Follow-up Gun Study: Can Safety Videos Mitigate Interest in Guns in Children?
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The investigators' previous research has shown that children exposed to media characters with guns in movies and video games are more likely to use real guns themselves (e.g., touch them, hold them, pull the trigger). This research tests whether exposure to a gun safety video a week before the study can help counteract dangerous behavior around guns.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Detailed Description
Guns are prominent in movies that target children. An analysis of top selling films found that the depiction of guns in violent scenes in PG-13 films that target youth has increased from the level of G and PG files in 1985 when the rating was introduced, to the level of R films by 2005, to exceed the level of R films since 2012, a trend that has continued.
Research in the investigator's lab has shown that children are more likely to use guns (e.g., handle them, pull the trigger) after exposure to movie characters who use guns. The investigators replicated this study using video games, and also found that children who had taken a gun safety course were less likely to engage in dangerous behavior around firearms. However, it is difficult to draw causal inferences about the gun safety course because children were not randomly assigned to take or not take a gun safety course.
The present research will aim to reduce dangerous behavior around firearms by first exposing participants to a gun safety video recorded by The Ohio State University Chief of Police. The control video is about car safety. Children will see the videos about a week before they come into the lab.
In the lab, children will be tested in pairs. They will first watch a film clip from one of two different PG rated films, either in its original form (with guns) or with the guns edited out. After exposure to the film, participants will be placed in a room with toys, including two real unloaded guns that have been modified for safety and include a trigger pull counter.
The study uses 2 (gun safety video vs. car safety video) X 2 (movie with guns vs. movie without guns) between-subjects factorial design.
The investigators predict that children will be less likely to engage in dangerous behavior around real firearms after viewing the gun safety video than those who viewed the car safety video, even if they see a movie with guns in the lab.
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| Experimental: Gun safety vid x Movie clip - guns present Participants in this condition will view a gun safety video featuring The Ohio State University Chief of Police about a week before coming into the lab. In the lab, they will watch a ~20 minute clip of either The Rocketeer or National Treasure featuring guns. |
Behavioral: Gun handling behavior
Children will play in an observed room for 20 minutes. Aside from a selection of toys, two real handguns will be placed in a drawer. The handguns have been modified so they cannot fire. Inside the magazine, the handgun contains no bullets. Instead, it contains a sensor that counts the number of times the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. This allows us to distinguish reliably the children who pull the trigger from those who handle the gun but do not pull the trigger
Other: Debriefing
Children and their parents will be debriefed on the actual purpose of the study, including the role of the safety video and how the movie clips were edited.
|
| Active Comparator: Gun safety vid x Movie clip - guns absent Participants in this condition will view a gun safety video featuring The Ohio State University Chief of Police about a week before coming into the lab. In the lab, they will watch a ~20 minute clip of either The Rocketeer or National Treasure with the guns edited out. |
Behavioral: Gun handling behavior
Children will play in an observed room for 20 minutes. Aside from a selection of toys, two real handguns will be placed in a drawer. The handguns have been modified so they cannot fire. Inside the magazine, the handgun contains no bullets. Instead, it contains a sensor that counts the number of times the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. This allows us to distinguish reliably the children who pull the trigger from those who handle the gun but do not pull the trigger
Other: Debriefing
Children and their parents will be debriefed on the actual purpose of the study, including the role of the safety video and how the movie clips were edited.
|
| Active Comparator: Seatbelt safety video x Movie clip - guns present Participants in this condition will view a seatbelt safety video about a week before coming into the lab. In the lab, they will watch a ~20 minute clip of either The Rocketeer or National Treasure featuring guns. |
Behavioral: Gun handling behavior
Children will play in an observed room for 20 minutes. Aside from a selection of toys, two real handguns will be placed in a drawer. The handguns have been modified so they cannot fire. Inside the magazine, the handgun contains no bullets. Instead, it contains a sensor that counts the number of times the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. This allows us to distinguish reliably the children who pull the trigger from those who handle the gun but do not pull the trigger
Other: Debriefing
Children and their parents will be debriefed on the actual purpose of the study, including the role of the safety video and how the movie clips were edited.
|
| Active Comparator: Seatbelt safety video x Movie clip - guns absent Participants in this condition will view a seatbelt safety video about a week before coming into the lab. In the lab, they will watch a ~20 minute clip of either The Rocketeer or National Treasure featuring guns. |
Behavioral: Gun handling behavior
Children will play in an observed room for 20 minutes. Aside from a selection of toys, two real handguns will be placed in a drawer. The handguns have been modified so they cannot fire. Inside the magazine, the handgun contains no bullets. Instead, it contains a sensor that counts the number of times the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. This allows us to distinguish reliably the children who pull the trigger from those who handle the gun but do not pull the trigger
Other: Debriefing
Children and their parents will be debriefed on the actual purpose of the study, including the role of the safety video and how the movie clips were edited.
|
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Number of trigger pulls [20 minutes play session]
The two guns hidden in the playroom contain sensors that count how often the trigger is pulled with sufficient force to discharge the gun. A counter on the weapon displays the number of pulls, which will be entered into a data file along with the observational data described below. Observational data will also be used to confirm trigger pull counts.
- Behavioral: Gun location [20 minutes play session]
Trained research assistants, blind to video game condition and experimental hypotheses, will independently code the play session videos. Coders will identify whether the participants found the handguns. how long the participants held the handgun, and
- Behavioral: Gun location response [20 minutes play session]
If the participants found the handguns, the coders will identify whether the participants told an adult or whether the participants touched the handgun.
- Behavioral: Gun holding time [20 minutes play session]
If participants handle the gun, coders will record how long the gun was held.
- Behavioral: Gun pointing [20 minutes play session]
Coders will identify whether the participants pointed a handgun at themselves or their partners.
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Attitudes toward guns [After 20 minutes play session. Five minute questionnaire.]
Participants will complete a post-test questionnaire that collects data on the child's attitudes towards guns.
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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Age 8-12 yrs
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No prior participation in the study
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Able to schedule participation with a known peer (8-12yo).
Exclusion Criteria:
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Younger than 8 yrs old
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Older than 12 yrs old
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Prior study participation
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Could not schedule participation with a known peer (8-12yo)
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ohio State University | Columbus | Ohio | United States | 43201 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Ohio State University
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Brad J Bushman, PhD, Ohio State University
Study Documents (Full-Text)
More Information
Publications
None provided.- 2021B0318