One effect of watching unscripted human beings engaging in violence is heightened social awareness. In some cases, the TV network imparts ways for the viewer to get involved in preventing violence. For instance, the episode's credits may include a brief message with the number of a domestic violence hotline. Newspapers, tabloids and magazines also boost social awareness by publishing opinion pieces castigating the act. For example, a 2010 Huffington Post article debates the merits and implications of "Teen Mom" star Amber Portwood's act of domestic violence against her fiancé.
Repeated exposure to violence desensitizes viewers to such acts. Though claims that observing violence increases the propensity to commit violence acts are unsubstantiated and debatable, viewers are less likely to feel the same heightened emotions by witnessing violent acts consistently. Judith Page Van Evra, author of "Television and Child Development," explains reality TV is most pernicious in causing this desensitization; she cites a 2002 study indicating violence shown on reality TV had the strongest effect in imparting a sense of acceptability and normalcy in children.
When reality show stars portray violence as a desirable reaction to a problem, this creates a shifting of cultural norms. Some reality shows pass on a sense of acceptability regarding violent acts, particularly police shows. James Hamilton states in his book, "Television Violence and Public Policy," how violence in the case of crime-fighting shows and news clips subtly conveys the notion that using it is a powerful privilege and right for some members of society.
The effects of violence on viewers depend on a number of factors, including age, sociological and socio-economic background. For example, a teenage boy growing up in a home where domestic abuse is a common occurrence may have less of a reaction than an adult female who experienced no such actions. For children, television has the greater potential to mold and shape their perception of reality and social norms. Thus, parent advocacy groups and lobbyists tend to focus on preventing violent shows from being targeted to kids.