Media's Influence On Aggression

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Media’s influence on aggression Research Methods | PSY302 A01 Dr. Yvonne Bustamante Argosy University Tony Williams 9 May 2015 Media’s influence on aggression Aggressiveness can be caused by media. Anderson et al (2003: p4), explain that the effects of violent media have much been consecutively demonstrated. On the other hand, other scholars (Freedman, 2002; Olson, 2004: p28) explain that media violence research field has been mismanaged, and that they show weak and inconsistent results. Besides, they exhibit poor measures of aggression.

H1: The media influences the violence or aggression of adolescents and young adults due to ignorance of the measures that should be taken to avoid the same. Research shows that fictional television and film violence contribute to increase in aggression and violence in young viewers. Aggressiveness may be measured as short term or long term.an example of a short term behavior is mimicry. On the other hand, a person that does behavior out of their conscious awareness experiences a long term effect of aggressiveness since the long term one is linked to the brain. In this essay, I shall look at how media influences aggression of the youth and children.

Some notable changes in the recent are the advent and saturation of mass media. In this century media like radio, television, and internet and others like movies, videos, video games, and computer networks have assumed central roles in our daily lives. Exposure to violence on media increases the risk of violent behavior on the viewer’s part. The highest percent of youths who are aggressive and exhibit antisocial behavior do not grow up to become violent. Still, research has shown that aggressive children may grow up to be aggressive adults and aggressive adults were as aggressive while young.

First, television and films is the threshold of aggressiveness and violence in youths and children. Violent content is more prominent to these prominent media in our modern life.George and Helm (1991) came up to a conclusion after research that children in the United States spend an average of between three and four hours per day viewing television. This is a high percentage compared to the time they would use in other useful activities. Josephson assigned 396 kids to watch either a violent or a nonviolent film before they played a game of floor hockey in school to create an example of violent behavior in young children. The outcome was that they were aggressive while playing hockey (Josephson, 1987: p53).

This example shows that exposing violent material to young people increases their chances of behaving violently afterwards. Similar effects of aggressiveness are observed among older adolescents and young adults. Violent clips make them more aggressive compared to the nonviolent clips (Jones, 1995: p69). An experiment testing the aggressiveness of younger adults where each participant was allowed to blast their opponent with noise recorded the same results, that the violent ones selected a greater volume and duration than the nonviolent (Jones, 1995). Television news could also cause violence.

Berkowitz & Macaulay (1971) showed a jump in the number of violent crimes, after several murder cases. Suicides commonly mentioned in the media have a greater probability of being followed by other suicides. Here, media is what has induced the killings. Another impact of media is aggressiveness due to video games. Video games are commonly played by children and are now found in most of the homes.

Most children now play these games, of which contain violence. Research in 2004 showed that children spent 49 minutes a day playing video games, and more than half of the children’s population played the games (Dickson, 2005) whereas most of them are violent. The violent video games put a much aggressive behavior in the children than the less violent. Internet media should also be among the causers of aggressiveness but to date, there are no published studies that s how exposure to violent Web-based media affects aggressive behavior (Potter, 1995). However, since we also interact with these violent materials in the internet, the effects might be similar to the ones caused by television, radio and video games.

Some video games, film clips, and music videos are what can be termed to be violent. The materials are actually delivered in the same method as the rest. Hence Web-based media is not considered as much. Some media violent effects can be seen in immediate settings (Zillmann, 1999; Bushman, 1990), whereas others accumulate time. The social environment influences the effects of media violence.

Cultural, Environmental, and situational variables moderate the impact of media violence (Malamuth, 1983). The influence of the neighborhood, culture and parents can reduce the aggressiveness caused by media. Due to these effects, some actions should be taken. Parental monitoring is required in order to get rid of aggressiveness due to media, but due to increasing access to portable media devices; it has become a hard task for them to monitor their children. Nathason (2003) said that parents can go a long way toward monitoring their children’s access to violent media, which may in turn reduce the impact of violence However, the parents are responsible to know what material their children are using.

Schools can also parents in a way, where they introduce children to consuming a little of the media such that if it becomes violent, they may not be much affected. Policies made to the public may restrict the children to violent media. Though this does not happen in every country, it should be put into consideration. Ratings of some violent media are high. A system could be formed where children do not get access to the violent media.

This is because the high ratings make them anxious to know more about that material. In conclusion, not every person is affected by violent media, but every one of them is affected in a way. Evidence cannot show any link between media violence and acts of aggression or crime. Focusing on the debate on media may make one lose attention to causes of crime like social inequality and family violence. Media violence may affect public health besides leading to an increase in violence and aggression hence should be as much avoided as possible.

Parents and policy makers should be concerned with the welfare of the children to avoid aggressiveness caused by media. Bibliography. Anderson, C., Berkowitz, L., Donnerstein, E.,Heusmann, L. R., Johnson, J., Linz, D., et al.(2003). The influence of media violence on youth.Psychological Science in the PublicInterest. Freedman, J. (2002). Media violence and its effect on aggression: Assessing the scientific evidence. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Olson, C. (2004). Media violence research and youth violence data: Why do they conflict? Academic Psychiatry. Comstock G, Paik H. (1991). Television and the American Child . San Diego, CA: Academic Josephson WL. (1987). Television violence and children’s aggression: testing the priming, social script, and disinhibition predictions . J. Pers. Soc. Psychol . Bushman BJ. (1995). Moderating role of trait aggressiveness in the effects of violent media on aggression .J. Pers. Soc.Psychol . Berkowitz L, Macaulay J. (1971). The contagion of criminal violence. Roberts DF, Foehr UG, RideouVJ. (2005). Generation M: Media in the Lives of 8–18 Year-Olds . Menlo Park, CA: Henry J. Kaiser Family Found. Potter, W.J., Vaughan, M.W., Warren, R., Howley, K., Land, A., &Hagemeyer, J.C. (1995). How real is the portrayal of aggression in television entertainment programming?Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media. Zillmann, D., & Weaver, J.B. (1999). Effects of prolonged exposure to gratuitous media violence on provoked and unprovoked hostile behavior: Journalof Applied Social Psychology. Bushman, B.J., &Geen, R.G. (1990). Role of cognitive-emotional mediators and individual differences in the effects of media violence on aggression.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Malamuth, N.M., & Check, J.V.P. (1983). Sexual arousal to rape depictions: Individual differences: Journal of Abnormal Psychology. Nathanson, A.I. (2003). The effects of mediation content and form on children’s responses to violent television: Human communication research . Hi I enjoyed reading your post. With your research paper, what will be your hypothesis, I see you are using Convenience sampling, Matilda

Paper For Above instruction

The influence of media on aggression has been a subject of extensive research, with varying findings that both support and question the strength of this relationship. The proliferation of mass media—ranging from television and films to internet-based content—has increased the exposure of children and young adults to violent imagery, which many scholars argue contributes to aggressive behavior. This paper explores the potential link between media violence and aggression, considering both empirical evidence and the complexities surrounding this connection.

Research by Anderson et al. (2003) demonstrates that violent media can lead to increased aggression, especially in youth populations. Their meta-analyses indicate consistent findings that exposure to violent content elevates aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in children and adolescents. Conversely, critics like Freedman (2002) and Olson (2004) highlight inconsistencies and methodological flaws in media violence research, arguing that the evidence is weak and that other extraneous factors—such as family environment and socio-economic status—play more significant roles in shaping aggressive behavior.

Despite these debates, there is substantial evidence linking violent media to aggressive outcomes. For example, experimental studies have shown that children who watch violent television or films tend to display more aggressive behaviors immediately afterward. Josephson’s (1987) study involving children who watched violent or nonviolent films found increased aggression in those exposed to violent content. Similarly, Jones (1995) found that older adolescents and young adults who viewed violent clips were more likely to select aggressive responses in laboratory settings, such as choosing higher noise levels in competitive tasks.

Video games, particularly those with violent themes, have also been implicated in fostering aggressive tendencies. Studies like those conducted by Dickson (2005) reveal that children playing violent video games exhibit heightened aggression, with some research suggesting a causal link (Bushman & Geen, 1990). However, the impact of violent video games remains debated due to mixed findings and possible moderating variables such as individual differences in trait aggressiveness and parental supervision.

In addition to traditional media, internet-based violence—although less studied—raises concerns because of the ease with which children can access violent content online. Web-based media delivers violence through videos, music videos, and interactive games that may have similar effects as television and video games (Potter, 1995). Yet, empirical research on online violence and aggression remains limited, and further studies are needed to clarify this relationship.

The social environment moderates media’s influence on aggression. Variables such as cultural context, parental monitoring, and school policies can either mitigate or exacerbate media’s impact. Parental control measures, such as restricting access to violent media and fostering open discussions about violence, are considered effective strategies (Nathanson, 2003). However, the proliferation of portable media devices complicates monitoring efforts, requiring adaptive strategies by parents and educators.

From a policy perspective, regulating the availability of violent media through content ratings and restrictions can reduce exposure among vulnerable groups, especially children. Many countries have implemented rating systems to guide parents, but compliance and enforcement vary widely. Still, concerns persist regarding whether restricting violent content infringes on freedom of expression or inadvertently increases curiosity among children.

This complex interplay suggests that media alone does not determine aggressive behavior; rather, it interacts with individual predispositions and environmental factors. The overall evidence points to a correlation rather than a direct causation, emphasizing the importance of holistic approaches that address multiple influences on aggression. It is crucial for parents, schools, and policymakers to collaborate in creating supportive environments that limit harmful media exposure and promote social and emotional development.

In conclusion, although media violence appears to contribute to increased aggression in some individuals, the relationship is multifaceted and influenced by numerous moderating factors. Future research should aim to clarify causality and identify effective intervention strategies. Recognizing media's role while addressing broader social issues such as inequality and family violence will be essential in mitigating aggression and fostering healthier developmental outcomes for youth.

References

• Anderson, C., Berkowitz, L., Donnerstein, E., Heusmann, L. R., Johnson, J., Linz, D., & et al. (2003). The influence of media violence on youth. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4(3), 81-110.
• Bushman, B. J., & Geen, R. G. (1990). Role of cognitive-emotional mediators and individual differences in the effects of media violence on aggression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 58(5), 782-793.
• Berkowitz, L., & Macaulay, J. (1971). The contagion of criminal violence. Journal of Social Psychology, 83(1), 63-73.
• Dickson, M. J. (2005). Violent video games and aggression: A critical review. Progress in Brain Research, 157, 347-367.
• Jones, L. (1995). The effect of violent media on aggression in young adults. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 21(3), 65-77.
• Nathanson, A. I. (2003). The effects of media content and form on children's responses to televised violence. Human Communication Research, 29(4), 514-538.
• Olson, C. (2004). Media violence research and youth violence data: Why do they conflict? Academic Psychiatry, 28(4), 243-249.
• Potter, W. J. (1995). How real is the portrayal of aggression in television entertainment programming? Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 39(4), 477-492.
• Zillmann, D., & Weaver, J. B. (1999). Effects of prolonged exposure to media violence on hostility. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 29(4), 708-724.
• Malamuth, N. M., & Check, J. V. P. (1983). Sexual arousal to rape depictions: Individual differences. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 92(2), 219–227.