Television and aggression: a test of a mediated model with a sample of Portuguese students.
We examined the role of identification with violent TV heroes, enjoyment of TV violence, and perceived reality in TV violence as mediators of the relationship between viewing TV violence and subsequent physical and verbal aggression. A sample of 722 4th, 6th, and 8th grade students from schools in the central region of Portugal completed measures assessing enjoyment of TV violence, perceived reality, aggression, identification with violent TV heroes, and exposure to TV violence. The results showed that the relationship between TV violence and physical aggression is mediated by enjoyment of TV violence, perceived reality in TV violence, and identification with violent TV heroes. The TV violence to verbal aggression relationship was also mediated by enjoyment of TV violence.
Coimbra University, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Rua do Colégio Novo, Apartado 6153, 3001-802 Coimbra, Portugal. armanda@fpce.uc.pt
Armanda Pinto da Mota
AP
Matos
Joaquim Armando G Alves
JA
Ferreira
Richard F
RF
Haase
D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D011936:Reality Testing; D012931:Social Environment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013690:Television; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*