Social Psychology Fall 2000 Due. Sept. 20^th Worksheet # 2

Name ________________________

Does the entertainment industry contribute to violence in America ?

Section 1. Use your textbook, Exploring Social Psychology, to answer the questions from this section.

Answers can be found in Modules 21 and 22.

1. How do social psychologists define aggression ?

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2. Is aggression a basic human instinct ?

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3. List 2 biochemical influences which can increase the probability of aggressive behavior .

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4. Describe how Berkowitz revised the original frustration-aggression theory of the 1930's and 40's.

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5. What does the McCarthy study of hockey players demonstrate ?

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6. The "practical shooting" video we watched last week in class is related to the concept of "observational learning" and aggression developed by Bandura ?

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7. What three areas in our culture provide aggressive models for young people, according to Bandura ?

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8. What does the social learning of aggression theory suggest as ways to reduce aggressive behavior ?

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9. What proportion of prime time entertainment programs contain violent images (Gerbner, 1994) ?

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10. By the end of elementary school, how many TV murders has the average school child seen ? (Huston, 1992)

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11. What is the statistical relationship between viewing violent television and performing aggressive behavior (correlation). (Eron, 1987) ?

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12. What are three reasons listed WHY television viewing effects behavior ? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Section 2. The following questions relate to specific video segments.

Segment 1: Video Games and Violent Behavior

This aired shortly after the Columbine High School Massacre.

13. In what way do video games encourage violent behavior ?

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14. List at least three reasons given why video games can increase aggressive behavior :

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15. What do you believe is the best single piece of evidence given that would lead you to conclude a link exists between playing violent video games can directly lead to violent behavior ?

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16. Is there any conclusion made by the researchers that you feel overstates their case ?

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Segment 2. Press Conference of Sept. 11^th of FTC chairman.

17. What was the purpose of the FTC report ?

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18. What were three major conclusions of the report ?

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19. What type of entertainment media was analyzed in the report ?

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20. What specific aspect of the industry was being scrutinized ?

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21. How many film marketing plans were analyzed ?

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22. Were NC-17 films included in this analysis ?

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23. What percentage of films were marketed to Children under 17 ?

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24. What were some of the younger ages of people who were asked about the R-rated films ?

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25. What is the possible legal remedy for this situation, as indicated by the FTC chairman ?

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26. What do you think was the most intelligent question asked during the Q& A portion of the video ? and Why ?

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Video Segment 3 : The Film Industry discusses the relationship between Film violence and violence in Society.

27. What is the consensus of the panel concerning the responsibility of the film industry in addressing this problem ?

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28. What are the two positions most commonly mentioned ?

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29. Do you feel that panel discussions such as this are helpful, or only gloss over the importance of this issue in a superficial manner ?

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30. Who on the panel did you feel had the most appropriate comments and why ?

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31. Whose opinion on the panel did you have the least respect for and why ?

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32. List one question posed by an audience member which you felt made a worthwhile contribution to the discussion.

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33. List one question that you would have asked the panel, if you were given the chance .

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34. List one conclusion you have reached concerning the relationship between mass media and violence in this nation.

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34. What do you believe is one step the film industry could take that would help to alleviate this problem ?

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End of Worksheet 2 : Worksheet Due Next Wednesday, Sept. 20th