1. Craig A.
Anderson, Department of Psychology, W112 Lagomarcino Hall, Iowa State
University, Ames, IA 50011-3180; e-mail: caa@iastate.edu.
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 research
literature suggests that counterattitudinal and parental-mediation
interventions are likely to yield beneficial effects, but that media literacy
interventions by themselves are unsuccessful.
Though the scientific debate over whether media violence
increases aggression and violence is essentially over, several critical tasks
remain. Additional laboratory and field studies are needed for a better
understanding of underlying psychological processes, which eventually should
lead to more effective interventions. Large-scale longitudinal studies would
help specify the magnitude of media-violence effects on the most severe types
of violence. Meeting the larger societal challenge of providing children and
youth with a much healthier media diet may prove to be more difficult and
costly, especially if the scientific, news, public policy, and entertainment
communities fail to educate the general public about the real risks of
media-violence exposure to children and youth.
Source : psi.sagepub.com
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