Media Violence and Social Neuroscience

Decades of research have demonstrated that exposure to violence on television can cause increases in aggression. The recent emergence of violent video games has raised new questions regarding the effects of violent media. The General Aggression Model (GAM) predicts that exposure to violent media increases aggressive behavior through one of three primary pathways (arousal, cognitions, and affect). Past psychophysiological research has supported GAM but has been limited to examining arousal-related variables. Recent advances in social neuroscience have opened the door to investigations of exposure to violent media on cognitive and affective components and their neurocognitive underpinnings. Neuroscience tools have the potential to provide answers to the new questions posed by recent advances in media technology.

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Media violence and the self: The impact of personalized gaming characters in aggressive video games on aggressive behavior

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology ◽

10.1016/j.jesp.2009.06.010 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 192-195 ◽

Cited By ~ 73

Author(s):

Peter Fischer ◽

Andreas Kastenmüller ◽

Tobias Greitemeyer

Keyword(s):

Video Games ◽

Aggressive Behavior ◽

Media Violence ◽

The Self ◽

The Impact

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Violent Media Content and Effects

Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication ◽

10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.1 ◽

2016 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Robert Busching ◽

Johnie J. Allen ◽

Craig A. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Aggressive Behavior ◽

Empirical Support ◽

Electronic Media ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Media Violence ◽

Easy Access ◽

Media Content ◽

Portable Devices ◽

Violent Media ◽

Media Usage

In our modern age, electronic media usage is prevalent in almost every part of the world. People are more connected than ever before with easy access to highly portable devices (e.g., laptops, smartphones, and tablets) that allow for media consumption at any time of day. Unfortunately, the presence of violence in electronic media content is almost as prevalent as the media itself. Violence can be found in music, television shows, video games, and even YouTube videos. Content analyses have shown that nearly all media contain violence, irrespective of age rating (Linder & Gentile, 2009; Thompson & Haninger, 2001; Thompson, Tepichin, & Haninger, 2006; Yokota & Thompson, 2000). It is therefore important to ask: What are the consequences of pervasive exposure to screen violence? One consequence of media violence exposure, hotly debated by some in the general public, is increased aggressive behavior. This relationship was investigated in many studies using experimental, longitudinal, or cross-sectional design. These studies are summarized in meta-analyses, which support the notion that media violence increase the likelihood of acting aggressively. This link can be explained by an increase in aggressive thoughts, a more hostile perception of the environment, and less empathic reaction to victims of aggressive behavior. However, the often debated notion that media violence allows one to vent off steam, leading to a reduced likelihood of aggressive behavior, has failed to receive empirical support. The effect of media violence is not limited to aggressive behavior; as a consequence of violent media usage attentional problems arise and prosocial behavior decreases.

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Twenty-Five Years of Research on Violence in Digital Games and Aggression Revisited

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040/a000164 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 47-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Brad J. Bushman ◽

L. Rowell Huesmann

Keyword(s):

Video Games ◽

Moral Panic ◽

Empirical Support ◽

Psychological Theory ◽

Media Violence ◽

Effect Sizes ◽

Learning Theories ◽

Violent Video Games ◽

Violent Media ◽

Cognitive Consistency

In this commentary, we first analyze Elson and Ferguson’s (2013) attempt to offer a theory that would explain why exposure to family, community, school, and media violence could be related to increased aggression, but not cause such aggression. We conclude that the “new” theory they offer is not very “new.” It differs from dominant social learning theories only in its claim that the relation between exposure to violence and aggression is almost entirely due to people who are genetically or biologically predisposed to be aggressive also exposing themselves to more violence. We show this assertion is strongly contradicted by existing experimental and longitudinal data. We also show that Elson and Ferguson’s so-called “exhaustive review” of empirical data on the topic is seriously flawed; that their claim that effect sizes are trivial is not supported by the math; and that their claim that scholars who believe that violent video games cause aggression are an “extreme” group in a divided field is contradicted by surveys that show the vast majority of researchers believe violent video games increase aggression. We point out that their claim that scholars who believe in media violence effects are having a “moral panic” has no theoretical or empirical support, whereas the contrasting argument that researchers who produce violent media themselves, or use it extensively, are biased by the force of cognitive consistency and experience a “reactance” of “regulatory panic” does have support from psychological theory.

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Apples, Oranges, and the Burden of Proof – Putting Media Violence Findings Into Context

European Psychologist ◽

10.1027/1016-9040/a000166 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 60-67 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Wayne Warburton

Keyword(s):

Video Games ◽

Video Game ◽

Burden Of Proof ◽

Media Violence ◽

Reasonable Doubt ◽

Psychological Processes ◽

Violent Video Games ◽

Violent Media ◽

Research Findings ◽

And Behavior

In this comment on Elson and Ferguson (2013) , areas of agreement are noted in terms of the need to thoroughly and scientifically document the boundary conditions under which violent video games most impact players. However it is argued, in contrast to Elson and Ferguson, that violent media generally (and violent video games specifically) can and do increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior and desensitization to violence, and are linked to increases in aggressive attitudes and beliefs. It is also argued that research findings demonstrating these violent video game effects must be considered in terms of both the known impacts of other types of media on human thoughts and behavior, and well-documented psychological processes that have been empirically demonstrated to underlie the acquisition of all types of social behavior, not just aggression. To this end, evidence is provided that other types of media such as advertising are shown to clearly impact human psychology, and psychological mechanisms that potentially underlie media violence effects are discussed. It is further noted that there are no clearly evident reasons as to why violent video games should impact thoughts and behavior less than other media or be subject to different psychological processes. When the research evidence is considered in these contexts, it is concluded that the above-mentioned impacts of violent media exposure on human thought and behavior (including those of violent digital games) are demonstrated to two levels of proof – on the balance of probabilities and beyond reasonable doubt.

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