Media Psychology; Pro-Social

• Greensbery (1980) analysed US TV shows and found that there was an equal number of both pro-social and anti-scoial acts on preschool television
• Woodard (1999) US TV shows for kids, 77% of them surveyed show pro-social beahviour
• Under 17's TV, 4 of the top 20 shows showed any pro-scoial content

• Social learning theory, learn through observation.
• May imitate the behaviours and depending on the reaction depends on whether the behaviour is then replicated again.
• Pro-social acts re more likely to represent already established social norms.
• Likely to reinforce the already existing soical norms than contrast them.

• Most effective when show in steps of the positive behaviour
• Rubienstein and Sparkfin showing teenagers who were admitted to a psychiatric, post-viewing of a discussion led to decreased altursim.

• Einsberg (1990) pro-social behaviours develop through childhood
• Younger children are influenced more than teenagers

• Meta-analysis showed that the weakest effects was for teenagers
• Pre-school childrens effects was intermediate
• More likely to be affected through expereince than through media

• Austin (1993) effective mediation invovles the parent discussing the content of the show with the child and then further discussing any good or bad behaviours
• Rosenketter (1999) effective mediation means that kids as young as seven are then able to understand the most complex sitcoms

• Valkenbury (1999) only some forms of parental mediation are effective
• Social-co-veiwing is shown to be largley in effective as the behaviours are not explained to the child

Alturism

• Poulous (1975) children who watched lassie were more likely to help a puppy in distress then those who had not watched the programme

Self Control

• Friecrich and Stein studied four year olds who watched Mister Rogers over a period of time, they were mor eliekly to show task persistence and obidence

Positive Interaction

• Children who watched pro-social content were more likely to behaviour in a freindly way when playing with friends

Anti-Stereotpying

• Children who watched Freestyle showed less stereotypical behaviours and beliefs, especially with sex typings.