Conference turris::womannotes-v1

375.0. "Portrayals of Violence and Perceptions of Women" by MAY20::MINOW (Je suis Marxist, tendance Groucho) Mon Jul 06 1987 10:59

From CRTNET (Communications Research and Theory Network):

From:         "Jim Weaver    (606)257-3021" <WEAVER@UKCC>
Greetings:

     I recently completed my doctoral dissertation in the
Mass Communications program at Indiana University in
Bloomington, IN.  My reading committee members included Dolf
Zillmann (chairman), Steven J. Sherman, Richard C. Pugh,
Jacob J. Wakshlag.  Included below is a copy of the
dissertation abstract.  Please distribute it to the readers
of the CRTNET.
Sincerely,

Jim Weaver

Bitnet:  WEAVER at UKCC

                      = = = = = = =

   Effects of Portrayals of Female Sexuality and Violence
           Against Women on Perceptions of Women

                       James Weaver


     Much controversy surrounds the question of exactly what
effects exposure to mass media depictions of human sexuality, and
especially those presented as forms of entertainment (i.e.,
erotica and pornography), has on individuals and society.  Some
contend, for example, that such materials serve as educational
and/or therapeutic tools, celebrate sexual pleasure and sexual
abandon, and help eradicate puritanical attitudes about sex that
have long dominated our society.  In contrast, advocates
representing a wide variety of political perspectives (e.g.,
feminists, family, and community organizations) condemn such
materials, charging that they promote detrimental perceptions of
female sexuality, a misogynous cultural climate, and intergender
violence.

     Although this debate has fostered a growing volume of
research, critical questions about the specific cognitions that
are activated by various portrayals of human sexuality, and about
how these cognitions are incorporated into subsequent judgments,
have received surprisingly little empirical attention.  This
investigation was designed to address these considerations by
examining the extent to which consumption of media portrayals of
intergender sexual, violent, and sexually-violent behaviors
induces shifts in perceptions of (a) submissiveness and (b)
sexual permissiveness attributed to women in general.  The
possible effects on perceptions of men were also examined.
Furthermore, the impact of such portrayals on punitive judgments
of men convicted of assaulting women was explored.

     The findings revealed that exposure to sexually explicit and
violent media portrayals is capable of inducing shifts in (a)
general perceptual dispositions toward women and men and (b)
attitudes toward punishment of a convicted rapist.  The most
striking finding was that exposure to sexually explicit materials
can strongly influence perceptions of the "sexual receptivity" of
otherwise sexually nonpermissive peer-group females without
adversely impacting other personality assessments.  Furthermore,
such exposure resulted in the "trivialization of rape" as a
criminal offense, causing both men and women to assign smaller
punitive judgments against a convicted rapist.  These effects
were most pronounced for sexually explicit materials devoid of
violent content.  Sexually violent materials produced a weaker
effect.  This pattern of perceptual responses suggests that
exposure to media portrayals of female sexual permissiveness can
activate cognitions that reflect a general "loss-of-respect" for
female sexual autonomy and self-determinism.  Equally important,
these data extend previous research by demonstrating that these
media activated cognitions can adversely influence the judgments
of others that people make in everyday life.

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    Is anyone going to ask him about a copy?  I'll call, unless someone
    else already has.