How crime drama can shape your attitudes
There are no free lunches. That is one of those popular phrases that has been used in everything from science fiction to economics text books and as you dig into it you discover layers upon layers of truth. One level at which you can interpret the saying is that there is nothing you can do that won’t have an effect upon you; there is no implication-free life choice. This has been borne out one more time in a new study showing that your choice of crime drama that you watch on television is no mere time-waster because it shapes your attitudes and thinking as you watch.
The new study first surveyed people to see if they were regular watchers of one of three popular American crime series: Law & Order, NCIS and CSI. Having established if they were a fan of one series or the other the researchers then tested the subjects if there were any significant differences in attitudes held.
Your choice of crime drama that you watch on television is no mere time-waster because it shapes your attitudes and thinking as you watch.
The results showed that people who watched Law & Order showed significantly higher levels of an intention to adhere to expressions of sexual consent and to refuse unwanted sexual activity. In contrast, being a CSI fan was associated with decreased intentions to both ask a partner for consent and then adhere to a partner’s consent decisions.
The theory put forward to explain this by the researchers is that the format of Law & Order, because it considers the prosecution of a perpetrator as well as catching the perpetrator, means that it addresses topics that other dramas don’t address. For instance, in the process of preparing a case for prosecution there is frequently a need to establish whether consent was present.
Findings like this do point towards ways in which we can reduce sexual assault by influencing attitudes and behaviour. They should also make your fingers feel a little heavier as they hover over the remote; it’s a weighty decision you are making.
