We all have seen violent television shows, movies, video games, comic books, etc., but what we are not seeing are the effects they have on the viewers. A young child watching Power Rangers imitates the behavior he has seen by kicking his brother. Is that the result of observing the violent behavior? Is aggression a learned behavior or something that is inherited? In this paper, I will be discussing the research concluded on the hypothesis of violent media causing aggression in people of various age groups.
Review of Literature
Media researchers and other reporters suggest that there is no consensus on the exposure to media violence and increased aggression in people of different ages. In 2014 an online survey was conducted to …show more content…
Web. 2015.). The participants included three hundred seventy-one media psychologist, ninety two pediatricians, and two hundred sixty-eight parents. Males and females from the United States with ages ranging from childhood (birth-12 months), infancy (2-23 months), preschool age (2-5 years), school age (6-12 years), adolescence (13-17 years), adulthood (18 years & older), young adults (18-29 years), thirties ( 30-39 years), middle age (40-64 years) were included in this online survey. The survey asked questions on the different age groups, and if they agreed or disagreed that violent comic books, internet sites, literature, movies, music, sports events, television programs, and video games can increase aggression. The methods used were both empirical study by indirect observation, and quantitative study by creating a mathematical model. “All groups agreed that exposure to media violence can increase aggression in children.” (Bushman. Web. 2015). Violence in games and films were among the highest ratings, while comic books and literature were the lowest. “This pattern was highly consistent across all groups, indicating a broad consensus on this issue. The only question on which groups differed in …show more content…
Web. 1995). These three studies were conducted empirically with four hundred and twenty psychology students. Study one gave the students a film description, and then they chose of which to view. These films have not been shown in theaters or televised. They were given scores on the “Physical Aggression subscale,” which results from a questionnaire testing verbal and physical aggression, anger and hostility. (Bushman. Web. 1995). The participants with high trait aggression were more likely to watch violence than the opposed. Study two, “participants reported their mood before and after the showing of a violent or nonviolent videotape. High trait aggressive individuals felt more angry after viewing the violent videotape than did low trait aggressive individuals.” (Bushman. Web.1995). Study three, “participants first viewed either a violent or a nonviolent videotape and then competed with an "opponent" on a reaction time task in which the loser received a blast of unpleasant noise. Videotape violence was more likely to increase aggression in high trait aggressive individuals than in low trait aggressive individuals” (Bushman. Web.1995). I find this study to be effective because it was conducted with three different studies. The participants were all of the same age ranges and with both high and
Review of Literature
Media researchers and other reporters suggest that there is no consensus on the exposure to media violence and increased aggression in people of different ages. In 2014 an online survey was conducted to …show more content…
Web. 2015.). The participants included three hundred seventy-one media psychologist, ninety two pediatricians, and two hundred sixty-eight parents. Males and females from the United States with ages ranging from childhood (birth-12 months), infancy (2-23 months), preschool age (2-5 years), school age (6-12 years), adolescence (13-17 years), adulthood (18 years & older), young adults (18-29 years), thirties ( 30-39 years), middle age (40-64 years) were included in this online survey. The survey asked questions on the different age groups, and if they agreed or disagreed that violent comic books, internet sites, literature, movies, music, sports events, television programs, and video games can increase aggression. The methods used were both empirical study by indirect observation, and quantitative study by creating a mathematical model. “All groups agreed that exposure to media violence can increase aggression in children.” (Bushman. Web. 2015). Violence in games and films were among the highest ratings, while comic books and literature were the lowest. “This pattern was highly consistent across all groups, indicating a broad consensus on this issue. The only question on which groups differed in …show more content…
Web. 1995). These three studies were conducted empirically with four hundred and twenty psychology students. Study one gave the students a film description, and then they chose of which to view. These films have not been shown in theaters or televised. They were given scores on the “Physical Aggression subscale,” which results from a questionnaire testing verbal and physical aggression, anger and hostility. (Bushman. Web. 1995). The participants with high trait aggression were more likely to watch violence than the opposed. Study two, “participants reported their mood before and after the showing of a violent or nonviolent videotape. High trait aggressive individuals felt more angry after viewing the violent videotape than did low trait aggressive individuals.” (Bushman. Web.1995). Study three, “participants first viewed either a violent or a nonviolent videotape and then competed with an "opponent" on a reaction time task in which the loser received a blast of unpleasant noise. Videotape violence was more likely to increase aggression in high trait aggressive individuals than in low trait aggressive individuals” (Bushman. Web.1995). I find this study to be effective because it was conducted with three different studies. The participants were all of the same age ranges and with both high and