Parents can become desensitized to violence and sex in movies after watching only a few scenes with disturbing content, according to a new study published in Pediatrics that was conducted by researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center. The study comes as scenes of sex and violence become more prevalent in movies aimed at youth. A 2013 study in Pediatrics from APPC researchers showed that the amount of violence in PG-13 movies tripled in the most popular movies since 1985.
The Annenberg Public Policy Center will take part in the new Penn Prevention Research Center, created by a five-year, $4.35 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to establish an interdisciplinary center dedicated to preventing chronic disease and reducing health disparities in southeastern Pennsylvania. APPC associate director Amy Jordan will co-lead an area of the PRC.
A new study published in the online journal Media and Communication finds that Americans’ answer to one of the long-running questions in a Gallup poll – are you afraid to walk alone in your neighborhood at night? – may be influenced by the amount of violence shown on popular prime-time television dramas.
