Question

"Dr. Wakefield is interested in the effect of watching cartoons on 5- and 6-year-olds' aggressive behavior. He recruits 50 children to participate in his study. When a child comes to his laboratory, he randomly assigns them to one of two groups. For one group, Dr. Wakefield plays a mildly violent clip of ""Tom and Jerry"", for another group, he plays or a non-violent clip ""Dora the Explorer"". Next, he brings every child, regardless of their group, them to a room with a punching (Bobo) doll. He leaves them alone for 5 minutes, watching them through a two-way mirror. He counts the number of aggressive acts (e.g., punching, kicking, etc) that they exhibit. He then compares the average number of aggressive acts between children in the ""Tom and Jerry"" and ""Dora the Explorer"" groups.

In Dr. Wakefield's study, the type of video clip is the independent variable."

A) True
B) False

Answer 1

The type of video clip in Dr. Wakefield's study is the independent variable as it is the component being manipulated to observe its effect on children's behavior. This reflects ongoing research into the impact of violent media on aggression.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Dr. Wakefield's study, the type of video clip is indeed the independent variable. This is because the independent variable is the factor that is manipulated by the researcher to determine if it has an effect on another variable, which in this case is the children's aggressive behavior. By comparing the average number of aggressive acts after children watched different types of video clips, Dr. Wakefield can determine if there is a causal link between media content and aggression in children.

The idea that exposure to violent media might increase aggression is not new. Studies such as those by Albert Bandura and more recent work by Anderson and Bushman have examined this potential connection. While Bandura's Bobo doll study showcases modeling behavior and the potential for media to influence aggression, later research has looked into the effects of violent video games and other media on aggression, with mixed results regarding the strength and nature of the correlation.