National Television Violence Study

In the early 1990s, public concern over violence on television intensified to such a degree that policymakers called on the entertainment industry to more closely examine the way in which violence is shown on television. In 1994 the National Television Violence Study (NTVS), a three—year research effort, was commissioned. The study involved researchers from four universities as well as the oversight of several national policy organizations.

In the section of the report excerpted below, the authors present an overview of the research that has been conducted on the effects of viewing media violence. The study concluded: 1) Heavy viewers of media violence exhibit increased aggression toward others, 2) prolonged exposure to media violence can lead to callous attitudes toward real—life violence, and 3) viewing media violence can lead to increased fears of real—life violence...