Barry S. Sapolsky

What mediates the effects of mild erotica on annoyance and hostile behavior in males

Male subjects were provoked or not provoked, exposed to photographs of (a) nonerotica, (b) nude females, or (c) couples engaged in sexual activities, and provided with an opportunity to express annoyance and to retaliate against their annoyer. Both annoyance and retaliatory behavior were measured. The excitatory potential, the involvement potential, and the hedonic valence of the nonerotic and erotic stimuli were also assessed. Provocation produced strong effects on all measures of annoyance and retaliatory behavior. In unprovoked subjects, erotica had no effect whatsoever on such behavior. Under conditions of provocation, reported annoyance in both erotica conditions was significantly less than in nonerotic condition. There was no corresponding differentiation in retaliatory behavior, however. The excitatory potential of the erotica employed, as measured in heart-rate and blood-pressure changes, proved to be minimal. No stimulus differences in involvement potential were found. The erotica were similarly pleasing. The nonerotica, in contrast, were conisdered boring. The findings are discussed in terms of various theoretical proposals concerning the relationship between erotica and aggression.

Getting up on the download: college students' motivations for acquiring music via the web:

The objective of this study is to understand the gratifications behind music downloading among college students, and examine how the gratifications along with music interest are associated with a variety of downloading-related activities.The results suggest that the process of downloading music files is an entertaining and convenient way to acquire music.The downloading motives were not linked significantly to filesharing (uploading as well as downloading music). However, entertainment/pass time, convenience/economic utility and information-seeking factors and experience were predictors of building a library of music on ones computer. Males reported having more songs stored in their computers than females and were more likely to burn compilation compact discs (CDs) with the music files they downloaded. Affinity for music was not associated significantly with any of the downloading activities examined, but was positively associated with CD purchasing.

Sex in primetime television: 1979 versus 1989

One week of primetime network television from 1989 was content analyzed with a coding scheme previously used to examine sex on television in 1979. At a time when AIDS and high rates of teenage pregnancy call for sexual responsibility, the study found that sexual behavior and language have not diminished over the 10‐year period. Instances of suggestive sexual displays and noncriminal sex acts declined, while sexual touching increased. Explicit intercourse, not in evidence in 1979, was shown in 1989. Issues of safe sex, sexually transmitted disease, and contraception are rarely addressed. Sex in primetime occurs predominantly among the unmarried, and white males typically initiate sexual acts and words.

The Use of Offensive Language by Men and Women in Prime Time Television Entertainment

A content analysis examined prime-time television entertainment programs aired on 7 broadcast networks during the 2001 season. Profanity use within inter-sex and intra-sex interactions was explored. Swearing occurred most often in man-to-man interactions, followed by women-to-men. Men and women tended to use mild curse words more when talking to the opposite sex. Unmarried women more often directed expletives at both men and women; unmarried men cursed more at other men. Offensive language was most often met by a neutral response; men and women were equally likely to respond positively and negatively to cursing. Men in feature roles, as compared to minor roles, used more profanity when speaking to men and women.

Profile: Sex, violence, and victimization in slasher films

A content analysis of 30 slasher films released in 7980, 7985, and 1989 reveals that females are not featured most often as the targets of slashers; a significantly higher number of deaths and injuries were suffered by males. However, females are shown in terror for longer periods of time. Sex and violence are not commonly linked in slasher films; a death or severe attack of a female during or after depictions of sex occurred infrequently. Also, heavier amounts of violence appeared in films released in 7989 than those in the earlier years.

Watch Your Mouth! An Analysis of Profanity Uttered by Children on Prime-Time Television

This study examines the frequency and types of offensive language spoken on prime-time television in 2001, particularly on programs rated acceptable for children and teenagers, and the use of profane language by characters under the age of 21. The findings are compared to similar studies conducted in 1990, 1994, and 1997 to determine whether the use of profanity by child and young adult characters has increased over an 11-year period. Age and content warnings inadequately protect children from profanity. TV-PG programs contain as much off-color language as TV-14 programs, and more coarse language could be found in programs not given an L warning. Further, the earliest hour of prime time, when children are more likely to be viewing, contains significantly more instances of profanity than the time period of 10 to 11 p.m. However, characters under the age of 21 rarely utter profane words, and they are just as infrequently spoken to with such language.

Increasing seat belt use through PI&E and enforcement: The Thumbs Up campaign

Campaigns to increase seat belt use have been effective in controlled environments, in small geographic areas, in primary enforcement states, and when conducted in conjunction with the enactment of seat belt legislation. The Thumbs Up project was undertaken to determine if belt use could be facilitated in less advantageous conditions. A 3-month campaign to increase seat belt use was conducted in two sites, each consisting of two Florida counties. At its conclusion, the Thumbs Up project did not yield an overall increase in seat belt use across the two sites. However, observed seat belt use and the number of seat belt citations issued increased significantly in one site. The results are discussed in terms of the two components necessary for a successful campaign: public information and education, and enforcement. Further, recommendations for conducting successful community-based seat belt interventions are offered.

Talking a "Blue" Streak: Context and Offensive Language in Prime Time Network Television Programs

This study examined the context of offensive language heard in prime-time programs aired on seven broadcast networks in 2001. Offensive words occurred more in the 9–10 p.m. hour. Situation comedies contained more instances of objectionable words than other program genres, but offensive language was more likely to be heard in a non-humorous setting. Most objectionable words were directed at another character, and lead characters were more likely to curse than secondary characters. Finally, vulgarities were typically met with either a neutral or positive reaction.

Sexual acts and references on prime‐time TV: A two‐year look

A two‐year content analysis of prime‐time network television revealed a substantial increase in sex on television from 1978 to 1979. The largest increase occurred in sexual acts, which most frequently involved unmarried partners. Intercourse appeared minimally as an implied behavior. Sex on television continued predominantly as reference and not overt action. Although sex was most often treated humorously, the portrayal of sex within dramatic forms has increased. Males and females do not fare equally in sexual encounters: While no sex bias appeared in the initiator of sexual acts, males were shown to use sexual language more, and females were more often the target of verbal innuendo. The family viewing hour contained as much sex as later evening hours. And, lastly, ABC featured more sex in its programming than did the other major networks.

Electronic monitoring of in‐home television RCD usage

This study electronically‐monitored in‐home RCD activity. The frequency of channel changing and other RCD behaviors were recorded and discrepancies between self‐reported and actual RCD use are examined. This is one of a few academic studies of RCDs that does not rely on a survey (respondent recall) or on observation, but rather records actual behaviors in the participants’ home. This study also examines viewers’ uses of RCDs within the framework of selective exposure. Slightly over 374 hours of television viewing by 44 participants yielded 13,680 channel switches. It was found that viewers made an average of 36.6 channel changes per hour. In other words, they watched channels for an average of one minute and 38 seconds between switches. Further analyses revealed an audience of “rapid‐fire”; channel grazers as 80% of the switches took place after a channel was on for less than five seconds.