Television and Violence (An Empirical Study of Chinese Media Cultivation Effects)

Author: Long Yun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Cultivation analysis is one of the important theories in the study of media effects in mass communication. Over the past three decades, it has continuously influenced people's understanding of mass media, particularly television. This book begins with the study of television violence to examine the applicability of the cultivation hypothesis in China and explores the impact of television on Chinese audiences and society as a whole.
Cultivation analysis is one of the important theories in the study of media effects in mass communication. Over the past 30 years, it has continuously influenced people's understanding of mass media, particularly television. Based on a comprehensive review and systematic of this theory, this research fully considers variables such as China's media mechanisms, audience conditions, and cultural environment, using empirical methods to test the applicability of the cultivation hypothesis in China. It examines the differences formed by individuals in their interactions with the media, confirming and exploring the existence and characteristics of the cultivation function of Chinese mass media.
This research has innovative significance in the following aspects:
- It is the first attempt to explore the cultivation function of Chinese mass media through empirical methods, systematically examining the relationship among perceived reality, media reality, and objective reality. It investigates the role of media reality on audience perceptions and finds that viewing time is not the decisive factor in cultivation effects, thereby questioning the applicability of the basic assumptions of cultivation in China.
- It is the first comprehensive scan and sample analysis of dramas broadcast during prime time on provincial and above-level satellite stations across the country, outlining the basic picture of television violence on the mainland's screens. It quantitatively reflects the direction and intensity of television violence while qualitatively analyzing the meaning behind each indicator, providing reliable and non-speculative data on China's television violence situation. This serves as a reference for government decision-making and the healthy development of the media.
- It conducts large-scale cross-regional empirical surveys to examine the relationship between regional differences, media exposure, and variables such as age and education level with audience perceptions. It emphasizes the constraints of objective reality and individual differences on media cultivation effects, offering a theoretical framework and operational platform for future research in this area.