Kevin W. Saunders

In the following viewpoint, Kevin W. Saunders discusses four methods of researching the relationship between television violence and real-world violence: laboratory studies, field studies, correlational studies, and meta-analysis. Although he believes it is impossible to establish an absolute cause-and-effect link between media violence and violent behavior, he maintains that all four research methods provide strong evidence that such a link exists. Studies of the brains of rats have provided additional support to this claim, according to Saunders. Saunders is author of the 1996 book Violence as Obscenity: Limiting the Media’s First Amendment Protection.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What does “meta-analysis” mean, as explained by Saunders?
2. Why does the author believe meta-analysis is a good way to study television violence?
3. According to the author, what is the difference between “causation...