Catharsis and Media Violence: A Conceptual Analysis

Abstract

Abstract:The concept that doing something to "vent" aggression as a method of reducing aggressive feelings and behaviors, such as watching media violence or playing violent video games, continues to enjoy widespread public support despite a lack of empirical support. This article describes the historical origins of the concept and examines how well these conceptions fit with the modern usage of the aggression catharsis hypothesis. It is argued that there are four primary flaws with the catharsis hypothesis. First, the metaphor underlying Freud, Breuer, and Lorenz's conception of aggression is flawed. Aggression is not a drive. Second, although Aristotle did use the term catharsis with relation to violent media (plays and poetry), he did not mean that viewing media violence can purge the viewer of aggressive feelings or behaviors. Furthermore, he describes several detailed requirements of plot and character that must be followed if his type of catharsis is to be achieved, and modern media violence does not meet these requirements. Third, the empirical support is not only lacking, a large empirical base contradicts the catharsis hypothesis. This is seen both in studies attempting to demonstrate catharsis directly and in the broader media violence literature. Fourth, human neuroscience contradicts the catharsis hypothesis. Learning is not hindered by viewing something one more time-it is improved. Taken together, it appears that there is no possible way that the aggression catharsis hypothesis can be accurate. It nevertheless continues to "feel" correct at a phenomenological level, and the reasons for this are discussed.

The lone gamer: Social exclusion predicts violent video game preferences and fuels aggressive inclinations in adolescent players

“…In 2000, six major public health organizations (i.e., the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, American Psychological Association, American Medical Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, and American Psychiatric Association) stated that children exposed to violent programming at a young age (8–17 years old; see Gentile, Li, Khoo, Prot, & Anderson, ) have a higher tendency for violent and aggressive behavior later in life than children who are not so exposed (see Gentile, ; p. 417). Nonetheless, despite this general consensus within the public health and scientific communities, there is still a common belief that playing violent video games allows people to vent their aggressive impulses through a cathartic effect, hence reducing aggressive inclinations after playing (Gentile, ).…”

An Exploration of Players' Aggression: Role of Game and Life Self-Efficacy and Adaptive Game Use Tendency

“…According to the aggression catharsis hypothesis [25]- [27], aggressive actions allow people to vent their aggressive inclinations, who will thus behave less aggressively. The aggression catharsis hypothesis has a long history.…”

“…The first viewpoint sees games as an emotional outlet through which people can express themselves and gain some sense of catharsis [19]- [21], [23]. This notion is based on the catharsis theory [25]- [27]. Aggression catharsis alleges that watching another person's aggressive behavior drains the viewer of aggressive feelings.…”

Explosive Matters: Does Venting Anger Reduce or Increase Aggression? Differences in Anger Venting Effects in Violent Offenders

“…psychoanalysis, Freud & Brill, 1995;Scheff, 2001). The idea that venting (or expressing) anger is effective in reducing aggressive behavior has been widely supported by educators (Bennett, 1991) and the common public opinion (Gentile, 2013;Leslie, 2008), without any empirical support (Gentile, 2013).…”