Children do not mimic television violence, according to a unique experiment conducted according to a report by British psychologists. The latest research - part of a long history of inquiry into this controversial area - took place in unique circumstances.

Until three years ago, the South Atlantic island of St Helena had never received television broadcasts. When transmissions began, psychologists were there to examine the children's reactions. The BBC's Arts Correspondent Simon Pitts reports:

The British Crown colony of St Helena is an island with a population of 5,500 people. Since television broadcasts began on the island, children there have been watching programmes with similar levels of violence to those transmitted in the United Kingdom.

The team of psychologists examined children's reactions in a number of ways - including videoing their playground activities.

Almost all previous research in this area has suggested a link between children's television, diet and their behaviour. Most observational studies suggest that two years after the introduction of television into a community, children's behaviour deteriorates.

This hasn't been the case on St Helena and the research suggests that a child remains unaffected by violence as long as they have a good family background, good schools and a caring community to support them.

The psychologist team leader, Professor Tony Charlton, said: "What we've found on St Helena is that TV is in the dock but it's not guilty.

"And I don't think it matters whether the population is small, we have produced evidence that when broadcast television becomes available in a community it needn't necessarily produce harmful effects upon children's behaviour."

This research concurs with a recent British Government report which also found no clear link between violent behaviour and violent television programmes.
 

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