The Influence of the Mpaa's Film-Rating System on Motion Picture Attendance: A Pilot Study

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Abstract
The study reported here sought to design and implement a valid experimental instrument to test the potential influence of the Motion Picture Association of America's film-rating system (G, PG, R, X) on movie attendance. The theoretical basis for proposing that the MPAA's rating scheme might be influential in affecting movie attendance is found in Brehm's theory of psychological reactance. The experimental design was a four by four simple Latin square. Ss (n = 65) in the experiment were high school students. Statistical analysis of the data (ANOVA) showed the experimental instrument to be valid. Results of the experimental manipulation were nonsignficant (p > .05), thereby indicating that for this sample the MPAA ratings did not affect likelihood of film attendance and that psychological reactance apparently was not aroused. Self-report data indicated that the participants in this study most frequently attended films rated either PG or R.

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