Television Viewing and Social Reality Effects and Underlying Processes

M ention the subject of television effects to consumer psychologists andthey would likely assume you are referring to advertising. With only afew exceptions (e.g., Russell, Norman, & Heckler, 2004), most consumer research has focused on understanding how advertising works and what makes it effective. However, these are intended effects. What have gone relatively unnoticed in consumer research are the unintended effects of television viewing, particularly the effects of the programs between the ads. Certainly, social psychologists are well aware of these types of effects, particularly for the effects of media violenc