Bridging Racial Gaps: Explaining Racial/Ethnic Differences in Adult Violent Behavior through Hours of Television Watched in Childhood

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

While many studies have examined the effects of childhood exposure to community violence and of television on adult violent behavior, little research has been done analyzing how these factors combine to produce racial and ethnic differences in violence. Using regression analysis to examine data from Waves 1 and 4 from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, this study finds statistically significant differences in violent behavior between white adults and black adults controlling for exposure to community violence; however, when hours of television watched as a child are accounted for, this difference is no longer significant. This study augments existing literature by identifying a relationship between both community violence and television habits on violent behavior, and intends to start a discussion on the role of television in explaining racial/ethnic differences in offending.

Author

• Madison Ford, University of Texas at Austin