Phyllis A. Katz

Big World, Small Screen assesses the influence of television on the lives of the most vulnerable and powerless in American society: children, ethnic and sexual minorities, and women. Many in these groups are addicted to television, although they are not the principal audiences sought by commercial TV distributors because they are not the most lucrative markets for advertisers. This important book illustrates the power of television in stereotyping the elderly, ethnic groups, gays and lesbians, and the institutionalized and, thus, in contributing to the self-image of many viewers. They go on to consider how television affects social interaction, intellectual functioning, emotional development, and attitudes (toward family life, sexuality, and mental and physical health, for example). They illustrate the medium's potential to teach and inform, to communicate across nations and cultures—and to induce violence, callousness, and amorality. Parents will be especially interested in what they say about television viewing and children. Finally, they offer suggestions for research and public policy with the aim of producing programming that will enrich the lives of citizens all across the spectrum.Nine psychologists, members of the Task Force on Television and Society appointed by the American Psychological Association, have collaborated on Big World, Small Screen.

Adolescents are an underserved group in terms of health care. Poor and minority youth are particularly shortchanged in our current system. In view of the high incidence of many medical and psychological syndromes associated with poverty and discrimination, this situation is paradoxical. This book examines both common and unique health issues associated with a number of different groups—African-American, Latino, Native American, Asian-American, and Hawaiian—and explores the role of traditional and nontraditional treatments for each. The chapters represent a compendium of the most up-to-date studies summarized by leading researchers and include specific recommendations for improving health care services, which will prove valuable to providers and those concerned with public policy. The authors conclude that unless greater attention and resources are devoted to these youth, the consequences will continue to be dire, both for the groups involved and for society as a whole.