Week 6: Media Violence

Question 1

What are the 3 main methodologies that have been used to study the link between media violence and aggression?

Answer 1

1. Experimental
2. Cross-sectional
3. Longitudinal

Question 2

Limitation of cross-sectional studies is that they cannot determine causality even when controlling for additional variables. What methodology can overcome this?

Answer 2

Longitudinal

Question 3

Cross-lagged longitudinal approach

Answer 3

Assess media violence and aggression at 2 or more points in time

Socialization hypothesis - viewing media violence = more aggression

Selection hypothesis - more aggressive individuals are more attracted to violent media

Question 4

Downward spiral longitudinal model

Answer 4

More intense use of violent media may reinforce aggressive tendencies over time

Question 5

What is meant by a carry-over effect? How strong is it?

Answer 5

I.e., watching physical violence and showing relationally aggressive behaviour

There is evidence for this but it is weaker than when the aggression modality is more closely related.

Question 6

According to the GAM what are 4 factors that lead to short-term effects of aggression after a single episode of engaging in violent media

Answer 6

1. Increase in physiological arousal
2. Imitation
3. Increase in hostility and anger
4. Priming of aggressive thoughts

Question 7

According to the GAM what are 4 factors that lead to long-term effects of aggression after engaging in violent media habitually

Answer 7

1. Observational learning
2. Development of aggressive knowledge structures (schemas and scripts)
3. Disinhibition
4. Emotional desensitization

Question 8

The more regularly individuals use violent media, the more __________ affect they experience in response to media violence

Answer 8

positive

Question 9

Provide an example of the Proteus effect

Answer 9

In one study, both men and women showed more aggressive behaviour when they played with a male as opposed to a female avatar

Suggests that female participants may have adopted the gender-stereotypic behaviour of their avatar

Question 10

Acquisition, activation, and application

Answer 10

Acquisition - sexual scripts formation and shaping
Activation - similarity between situation and script
Application - act out scriptD

Question 11

Disinhibition versus desensitization

Answer 11

Disinhibition
- Weakening of inhibitions against aggression
- Aggression appears to become common and accepted

Desensitization
- Decreased response to stimulus after repeated exposure

Question 12

With regard to pornography, the greater the resemblance between the situation and script, the more likely the activation of that script. Provide an example

Answer 12

if someone says “no” but the sexual script in the other person’s head is that “no” means “yes” they are more likely to act out that script

Question 13

Describe the direct AND indirect learning effect of the use of pornography

Answer 13

Direct effect - the pornographic material presents aggression as normative or acceptable

Indirect effect - even in the absence of violent content, pornography may influence sexual attitudes and behaviours associated with increased odds of showing sexual aggression

Question 14

What are 3 violent media interventions

Answer 14

1. Restricted consumption
2. Critical consumption
3. Restrict-access (forbidden fruit effect)