Male responses to female aggression

The effects on males (N = 60) of observing fictional aggression were assessed in a between-subjects design. Participants were randomly assigned to view either a film clip of professional women wrestlers, a mud wrestling segment, or a no-film control condition. Both films produced negative changes in mood states, principally an increase in aggression and a decrease in social affection. Exposure to the films failed to produce changes in men’s acceptance of interpersonal violence against women, rape myth beliefs, or sexual callousness.