Electronic media is an extremely powerful technology tool and as with most technology it can either solve or create problems for society. Over the last two decades there has been a growing concern with violence in multiple forms of media and the effect it has on US society. If the adage of, “One picture is with a thousand words” is true, then a video must speak volumes. One of the most pervasive forms of media that disperse violent content is video. Video games are a relatively newer form of media when compared to movies and TV. However, their availability has increased exponentially, to the extent that most smart phones can be used to play video games along with just about any home computer. As video game technology advances, so does the realism in rendering and modeling of violent content.
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtsHifrIAK8
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1UOoVrxd8w
Some parents use the rational that their children understand that the violence they see on TV, movies and video games is not reality. This may be true however, understanding the reality of something and not be effected by it are unfortunately two separate things. Children can spend a tremendous amount of time watching TV and playing video games. To contrast that amount of time with time learning school subject matter, you would also have to include the weekends and summer hours of exposure to TV and video games. In a cognitive sense, continuous exposure to violent content where violence is used as the solution may make that particular solution the most salient. When faced with a conflict a child may use an aggressive or violent resolution because it may be the one that is the most cognitively available heuristic. Another related factor is priming, where an image facilitates related item retrieval in the brain (Reed, 2010). An object associated with violence tends to increase aggressive behavior (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012). While there is a legitimate argument that violent video games allow the participants to relieve stress and aggression, children do not appear to limit their violent video game play to when they are stressed. The number of studies for violent video games is relatively small especially when compared to studies in television and movie violence. Here there is an abundance of evidence pointing to the correlation between TV violence and aggressive behavior. This includes a meta-analysis of 230 experimental studies of media violence which found that exposure increased levels of various aggressive behaviors (Schneider, Gruman & Coutts, 2012).
Another variant of video media is in the form of social media such as Youtube.com. As you are most likely already aware, this website allows users to upload their own videos as well as watch videos posted by others. The ability to search for particular content makes it very popular with the do-it-yourself crowd or anyone looking for a video on how to do something. Simple tasks such as reloading ink on a printer to major automotive repair videos are available. However, it is not limited to how to videos. News of acts of injustice along with other world events are often posted. Even the current president of the US recently made a video appealing to Iranian citizens on this site. While much of the content can be used in a positive manner, there are instances when information can be used negatively or inadvertently to create harm. Persistent images of negative social behavior can have an effect to create a perceived social norm that is false and may induce negative behavior in others. Given the ability for social media to reach and affect such a large and widespread audience is a cause for concern. Stronger consideration for how new technology will impact society and how it should be governed may be warranted before releasing it in the future.
References
Reed S. K. (2010) Cognition; Theories and Applications, (8th Ed) Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
Schneider, F.W., Gruman, J.A., & Coutts, L. M. (2012). Applied social psychology; Understanding and Addressing Social and Practical Problems, (2nd Ed) Thousand Oaks,CA: Sage Publications
Thank you for your comments and interest. One issue I am suggesting is that while someone is aware that the violence they are watching is not real, they are influenced by it nonetheless. Being cognitively aware of something, you may override a predisposed attitude if you are given enough time to think about it. However, when you react under a very short time constraint you are prone to use the most readily available solution in your mind.
I deleted it for you. In the future if that happens, please feel free to contact your instructor for help.
PLEASE IGNORE MY LAST COMMENT ON ‘MEDIA FOR BETTER OR WORSE’. IT WAS A MISTAKEN ONE AND I CANNOT DELETE IT…
Your post is very interesting about the connection between media and aggressiveness. I noticed in your description you mentioned some parents would tell their children that the violence in movies, televison and video games is not real. You stated that knowing this fact is seperate from being influenced to be aggressive. Do they really seperate? In other words, can recognition of distinguishing reality and fantasy decrease the influence of violence? If the children could distinguish and realize the violence on media cannot be acted in the real world and they are educated about the penalty of using violence in the real world such as prison, will they still act aggressively in the same situation or at least resuce aggresiveness? In my opinion if the children know the penalty of using violence well it is likely that they would not choose aggressive behavior. Also, if the education of penalty for violence is frequent, the children may not use violence and think about other solutions even though there is a weapon aside.