Heavy exposure to televised violence measurably raises fear of victimization and distrust

Evidence

In a test of this cultivation effect, Gerbner and Gross (1976) found that, indeed, compared with light television viewers, heavy viewers were more fearful of being criminally victimized and were more distrustful of others. … The findings confirmed that a heavy dose of violent fare fosters fearfulness and social distrustfulness. These effects remained when differences between light and heavy viewers on a variety of other relevant factors were controlled. … Bryant, Carveth, and Brown (1981) had individuals watch television programs over a long period of time that contained either light or heavy doses of violence. This controlled experimental research further verified that heavy doses of televised violence increase fear of becoming a victim of a violent assault. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 785

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the reader’s One Square Inch of Silence material — both about media shaping perception of threat and reality.