Exposure to Filmed Violence and Children's Tolerance of Real Life Aggression
The authors of numerous studies (e.g., Bandura, Ross and Ross, 1961, 1963; Bandura, 1965; Hanratty, Liebert, Morris and Fernandez, 1969; Hanratty, O’Neal and Sulzer, 1972) are in agreement that young children may mimic aggressive actions after exposure to filmed violence. Indeed, much concern has been voiced regarding the continuing use of aggressive themes in television programs in view of the potential modeling and disinhibiting effects of such displays. In addition to these undesirable effects, Drabman & Thomas (in press) have shown that exposure to filmed violence also may serve to increase viewers’ toleration of real life aggression. They reported that children who had previously viewed a Hopalong Cassidy movie (which featured shootings and fistfights) were significantly slower to take responsible action to end a fight between two younger children than were subjects who had not seen the film.