Hollywood's Prizefight Films: Violence or "Jock" Appeal?

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Abstract
Many psychological experiments on aggression use prizefight films as their stimuli. This paper questions the use of such films for studies of media agression. Examining prizefight films from 1939 to 1982, it is suggested that they are primarily about "jock" appeal rather than violence. Jock appeal is defined as male narcissism, and the "jock" is contrasted with the professional athlete who must be a thinker and organizer as well as a doer. Hollywood, however, prefers the less holistic model of the "jock" which is easier to comprehend by mass audiences. To the extent that the films deal with violence, it is the contrast between the instrumental violence of the ring and the expressive violence of the fans. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the value of "jock" appeal in discussions of media experiences, and the relevance of the "jock" concept in some of the newer films about women athletes.

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