The opening statement of Senator John O. Pastore for the hearings on the Surgeon General's Report on Television and Social Behavior is presented. His first few comments are directed toward summarizing the history of the report and of the Scientific Advisory Committee, with some remarks about the selection of the Committee. The critical importance…

Like all television programing, programs for children are aimed to produce profit. Since cartoon shows are inexpensive, they are staples of children's television. These programs can offer sponsors a pure, undifferentiated audience at which to aim commercials for toys and breakfast cereals. In addition to cartoon shows, children watch "Sesame…

Presents data on the kinds of physically intimate and sexual behaviors dealt with on prime-time television during the 1977-1978 season. Results indicate an increasing tendency to tease the audience behaviorally (through flirting), verbally (through innuendo), and visually (through contextually implied intercourse). (JMF)

Differences in formal aspects of television commercials aimed at boys and those aimed at girls were investigated. Formal attributes were defined as production techniques such as action, pace, visual effects, dialogue and narration, background music and sound effects. Two aspects of content were also examined: aggressive behavior and the gender of…

From a review of the Scientific Advisory Committee's report and the five volumes of research on television and social behavior, there is an overwhelming consensus that televised violence does have an adverse effect on certain members of our society, and that the broadcasters should be put on notice. While the method of selection and the final…

The impact of television (TV) on children has been examined many times, and concern over potential connections between viewed violence and antisocial behavior has grown. The National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence concluded in 1969 that violence on television encourages real violence, especially among the children of poor,…

Even if the great majority of our children are unaffected by television violence, and even if only a small fraction are negatively affected, we of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) recognize the need to determine how the negative effects can be alleviated. We are all in agreement that the resolution of this serious problem is the…

Content analyses of the depiction of aggression and images of reality on Canadian television were performed on 109 program tapes of top-rated Toronto programs. Content was coded in terms of global messages communicated, character portrayals, context and setting of the program, amount and nature of conflict portrayed, and detailed information on…

The Report to the Surgeon General on Television and Social Behavior appears to establish that televised violence, under certain circumstances, may increase to some degree aggressive behavior in children. This finding represents a substantial advance in our knowledge, and we at American Broadcasting Company (ABC) will manage our program planning…

The Surgeon General has stated that the time is here for action, and that the data is sufficient to justify actions. A clear and present danger of the effects of televised violence on children has been demonstrated to us all. The Foundation To Improve Television is presently before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with a Petition for…

Studies and writings on the effects of television on children are reviewed and summarized. Topics are the young people's pattern of exposure to television, the nature of their viewing experience, the way they respond to television, and the direct effects on their values, attitudes and behavior. Research on the influence of television violence on…

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 study examines the effect of parental socialization forces on children's learning of antisocial behavior from television portrayals. The intervening variables are the patterns of parental disciplinary practices and general interaction with their children in their everyday life. Two types of parental styles were identified: induction,…

Concentrating on television and social learning, this second volume in the series of technical reports to the Surgeon General's Scientific Advisory Committee on Television and Social Behavior consists of an overview and the reports of five investigations. The studies included are: Leifer and Roberts, "Children's Responses to Television Violence";…

There is no longer a question of whether something should be done about the impact of televised violence on children; the questions before us are what should be done, and by whom. Thus, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is engaged in an intensive self-education effort to study the economics of the television industry, and the legal and…