Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Forgotten Medium: The Impact Of Reading Violent Literature On Aggressive Thoughts, Mckay Robert Stevens

Theses and Dissertations

Media violence in television, film, video games, and music has been linked to increased aggression. Only in recent years have researchers begun to investigate the impact that reading violent literature can have on individuals. The present study exposed individuals to either a violent or nonviolent story and measured aggressive cognitions. No significant effect was found for story type on aggressive cognitions but a gender effect for aggressive word completions was found. Discussion centers on possible differences between media types as well as future suggestions for investigations into violent literature.

Gay Marriage In The Utah And California Media: A Content Analysis Of Newspaper Frames Used In The Coverage Of Proposition 8, Michael Todd Hollingshead

Theses and Dissertations

This study is a content analysis of news frames used in the coverage of Proposition 8 by newspapers in Utah and California, spanning the three months prior to its passage in November 2008, to the three months after its passage. A total of 401 news stories from five newspapers were analyzed to examine which of five news frames (attribution of responsibility, human interest, conflict, morality, and economic consequence) were used most predominantly and if the use of those frames varied by newspaper. Conflict was the most predominantly used frame, followed by attribution of responsibility, morality, economic consequence and human interest. …

Television Media Consumption: Measuring Attitudinal Levels Towards Capital Punishment, Bryson D. Jones, Stephen J. Bahr

FHSS Mentored Research Conference

This study argues that the frequency of consumption and type of television media that one views is indicative of attitudinal formation on sensitive Political Science issues such as executing convicted murderers. In this setting, I investigate whether Americans who watch more television, and those who watch prime-time dramas or comedies or national or world news programs are more likely to support the death penalty. I hypothesize that such viewing habits increases ones likelihood for supporting punitive punishment like the death penalty because of the type of media messages they are exposed to such as violence, criminal dramas, law enforcement, and …

Two Sides To The Same Coin: Relational And Physical Aggression In The Media, Sarah M. Coyne, Laura Stockdale, David A. Nelson

Faculty Publications

Purpose - This review aims to examine how aggression is portrayed in the media and how it can influence behavior and attitudes regarding aggression.

Design/methodology/approach - The authors reviewed the relevant literature and examined both physical and relational forms of aggression in multiple media forms (television, film, video games, music, books).

Findings - Across media types, evidence is found that both physical and relational aggression are portrayed frequently and in ways that may contribute to subsequent aggression. Furthermore, though there are studies finding no effect of exposure to media aggression, evidence is found that watching physical and relational aggression in …