Sociology ETDs

Publication Date

1-19-1979

Abstract

An investigation is made of prime-time police and private detective television series with regard to the presentation of mental disorder in the deviants depicted in these programs. The application of labels indicating mental disorder and the attribution of dangerousness to mentally disturbed deviants is assessed. For the sake of comparison, series with non-mental disorder content are investi­gated, and the labels used in connection with the deviants in these programs, and their level of dangerousness, are determined.

It was hypothesized that (1) a greater number of negative labels are attached to mentally disturbed, or presumed mentally disturbed, deviants than to persons whose wrongdoings are attributed to causes other than mental disorders, and (2) that low-breakers who ore labeled mentally disturbed are presented as more dangerous than ore those who are not so labeled. Both hypotheses find support through the results of the investigation. A larger number of negative labels (an average of 4.2 per program) was used in programs with mental disorder content than in those with other content (on average of 1.7 per program). Law-breakers who were labeled mentally disturbed were presented as more dangerous (on average level of 2.56 per deviant) than were those who were not so labeled (an average level of 1.54 per deviant).

Degree Name

Sociology

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Sociology

First Committee Member (Chair)

Melvin Lawrence De Fleur

Second Committee Member

Illegible

Third Committee Member

Illegible

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Comments

The UNMUL recognizes that due to its historical nature, this item may include concepts or language that may be biased, harmful, and insensitive surrounding disability.

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