Slasher basher

Focuses on studies by psychologists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, suggesting that slasher films desensitize people to violence. Sympathy for domestic violence; Cumulative effect to a steady diet of violent videos.
By PT Staff, published on March 01, 1996

MOVIES

There's no shortage of data suggesting that slasher films desensitize us to violence. But for how long? Psychologists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have some answers.

After college freshmen watched three violent films over a five-day period, their sympathy for domestic violence victims plummeted. But five days later, their attitudes had pretty much returned to normal levels.

Even so, there could be a cumulative effect to a steady diet of violent videos, researchers warn. Like a tennis ball that loses a bit of its bounce with every match, viewer attitudes might rebound less by the time they reach Friday the 13th, Part 23.

PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE)

Tags: attitudes, bounce, california santa barbara, college freshmen, cumulative effect, domestic violence victims, entertainment, films, match, photo, slasher films, steady diet, sympathy, tennis ball, university of california, university of california santa barbara, violence, violent films

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