The "Evils" of Television: The Amount of Television Viewing and School Performance Levels

Abstract

Correlational research was conducted examining relationships between amounts of television viewing and school performance levels (e.g. GPA) reported by college level students for both variables during high school and college. Surveys were administered, which contained open-ended questions, aimed at both high school and college levels. Results indicated an inverse relationship between high school amounts of television viewing and high school GPAs, and no significance was found for college levels. A regression analysis and independent T-tests for three groupings of television programs viewed during college, also yielded insignificant results. Findings run counter to the majority of the current body of research, which finds amount of television has little effect on school performance levels. Research was also able to include previously excluded population in findings.