Media Violence Exposure Research Articles

Testing the direct and indirect relationship between media violence exposure and cyberbullying perpetration.

Testing the direct and indirect relationship between media violence exposure and cyberbullying perpetration.

Prospective Associations Between Preschool Exposure to Violent Televiewing and Psychosocial and Academic Risks in Early Adolescent Boys and Girls.

Risks of early exposure to media violence remain unclear. This study examines typical early childhood violent media exposure and subsequent psychosocial and academic risks. Our longitudinal birth cohort comprised 978 girls and 998 boys. Child-reported and teacher-reported measures of adjustment at age 12 years were linearly regressed on parent-reported televised violence exposure at ages 3.5 and 4.5 years while adjusting for individual/family confounders. For girls, preschool violent televiewing was associated with increases in emotional distress (b = 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13-0.49) and decreases in classroom engagement (b = -0.97; 95% CI, -1.55 to -0.40), academic achievement (b = -2.60; 95% CI, -3.48 to -1.72), and academic motivation (b = -0.58; 95% CI, -1.09 to -0.07) at age 12 years. For boys, preschool violent televiewing was associated with increases in emotionally distressed (b = 0.33; 95% CI, 0.13-0.53), inattentive (b = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.06-0.45), conduct disordered (b = 0.11; 95% CI, 0.00-0.21), and socially withdrawn behavior (b = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.05-0.40), as well as decreases in classroom engagement (b = -0.84; 95% CI, -1.57 to -0.12), academic achievement (b = -1.19; 95% CI, -2.15 to -0.23), and academic motivation (b = -0.58; 95% CI, -1.13 to -0.03) at age 12 years. Compared with no preschool exposure, violent televiewing is associated with distinct and enduring psychosocial risks by early adolescence. Acknowledging such risks remains a pertinent health literacy target for pediatric professionals, parents, and communities.

Television watching as a routine activity: New evidence involving the relationship between television watching and delinquency

While researchers have strived to ascertain the relationship between violent media exposure and aggression, empirical research on the association between television viewing and delinquency is scant. Drawing on lifestyle-routine activities theory, the authors suggest that television watching can be viewed as a routine activity that leads juveniles to spend more time at home while substituting away from situational opportunities conducive to delinquent acts. Using a large longitudinal dataset on South Korean youth, the current study examines the relationship between television watching and engagement in delinquency. The findings from negative binomial regression analysis reveal that the amount of time spent watching TV is negatively associated with delinquency even after controlling for variables derived from various criminological theories. Our findings suggest that although excessive television viewing among youth may not be constructive and thus unadvisable, television watching has some delinquency-reducing effects among young people.

Supplemental Material for Who Finds Media Violence Funny? Testing the Effects of Media Violence Exposure and Dark Personality Traits

Supplemental Material for Who Finds Media Violence Funny? Testing the Effects of Media Violence Exposure and Dark Personality Traits

Parent and Child Factors Associated with Household versus Community Adversity among Black and Hispanic Children

The purpose of this study was to describe exposure to within-household and community adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and to identify child- and parent-level factors associated with exposure to different kinds of ACEs. This cross-sectional study used a clinical sample of 257 Black and Hispanic children ages 3–16 years and their caregivers who were seeking care at two federally qualified health centers in Chicago, Illinois and screened positive for a behavioral health problem. The sample had high levels of within-household ACEs (76% reported at least one) and community ACEs (71% reported at least one). Black children experienced more overall and within-household ACEs than Hispanic children, including forced separation from a caregiver and family member incarceration. Hispanic children experienced more bullying and violent media exposure. Significant associations to all categories of ACEs were observed for depression, child behavioral problems, and older child age. Tailored assessment of ACEs and interventions such as trauma-informed care are needed in pediatric clinical settings, including assessment of ACEs children in experience in communities.

The Influence of Media Violence on Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration: An Examination of Inmates' Domestic Violence Convictions and Self-Reported Perpetration.

Research suggests that the representation of violence against women in the media has resulted in an increased acceptance of attitudes favoring domestic violence. While prior work has investigated the relationship between violent media exposure and violent crime, there has been little effort to empirically examine the relationship between specific forms of violent media exposure and the perpetration of intimate partner violence. Using data collected from a sample of 148 inmates, the current study seeks to help fill these gaps in the literature by examining the relationship between exposure to various forms of pleasurable violent media and the perpetration of intimate partner violence (i.e., conviction and self-reported). At the bivariate level, results indicate a significant positive relationship between exposure to pleasurable television violence and self-reported intimate partner abuse. However, this relationship is reduced to insignificant levels in multivariable modeling. Endorsement of domestic violence beliefs and victimization experience were found to be the strongest predictors of intimate partner violence perpetration. Potential policy implications based on findings are discussed within.

Substance abuse and media violence exposure as factors in acceptance of dating violence among in-school adolescents

ABSTRACT Adolescents’ dating violence is a public health concern due to its damaging consequences on the wellbeing of individuals involved and the possible risk of progression into adulthood. Previous studies have established links between substance use and exposure to media violence on adolescents’ dating violence, but little is known about the dispositions of adolescents toward the act, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The present study examined the contributions of substance abuse and media violence exposure in acceptance of dating violence among adolescents (N = 378). They consisted of 240 males and 138 female students with an average age of 16.25 years (SD = 1.48; age range = 16–18 years. They completed the following questionnaire measures of the variables: Psychoactive Substance Use Questionnaire, Adjusted Content-based Media Scale, and Acceptance of Dating Violence Scale. Results of hierarchical multiple regressions showed that adolescents’ use of substances positively predicted acceptance of dating violence. Acceptance of dating violence was also predicted by adolescents’ exposure to media violence. Since increased favorable attitudes toward dating violence may predict actual perpetration of dating violence, the findings suggest that interventions aimed at preventing substance abuse and exposure to violence in the media may be helpful in amelioration of the problem of dating violence among youths.

Violent media use and aggression: Two longitudinal network studies

ABSTRACT Exposure to violent media has been widely linked to increased aggression. In the present research, we examined whether violent media exposure would be associated with increased aggression, which would then spread within social networks like a contagious disease. Two groups of first year psychology students completed a questionnaire three times over the course of a year, measuring their media exposure, aggression, personality, and social relations within the group. Cross-sectional analysis provided mixed results in regards to the link between violent media and aggression. Siena analysis found no evidence of homophily (i.e., participants were not more likely to be friends with others similar to themselves) nor of social influence (i.e., participant’s behavior did not predict a change in their friends’ behavior). However, given the relatively small sample sizes and the weak ties between participants, more work is needed to assess the spread of violent media effects.

THE IMPACT OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON CHILDREN’S BEHAVIOR/DENTAL ANXIETY AND THEIR EXPOSURE TO MEDIA IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY)

could be a factor for development of behavior and anxiety problems among children.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of SES on children’s behavior management problems (BMP)/dental anxiety (DA) during dental treatment and their exposure to media in Alexandria, Egypt.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of 95 patients with age range from 5 to 8 years with simple carious primary molars enrolled in the study.Socioeconomic status was assessed using Fahmy and Elsherbini Scale and media habits were assessed by a questionnaire answered by the mother or the father during the first visit of each patient. After one week, dental procedure was done and behavior management problems/ dental anxiety were scored using Frankl Rating Scale and Clinical Anxiety Rating Scale respectively.RESULTS: There was no statistically significant relation between socioeconomic status, BMP/DA and exposure to media. However, BMP/DA was the highest at very low level, violent media exposure was the highest at middle level, exposure hours to media was the highest at both high and middle levels and finally, introduction to media exposure began at very young age range in high social level while it was at older age range in the very low social level in Alexandria, Egypt.CONCLUSION: Behavior management problems and DA were more associated with very low social level while total exposure hours to media was more associated with high and middle social levels in Egypt. However, there was no statistically significant relation between socioeconomic status, children's BMP/DA and their exposure to media.

The mediating role of sympathy in the relationship between media violence and Dutch adolescents’ social behaviors

ABSTRACT Previous research suggests that empathy could serve as a mediator in the relation between media violence exposure and social behavior (i.e., aggressive and prosocial behavior). However, conceptualizations of empathy are diverse and empirical findings are mixed. Theory as well as previous research suggests that sympathy, more than empathy, may explain how media violence can affect youths’ aggressive or prosocial behavior. The present study formally tests this assumption using a three-wave longitudinal design with 878 early adolescents. Although neither sympathy nor empathy provided a significant indirect pathway between media violence and social behavior, the findings do show that sympathy is more strongly related to media violence and social behavior than empathy Methodological challenges and suggestions for future research are discussed.

The links between religiousness and prosocial behaviors in early adulthood: The mediating roles of media exposure preferences and empathic tendencies

ABSTRACT We examined the links among religiousness, prosocial and violent media exposure preferences, empathic tendencies, and prosocial behaviors in early adulthood. Participants were U.S. college students (N = 324; M age = 19.5 years; 79.6% Women). While young adults’ religiousness was not associated with prosocial media exposure preferences, it was negatively related to violent movie and Internet exposure preferences. In turn, violent movie exposure preference was negatively related to prosocial behaviors through perspective taking and empathic concern. Prosocial movie exposure preference was positively linked to prosocial behaviors. Moreover, religiousness was related to young adults’ prosocial behavior via empathic concern. Discussion focuses on religiousness, media exposure preferences, and empathic tendencies in understanding young adults’ prosocial behaviors.

Children and Adolescents’ Violence: The Pattern and Determinants Beyond Psychological Theories

Background: Violence may be assimilated to actions or words that are intended to hurt. Youth violence includes a wide range of aggressive acts that may vary from bullying and physical fighting, to most serious forms such as homicide. Africa and Latin America are the continents where the highest rates of youth violence and homicide are reported. For many years in the past, media violence exposure alone was incriminated for children violence, but as time went on, it became clear that children violence is more of a resultant to a combination of factors contributing with varying degrees according to age, the intensity of exposure to a predisposing factor and the individual’s predisposition or susceptibility to violence. This review aims to present in simple and accessible terms the various aspects of children and adolescents’ violence. Epidemiological and psycho-pathophysiological aspects are described, with emphasis laid on the various risk factors and possible preventive measures. Method: A review based on past and recent publications treating the subject was done. The literature was screened, with relevant information critically analyzed. Results: The recurrent predictive factors for children and adolescents’ violence found in the literature are: the exposure to media and community violence, drug use and abuse, neuropsychiatric and psychological disorders that manifest or worsen with violence, and inadequate parenting models. These predisposing factors are underlined by some other determinants such as gender, genetic and individual factors, culture, poverty, and peer effect or companionship principally. Conclusion: Violence in children is determined by intrinsic factors such as the developmental stage or age, individual’s susceptibility or natural predisposition, and environmental factors such as media and community influences. The most essential of the preventive measures are based on the reduction of the various risk factors and their determinants which may be achieved by parental, scholar and governmental regulations.

Parental media monitoring, prosocial violent media exposure, and adolescents' prosocial and aggressive behaviors.

Prosocial violent media (e.g., media that combines both violent and prosocial content) is especially popular in entertainment media today. However, it remains unclear how parental media monitoring is associated with exposure to prosocial violent content and adolescent behavior. Accordingly, 1,193 adolescents were asked about parental media monitoring, media content exposure, and behavior. Main findings suggest that autonomy supportive restrictive monitoring was associated with lower levels of exposure to prosocial violent content, but only among older adolescents. Additionally, autonomy supportive restrictive monitoring was the only form of parental media monitoring associated with lower levels of violent content and higher levels of prosocial content, and autonomy supportive active monitoring was the only parental monitoring strategy that promoted prosocial behavior via exposure to prosocial media content. Discussion focuses on the importance of autonomy supportive parental monitoring, as well as the implications of parents encouraging their children to watch media with limited violent content-even if it is prosocial violent content.

Testing the relationship between media violence exposure and cyberbullying perpetration.

Testing the relationship between media violence exposure and cyberbullying perpetration.

Media violence exposure and aggression in adolescents: A risk and resilience perspective.

Media violence exposure (MVE) is associated with aggressive outcomes in adolescents. However, based on the differential susceptibility hypothesis, this risk is expected to vary based on the individual's unique risk and protective factors. Using survey data from 1,990 adolescents (Mean age = 15.6 ± 1.10 years; 48% female) and content analysis of U.S. top-grossing films and popular TV shows, we evaluated the effect of MVE in relation to both risk (i.e., family conflict, impulsivity, sensation seeking) and protective factors (i.e., parental monitoring, parental involvement, parental mediation). Relative weights analyses revealed that MVE was one of the strongest predictors of aggression, after impulsivity and family conflict. The cumulative risk score showed a linear and quadratic relation with the likelihood of aggression, with MVE and family conflict having an interactive relation in predicting aggression. Parental monitoring remained a significant protective factor even when all risk factors were accounted for. Targeted preventive interventions that reduce family conflict, promote parental monitoring, and reduce exposure to violent media may be effective in reducing aggressive tendencies and related negative outcomes.

Screen Violence and Youth Behavior.

Violence in screen entertainment media (ie, television, film, video games, and the Internet), defined as depictions of characters (or players) trying to physically harm other characters (or players), is ubiquitous. The Workgroup on Media Violence and Violent Video Games reviewed numerous meta-analyses and other relevant research from the past 60 years, with an emphasis on violent video game research. Consistent with every major science organization review, the Workgroup found compelling evidence of short-term harmful effects, as well as evidence of long-term harmful effects. The vast majority of laboratory-based experimental studies have revealed that violent media exposure causes increased aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, physiologic arousal, hostile appraisals, aggressive behavior, and desensitization to violence and decreases prosocial behavior (eg, helping others) and empathy. Still, to more fully understand the potential for long-term harm from media violence exposure, the field is greatly in need of additional large-sample, high-quality, longitudinal studies that include validated measures of media violence exposure and measures of other known violence risk factors. Also, although several high-quality media violence intervention studies have been conducted, larger-scale studies with more comprehensive and longer-term assessments are needed to fully understand long-term effects and to inform the development of tools that will help to reduce problems associated with aggression and violence. The evidence that violent screen media constitutes a causal risk factor for increased aggression is compelling. Modern social-cognitive theories of social behavior provide useful frameworks for understanding how and why these effects occur.

Cool, callous and in control: superior inhibitory control in frequent players of video games with violent content

Research on the effects of media violence exposure has shown robust associations among violent media exposure, increased aggressive behavior, and decreased empathy. Preliminary research indicates that frequent players of violent video games may have differences in emotional and cognitive processes compared to infrequent or nonplayers, yet research examining the amount and content of game play and the relation of these factors with affective and cognitive outcomes is limited. The present study measured neural correlates of response inhibition in the context of implicit attention to emotion, and how these factors are related to empathic responding in frequent and infrequent players of video games with graphically violent content. Participants completed a self-report measure of empathy as well as an affective stop-signal task that measured implicit attention to emotion and response inhibition during electroencephalography. Frequent players had lower levels of empathy as well as a reduction in brain activity as indicated by P100 and N200/P300 event related potentials. Reduced P100 amplitude evoked by happy facial expressions was observed in frequent players compared to infrequent players, and this effect was moderated by empathy, such that low levels of empathy further reduced P100 amplitudes for happy facial expressions for frequent players compared to infrequent players. Compared to infrequent players, frequent players had reduced N200/P300 amplitude during response inhibition, indicating less neural resources were recruited to inhibit behavior. Results from the present study illustrate that chronic exposure to violent video games modulates empathy and related neural correlates associated with affect and cognition.

Mixed messages, mixed outcomes: the effects of reconciliation and retaliation story endings on aggression

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of reconciliation and retaliation story endings on subsequent aggressive affect and behavior.Design/methodology/approachParticipants took part in two ostensibly unrelated studies. The first involved reading a violent story, attributed to a biblical or secular source, which ended in either brutal retaliation or peaceful reconciliation. They then took part in a second study in which they completed measures of aggressive affect and behavior.FindingsParticipants told that their stories came from a secular source experienced a more aggressive affect than those told that their stories came from a biblical source. In terms of behavioral aggression, a significant difference in effect of the story ending on males and females emerged. Females who read the reconciliation ending had lower levels of behavioral aggression than females who read the retaliation ending. Conversely, males who read the reconciliation ending had higher levels of behavioral aggression than males who read the retaliation ending.Research limitations/implicationsThese findings suggest that media depictions of prosocial reactions to unprovoked aggression may not reduce aggression in men.Practical implicationsResults are discussed in terms of moral values espoused by women and men and suggest that anti-violence messages may be strengthened to the extent they address the values important to both.Originality/valueThis study extends research on violent media exposure to a burgeoning literature on reading violent content.

An evolutionary perspective on cooperative behavior in gamers.

This research was the first experimental study to investigate the effect of video gaming on measures of cooperative behavior from an evolutionary standpoint. The final sample comprised a total 117 participants (39 male, 78 females), with a mean age of 24 years (SD = 8.93). Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 media conditions (violent book, violent video game, nonviolent video game, and violent TV show) and measured on prosocial behavior before any media exposure and assessed on cooperative behavior after media exposure. Novice and regular gamers did not differ on prosocial behavior before gaming. After media exposure, a self-constructed version of the iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma game was used to measure cooperation. Further analyses were then conducted to measure differences between conditions on cooperative behavior. It was found that regular and multiplayer gamers were not significantly higher or lower on measures of cooperative behavior compared to novices or solitary gamers. Although nonsignificant, effect sizes were consistent with past research which suggests heightened cooperation in regular gamers. Media type exposure did not have a significant effect on cooperative behavior. Findings suggest that cooperative behavior is not less prominent in regular or multiplayer gamers than novices or solitary gamers. These results indicate that, contrary to the predictions one may make from the GAM model of violent gaming (Anderson & Bushman, 2001), violent media exposure does not appear to produce reductions in prosocial or cooperative behavior.

A matter of style? Exploring the effects of parental mediation styles on early adolescents’ media violence exposure and aggression

This two-wave survey study investigated the concurrent and longitudinal relationships between different styles of restrictive and active parental mediation (autonomy-supportive, controlling, or inconsistent), adolescents’ media violence exposure, and aggression. Our sample consisted of 1029 adolescents (10–14 years; 49.8% girls). Results indicate that restrictive mediation communicated in an autonomy-supportive style was concurrently related to decreased aggression via decreased media violence exposure. In contrast, inconsistent restrictive mediation was concurrently related to increased aggression via increased media violence exposure. No significant relationships were found for controlling restrictive mediation. None of the restrictive mediation styles were longitudinally related to media violence exposure and aggression. Active mediation moderated neither the concurrent nor the longitudinal relationships between media violence exposure and aggression – regardless of the style used. Findings suggest that autonomy-supportive restriction may be an effective route for parents who are concerned about their child’s media violence exposure and aggressive behavior.