Effects of Violence Media on Aggression Report

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Effects of Violent Media on Aggression
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Craig and Bushman (2002) conducted a study that confirmed studies performed previously regarding the effects of media on aggression and the behavior of children. Studies conducted from 1975 onwards suggest that violent media generates both long and short-term effects that tend to affect the socialization of individuals.

Recent investigators observe that aggression increases tremendously among individuals who play violent video games for over three times consecutively. Whenever such individuals play violent games, they are exposed to aggressive behavior and their expectations tend to be hostile as well. In particular, playing violent games result to short-time violence, aggressive behavior, and nervousness.

Scholars compare playing violent games to smoking. It is factual that just one cigarette cannot cause cancer, but continuous intake would probably increase the chances of contracting cancer. This implies that incessant exposure to sadistic video games might perhaps have a cumulative effect on hostility. Even though video games play a critical role in educating the young people, they affect the behavior of individuals in their entire life in case they are not employed carefully.

The correlation between aggression and violent media is often disputed since many people expect the results to be instant whereby an individual is expected to watch the violent video and shoot another person the next minute. Since this cannot happen, Craig Anderson and other scholars explain the relationship between the violent media and aggression. Craig suggests that a collection of cells in the mind is charged with the role of detecting the occurrence of something new in the environment.

Responsible body organs activate cells anytime something new is experienced. If two things happen at the same time, they are wired together meaning that the body will always link the occurrence of violence to the violent media (Craig, 2004). This paper looks at the three major effects of violent games. An individual’s biological, social, and psychological processes are affected whenever a child plays or watches violent media continuously.

Effects of Violent Media on Aggression

Type of Effect	Effect	Justification	Explanation
Biological	Abnormal heart rate and sleep	Studies show that independent nerve system, as well as the central physiological structures in the body can perhaps be affected even without the knowledge of the individual when a violent video game is watched or played.	In one of the studies conducted at the Stockholm University, it was established that violent media has a negative effect on the functioning of the heart, which automatically interferes with sleep among children. The study was conducted with a sample of thirty teenage boys aged between thirteen years and fifteen years (Krahe, 2012). Upon division of the sample into two groups, the high exposure group was subjected to violent video games for at least three hours. The low group played the violent game for less than an hour. The findings of the study revealed that children who played the violent game had problems with their heart rates, as well as sleeping. Children were anxious after the game meaning that violent games elicit more stress at bedtime. Moreover, children were exhausted, which is an indication that violent media interferes with sleep.
Psychological	Development of aggressive behavior	A number of studies conducted in the United States, as well as other countries, suggest that children, who are often exposed to violent media, develop aggressive behaviors that are always dangerous to their survival and the survival of other societal members.	Violent behavior against others and lack of remorsefulness characterize the actions of children with aggressive behavior in society. Such children tend to develop defective belief, which generates stressors that might lead to many unconstructive events. Such children develop increased sentiment of antagonism and decreased expressive response towards brutality and harm. Children acquire sadistic behavior through learning process (Griffin, 2013).
Social/environmental		Human behavior is achieved through the process of socialization meaning that an individual would probably develop aggressive behavior through media influence. In case a child is exposed to continuous violent media, chances are high that such a child would develop a deviant behavior, which might lead to the development of aggressive behavior.	The media is one of the socializing agents implying that it affects the normal growth of a child. Children should be allowed to interact with video games that are constructive. In the modern society, the media is replacing the family as a primary socializing agent. Therefore, children are likely to adopt aggressive behavior that might affect their individual orientation to the world. Thus might happen in case children are allowed to watch or play violent video games (Nauert, 2012)

Conclusion

Violent media has a tremendous effect on the life of an individual in society. Biologically, violent media interferes with the heart rate and sleep among children. Research shows that watching aggrieve movies and playing violent videos cause sleep difficulties and heart challenges. Psychologically, an individual suffers from stress and anxiety if he or she is continuously exposed to violent media. From a social perspective, violent media interferes with the socialization of the individual, as he or she tends to develops aggressive behavior.

References

Craig, A. (2004). Violence in the media: its effects on children. Issues in Parenting Education, 1(2), 1-15.

Craig, A., & Bushman, B. J. (2002). Media violence and the American Public revisited. American Psychologist, 57(1), 448-450.

Griffin, T. (2013). The Individual in Society (2nd ed.). North Ryde: McGraw-Hill.

Krahe, B. (2012). Report of the Media Violence Commission: Media Violence Commission, International Society for Research on Aggression. Aggressive Behaviour, 38(1), 335–341.

Nauert, R. (2012 December 11). Negative Effects of Violent Video Games May Build Over Time. Technology News, p. 1.

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