Real-life Violence Research Articles

Violence exposure in real-life, video games, television, movies, and the internet: is there desensitization?

It is believed that repeated exposure to real-life and to entertainment violence may alter cognitive, affective, and behavioral processes, possibly leading to desensitization. The goal of the present study was to determine if there are relationships between real-life and media violence exposure and desensitization as reflected in related characteristics. One hundred fifty fourth and fifth graders completed measures of real-life violence exposure, media violence exposure, empathy, and attitudes towards violence. Regression analyses indicated that only exposure to video game violence was associated with (lower) empathy. Both video game and movie violence exposure were associated with stronger proviolence attitudes. The active nature of playing video games, intense engagement, and the tendency to be translated into fantasy play may explain negative impact, though causality was not investigated in the present design. The samples’ relatively low exposure to real-life violence may have limited the identification of relationships. Although difficult to quantify, desensitization to violence should be further studied using related characteristics as in the present study. Individual differences and causal relationships should also be examined.

Playing with fire?

The latest computer games involve pretty gruesome scenes — severed limbs and drive-by shootings are standard fare. But opinion is divided on whether such games spark real-life violence. Tony Reichhardt investigates.

MEDIA VIOLENCE

American media are the most violent in the world, and American society is now paying a high price in terms of real life violence. Research has confirmed that mass media violence contributes to aggressive behavior, fear, and desensitization of violence. Television, movies, music videos, computer/video games are pervasive media and represent important influences on children and adolescents. Portraying rewards and punishments and showing the consequences of violence are probably the two most essential contextual factors for viewers as they interpret the meaning of what they are viewing on television. Public health efforts have emphasized public education, media literacy campaign for children and parents, and an increased use of technology to prevent access to certain harmful medial materials.

Mass media treatment of violence in sports and its effects

There appears to be a strong relationship between mass media portrayals of violence and real-life violence itself. This article reviews the available literature on the effects of media treatment of sports violence; analyzes the theoretical explanations for this treatment; and makes proposals on how the problems of both sports violence and its media coverage may be remedied, with a particular focus on amateur hockey in Canada.

The effect of television-mediated aggression and real-life aggression on the behavior of Lebanese children

This study investigated the effect of television-mediated aggression and reallife aggression on the behavior of Lebanese children. The sample consisted of 48 boys and 48 girls of Lebanese origin who were students in an elementary school in Beirut, Lebanon. After controlling for pre-experimental aggression, the subjects were randomly assigned to one of the following treatment conditions: human-film aggression, cartoon-film aggression, neutral film, or real-life (act of war) aggression. The results indicated that boys as a group were more aggressive than girls and exhibited more imitative aggression after viewing both violent film and real-life violence. Girls were not more violent after viewing filmed aggression but were affected by the real-life violence. Comparisons of Bandura's work within the Lebanese culture are made.

Television and Violence

Andrew Bear argues the causative link that has been used to show to exist between media violence and violence in real life is myth. He presents seven reasons for rejecting the myth. John Murray critiques Bear's arguements.

Children’s Fear Responses to Real-Life Violence on Television: The Case of the 1973 Middle East War

Children’s Fear Responses to Real-Life Violence on Television: The Case of the 1973 Middle East War

Desensitisation and media violence

Desensitisation is a well-known method of treatment for emotions that are too strong or too long-lasting to be easily coped with. The validity of the theory of desensitisation, and its therapeutic efficacy, has been amply supported by experimentation. There seems to be no reason why the concept of desensitisation should not also be applicable to the subject of violence. Throughout the world civilised man has erected psychological barriers to the direct expression of violent impulses. Without these barriers, which include the experience of negative emotions such as horror, fear, disgust, we would be freer to express the violent urges which we experience at various times in our life. On the assumption that internal barriers to the act of killing can be weakened by a process of desentisitisation, the training of American troops includes the screening of battle films and massacres. In the same way, constant exposure to television violence may help to counteract the anxiety and guilt with which real-life violence is normally associated. The research evidence indicates that the vicarious experience of violence does indeed reduce the intensity of the negative emotions which normally result, and also that it may be contributing to an apathetic attitude towards violence in society.

Violence, television and the health of American youth.

In 1973, 18,032 young Americans, 15 to 24 years of age, died in motor-vehicle accidents, 5182 were murdered, and 4098 committed suicide. The death rate, for this age group, was 19 per cent higher in 1973-74 than it had been in 1960-61, owing entirely to deaths by violence. The largest rise in deaths from homicide during the past two decades was at the ages of one to four. For a considerable proportion of American children and youth, the "culture of violence" is now both a major health threat and a way of life. One contributing factor is television's massive daily diet of symbolic crime and violence in "entertainment" programs. After numerous studies of televsion influence on real-life violence, including two major government commissions, the industry is experimenting with a 7 to 9 p.m. "Family Hour" (6 to 8 p.m. Central Time) from which violence, along with sex, has been largely banished. Three industry unions claim censorship and are suing. The medical profession is urged to concern itself with this serious and complex health hazard.

Aggressie op Televisie 3: 'n perspektief

SUMMARY In this article it is argued that violence is a problem in South Africa and that it is imperative to know whether the media do in any way affect violence in society. First a brief look is taken at communication theories according to which research on television violence has been done. As content analyses could hold the key as to what television is about and consequently to its potential to inhibit or facilitate aggression in society, the article also contains a report on a content analysis dealing with the level of aggression on TV3 during 1983. Thirdly, inferences about the potential influence of TV3 aggression are drawn from the results of this analysis. It was found, for instance, that dramas contained more aggression and violence than any other program type. This can be interpreted in terms of the results of Atkin (1983), who found fictional violence (e.g. in dramas) to be less stimulating than depiction of real life violence (e.g. in news and sports programs). The potentially most stimulating type of aggressive incident was therefore relatively uncommon on TV3 during the sampling period.