BY RUTH WREN
This article describes research on the effects of warning labels for violent television programs. Two major theories are examined. Tainted fruit theory states that warning labels will decrease interest in violent programs by implying that they have potentially harmful effects. Forbidden fruit theory posits that interest in violent programs will be increased by warning labels because they challenge the individual's freedom to engage in viewing the program. In this way, labels can backfire by actually increasing viewing rather than discouraging it.
Three experiments were conducted to explore these issues. The first one resulted in evidence that warning labels increase interest in violent programs, especially when the source of the warning is an authority figure (i.e., the U.S. Surgeon General). This may be attributed to the increased pressure to comply that is generated by authority figures. Experiment two showed that individuals that rate high in reactance were especially interested in viewing the violent programs if they had warning labels. A reactive individual is one who experiences resistance when behavioral freedom is threatened. Reactivity was measured by a Therapeutic Reaction Scale with items such as "if I am told what to do, I often do the opposite" (p. 217). Experiment three provided evidence that warning labels increased interest in violent shows more than labels that were simply informative. For example, the phrase "this film contains some violence" is informative only, whereas the additional phrase "viewer discretion is advised" has the additional component of telling the viewer what to do.
When assessing the value and wording of labels, whether they are associated with entertainment or any other commodity, it is important to take these findings into consideration. If labels are not designed appropriately, they may have powerful unintended effects. This is especially significant in regards to television, since hundreds of studies have shown that watching violence increases aggression in people of all ages (e.g., Huston et al, 1992; National Institute of Mental Health, 1989; Park and Comstock, 1994). The results of these experiments clearly show the importance of developing a clear understanding of the behavioral effects of different types of labeling.
REFERENCE
Brad J. Bushman and Angela D. Stack, Forbidden Fruit vs. Tainted Fruit: Effects of Warning Labels on Attraction to Television Violence, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 1996, Vol. 2, No. 3, 207-226.