5/ Agression - Media influences

Question 1

what are 4 parts of how the media influences aggression?

Answer 1

1. effects of computer games
2. the role of desensitisation
3. the role of disinhibition
4. the role of cognitive priming

Question 2

what are the 4 different types of research that has been carried out on the influence of computer games on aggression?

Answer 2

1. lab experiments
2. correlations
3. longitudinal studies
4. meta - analysis

Question 3

what are two lab experiments of the influence of computer games?

Answer 3

1. compared the effects of watching a violent cartoon and paling violent video game. children who played the game exerted more physical and verbal aggression.
2. reduced activity in pre-frontal lobes when playing violent video games - this part of the brain is responsible for self-control.

Question 4

what is correlation found between aggression and the influence of computer games?

Answer 4

1. 600 adolescents - positive correlation between time spent playing violent computer games and aggressive feelings, arguments and physical fights.

Question 5

what is a longitudinal study found on the influence of computer games?

Answer 5

surveyed children at two points in the academic year. found children who has more exposure to violent video games were more verbally and physically aggressive.

Question 6

what meta analysis of the influence of computer games?

Answer 6

136 studies from experiments, correlations, longitudinal found playing violent computer games linked to aggression in BOTH females and males.

Question 7

what evidence is there to challenge the idea that computer games increases aggression?

Answer 7

males playing violent computer games was cathartic and resulted in feelings of calmer.

Question 8

why might exposure to media violence lead to aggression through desensitisation?

Answer 8

proposes that continuous exposure to aggression means our response in fear to aggression decreases much less. may regard aggression as normal and acceptable behaviour.

Question 9

what supportive evidence is there for the role of desensitisation?

Answer 9

playing violent video games lowers physiological arousal is response to violence n the real world. pps either played violent or non-violent video game for 20 minutes and watched a 10 minute clip of real life violence after. there was a lower heart rate found in pps who played the violent video games.

Question 10

what challenging evidence is there for the role of desensitisation?

Answer 10

MEDIA violence is widespread yet not all individuals behave aggressively therefore this explanation doesn’t account for individual differences.

Question 11

how does the explanation the role of desensitisation ignore the idea of free will?

Answer 11

suggests if you play violent video games you WILL be aggressive and ignores that we make a choice about our behaviour.

Question 12

why might exposure to media violence lead to aggression through disinhibition?

Answer 12

restraint abasing behaving aggressively is reduced when exposed to violent media. e.g. because you have more anonymity and do not have any punishment when playing video game - may initiate aggression in everyday behaviour.

Question 13

what supportive evidence is there for the role of disinhibition?

Answer 13

research has shown support for a disinhibition affect when playing violent video games.

Question 14

what challenging evidence is there for the role of disinhibition?

Answer 14

disinhibition effects only last for the period during which a computer game is played challenges the fact that disinhibition may have a long term effect.

Question 15

what practical applications is there for the role of disinhibition?

Answer 15

American army using computing games as a recruiting tool - need to respond aggressively as a norm.

Question 16

why might exposure to media violence lead to aggression through cognitive priming?

Answer 16

cognitive priming - creates a script of how to deal with conflicts in everyday life stored in the memory, frequent exposure to aggression means scripts are more readily available to individual - so more likely to behave aggressively.

Question 17

what supportive evidence is there for the role of cognitive priming?

Answer 17

brain scans - children who watched the violent tv programme showed greater activation in brain regions associated with emotion and storage of LTM.

Question 18

what methodological issues is there for the role of cognitive priming?

Answer 18

can’t establish cause and effect between exposure to violent media and aggressive behaviour.