Heavy TV viewers show blunted physiological response to real brutality

Evidence

The research by Cline and colleagues typifies this approach (Cline, Croft, & Courrier, 1973). They compared the physiological reactions of light and heavy TV viewers to brutal boxing scenes alternating with nonviolent but emotive crowd scenes between rounds. The two groups did not differ in their emotional reactivity at baseline, to a daring ski run, or to the animated but nonviolent crowd scenes between rounds. However, the brutal beating was less physiologically upsetting for heavy viewers of television than for light viewers. — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 777