PSYC 101 – Experiment Assignment (50 pts)
Students will carefully observe acts of aggression and prosocial behavior on television, report their
observations, and analyze their data to draw conclusions.
Watch 20 minutes of each of the three types of programs (do not code behavior in commercials). Record
every aggressive act and prosocial act. Some categories will have several acts. Your chart and discussion
will focus on comparing the following three types of programs you will watch: 1) children’s cartoons
(such as from the cartoon channel, Nickelodeon); 2) children’s Teaching program can be found on cable
stations like SPROUT such as Barney, Arthur, Clifford the big red dog, Berenstain Bears, or Mister
Rogers’ Neighborhood; or Nick Jr programs (Dora the Explorer, Blues Clues); and 3) an adult program.
Look for a program you think might have lots of aggression (NO Reality show, sports events, wrestling,
comedy stand-up routines, music videos, talk shows). You can record/TIVO shows to watch at a later
time; you can also find many of these shows online to watch when it is convenient for you!!
After watching your shows:
Answer the 5 questions below. This homework will be submitted on Canvas!
Don’t forget to attach your original data chart to the written assignment!
1. List the 3 programs you observed and the date and the time. Indicate which program is the
cartoon, children’s teaching program and adult program.(5 pts)
2. Using the data on your chart, multiply the total number of aggressive acts by 3 for each type of
program to arrive at an hourly rate of aggressive acts. Do the same for prosocial behavior. Make
a table containing the hourly numbers for each program and include it along with the data
chart or include it here for #2. (10 pts)—you are including a table AND your data chart. You
will lose points for including only 1.
3. Discuss the levels of aggression and of prosocial behavior for the three types of programs by
comparing and contrasting what you observed. Were there differences in the levels and the type
of program? What impact could that have on the target audience for that type of program? (at
least 120 words; Include word count). Use specific numbers. (10 pts)
4. What did you learn from this project about aggression and prosocial behaviors.? How are these
behaviors more often displayed? Do you believe the amount of aggression and/or prosocial
behaviors you observed are more or less than what is often displayed in everyday interactions?
Does this have an impact on the model of behavior that has been displayed which could
ultimately change behavioral expectations? (at least 120 words; Include word count). (10 pts)
5. What did you learn about doing research - the process of doing this project, e.g. collecting the
data. Was the process of collecting date easier or harder than you hypothesized? What impact
would bias have on this experiment? (at least 120 words; Include word count). (15 pts)
Toptutordocs
, CHART
***THIS CHART MUST BE TURNED IN WITH ASSIGNMENT***
Practice Program Program Program
1 2 3
I. Physical Aggression
A. Against people
1. A hits B once, B hits
A once
2. A hits B several
times or reverse
3. A hurts B or the
reverse
4. A kills B or the
reverse
5. A hits several people
6. A kills several people
B. Against other living
creatures
1. Hurts
2. Kills
C. Against property
D. Other
II. Psychological Aggression
A. Insults
B. Abusive Language
C. Threats
D. Others
III. Other Categories of
aggression
A. Kidnapping
B. Torture
C. Other
Total numbers X (times) 3
Hourly rate of aggression X3 X3 X3 X3
IV. Prosocial aid to another
A. Providing aid to another
B. Control of aggressive
impulses
C. Making up for bad
behavior
D. Delay of gratification
E. Explaining the feelings
of others
F. Sympathy
G. Resistance of temptation
Total numbers X (times) 3
Hourly rate of prosocial behavior X 3 X3 X3 X3
Toptutordocs
Students will carefully observe acts of aggression and prosocial behavior on television, report their
observations, and analyze their data to draw conclusions.
Watch 20 minutes of each of the three types of programs (do not code behavior in commercials). Record
every aggressive act and prosocial act. Some categories will have several acts. Your chart and discussion
will focus on comparing the following three types of programs you will watch: 1) children’s cartoons
(such as from the cartoon channel, Nickelodeon); 2) children’s Teaching program can be found on cable
stations like SPROUT such as Barney, Arthur, Clifford the big red dog, Berenstain Bears, or Mister
Rogers’ Neighborhood; or Nick Jr programs (Dora the Explorer, Blues Clues); and 3) an adult program.
Look for a program you think might have lots of aggression (NO Reality show, sports events, wrestling,
comedy stand-up routines, music videos, talk shows). You can record/TIVO shows to watch at a later
time; you can also find many of these shows online to watch when it is convenient for you!!
After watching your shows:
Answer the 5 questions below. This homework will be submitted on Canvas!
Don’t forget to attach your original data chart to the written assignment!
1. List the 3 programs you observed and the date and the time. Indicate which program is the
cartoon, children’s teaching program and adult program.(5 pts)
2. Using the data on your chart, multiply the total number of aggressive acts by 3 for each type of
program to arrive at an hourly rate of aggressive acts. Do the same for prosocial behavior. Make
a table containing the hourly numbers for each program and include it along with the data
chart or include it here for #2. (10 pts)—you are including a table AND your data chart. You
will lose points for including only 1.
3. Discuss the levels of aggression and of prosocial behavior for the three types of programs by
comparing and contrasting what you observed. Were there differences in the levels and the type
of program? What impact could that have on the target audience for that type of program? (at
least 120 words; Include word count). Use specific numbers. (10 pts)
4. What did you learn from this project about aggression and prosocial behaviors.? How are these
behaviors more often displayed? Do you believe the amount of aggression and/or prosocial
behaviors you observed are more or less than what is often displayed in everyday interactions?
Does this have an impact on the model of behavior that has been displayed which could
ultimately change behavioral expectations? (at least 120 words; Include word count). (10 pts)
5. What did you learn about doing research - the process of doing this project, e.g. collecting the
data. Was the process of collecting date easier or harder than you hypothesized? What impact
would bias have on this experiment? (at least 120 words; Include word count). (15 pts)
Toptutordocs
, CHART
***THIS CHART MUST BE TURNED IN WITH ASSIGNMENT***
Practice Program Program Program
1 2 3
I. Physical Aggression
A. Against people
1. A hits B once, B hits
A once
2. A hits B several
times or reverse
3. A hurts B or the
reverse
4. A kills B or the
reverse
5. A hits several people
6. A kills several people
B. Against other living
creatures
1. Hurts
2. Kills
C. Against property
D. Other
II. Psychological Aggression
A. Insults
B. Abusive Language
C. Threats
D. Others
III. Other Categories of
aggression
A. Kidnapping
B. Torture
C. Other
Total numbers X (times) 3
Hourly rate of aggression X3 X3 X3 X3
IV. Prosocial aid to another
A. Providing aid to another
B. Control of aggressive
impulses
C. Making up for bad
behavior
D. Delay of gratification
E. Explaining the feelings
of others
F. Sympathy
G. Resistance of temptation
Total numbers X (times) 3
Hourly rate of prosocial behavior X 3 X3 X3 X3
Toptutordocs
