The Influence of Media Violence on Youth

Abstract

Research on violent television and films, video games, and music reveals unequivocal evidence that media violence increases the likelihood of aggressive and violent behavior in both immediate and long-term contexts. The effects appear larger for milder than for more severe forms of aggression, but the effects on severe forms of violence are also substantial (r = .13 to .32) when compared with effects of other violence risk factors or medical effects deemed important by the medical community (e.g., effect of aspirin on heart attacks). The research base is large; diverse in methods, samples, and media genres; and consistent in overall findings. The evidence is clearest within the most extensively researched domain, television and film violence. The growing body of video-game research yields essentially the same conclusions. Short-term exposure increases the likelihood of physically and verbally aggressive behavior, aggressive thoughts, and aggressive emotions. Recent large-scale longitudinal studies provide converging evidence linking frequent exposure to violent media in childhood with aggression later in life, including physical assaults and spouse abuse. Because extremely violent criminal behaviors (e.g., forcible rape, aggravated assault, homicide) are rare, new longitudinal studies with larger samples are needed to estimate accurately how much habitual childhood exposure to media violence increases the risk for extreme violence. Well-supported theory delineates why and when exposure to media violence increases aggression and violence. Media violence produces short-term increases by priming existing aggressive scripts and cognitions, increasing physiological arousal, and triggering an automatic tendency to imitate observed behaviors. Media violence produces long-term effects via several types of learning processes leading to the acquisition of lasting (and automatically accessible) aggressive scripts, interpretational schemas, and aggression-supporting beliefs about social behavior, and by reducing individuals' normal negative emotional responses to violence (i.e., desensitization). Certain characteristics of viewers (e.g., identification with aggressive characters), social environments (e.g., parental influences), and media content (e.g., attractiveness of the perpetrator) can influence the degree to which media violence affects aggression, but there are some inconsistencies in research results. This research also suggests some avenues for preventive intervention (e.g., parental supervision, interpretation, and control of children's media use). However, extant research on moderators suggests that no one is wholly immune to the effects of media violence. Recent surveys reveal an extensive presence of violence in modern media. Furthermore, many children and youth spend an inordinate amount of time consuming violent media. Although it is clear that reducing exposure to media violence will reduce aggression and violence, it is less clear what sorts of interventions will produce a reduction in exposure. The sparse ...

The Role of Violent Media Preference in Cumulative Developmental Risk for Violence and General Aggression

“…According to the authorities investigating the crimes, the teenagers had determined to replicate the actions of Niko Belic, the thuggish protagonist from the new video game "Grand Theft Auto IV." Although this particular event represents an extreme example of how violence in the media can promote violence in "real life," it is wholly consistent with the fact that for decades, exposure to violent media has been acknowledged as a risk factor for aggressive and violent behavior (Anderson et al 2003; US Surgeon General 1972).Broadly speaking, antisocial behavior in adolescence is multiply determined, with risk factors at multiple levels spanning biological, psychological, and contextual influences (Dodge et al 2006;Frick 2006;Hoge Guerra and Boxer 2008;Huesmann and Eron 1989). Theoretical models of the development of antisocial behavior have embraced this equifinality, acknowledging the numerous ways in which different loci of risk can interact to promote habitual antisocial responses (Dodge and Pettit 2003;Frick and Morris 2004;Guerra and Huesmann 2004).…”

“…According to the authorities investigating the crimes, the teenagers had determined to replicate the actions of Niko Belic, the thuggish protagonist from the new video game "Grand Theft Auto IV." Although this particular event represents an extreme example of how violence in the media can promote violence in "real life," it is wholly consistent with the fact that for decades, exposure to violent media has been acknowledged as a risk factor for aggressive and violent behavior (Anderson et al 2003; US Surgeon General 1972). …”

“…Yet it is not surprising given the current state of empirical research on violent media effects. Although recent exhaustive narrative reviews (Anderson et al 2003) and meta-analyses Bushman and Huesmann 2006) confirm the causal influence of violent media exposure on aggressive behavior, this area of research has been lacking with respect to sampling populations and measuring criterion outcomes of greatest interest to developmental and child-clinical researchers. Specifically, studies of the effects of violent media on youths' antisocial behavior have been limited in two key respects.…”

Effects of realism on extended violent and nonviolent video game play on aggressive thoughts, feelings, and physiological arousal

“…Although top media violence experts have argued that media violence effects (including violence in video games) are uniform across gender and trait aggression levels [Anderson et al, 2003a], trait levels of aggression and gender play an important role in aggression. Thus, these two variables will be treated as covariates in this study.…”

¿Crece la conflictividad escolar? Percepciones de estudiantes y profesorado de Secundaria

“…In relation to kinds of conflicts, authors like Bjorkvist, Lagerspetz & Kaukiainen (1992), Atkins, Stoff, Osborne & Browne (1993), Crick & Grotpeter (1995) Archer & Coyne (2005) and Zimmer-Gemback, Geiger & Crick (2005), describe different classifications that join three great groups of conflicts (physical, psychological and verbal violence). Some authors (Slee & Rigby, 1993;Baldry & Farrington, 1998;Anderson et al 2003;Berguno, Leroux, McAinsh & Shaikh, 2004;Andreou, 2000Andreou, , 2001Andreou, , 2004Andreou, and 2006Cava, Musitu & Murgui, 2007;Pelegrín & Garcés de los Fayos, 2008;De Bruyn, Cillessen & Wissink, 2010), differ four principal causes of conflicts: familiar, social, personal and scholar causes. Other studies (Baldry & Farrington, 2005;Gentile et al, 2009;Greitemeyer & Osswald, 2009;) affirm that the lack of protective factors among young people, joined to risk factors increases noticeably the likelihood of violent situations in school.…”