TV crime watching frequency and perceived seriousness of crime

¶ … Image & Problem of Crime

Distinguishing between Fiction and Reality: Perceived Social Images of Crime from Watching TV Crime Genre and the 'Problem of Crime'

Research Question/Hypotheses

Do perceived social images of crime from TV crime genre contribute to the problem of crime?

(1) There is a significant relationship between frequency of crime TV-watching and perceived seriousness of the nature of minor crimes;

(2) There is a significant relationship between frequency of crime TV-watching and perceived seriousness of the nature of major crimes;

(3) There is a significant relationship between frequency of crime TV-watching and personal concern for crime and public safety;

(4) There is a significant relationship between perceived seriousness of the nature of minor crimes and personal concern for crime and public safety;

(5) There is a significant relationship between perceived seriousness of the nature of major crimes and personal concern for crime and public safety;

(6) There is a significant relationship between an individual's socio-demographic profile and perceived seriousness of the nature of minor crimes;

(7) There is a significant relationship between an individual's socio-demographic profile and perceived seriousness of the nature of major crimes; and (8) There is a significant relationship between an individual's socio-demographic profile and personal concern for cime and public safety.

II. Methodology

Research Design

This study will use the quantitative research approaches. This type of design is recommended because of its ability to present data results in aggregate form and to provide representativeness, or a general 'picture' of the social phenomenon or problem that is being studied.

Variables and Measures

Variables under study for this research endeavor will be the following: (1) sociodemographic characteristics, such as age, gender, educational attainment, occupation, and personal annual income; (2) viewing behavior of TV crime programs/shows; (3) perceived social images of the nature of major and minor crimes; and (4) expressed personal concern for crime and public safety.

The table below summarizes the relationship between the variables and measures that will be used for the study:

Variables

Measures

Independent variable:

Perceived social images of the nature of major crimes

Perceived level of seriousness on the following major crimes:

Perceived social images of the nature of major crimes

Perceived level of seriousness on the following minor crimes:

Dependent variables:

Profile/Socio-demographic Characteristics of the respondent

Age

Sex

Educational attainment

Occupation

Personal annual income

Access to mass media

Viewing behavior of TV crime programs

Kind of TV crime programs usually watch

Frequency of watching TV crime programs

Duration of crime TV-watching

Personal concern for crime and public safety

Self-ratings on attitude statements about the respondent's level of concern about issues concerning crime and public safety

Units of Analysis

Primary units of analysis will be the students and staff members in the Hong Kong University (HKU). There will be no restrictions on the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondent; HKU membership as a student or staff is the main consideration, as a result of logistical constraints on the part of the researcher.

Secondary data public records on the kind of crimes, both major and minor, that are frequently occurring in the area where the respondents reside (assuming all respondents live within or near the HKU campus). This secondary data will also be analyzed to give more meaning and provide the proper context in the interpretation of the data results.

Sampling Method

Probability (random) sampling will be the sampling technique of the study, wherein respondents will be chosen randomly from an official list of residents (who are also HKU staff and/or students) living in or nearby the HKU campus. An equal split between male and female respondents shall be determined, each with a sample size of n=30, which is the smallest statistically acceptable number for sample sizes in survey researches. Thus, the total sample size is N=60, divided into male and female groups, with n=30 respondents each.