburban-rural New Jersey. Statistical data are tabulated. (Author/JD)

Explores the effectiveness of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) public affairs program regulation through analysis of annual reports for 75 television stations, examining amount of time for public issues programing, amount of local affairs programing, total prime time programing, and whether FCC standards are met. (CWM)

A content analysis of television programs presented during times likely to have high proportions of children in the audience indicated that entertainment programs contain messages about the political system which are often negative or inaccurate. (Author/MER)

Reports findings of a survey of school children in the fourth through ninth grades designed to determine what guidance parents provide to children on viewing specific television programs during and after the family viewing period, how perceptions of such guidance compare, and what demographic differences influence provision of guidance. (CWM)

Examines the level and nature of parental guidance regarding television exercised by academics with an active interest in mass media. It also focuses on the relationship of that guidance to beliefs they hold about the effects of television, to characteristics of their scholarship, and to basic demographic information. (Author/JJD)

Examination of the relationship between viewing motivation and viewing patterns among young adult television viewers identifies nine motivational categories: relaxation, companionship, habit, time passing, entertainment, social interaction, information, arousal, and escape. Two basic types of television use are described as time consumption and…

Reports results of study using mass observation and survey data to determine who is responsible for selection of television programs at home, how program selection processes occur, and how roles of family position and family communication patterns influence these activities. Research methodology and dominant selectors of television programs are…

Summarizes past and present television and aging research, identifies several methodological concerns or problems of this research, and considers future directions for mass communication and aging investigations. Television portrayals of the elderly, television viewing behaviors, and the role of television are among the research areas discussed.…