Aggression: The Explosive Emotion. This film probes the roots of aggression in human behavior, determines the difference between constructive and destructive aggression, and examines various outlets for aggression. Mental health experts discuss the dangerous results of not dispelling anger with constructive forms of aggression, such as sports and physical exercise; they also question whether drugs should be used to control aggression. From the Thin Edge series. Produced by NET. (1975, 58 min.) Available from Pennsylvania State University, Audio-Visual Services, University Park, PA 16802 (800-826-0132).

The Aggressive Impulse. Explores the idea that the urge to be violent is inborn and provides suggestions of ways to control aggression. Given the “nature vs. nurture” debate discussed in Chapter 11, this film can lead to some very compelling discussions. (1977, 18 min.) Available from Encyclopedia Britannica, Educational Corp., 425 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611.

Battered Women: Violence Behind Closed Doors. This film features group discussions and individual interviews in which female victims reveal how getting beaten up can become an almost accepted part of married life, and male perpetrators show how a number of prevalent attitudes toward women in our society contribute to cases of wife beating. It also examines cultural aspects of their aberrant behavior and suggests remedies such as community shelters, counseling, and education. (1977, 23 min.) Available from Pennsylvania State University, Audio-Visual Services, University Park, PA 16802 (800-826-0132).

Bowling for Columbine. The United States is notorious for its astronomical number of people killed by firearms for a developed nation without a civil war. With angry humor, film activist Michael Moore explores the roots of this bloodshed in an award-winning documentary. Produced by United Artists and Alliance Atlantis. (2003, 119 min.) Available from MGM Home Entertainment

Child Abuse: Cradle of Violence. Using intimate interviews with abusive parents in the areas of child behavior and discipline, this film provides an insight into child abuse and explains the need to break the cycle. It also presents alternatives to moral punishment and potential stress situations. (1976, 20 min.) Available from Pennsylvania State University, Audio-Visual Services, University Park, PA 16802 (800-826-0132).

Does TV Kill? This episode of Frontline investigates television’s role in our increasingly violent society and examines how violent images change children—and adults. We strongly recommend using this program. (1995, 90 min.) Available from PBS Video (800-344-3337).

Human Aggression. This video depicts spontaneous occurrences of aggression, such as the activities of a youth gang, and relates these examples to scientific principles and laboratory findings. The video covers the psychological training of police, the Bobo doll experiment of Bandura and colleagues discussed in Activity 2 above, Milgram’s work with group influence on aggression, and the legitimization of aggression in delinquent groups; it also includes a statement by former Attorney General Ramsey Clark on aggression among the disadvantaged. From the Social Psychology series. (1976, 24 min.) Available from Pennsylvania State University, Audio-Visual Services, University Park, PA 16802 (800-826-0132).

The Impact of Violence on Children.This program looks at the sources of violence that affect children, and reports staggering statistics about the amount of violence that children today are exposed to. Among the experts featured in the video are Dr. James Garbarino, Director of Cornell University’s Family Life Development Center; James Stayer, President of Children Now; and Dr. Kathleen Kostelny, Erikson Institute. (1995, 28 min.) Available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126).

The In Crowd and Social Cruelty. This is a videotape of an ABC News program that dealt with cliques and bullying. (2002, 41 min.) It is available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126)

Konrad Lorenz: An Intimate Portrait of the Founder of the Science of Animal Behavior. Presents the seminal ideas of Nobel Prize-winner Konrad Lorenz, known as the father of ethology, a science dealing with all the forces at work in animal behavior. Lorenz himself tells how he developed his central concepts of imprinting, domestication, and aggression. (1978, 25 min.) Available from Pennsylvania State University, Audio-Visual Services, University Park, PA 16802 (800-826-0132).

The Lessons of Littleton. This video examines the shootings in Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado and examines the roots of violent behavior. (1999, 90 min.) Available from Insight Media (800-233-9910).

Machismo. Originally shown on 60 Minutes, this video examines the issues of sex-role stereotyping and the ways in which aggression against women can be an accepted part of one’s culture. It demonstrates how in Brazil a man can, with impunity, kill his wife because he imagines she may have glanced at another man or simply because she did not serve dinner on time. The most severe “punishment” received by the man who has murdered his wife is that he is to disappear for a few days, after which he cannot be punished for defending his honor. (1988, 16 min.) Available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126).

Rape: An Act of Hate. This program, hosted by actress Veronica Hamel, seeks to determine why people rape. It examines the history and mythology of rape, explains who its most likely victims are, and contains interviews with experts in the fields of media, law enforcement, and sociology. (1986, 30 min.) Available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126).

The Rape Drug: A New Menace. Examines the growing use of the drug Rohypnol, an odorless and flavorless drug that can be mixed with alcohol. This video explains how some men use this drug to sedate women in order to take advantage of them on dates. The video follows two such cases through interviews with victims and their attorneys. This program presents “a thorough examination of a growing social problem.” (1997, 26 min.) Available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126).

Skinheads USA: The Pathology of Hate. This award-winning program provides an unprecedented inside look at an actual neo-Nazi skinhead organization, its operations, and its personalities. “The program powerfully captures firsthand the distorted idealism and openly racist objectives of the neo-Nazi youth movement.” Caution: This video contains profanity and footage of violence and brutality. Instructors should preview this video before showing it to their students. (1993, 54 min.) Available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126).

Spanking. This Dateline NBC program focuses on the debate about whether and how to use physical punishment when disciplining children. Does spanking cause children to become more aggressive, rather than less? Does “sparing the rod” lead to “spoiling the child”? The program includes interviews with social scientists and physicians. (June 29, 1997). Available from NBC (800-420-2626).

Talked to Death: Have TV Talk Shows Gone Too Far? This HBO program focuses on the growing phenomenon of depictions of violence, hatred, and other extreme, sensational behaviors and emotions on talk shows, demonstrating how far producers and hosts are willing to go to win high ratings. The video includes interviews with Geraldo Rivera, Phil Donahue, Maury Povich, and Morton Downey, Jr., as well as producers, lawyers, and guests. The video shows producers trying to elicit rage from a timid guest, a woman posing as an unhappy wife, and footage of the never-broadcast Jenny Jones Show episode in which a gay man revealed his attraction for a heterosexual man, who later killed him, allegedly because of the revelation made on the show. (1996, 60 min.) Available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126).

Teen Violence: Wot U Lookin’ At? Is violent behavior a product of nature or nurture? This documentary explores the causes of antisocial behavior in young urban males. The video includes candid interviews with young criminals, and it encourages viewers to question various theories about the origins of aggression. A BBC production. (1998, 60 min.) Available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126).

TV Violence and You. George Gerbner (his research on cultivation is discussed in the textbook) analyzes one week of television shows to determine their level of violence. Violence in the news, on cartoons, at sports events, and on prime-time programs are discussed. The put-down, frequently seen in sitcoms, is also analyzed. The effects of these depictions of violence on viewers are discussed. Violent relationships portrayed between men and women are analyzed within the context of the growing incidence of rape. (1995, 30 min.) Available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126).

Violence Against Women. Hosted by a policewoman and a television news anchor, this award-winning video examines domestic violence, the secrecy that often surrounds it, and some of the practical and legal issues that abused women face. (1995, 46 min.) Available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126).

Violence: An American Tradition. Using archival photos and footage, as well as discussions by experts in a variety of fields, this video explores the recurring patterns of violence in our society. “Hosted by civil rights activist Julian Bond, the program examines many of the most notorious acts of violence that have scarred the American psyche over the past 200 years.” An HBO production. (1995, 55 min.) Available from Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126).

Note: Films for the Humanities and Sciences (800-257-5126) offers a great many videos relevant to the topic of domestic violence. This list summarizes only a small sample of what is available.