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Media Violence

media violence effect cultivation theory aggression

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#1 Emily

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Posted 21 December 2013 - 07:19 PM

I took a communication research class my sophomore year of college, and one of our assignments was to conduct a group study on a certain issue in communication. We chose media violence - with somewhat of a focus on cultivation theory - and it's effect on people. We wanted to know if media violence made people a) more aggressive, b) more likely to perceive the world as a violence place, and c) whether or not other factors, like personality traits, were at play. Our results were mostly inconclusive because we couldn't get enough people to take the survey. I think we actually had about 50 people take it. 

 

Cultivation Theory, originally presented by George Gerbner, is the idea that violent content on television leads to a view of the world as a more violent place. It is also known as "mean world syndrome." 

 

http://www.thepci.or...nt Behavior.pdf

 

^ This is a good article to help define media violence and violence behavior. It's also has some great research on the topic. 

 

What I'm asking is:

 

Do you think that violence in the media can cause aggressive behavior? Do other factors come into play (environment, upbringing, etc.)?

 

Do you agree with the cultivation theory? Are you more likely to see the world as a bad place if you're frequently exposed to violent content? 

 

We could also add desensitization into the mix as well, I suppose. 

 

I also just generally want to know your opinion on the effect of violence in the media on people. If someone who plays video games for hours a day and/or watches tons violent tv/movies goes on a killing spree, is the violence he's been viewing at all to blame? 

 

Here are some other articles if you're interested: 

 

http://www.nytimes.c...thing.html?_r=0

 

http://piersmorgan.b...-can-relate-to/

 

http://america.aljaz...dsince1950.html

 

http://www.scienceda...81119122632.htm

 

Discuss.



#2 Grimley

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Posted 21 December 2013 - 09:02 PM

I feel (personally) that violence in the realm of popular media is only a cause of aggressive behavior and angsty bullshit in general to the kind of folk that are sheeple, so to speak, and without the ability to think independently to begin with. (cue haters NOW!)



#3 Scot

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Posted 01 February 2014 - 03:49 PM

I saw this little tidbit about the NBC show Hannibal and it reminded me of this topic.

 

Finally, in a fine example of the bizarre double standard that exists with regards to sexual imagery vs. violent imagery in television and films, Fuller talked about an exchange that took place over questionable material in an episode where a couple are murdered and have the skin sliced from their backs to form angel wings. Since the flesh angels were nude, their butt cracks were visible in one of the shots and NBC insisted that the butt cracks be removed. Fuller recalled the incident, saying, “They were cracked in many ways, and their butt crack to me was a less offensive crack they were sporting.”

 

In the end, Fuller offered to fill the butt cracks with blood to make them less objectionable. NBC said, “Okay.”

 



#4 jinq

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Posted 01 February 2014 - 06:02 PM

 

Jimmy Kimmel should at least be fired. And I do believe people like Kimmel are gonna stir up hatred against Chinese. Especially if there is no repercussion for his actions.


Edited by jinq, 01 February 2014 - 06:04 PM.


#5 Sweeney

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Posted 01 February 2014 - 06:07 PM

Jimmy Kimmel should at least be fired. And I do believe people like Kimmel are gonna stir up hatred against Chinese. Especially if there is no repercussion for his actions.


What? You think that because a child said something inappropriate, but funny, on his show... he should be fired?

#6 Frizzle

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Posted 01 February 2014 - 06:12 PM

....that's gotta be sarcasm, right?

#7 best

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Posted 01 February 2014 - 09:33 PM

Do you think that violence in the media can cause aggressive behavior?

 

Yes. I can never forget I always imitate the behaviour of actors or actress in the movie when I was young. Including attack people's nut. 



#8 Emily

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Posted 19 February 2014 - 11:46 PM

I'm taking a Media Effects class (I'm already over it. I'm doing a 75 minute presentation on persuasion in the media). We're going to talk about violent media and news/political media and how it's effects people one of these days however. I think it would be interesting to post some of what I've learned here.

 

Right now, however, I feel like I've learned too much about persuasion. Logos, ethos, pathos... The six weapons of influence according to Cialdini... Third person effect... Social judgement theory... blah blah blah. Also, my hatred for group projects has increased.

 

To stay on topic: In my class, we have media effects logs that we have to write every other week. We have to choose something on tv that we've seen recently, describe it, and answer whether it's a) micro or macro, b) content-specific or diffuse-general, c) cognitive, attitudinal or behavioral, d) alteration or stablization, and e) a gradual long-term change in magnitude, long term reinforcement, immediate shift, or a short term fluctuation. 

 

I chose something violent that I had recently seen on television and described what I had seen. I had trouble with the effects, however, because I don't feel as if I'm AS effected by it than other people are... Which takes me back to third person effect (people tend to overestimate the influence that mass communications have on others and underestimate when it comes to themselves) *sobs* I'm actually learning things.

 

This is why I love (sometimes hate when it comes to group projects) my major. 



#9 Bones

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Posted 20 February 2014 - 12:51 AM

Do you think that violence in the media can cause aggressive behavior? Do other factors come into play (environment, upbringing, etc.)?

Personaly no but I do think the media can be too one sided and create an issue where none before had been.

 

I am a car crash when it comes to media news I loath it but cant seem to stop watching it.



#10 Jarst

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Posted 20 February 2014 - 08:02 AM

Sadly, media is all kids see today so having someone try and jump some incredibly dangerous and stupid thing is becoming the norm like it would be in a video game. But if those were to be removed, a large revenue stream would go away, and that'll never happen. People love money

#11 Emily

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Posted 11 March 2014 - 02:42 PM

 

We had to watch this documentary in one of my classes. This is just a preview of it, but it's actually pretty good. It talks about violence in the media and men and how that translates to real life violence. 



#12 Floofy

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Posted 11 March 2014 - 02:54 PM

I don't think violence in the media causes aggression, but I think it normalizes violence which lets aggressive people take advantage of that.



#13 kolie

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Posted 19 March 2014 - 11:03 AM

I don't believe that the media "causes" anything. As a journalist, I think that wording is troublesome. What I do believe is that the media carries powerful messages about what it means to be alive and involved in current society. Especially in terms of reality TV and the messages it carries about what is normal behavior and how you can go about improving yourself (through consuming and competing). As much as people believe that the media portrayal of women effects their personalities and self esteem, I believe the media portrayal of masculinity through sports programming and dramatic violent shows effects men and their beliefs about the world and what it means to be a man. 

 

Anyway this is long winded but essentially I think television and other media informs the way in which we see the world, the morals we choose to adopt and the traits that are considered acceptable for certain "types" of people. Media informs and reflects our stereotypes. I believe that media portrayal of violence says something important about culture, and certainly affects the ways people see the world, which in turn motivates them in their actions. I don't believe that watching violent media causes a person to go be violent, although it may trigger those who already have a predisposition for violence. I believe media interacts with people in very complex and nuanced ways, depending on their deeply held political, personal, moral and religious beliefs.



#14 jargon

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 02:14 AM

Wasn't there a psychological test that showed that children who were exposed to violence were more likely to be aggressive? I remember watching a video in psych class where these little kids, after shown something violent, were more likely to beat up this inflatable doll than kids that were shown something more neutral.

 

Anyway, humans tend to be influenced easily. So Yes, I'd say humans are influenced by violence in the media. As to whether it makes them go out to punch the next person they come across, definitely not. It's a little more complicated than that. Besides, genetics also has a lot to do with behavior.





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