Programing (Broadcast): ' Social Development; *Sttdent

Mich of-the television American children watch is.violent,in content. The evidence indicating that this programing increases children's aggressive behavior is not clear-cut, and some "studies have shown, a,decreaSe in children's aggressive behavior. A <> study_was condtcted to test a more developmental perspective on the effectsot violent television: that the impact of televised aggression vill vary according to the child's cognitiie and social developmental level. In in-experiment using 119 students from kindetwten, second grade,. and fifth grade, the subjects, free-playgroihd play was-observed during a one-week baseline period, a two-week experimental phase, and a one-week f011ow-up period. During the experimental phase, subjecti were randoily, assignee to view for.20 minutes each day either exclusively aggressive or exclusively-nonaggressive,programing, after which their playground behavior was observed and rated accordihq to 13 categories ranging from physical _flirett-to passive eciaa itterAdtiOl;-The-tettitS-ShOw4A-that-the-older the subjects, the better their comprehension and recall of the shows. Female aggressive behNvior was quite _low throughout the expeeiseit, but aggressive behavior in-hoys"decreased after they---vieved.the Aggressive segments. Kindergarten children showed more decrease than did fifth grade students, although the,fifth grade students better understood.the programs'they had viewed. (HTH) A * 'Reproductions sUPpiied by'EDIS are the bett that can be made * from ' the original document.