Television Portrayal and Aggressive Behavior / George Comstock.

This is a review of research relating to the attributes of portrayals which play a role in affecting aggressive behavior. The effects of portrayal can occur at any of three successive stages: acquisition, disinhibition/stimulation/arousal, performance. The older the individual, the more likely the influence is to be in all three stages of influence. Yet, much research with young viewers fails to consider the latter stages of influence and perhaps the larger effects. Evidence which does consider such stages suggests: (1) portrayals of violence can lead to aggressive performance; (2) repeated exposure to portrayals of violence may increase the likelihood of aggressive performance; (3) aggressive performance is not dependent on a typical frustration; (4) whether aggressive effects may also mean antisocial effects remains to be shown; (5) factors in a portrayal which increase the likelihood of aggression suggest that aggression is justified, socially acceptable, motivated by malice, or pays off; (6) exposure to portrayals of violence may desensitize young persons to responding to violence in their environments. Related effects of aggressive portrayals on two other behaviors (rule violation and self-harm) are summarized. (Author/DAG)

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