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ERIC Number: EJ842951
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Jul
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0360-3989
EISSN: N/A
The Role of Graphic and Sanitized Violence in the Enjoyment of Television Dramas
Weaver, Andrew J.; Wilson, Barbara J.
Human Communication Research, v35 n3 p442-463 Jul 2009
This experiment explores the relationship between television violence and viewer enjoyment. Over 400 participants were randomly assigned to one of 15 conditions that were created by editing five TV programs into three versions each: A graphically violent version, a sanitized violent version, and a nonviolent version. After viewing, participants reported their enjoyment of the content and emotional reactions to the content. Once we controlled for viewer perceptions of action in the program, we found that the nonviolent version was significantly more enjoyable than the two violent versions were. This finding held regardless of participants' sex, level of trait aggression, and sensation-seeking tendencies. Thus, the widely held belief that violence increases enjoyment was not supported.
Blackwell Publishing. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8599; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: customerservices@blackwellpublishing.com; Web site: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/jnl_default.asp
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A