Citation

Maguire B, Sandage D, Weatherby GA. Sociol. Spectr. 2000; 20(1): 121.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Mid-South Sociological Association, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/027321700280053

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

It is popularly believed that television violence and declining morality are important causes of crime. Nearly all of the research in this area, however, has centered attention on programs, both news and entertainment. Commercials have generally been neglected. The present study sought to remedy this oversight . Findings from a content analysis of 1,699 commercials show that only a very small percentage of commercials contain violence. The findings also indicate that a low number of commercials exhibit behavior or attitudes that run contrary to conventional moral standards. It is theorized that although advertisers sponsor programs that feature violence or morally controversial themes, they do not wish to closely associate such content with the products or services they seek to sell.