I coded a random sample of 266 movies to test whether previous researcher’s assertions that the media legitimizes unwanted courtship persistence (UCP) and minimizes stalking behavior is true. Consistent with their assertions, I found that the media does frequently depict stories of unwanted courtship persistence, and they were portrayed, on average, as acceptable. Although pursuers were generally portrayed positively, pursuers who engaged in UCP were more likely to be portrayed negatively than non-UCP pursuers. However, UCP pursuers were more successful than non-UCP pursuers in winning over their love interest. Using Cupach and Spitzberg’s (2004) Obsessional Relational Intrusion (ORI) scale, I found that pursuers engaged in an average of 7 ORI behaviors throughout their pursuit, and many behaviors were portrayed as acceptable, if not positively. Only harassment, coercion and threat, and aggression and violence were portrayed negatively. Implications are tied into Bushman and Anderson’s (2002) General Aggression Model.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MSSTATE/oai:scholarsjunction.msstate.edu:td-5038 |
Date | 15 December 2012 |
Creators | MacArthur, John Robert |
Publisher | Scholars Junction |
Source Sets | Mississippi State University |
Detected Language | English |
Type | text |
Format | application/pdf |
Source | Theses and Dissertations |
Page generated in 0.0018 seconds