You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
The relationship between media consumption and aggressive behaviour has been one of the most debated topics in psychology for over 60 years. As media has evolved — from television to video games to social media — the question of whether exposure to media violence causes real-world aggression has remained central. This lesson examines the psychological mechanisms proposed to explain media effects, the research evidence for and against a causal link, and a critical evaluation of the field.
Key Definition: Media influences on aggression refers to the ways in which exposure to violent content in television, film, video games, and social media may increase aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in the audience.
Several psychological mechanisms have been proposed to explain how media violence might increase aggression:
Drawing on Bandura's social learning theory, this explanation proposes that viewers observe aggressive behaviours performed by media characters (models) and learn these behaviours through observation. If the model is attractive, powerful, or rewarded for their aggression, imitation is more likely.
This mechanism is thought to be particularly powerful for children, who:
Cognitive priming (Berkowitz, 1984) proposes that exposure to media violence activates a network of aggression-related thoughts, feelings, and behavioural scripts in memory. Once "primed," these associations remain temporarily accessible and increase the likelihood of aggressive interpretation and behaviour in subsequent situations.
For example, after watching a violent film, a person may be more likely to:
Huesmann (1986) extended this with script theory, proposing that repeated exposure to media violence leads to the development of aggressive cognitive scripts — stored programmes for how to behave in social situations. Over time, these scripts become automated and are activated more easily.
Key Definition: Cognitive priming is the process by which exposure to a stimulus (e.g., media violence) activates related concepts in memory, making aggressive thoughts and behaviours more accessible and likely in subsequent situations.
Desensitisation proposes that repeated exposure to media violence reduces the emotional impact of violence over time. Viewers become progressively less shocked, disturbed, or empathetic in response to violent content, leading to:
Cline, Croft, and Courrier (1973) measured physiological arousal (skin conductance) in boys aged 5–14 while they watched violent footage. Boys who were heavy TV viewers showed significantly lower arousal than light viewers, suggesting desensitisation.
Funk et al. (2004) found that children who played more violent video games had lower empathy scores and stronger pro-violence attitudes, consistent with desensitisation.
Disinhibition refers to the weakening of social and moral restraints against behaving aggressively. Through exposure to media violence, viewers may come to perceive aggression as more normative and acceptable than they previously believed.
When media portrays violence as:
...viewers may conclude that aggression is an acceptable way to solve problems, reducing the inhibitions that normally prevent aggressive behaviour.
| Mechanism | Process | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Observational learning | Viewer observes and imitates aggressive model | Acquires new aggressive behaviours |
| Cognitive priming | Violence activates aggression-related thoughts | Increases hostile interpretation and response |
| Desensitisation | Repeated exposure reduces emotional response | Decreases empathy, increases tolerance of violence |
| Disinhibition | Violence portrayed as normative/justified | Weakens moral restraints against aggression |
Anderson and Dill (2000) conducted two studies on video game violence:
Anderson and Dill concluded that violent video game play is causally related to increased aggression, affecting both short-term behaviour and long-term aggressive personality.
Bushman and Huesmann (2006) reviewed 35 years of research on media violence and aggression. Their meta-analysis found:
They argued that the effect size for media violence on aggression is comparable to well-established public health effects (e.g., the effect of passive smoking on lung cancer) and should be taken seriously.
Huesmann et al. (2003) conducted a 15-year longitudinal study tracking children from ages 6–9 into adulthood. They found that children who watched more TV violence were significantly more likely to engage in aggressive behaviour, domestic violence, and criminal behaviour as adults, even after controlling for socioeconomic status, intellectual ability, and parenting.
Ferguson (2015) is one of the most prominent critics of the media-violence link. He has argued that:
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 10 lessons in this course.