Critical Review on the Effets of Mass Media on Violent Behavior

1962 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Relationship between media and violence

‘CRITICAL REVIEW ON THE EFFECTS OF MASS MEDIA ON VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR’

TABLE OF CONTENT

Cover Page Pg 1

Table of Content Pg 2

Introduction Pg 3

Definitions

Studies Aimed at Validating the Existence of a Correlation

The Social Learning Theory

The Narrative Theory

Studies Aimed at Refuting Correlation

Reciprocal Determinism

Case Studies

4.1 Norway Massacre

4.2 Aurora Colorado Theatre Shooting

4.3 Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting

Conclusion

References

INTRODUCTION

With the invention of television sets (TV’s), came the invention of films and television programs to be shown on TV as well as the opportunity to broadcast live news stories. In modern day society, the news has become a 24-hour channel that contains violence, terrorism and numerous inhuman acts committed by ordinary citizens and repeats every story almost every hour (Ukoha 2013). Cartoons are no longer as ‘sweet as pie’ as Walt Disney had intended when he created Mickey Mouse and the rest of the Disney clan; children are now being plonked in front of cartoons that portray violence as being humorous (Ukoha 2013). Parents are no longer encouraging children to entertain themselves outside but are placing TV’s in their bedrooms, permitting them to watch whatever they want when they want to (Ukoha 2013).

The effect of media on violent behaviour has been the subject of research for many decades, this is mainly due to the fact that researchers have noticed a significant correlation between the violence portrayed in mass media and the violence exhibited in childhood and adolescent behaviour (Pusateri 2006). According to Corrigan (2010, p. 119), “most children view an average of 3-4 hours of tele...

... middle of paper ...

...ght to listen to authority figures

One can conclude, with support of the numerous research articles above as well as the supporting theories, that mass media does have an effect on violent behaviour but it is only one factor in a multi-faceted approach to understanding the multiple causes for one to react violently (Huesmann & Taylor 2006).

REFERENCES

Hermen, D, Phelan, J, Rabinowitz, P.J, Richardson, B, Warhol, R 2012, Narrative Theory: Core Concepts and Critical Debates, the Ohio State University Press, Ohio.

Ukoha, E.K 2013, ‘Media Violence and Violent Behaviour of Nigerian Youths: Intervention Strategies’, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (Nerdc), vol. 21, no. 3-5, pp. 230-237.

Prentice, C 2010, ‘Terms of ambivalence: cultural politics and symbolic exchange’, Australian Literary Studies, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 33-54.

Show More
Related

  • Dexter in the Real World

    1167 Words  | 3 Pages

    Recently, the effect that violent media has on society has been the focus of many psychological studies. According to an article published in the New York Times, research has found that: “Exposure to violent imagery does not preordain violence, but it is a risk factor” (Pozios, Kambam, Bender, 2013). There has yet to be a direct link between violence actually causing people to go on these massive shooting sprees that have been so common lately. It is natural and understandable for the

    Read More

  • Mad TV: The Impact of Televised Violence on America

    1889 Words  | 4 Pages

    Everyone’s seen the classic cartoons. Wile E. Coyote chasing the Roadrunner around a bend, only the Roadrunner turns, but our comedic--and usually stupid--villain doesn’t. So, he falls from a height of what looks like about 500,000 feet, only to become a small puff of smoke at the bottom of the canyon. After all, if what happens to you when you fall from that height were to have happened to Mr. Coyote, that would have been a very short lived cartoon series. Maybe this example is an exaggeration, but the idea is the same: violence comes streaming into our homes every single day through our TVs not to be viewed, but to be devoured. It’s been proven that sex and violence sell. For those of us who can tell the difference between reality and fantasy, the effect of TV violence is miniscule. But for our children--who think when the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers come to the local shopping mall, that it’s the biggest event since Bert told Ernie he snores too loud--the violence seen on TV seems like a logical reaction to life’s problems. And that’s a problem within itself. The impact of televised violence on children is only a slice of the pie that is the problem with the endless stream of violent acts on TV.

    Read More

  • Violence in the Media

    1064 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gina Marchetti, in her essay "Action-Adventure as Ideology," argues that action- adventure films implicitly convey complex cultural messages regarding American values and the "white American status quo." She continues to say that all action-adventure movies have the same basic structure, including plot, theme, characterization, and iconography. As ideology, this film genre tacitly expresses social norms, values, and morals of its time. Marchetti's essay, written in 1989, applies to films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Rambo: First Blood II. However, action-adventure films today seem to be straying farther away from her generalizations about structure, reflecting new and different cultural norms in America. This changing ideology is depicted best in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers (1994), which defies nearly every concept Marchetti proposes about action-adventure films; and it sets the stage for a whole new viewpoint of action in the '90's.

    Read More

  • Popular Culture and Violent Behavior

    11787 Words  | 24 Pages

    Popular Culture and Violent Behavior Introduction In 1871 E.B. Taylor defined culture as 'that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs, and many other capabilities and habits acquired by... [members] of society. '[1] Taylor was talking about 'high' culture, an aristocratic view of the past-times such as ballet, theatre and art. Popular culture, on the other hand, is a form of 'low' culture and is based primarily on marketing, mass production and revenue.

    Read More

  • Media Violence: Censorship Not Needed

    1589 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to John Davidson's essay Menace to Society, "three-quarters of Americans surveyed [are] convinced that movies, television and music spur young people to violence." While public opinion is strong, the results of research are divided on the effects of media violence on the youth in this country. Davidson wrote that most experts agree that some correlation between media violence and actual violent acts exists, yet the results are contradictory and researchers quibble about how the effects are to be measured (271). Moreover, Davidson is not convinced that the media is the sole problem of violence, or even a primary problem. He points out that other factors, such as "poverty, the easy accessibility of guns, domestic abuse, [and] social instability" may have a greater impact on a child becoming violent than the influence of the media (277). Even though other forces may be stronger, media violence does have some adverse effects on the members of society. If senseless violence on television and in movies had no effect, it would not be such a hotly debated topic. What type of effects and whom they affect are the most argued aspects of the discussion.

    Read More

  • The Columbine High School Massacre

    1096 Words  | 3 Pages

    Media violence leads people to have violent behavior. Media violence leads people at ideological offensive, and leads those to implement the violent behaviors because their ideological offensive could be justified in media. In the media, violence behavior always lends color to be beautiful, cool and proper. It conveys fallacy ...

    Read More

  • Linking Media Violence and Negative Behavior

    2360 Words  | 5 Pages

    Many Americans feel that the viewing of violence in the media reinforces negative behavior in society, especially among children and young adults. "Three thousand studies have been done since 1955 on the link between television and violence; 2,980 of them found a correlation between the two.  We hear little about that because we get most of our news from television" (Peterson).  With this much research one must acknowledge that there is a problem in America involving sex and violence in the media.  We cannot blame all societal problems on the media and its portrayal of these issues, but we can become educated, ourselves, in order to better facilitate the healthy lives of our children.

    Read More

  • Increasing Violence in Youth Culture

    1103 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mass media is a major influence that causes violence in youth culture. According to Hoffman, studies show that children experience an incredible number of violent acts per hour of watching television (Hoffman 11). The advancement in technology such as video games and televisions have aimed children to watch shows with numerous violent scenes. In making this comment, one can infer that violence is becoming a common and unexceptional act for which one can learn that violence is an accepted act in our society (12). Personally, I agree with Hoffman. I visited a websit...

    Read More

  • Violence in Television

    1911 Words  | 4 Pages

    addition the average American child will witness over 200,000 acts of violence on television including 16,000 murders before the age of 18 (DuRant, 445). Polls show that three-quarters of the public find television entertainment too violent. When asked to select measures that would reduce violent crime “a lot”, Americans chose restrictions on television violence more often than gun control. Media shows too much violence that is corrupting the minds children, future leaders of our society. In a study of population data for various countries sh...

    Read More

  • The Problem of Video Game Violence is Exaggerated

    1090 Words  | 3 Pages

    Javier, Rafael Art., William G. Herron, and Louis Primavera. “Violence and the Media: A Psychological

    Read More

  • Protecting Children from Television Violence

    1390 Words  | 3 Pages

    Television violence, and media violence in general, has been a controversial topic for several years. The argument is whether young children are brainwashed into committing violent real-world crimes because of violent and pugnacious behavior exposed in mass media. In his article “No Real Evidence for TV Violence Causing Real Violence”, Jonathan Freedman, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and author of “Media Violence and Its Effect on Aggression: Assessing the Scientific Evidence”, discusses how television violence, claimed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), does not cause real-world aggression among adolescents. The FCC determined to restrict violent television programming to late night hours only because their “scientific research” proves of increasing aggression among young viewers (Freedman Par. 2). Freedman goes on to explain that the FCC has no substantial scientific evidence stating that there is a correlation between fictional violence and real-world aggression among young audiences. He has completed research in 1984 and 2002 on the relationship between media violence to actual acts of violence on the street. Because he has completed research projects related to this topic, Freedman’s statistical evidence shows that there is a reduction in youth violence and it essentially does not cause real-world crimes (Freedman Par. 1). The FCC continues to claim that exposure to media violence does in fact increase aggression, and yet their readers continue to believe their fabrications. Freedman argues that people who research media violence tend to disregard and omit the opposing facts. No one type of violence is more effective on aggression than another type. There is no evidence showi...

    Read More

  • Media Violence Essay

    1082 Words  | 3 Pages

    By the time a child reaches the age of one, they see about 200,000 acts of violence on television. (Nakaya, 3). The Media has been becoming more and more violent over the years. A poll in an issue of Times Magazine, from 2005, showed that 66 percent of Americans think that there is an abundant amount of graphic acts of violence on televisions (Nakaya, 18). People are exposed to thousands of acts of violence through video games, television, and movies. Many studies show that media violence increases violent behavior in in humans. Studies show, violent video games, and graphic television have physiological effects on children. The government has very few regulations on media violence. Some people believe the government shouldn’t limit content because others might be insulted by its material. Media violence is such a broad topic and has such a large presence in daily lives, so we cannot simple get rid of it. The Federal Communications Commission stipulates, “By the time most children begin the third grade, they will have spent the equivalent of three school years in front of a television set.” Even though the government shouldn’t censor the media, Media violence is becoming a serious issue because it is becoming more violent, it makes people behave violently, and it has little regulations.

    Read More

  • The Effects of Media on Anti-Social Behavior

    645 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Effects of Media on Anti-Social Behavior“ The media are a form of mass communication, with the internet, radio, television, newspaper and advertising surrounding us, and therefore the media is increasingly blamed for violence in our society. Programmes such as wrestling and computer a game are blamed for aggression in playgrounds and films such as “Childs Play” have been blamed for murders such as that of James Bulger. The argument is whether media are positive and negative in influencing violence. There are several explanations of media influences on anti-social behaviour, one being that of desensitisation.

    Read More

  • Effects of Television Violence on Children and Teenagers

    661 Words  | 2 Pages

    Television violence is also a cause of both violent and aggressive behavior in teenage boys. According to the evidence in a study done by Turner, Hesse, and Peterson-Lewis, it was concluded that watching television violence had a long-term increase in aggression in boys (Hough 1). In addition to this study, Dr. William A. Belson evaluated fifteen hundred boys, aged thirteen to sixteen years, and he determined that boys with heavy television exposure are more likely to commit violent acts than other boys (Langone 51). In Belson’s study, he discovered that the effect of each violent act on television was collective, and over time, Belson discovered that the boys engaged in many aggressive acts, including painting graffiti, breaking windows, aggressive play, swearing, and threatening other boys with violence (Kinnear 26).

    Read More

  • Essay On Effects Of Violence In Movies

    2129 Words  | 5 Pages

    No single factor can cause children or adults to act aggressively. Instead, it is the accumulation of risk factors that leads to an aggressive act. Hundreds of studies look into the issue of violent media, it always seems to end up the same place with three major effects including increasing aggressive behavior in a variety of forms, desensitization, and spurs fear. Not every viewer will be affected noticeably, but we know that every viewer is affected in some way. Some have argued that violent media are the primary cause of mass shooting. Others have argued that there is no solid evidence of any harmful effects of violent media. But it is clear is that exposure to media violence is one of risk factors increased aggressive behavior, desensitization, and fear.

    Read More

More about Critical Review on the Effets of Mass Media on Violent Behavior

Open Document