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Abstract
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VioLit summary:
OBJECTIVE:
This study by Baxter et al. explored the relationship between mass media content via the music video, as shown on MTV, and how it affected cultural norms among its viewers.
METHODOLOGY:
This was a quasi-experimental study. A random sample of sixty-two videos that were aired on MTV was drawn during the week of April 28 to May 4, 1984. From each of the seven days, one hour of videos per day was recorded. A table of random numbers was utilized to determine which hour would be recorded. Each music video, which was the unit of analysis, was approximately three minutes in duration.
The research was guided by several questions regarding thematic categories that may emerge in music videos. Some of these questions included issues that focused on the content of music videos centering around themes of sex and violence, bizarre interpretations of life, androgynous presentations, and government, politics, culture and lifestyle.
A coding form for collecting the data was developed. After a review of the previous literature, the authors found that themes common among music videos were as follows: visual abstraction, sex, dance, violence and/or crime, celebration, friendship, isolation, wealth, transportation, bizarre, artificial substances, physical restraint, androgyny, religion, political issues, fitness, animals, maturation, death, and health. For this study, the aforementioned themes were grouped into content categories. Each category was defined by a short descriptor and a listing of possible actions or behaviors which could occur in that category. For example, a content category labelled as "friendship" would contain an indicator such as a "portrayal of relationships of mutual affection and respect." Another example would include "visual abstraction" as containing "the use of special effects to produce odd, unusual, and/or unexpected representations of reality." The researchers were interested in the number of videos containing at least one reference to a content category and not in the number of times the same element appeared in a particular video.
FINDINGS/DISCUSSION:
It was found that MTV videos frequently (59.7%) stressed sexual content. However, music video content was understated, relying on innuendo through clothing, suggestiveness, and light physical contact rather than more overt behaviors. In addition, frequent content elements in the violence and crime category (53.2%) exhibited understated characteristics. Visual abstraction (90.3%) and dance (56.5%) were also commonly present among the videos analyzed.
AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS:
The authors hoped that this study would form the basis for future empirical analysis concerning the possible impact of music videos on its viewers.
(CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado)
KW - Program-Film Content
KW - Media Factors
KW - 1980s
KW - Cultural Norms
KW - Music Video
KW - Television Viewing
KW - Television Violence
KW - Media Violence Effects
KW - Exposure to Violence
KW - Sexual Content
Language: en |