Effect of television violence on aggressiveness

A review of field studies on the possible relation of exposure to TV violence to subsequent aggressive behaviors indicates that such studies have produced mixed results and that there is little evidence of causality. Correlational research has established a small but significant association between viewing TV violence and aggressiveness, but evidence for a causal relationship is again minimal. There is no substantial evidence for a cumulative effect of TV viewing, nor has it been demonstrated that the effect of TV viewing depends on a crucial period or is delayed. In addition, correlations between viewing violence on TV and aggression do not consistently increase with age. It is concluded that although exposure to and preference for violent programming on TV is correlated with aggressive behavior, there is no evidence that viewing violence in natural settings causes an increase in subsequent aggressiveness. (48 ref)