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| Chapter 5: Public Opinion |
| What Government Does and Why It Matters |
| Does what children see on television influence their behavior? To test this question, watch one hour of children’s cartoons, preferably with a small child. Count the number of acts of violence, such as hitting, killing, verbal assault, and so on. |
| 1. What cartoons did you watch? How many acts of violence did you count? |
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| 2. If you watched the cartoons with a child, what was his or her response to specific acts of violence? |
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| 3. Do you think cartoons are more violent today than when you were younger? If so, why? |
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| 4. In your opinion, is there a linkage between what children see on television and their social behavior? |
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| 5. Should the government control children’s viewing? Explain. |
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| 6. How have U.S. presidents tried to manipulate (shape) media coverage during their presidencies? Do you think local media should air “video news releases” without citing their sources? |
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