Disinhibition Flashcards
What is disinhibition?
The feeling of being with it in or caught up in the media and therefore acting in an uncharacteristic way
How can the media cause disinhibition?
Playing a computer game can show the player violence that is more intense than it would normally be then the game may incite violence in someone who is a passive person in everyday behaviour
How can society place restraints on violence behaviour?
If a behaviour is seen as wrong by society, then there are many consequences for using violence (such as jail) which places restraints on your behaviour but when we are exposed to violent media, these usual restraints are loosened
How can the media loosen these restraints?
In the media violence is often made to appear normative and socially sanctioned especially if the violence is justified. People are sometimes rewarded for the use of violence whilst consequences are minimised or ignored so there is a reduction in the constraints
Who conducted the first study to support the disinhibition theory?
Berowitz and Alioto
What did Berowitz and Alioto find?
Participants who saw a film depicting aggression as vengeance gave more electric shocks of longer duration to a confederate. There media violent may disinhibit aggressive behaviour when it is presented as justified as it is seemed to be more socially acceptable
Who conducted the second study to support the disinhibition theory?
Pinto da mota matos and Haase
What did Pinto da Mota Matos and Haase find?
If people perceive the situation as less realistic in reality TV programmes then they are more likely to act more aggressively as there are no perceived consequences in the unrealistic situations so supporting the theory
What are three limitations of disinhibition?
- bias in the research so may not be able to apply to all types of media influences
- may only explain short term effects
- individual differences as not everyone experiences disinhibition
