Pro Social
One explanation for media influences on pro social behaviour is exposure to pro-social behaviour. Kunkel et al found in a content analysis that two thirds of children’s programmes sampled contained at least one act of violence. However, despite the moral panic over the anti social content of popular television programmes, there is clear evidence of a comparable level of pro social content as well. Greenberg analysed popular children’s programmes in the US and found an equivalent number of pro-social and antisocial acts in any hour.
This explanation is supported by Woodard who found that US programmes for preschool children had high levels of pro-social content; 77% of the programmes surveyed contained at least one pro-social lesson. However, the survey also found that only 4 out of the top 20 programmes for under 17s contained any pro-social content.
Another explanation is developmental factors. Eisenberg suggests that many of the skills associated with pro-social behaviour develop through childhood and into adolescence. Therefore we might expect strong developmental differences in the degree to which children of different ages are affected by pro-social content they view. This means that younger children may be less affected than adolescents.
This theory is contradicted by Mares who found that the weakest effect was for adolescents and the strongest effect for younger children. It is suggested that this is due to the fact that not only are younger children less ready to absorb such information from the media, but also that they are more affected by home experiences than by media exposure.
A final explanation for the media’s influences on pro-social behaviours is parental mediation. The significance of parental mediation was recognised by the BBC with early children’s programmes such as “Watch with mother”. Austin argued that effective mediation involves a parent discussing the programme with the child, exploring any ambiguous or disturbing material and
This explanation is supported by Woodard who found that US programmes for preschool children had high levels of pro-social content; 77% of the programmes surveyed contained at least one pro-social lesson. However, the survey also found that only 4 out of the top 20 programmes for under 17s contained any pro-social content.
Another explanation is developmental factors. Eisenberg suggests that many of the skills associated with pro-social behaviour develop through childhood and into adolescence. Therefore we might expect strong developmental differences in the degree to which children of different ages are affected by pro-social content they view. This means that younger children may be less affected than adolescents.
This theory is contradicted by Mares who found that the weakest effect was for adolescents and the strongest effect for younger children. It is suggested that this is due to the fact that not only are younger children less ready to absorb such information from the media, but also that they are more affected by home experiences than by media exposure.
A final explanation for the media’s influences on pro-social behaviours is parental mediation. The significance of parental mediation was recognised by the BBC with early children’s programmes such as “Watch with mother”. Austin argued that effective mediation involves a parent discussing the programme with the child, exploring any ambiguous or disturbing material and