Does Watching Violence on Television Make People More Violent? What am I being asked to believe or accept?
Watching violence on television causes violent behavior in viewers. What evidence is available to support the assertion? Anecdotes and case studies describe incidents of violence among children after watching violence on TV. Many studies show a positive correlation between watching and doing violence. Controlled studies show increases in violent behavior following violent visual stimulation. Are there alternative ways of interpreting the evidence? Anecdotal evidence and correlational evidence do not prove causation. It may be possible that the dependent variables used in the controlled studies are not similar enough to violence in everyday life. What additional evidence would help to evaluate the alternatives? More controlled studies are needed to better understand the relationship between viewing violence and committing violent acts. However, ethical considerations prohibit these types of studies. What conclusions are most reasonable? The large number of studies done in this area make
