Television Content Vie ing Patterns: Some Clues from Societal Norms

Focusing on how television viewing fits into.a general model of_consumer_consumption patterns, a study examined (1) the extent to which the viewing of certain television content can be considered a "norm" of society, (2) similarities and differences between the norms for adults and those for children, and (3) some of the antecedents of beliefs about the appropriateness of TV viewing behavior related to a variety of content. Research was based on a cross-sectional survey of adults in_a southeastern city. Telephone interviews were conducted with 285 individuals_(a 70% response_rate) who were asked for their reactions to a potential television viewing situation involving: (1) an adult; or (2) a preschool child. Five types of program content were identified:_crime/adventure shows, news programs, sports, cartoons, and adult movies on pay TV. Factors analyzed included viewing norms_of adults, norms of_adult opinion on appropriate content for child viewing, and some individual factors associated with these norms. Results indicated that there are social norms geared toward some types of television content, and that different types of viewing behavior are normative for adults, as opposed to children. Results suggested that adherence to the norm, rather than similarity of viewing should be a main focus on research on intergenerational transfer of viewing patterns. (Three pages of references and three tables of data are included.) (NKA)