Previous studies on the relationship between exPosure to televised violence and viewers＇ aggressive behaviours have produced mixed results. Some studies have found significant effect sizes while others have found low...Previous studies on the relationship between exPosure to televised violence and viewers＇ aggressive behaviours have produced mixed results. Some studies have found significant effect sizes while others have found low and non-significant effect sizes. Television effects scholars have postulated that these mixed results are caused by the inconsistencies of research methodology employed and the inability to control major mediating variables in the studies. The present study is designed with the objectives to overcome these shortcomings. The respondents for this study were 514 students aged between 13 and 18 from 10 schools in the State of Perak, Malaysia. Exploratory data analyses provided evidence that the employed instruments achieved sound psychometric properties. Hypotheses testing suggested that exposure to the Contents of Television Violence （TVCN） did not have a direct relationship with adolescents＇ aggressive behaviours; instead, Contextual Features of Television Violence （TVCX） totally mediated this relationship. Some other mediating variables then mediated totally and some mediated partially the relationship between TVCX and adolescents＇ aggressive behaviours. To conclude, this study provides valuable information for parents, the television industry, and the policy makers in recognizing pro-violent and anti-violent features of television violence programmes for Malaysian school-going adolescents. It also provides a new perspective for future studies of television violence in Malaysia.展开更多
文摘Previous studies on the relationship between exPosure to televised violence and viewers＇ aggressive behaviours have produced mixed results. Some studies have found significant effect sizes while others have found low and non-significant effect sizes. Television effects scholars have postulated that these mixed results are caused by the inconsistencies of research methodology employed and the inability to control major mediating variables in the studies. The present study is designed with the objectives to overcome these shortcomings. The respondents for this study were 514 students aged between 13 and 18 from 10 schools in the State of Perak, Malaysia. Exploratory data analyses provided evidence that the employed instruments achieved sound psychometric properties. Hypotheses testing suggested that exposure to the Contents of Television Violence （TVCN） did not have a direct relationship with adolescents＇ aggressive behaviours; instead, Contextual Features of Television Violence （TVCX） totally mediated this relationship. Some other mediating variables then mediated totally and some mediated partially the relationship between TVCX and adolescents＇ aggressive behaviours. To conclude, this study provides valuable information for parents, the television industry, and the policy makers in recognizing pro-violent and anti-violent features of television violence programmes for Malaysian school-going adolescents. It also provides a new perspective for future studies of television violence in Malaysia.
