Violent crime and Poisson regression: A measure and a method for cultivation analysis

A content analysis of network prime-time television found violent crime over-represented and property crime (burglary) under-represented when compared to crime statistics. These differences were used to predict survey respondents' estimations of crime rates in their community. A significant relationship was found between television exposure and beliefs about crime rates when using a non-linear analytic model. Heavier television viewers were more likely to give higher estimates of murder rates and lower estimates of burglary rates than lighter viewers. These estimation patterns are consistent with televised portrayals and offer support for the cultivation hypothesis.