Movies Have a Greater Influence on Society Than Video Games

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Introduction
In modern society, the public uses multiple types of media each day. Two main types of media for entertainment are video games and movies. Although they both started for different purposes, they now leave people choosing between one or the other (Franich, 2011). Due to the specific stereotyping of movie characters, movies are more influential than video games. People can relate better to the characters, and thus change their perceptions and beliefs after viewing movies.
Movies or Video Games: Which is more influential?
Movies are more influential than video games on audiences due to the gender roles and stereotypes portrayed by characters within films. Behm-Morawitz and Mastro (2008, p. 132) have found this answer through the development of Bandura’s social cognitive theory and teen movies. This theory explains how gender roles are shared through mass media, and this becomes the belief in society. As characters are dramatized in films, viewers will begin to believe that the stereotype in the film is real in society. Teen films are growing in popularity and as more teens are exposed to the films, more teens being to develop these beliefs.
An example that Behm-Morawitz and Mastro (2008, p. 132) used to validate this theory was through the evaluation of the movie Mean Girls. This portrayed teen girls as being ruthless bullies. Due to the popularity of this film, more movies are being produced with the same stereotypes of girls, thus further exposing to teens to this negative behavior. Behm-Morawitz and Mastro (2008, p. 141) also discovered that teen movies similar to Mean Girls generally change the beliefs of viewers to have more unfavorable attitudes toward women and stereotype their beliefs about female friendships.
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...anich (2011), there was stronger research for movies being more influential to society. Behm-Morawitz and Mastro (2008) explained how characters played in modern movies have an effect on societies beliefs. Stereotypes, specifically with gender roles become stronger or become beliefs through viewing films with characters in those roles. Whether or not these stereotypes are true in society, people will believe they are true if they are in movies.

Works Cited

Behm-Morawitz, E., & Mastro D. (2008, March). Mean girls? the influence of gender portrayals in teen movies emerging adults’ gender-based attitudes and beliefs. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 85 (1), 121-164. doi:10.1177/107769900808500109

Franch, D. (2011, August 18). Videogames vs. movies: have games replaced films as the modern popular narrative medium?. Retrieved from: http://goo.gl/2fRM3f

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