ABSTRACT
People around the world have been fascinated by television but concerned about its effects almost since the fi rst show was broadcast. In this country, the popular press and politicians keep asking, “What is television doing to us?” “Is television somehow responsible for all the violence in our society?” Parents and teachers wonder whether television makes children more aggressive, or whether television helps or hinders learning. Critics of all political stripes complain about how television portrays men and women, the family, politics, war, nutrition, sexuality, consumption, minorities, substance abuse, and a host of other issues, as well as the massive number of hours we spend watching. Even as amazing new media technologies emerge that allow us to watch whatever we want, whenever we want, and wherever we are, the amount of time we spend watching television still continues to rise year after year. Given its pervasive presence in our lives, students in both high school and college want to study the effects of the mass media but often look for simple, straightforward answers to their questions. Yet, as is true in so many areas of life and social research, the questions are complex and the answers are neither simple nor straightforward.
