E-Letter responses to:

perspective: Craig A. Anderson and Brad J. Bushman PSYCHOLOGY: The Effects of Media Violence on Society Science 2002; 295: 2377-2379 [Summary] [Full text] [PDF]

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Published E-Letter responses:

Re: Clague's response to TV and Violence

Don P Martin   (16 April 2002)

TV and Violence

Roger W Clague   (9 April 2002)

Re: Clague's response to TV and Violence 16 April 2002
Don P Martin, Bureaucrat Respond to this E-Letter: Re: Re: Clague's response to TV and Violence	Clague's criticism is interesting, but while distinguishing between time spent watching TV and time spent on other things may be fairly easy, trying to distinguish between social and non-social activities could be more difficult. Reading books, walking alone (or with pet), cleaning house, fishing, bird watching, checking out Science Online, and many, many other activities may not be obviously social. Watching a final sports event, or a good movie, with friends on TV might be considered social. If, among the not obviously social activities, violent activities correlate with time spent watching TV, a causal relationship may well be suggested.
TV and Violence 9 April 2002
Roger W Clague, science teacher Respond to this E-Letter: Re: TV and Violence	This research shows an association between watching a lot of TV and aggression. You then appear to suggest that this supports the theory that watching TV causes violence. It seems more likely to me that more time spent watching TV means less time for social activities and it is this which causes aggression. This can be tested by seeing if more social activity affects aggression regardless of the amount of TV watched.