Research by the Classification Office
The Office of Film and Literature Classification conducts research to enable it to perform its functions effectively. Sometimes this involves looking at what other researchers are saying about a particular topic, other times it involves asking members of the New Zealand public for their opinion.
What sorts of topics has the Classification Office done research on?
Over the last few years the Office has researched views about sexually explicit videos, underage gaming, young people's use of entertainment mediums, public perceptions of offensive language and violence in films, and public understanding of the censorship system.
research reports
The Classification Office publishes its research findings. Here are seven reports you might find useful in your studies. More reports are available on the main censorship website.
Understanding the Classification System (June 2011)
In 2011 the Classification Office updated its research on the New Zealand public's understanding of the classification system. This research is important as it allows the Classification Office to gauge how well it is meeting the public's expectations and needs.
More on the 2011 research into Understanding the Classification System
Young People's Use of Entertainment Mediums - 2010 (August 2010)
This research is an update of a study done in 2006 by the Classification Office. In this research you'll find out things like how often students watch DVDs and play video games, what they use their cellphones for and what things influence their choices in films and games.
Public Perceptions of a Violent Video Game X-Men Origins: Wolverine (August 2009)
In this research you'll find out what adults thought of the violence in this R18 video game. The research participants were divided into two groups, game players and non-game players.
Viewing Violence: Audience Perceptions of Violent Content in Audio-Visual Entertainment (November 2008)
We asked people what they thought about violence on film, DVD and television. The research included both adults over the age of 18, and young people aged between 14 and 17. Participants viewed short clips which depicted different types of violence in a variety of contexts. This research was a joint project between the Classification Office and the Broadcasting Standards Authority.
Public Perceptions of Highly Offensive Language (November 2007)
In this report you'll find out what sort of language people in New Zealand find highly offensive. The main finding of this research was that the perceived offensiveness of a word often depended on how it was being used.
Public Understanding of Censorship (June 2007)
This research helps us to understand the significance of New Zealand's censorship system by looking at what the public think about it.
Young People's Use of Entertainment Mediums (November 2006)
In 2006 the Classification Office decided to find out what sorts of movies, DVDs and video games young people in New Zealand were watching and playing, how often, and whether they thought these things influenced their thoughts and actions.
Underage Gaming Research (September 2005)
In this section you'll find out how many underage people are getting access to R18 and banned video games.
