Viewers who recognized a drama’s modeled messages showed more support for women’s rights

Evidence

Hum Log was immensely popular, enjoying top ratings on television and eliciting hundreds of thousands of letters from viewers offering advice and support to the characters. A random sample of viewers reported that they had learned from the serial that women should have equal opportunities and a say in decisions that affect their lives, that programs advancing the welfare of women should be encouraged, that cultural diversity should be respected, and that family size should be limited. In India and elsewhere, the more aware viewers were of the messages being modeled, the greater was their support of women’s freedom of choice in matters that affect them and of planning for small families (Brown & Cody, 1991; Rogers et al., 1999). — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2906

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to social learning theory and observational modeling that Bandura introduced in earlier chapters on moral disengagement and media effects.