Spring 2011 Critical Thinking Research on Media, Violence, Gender

Return to Fall 2010 Critical Thinking Research Topics

General Media Violence

Mass Media Influence on Society

Rayuso. "Mass Media Influence on Society." HubPages. 2008. Web. 02 Apr. 2011. [1]

Abstract:

• this article is more of a blog. While it may not be highly authoritative it gives many peoples' opinions. It mostly talks in general about the great affects the that the media has on society. Then also about how the influences are working and how it takes a toll on the youth.

Kelly Owens

Desensitization to Media Violence Over A Short Period of Time

Marios N. Avraamides, et al. "Desensitization to media violence over a short period of time." Aggressive Behavior 35.2 (2009): 179-187. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.

Abstract from Author: This study investigated the desensitization to violence over a short period of time. Participants watched nine violent movie scenes and nine comedy scenes, and reported whether they enjoyed the violent or comedy scenes and whether they felt sympathetic toward the victim of violence. Using latent growth modeling, analyses were carried out to investigate how participants responded to the different scenes across time. The findings of this study suggested that repeated exposure to media violence reduces the psychological impact of media violence in the short term, therefore desensitizing viewers to media violence. As a result, viewers tended to feel less sympathetic toward the victims of violence and actually enjoy more the violence portrayed in the media. Additionally, desensitization to media violence was better represented by a curvilinear pattern, whereas desensitization to comedy scenes was better represented by a linear pattern. Finally, trait aggression was not related to the pattern of change over time, although significant effects were found for initial reports of enjoyment and sympathy

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Will Sloan

Media Violence Exposure in Aggressive and Control Adolescents

Joseph T. Lurito, et al. "Media violence exposure in aggressive and control adolescents: differences in self- and parent-reported exposure to violence on television and in video games." Aggressive Behavior 31.3 (2005): 201-216. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.

Abstract from Author: The purpose of present study was to investigate differences in media violence exposure between groups of adolescents with and without Disruptive Behavior Disorders with Aggressive Features, using a case-controlled design and multimethod assessment. Samples of 27 adolescents aged 13-17 with Disruptive Behavior Disorder with Aggressive Features and 27 age-gender-IQ matched controls completed a semistructured interview about exposure to violence on television and video games; parents completed a corresponding questionnaire measure. Moderate intercorrelations were found between most self- and parent-report television and video game violence exposure measures. Compared to control adolescents, adolescents with Disruptive Behavior Disorder with Aggressive Features had higher aggregate media violence exposure, higher exposure to video game violence, and higher parent-reported exposure to television violence. Results show that adolescents and parents agree about the adolescent's level of media violence exposure, that exposure to violence on television tends to be accompanied by exposure to violence in video games, and that the association between media violence exposure and Disruptive Behavior Disorder with Aggressive Features is not due to a spurious effect of gender or IQ

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Will Sloan

The Role of Violent Media Preference in Cumulative Developmental Risk for Violence and General Aggression

Dominic Moceri, et al. "The Role of Violent Media Preference in Cumulative Developmental Risk for Violence and General Aggression." Journal of Youth & Adolescence 38.3 (2009): 417-428. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.

The impact of exposure to violence in the media on the long-term development and short-term expression of aggressive behavior has been well documented. However, gaps in this literature remain, and in particular the role of violent media exposure in shaping violent and other serious antisocial behavior has not been investigated. Further, studies of violent media effects typically have not sampled from populations with confirmed histories of violent and/or nonviolent antisocial behavior. In this study, we analyzed data on 820 youth, including 390 juvenile delinquents and 430 high school students, to examine the relation of violent media use to involvement in violence and general aggression. Using criterion scores developed through cross-informant modeling of data from self, parent/guardian, and teacher/staff reports, we observed that childhood and adolescent violent media preferences contributed significantly to the prediction of violence and general aggression from cumulative risk totals. Findings represent a new and important direction for research on the role of violent media use in the broader matrix of risk factors for youth violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[4]

Skyler Trimpler

Mind-altering media

Phillips, Helen. "Mind-altering media. (Cover story)." New Scientist 194.2600 (2007): 33-37. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.

The article discusses research on electronic media use and its possible effect on human behavior. It notes murderer Devin Moore and comments he made relating life to a video game after he killed 3 policemen. Surveys and studies are said to show a link between electronic-media use and violence, depression, and attention-deficit disorders among youth. Researchers are said to believe that the use of electronic media products will change brain function and thought. Researchers Steven Johnson, Shawn Green, and Daphne Bavelier are noted in regard to studies of brain-function changes associated with exposure to electronic media. The so-called Bobo doll studies of researcher Albert Bandura are noted for having linked violent behavior in children to viewing of violent images.

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Skyler Trimpler

Linking Media Violence to Sexual Assaults in New York

Marks, Alexandra. "Central Park attacks on women--is MTV to blame?." Christian Science Monitor 19 June 2000: 2. MAS Ultra - School Edition. EBSCO. Web. 20 Mar. 2011.[6]

Abstract:

• This article is about how different forms of media result in violent acts towards women. This is due in part to the media's need to portray women as sexual objects instead of human being. Then in another example there are attacks on the public due to these violent forms of media as well.

Kelly Owens

Film Media Violence

Violence and its injury consequences in American movies: a public health perspective.

McArthur, David L, et al. "Violence and its injury consequences in American movies: a public health perspective." The Western Journal of Medicine 173.3 (2000): 164. CPSN. Web. 2 Apr. 2011. [7]

Abstract:

• this study was so evaluate the frequency and severity of violence in movies of 1994. They went through each of the scenes in the movies and evaluated how violent it was. Then the consequences of the violence in the movies on the people after the viewings.

Kelly Owens

What We See, We Do: Violence and the Media

Callahan, Sidney. "What we see, we do: violence and the media." Commonweal 123.1 (1996): 6+. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 20 Mar. 2011. [8]

Abstract:

Kelly Owens

Movie Violence May Decrease Violent Crime

Dahl, Gordon and Stefano DellaVigna. "Movie Violence May Decrease Violent Crime." Opposing Viewpoints: The Film Industry. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 20 Mar. 2011. [9]

Abstract:

• Gordon Dahl and Stefano DellaVigna talk about how the violent movies may decrease the crime by bringing possible criminals into the the theaters and off the streets. They believe that the box office attendance of the level of violence of the movie is directly related to the crime rates. When the strongly violent movies are playing there are less crimes on the evening weekend hours.

Kelly Owens

Short-term and Long-term Effects of Violent Media on Aggression in Children and Adults

Brad J. Bushman and L. Rowell Huesmann. "Short-term and Long-term Effects of Violent Media on Aggression in Children and Adults. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Apr 2006; 160: 348 - 352. [10]

Abstract:

• Objectives: To test whether the results of the accumulated studies on media violence and aggressive behavior are consistent with the theories that have evolved to explain the effects. We tested for the existence of both short-term and long-term effects for aggressive behavior. We also tested the theory-driven hypothesis that short-term effects should be greater for adults and long-term effects should be greater for children.
• Design: Meta-analysis.
• Participants: Children younger than 18 years and adults.
• Main Exposures: Violent media, including TV, movies, video games, music, and comic books.
• Main Outcome Measures: Measures of aggressive behavior, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal (eg, heart rate, blood pressure), and helping behavior.
• Results: Effect size estimates were combined using meta-analytic procedures. As expected, the short-term effects of violent media were greater for adults than for children whereas the long-term effects were greater for children than for adults. The results also showed that there were overall modest but significant effect sizes for exposure to media violence on aggressive behaviors, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, arousal levels, and helping behavior.
• Conclusion: The results are consistent with the theory that short-term effects are mostly due to the priming of existing well-encoded scripts, schemas, or beliefs, which adults have had more time to encode. In contrast, long-term effects require the learning (encoding) of scripts, schemas, or beliefs. Children can encode new scripts, schemas, and beliefs via observational learning with less interference and effort than adults.

Kelly Owens

Effects of Watching Violence Movies

Hassan, Md Salleh Bin Hj, Mohd. Nizam Osman, and Zoheir Sabaghpour Azarian. "Effects of Watching Violence Movies on the Attitudes Concerning Aggression among Middle Schoolboys (13-17 years old) at International Schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia." European Journal of Scientific Research 38.1 (2009): 141-156. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 20 Mar. 2011.[11]

Abstract:

• The learning environments, which a child is exposed, are also assumed to contribute to the increase of aggressive behavior and attitudes. Media violence as one of specific learning condition is believed to be a potential contributor to the growth of antisocial behavior in children and youth.
• Many studies have been conducted in the area of media violence and its effects on the young viewers. A major focus has been the relationship between media violence and aggressive behaviour but, interestingly, research regarding the relationship between media violence and attitudes about aggression is limited. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to contribute to the state of the research by predicting and comparing attitudes about aggression among adolescent boys on the basis of their exposure to violence in movies.
• This study used a survey research design. Two hundred and sixteen adolescent boys aged 13-17 were selected from seven international schools located in Kuala Lumpur. The data were collected using four instruments: the Demographic Questionnaire, the Media Viewing Habit Questionnaire, the Affection toward movie violence scale, and the Attitudes concerning Aggression Scale. The results indicated that adolescent boys spend a significant amount of time watching movies on TV and DVD/CD as well. In addition, they are exposed to substantial amounts of media violence. At the same time, parental involvement with their adolescents’ movie viewing is relatively limited.

Kelly Owens

Popular Culture Does Not Negatively Influence America's Youth

Males, Mike. "Popular Culture Does Not Negatively Influence America's Youth." Opposing Viewpoints: America's Youth. Ed. Roman Espejo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2003. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Web. 2 Apr. 2011. [12]

Abstract:

• this article talks a lot about how the smoking in the media affects the youth. But also that other things like the way people act can also have an influence on what behavior is occurring. Smoking has lead to some major declines in education, both of which do not really lead do bright futures, so in a slippery slope sort of way it doesnt lead to anything good.

Kelly Owens

Clinton Urges Film Industry to Limit Violence on Screen

Broder, John M. "Clinton Urges Film Industry to Limit Violence on Screen." New York Times. 16 May 1999, Late Edition (East Coast): New York Times, ProQuest. Web. 5 Apr. 2011. [13]

Abstract: this article talks about how the violence in movies is becoming too much for those younger people in society, He reveals quite strongly that the rating should be revised to make the lower rated movies less violent. Some in the entertainment business would not attend an event on youth and violence at the White House hosted by Clinton because they were under the impression that he was merely trying to make Hollywood look bad for all of the harm violence was imposing on youth.

Kelly Owens

Childhood Exposure to Media Violence Predicts Young Adult Aggressive Behavior, According to a New 15-Year Study

Huesmann, L. Rowell, Jessica Moise-Titus, Cheryl-Lynn Podolski, and Leonard D. Eron. "Longitudinal Relations Between Children’s Exposure to TV Violence and Their Aggressive and Violent Behavior in Young Adulthood: 1977–1992". Developmental Psychology. Vol. 39, No. 2. 2003. 201–221. American Psychological Association. Web. 17 April. 2011. [14]

Video Game Media Violence

Appeals court holds key in battle over regulation of violent video games

Mark Jurkowitz, Globe Staff, 10/2/2002

This article is about a county in Missouri trying to make a case that the selling and renting of mature rated games is a criminal offence. The county is bringing the case to the US Court of Appeals. If they win they could "define the boundaries of the First Amendment and give powerful legal weight to the argument that exposure to media-generated violence is linked to violence in society"

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Skyler Trimpler

Video Games: A Cause of Violence and Aggression

Grace Shin, Submitted by SerendipUpdate on Fri, 01/04/2008 - 2:59pm,

This article relates the violence in video games to the two columbine shooters. The article also shows a link between violent video games and higher heart rates, dizzyness, and nausea. The main concept behind the authors writing is that violent video games are a direct cause for violent, negative, and aggressive behavior.

[16]

Skyler Trimpler

Chronic violent video game exposure and desensitization to violence Behavioral and event-related brain potential data

Schwartz, Kelly D. "Chronic violent video game exposure and desensitization to violence Behavioral and event-related brain potential data." Journal of Youth Ministry 5.2 (2007): 95-98. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.

The article analyzes a research on youth violence titled "Chronic Violent Video Game Exposure and Desensitization to Violence Behavioral and Event-related Brain Potential Data," published in the "Journal of Experimental Social Psychology." The author examines the relationship between desensitization account of media violence and aggressive behavior of teenagers that was highlighted in the research.

[17]

Skyler Trimpler

The influence of media violence on youth

Ellen Wartella, et al. "The influence of media violence on youth." Psychological Science in the Public Interest (Wiley-Blackwell) 4.3 (2003): 81-110. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.

This article is about large scale observations on the effects of violence in television, films, and video games and there influence on its viewers. They discovered that the short term effects of media violence were aggressive behavior, thoughts, and emotions. An experiment was done to show the effects of the short term effects “In several studies, children were randomly assigned to play violent or nonviolent video games and then were observed when given an opportunity to be aggressive. Most of these studies found that the violent game significantly increased youths’ aggressive behavior.”(Anderson et al.). They also saw that media violence on youth showed a higher likely hood to engage in aggressive behaviors such as physical assaults and criminal behavior. What causes people to engage in these behaviors is that the characters being observed are so likeable and attractive. Some people may also like what they see or are influenced by it because of how they might relate to it whether that is the environment or characters. The authors go on to say that it is almost impossible for people to not be exposed to media violence and that the way to prevent it is parental mediation and for media sources to tone down the violence.

[18]

Skyler Trimpler

Television Media Violence

Children and TV Violence

"Children and TV Violence." American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2002) Web. 23 Mar. 2011.

Summary: This article is a summary of hundreds of studies that have proven that violence on television can make children " become immune or numb to the horror of violence, gradually accept violence as a way to solve problems, imitate the violence they observe on television, and identify with certain characters, victims and/or victimizers."

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Will Sloan

Television Violence and Violent Behavior

Timothy F. Hartnagel, James J. Teevan, Jr. and Jennie J. Mc Intyre, Social Forces, Vol. 54, No. 2 (Dec., 1975), pp. 341-351

Summary: This article researches the correlation between media violence exposure and violent behavior. The authors hypothesis was that there would be a positive correlation between the two, he found minimal support for this hypothesis however. In the end, the authors research and date concluded that violent television played a no bigger role in determining violent behavior than did sex or grades in school.

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Will Sloan

Other Articles

M. Russo, et al. "The Effects of Child Abuse and Exposure to Domestic Violence on Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems." Journal of Family Violence 25.1 (2010): 53-63. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. EBSCO. Web. 27 Apr. 2011. [21]

Abstract: This study examines the effects of child abuse and domestic violence exposure in childhood on adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Data for this analysis are from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study, a prospective study of 457 youth addressing outcomes of family violence and resilience in individuals and families. Results show that child abuse, domestic violence, and both in combination (i.e., dual exposure) increase a child’s risk for internalizing and externalizing outcomes in adolescence. When accounting for risk factors associated with additional stressors in the family and surrounding environment, only those children with dual exposure had an elevated risk of the tested outcomes compared to non-exposed youth. However, while there were some observable differences in the prediction of outcomes for children with dual exposure compared to those with single exposure (i.e., abuse only or exposure to domestic violence only), these difference were not statistically significant. Analyses showed that the effects of exposure for boys and girls are statistically comparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kelly Owens