The effects of televised consequences of aggression upon physiological arousal (heart rate)

Using heart rate as an index of autonomic arousal, the effects of depicting the consequences of violence, violence with no consequences, nonviolence, and a control were examined across a sample of male and female subjects (N = 80). Viewing consequences significantly inhibited arousal, while viewing violence without consequences or viewing nonviolence significantly increased arousal. Females demonstrated this pattern more than males. The findings support the conclusion that specific content manipulations of aggressive stimuli affect levels of arousal.