Ongewenste video's : kykgewoontes van Potchefstroomse hoërskoolkinders

Abstract

UNDESIRABLE VIDEOS : VIEWING HABITS OF POTCHEFSTROOM HIGH SCHOOL CHILDREN Ever since the introduction of the video cassette recorder (VCR), its sales and ownership have soared world-wide. This growing popularity may be ascribed to the power it affords the user, i n that anything may be viewed at any time. The VCR has furthermore made it possible to hire videos frm video shops, to be viewed in the privacy of the home. Many of these videos have age restrictions, as imposed by the Publications Appeal Board or Publications Committees. The purpose o f the age restrictions is to indicate that children of a certain age group should not be exposed to such videos. In this study videos with an age restriction, i.e. not meant for a specific age group, are referred to as undesirable videos. The purpose of this study is to ascertain whether Potchefstroom high-school children view undesirable videos. Related to this are the factors that may play a role in the viewing process, such as biographical variables, social factors and parent al control. The empirical investigation was conducted by means of the field study method. Questionnaires were distributed amongst pupils from standards six to ten in seven White Pot chef st room high schools that existed at the time of the research. The questionnaire included a list of undesirable videos - all (except the two false title's) having an age restriction of 2-16, 2-18, 2-19 or 2-21. Respondents were requested to indicate which of these videos they had seen. The videos seen were divided into quantum categories of one, two to five, six to ten and more than ten undesirable videos seen. This was in turn cross-tabulated with the rest of the questions in the questionnaire. It could accordingly be determinded whether children in fact viewed undesirable videos and what factors played a role in the viewing process. The study found that most of the Pot chef st room high-school children watched undesirable videos. It was further ascertained that biographical variables, such as gender, language and religion played a role in the viewing habits of children as regards undesirable videos. Peer group-orientated respondents also watched more undesirable videos than parent-orientated respondents. As far as social activity is concerned, respondents mostly hired and payed for undesirable videos themselves and watched them with friends, alone or with parents. Respondents mostly watched undesirable videos at home and at the home of their friends. It was also found that parents were not always able to control the viewing habits of their children. Respondents either watched undesirable videos without the consent of parents or without their knowledge. Respondents whose parents controlled viewing habits, saw the least undesirable videos, compared with respondents whose parents did not control viewing habits. Respondents who often viewed undesirable videos also had a more "liberal" view regarding the portrayal of violence, sex and crude language in videos and age restrictions on videos. This study accordingly deals mainly with the viewing habits of the high-school child or adolescent, since it is evident from the literature study that the adolescent is more inclined to view videos and undesirable videos than the younger child. The social learning theory lies at the basis of this study, as age restrictions are placed on videos because of the excessive incidence of violence, sex, nudity and crude language. The important question is, therefore, what adolescents can learn from the media after exposure to this material that is not suitable for them. The needs and development of the adolescent are of cardinal importance during this phase of development, and these are linked to how he receives, processes and interprets media content. Emphasis is placed on the purpose of age restrictions and the necessity of control as the conclusion is arrived at that the media can be an important source of information for the adolescent.