Problem
The identified problem is violence desensitization among violent death metal music fans and its role in contributing to violent behaviors through empathy reduction.
Purpose
The purpose of the article is quantitatively to analyze whether or not violent death metal music fans are more likely to be desensitized to violence and have less empathy than non-fans.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis suggests that fans of violent death metal music may exhibit greater desensitization and reduced empathy compared to non-fans, potentially as a result of prolonged exposure to violent media.
Quantitative Research Design
Design Characteristics
It is important to assess whether or not the study meets the criteria of quantitative research. The four key characteristics of such a research design include measurable numerical variables, hypothesis testing, standardized data analysis, and replicability (Patten, 2018).
Firstly, numerical variables refer to having measurable metrics for analysis, which are expressed in numbers (Patten, 2018). Secondly, hypothesis testing means analyzing a scientific assumption for its statistical or mathematical reliability. Thirdly, standardized data analysis is about utilizing well-established and valid instruments to analyze and collect information. Fourthly, replicability refers to the fact that another party can conduct and verify the study to arrive at the same conclusion using similar tools.
Design Characteristics Exemplified by the Study
The selected article uses measurable numerical variables and standardized data analysis, and it adheres to the criteria of replicability and hypothesis testing. The variables used in the study include the average number of hours spent listening to death metal music weekly and violent imagery processing metrics. The article utilizes standardized data analysis, an analysis of variance, or ANOVA (Sun et al., 2019). The findings of the article are replicable since the methods are systematic, standardized, and generalizable. The main goal of the study is to investigate the theory that long-term exposure to violent media causes violent death metal music listeners to become less sympathetic and more desensitized than non-fans.
Sample
The sample size used in the study was smaller from the quantitative research perspective. The number of participants was equal to 48 people, 24 of whom were self-declared fans of heavy metal music or death metal, with the remaining 24 being non-fan males (Sun et al., 2019). It is stated that “participants were Macquarie University students ranging in age from 18 to 35 years (X = 21.22 years, s.e. = 0.38 years)” (Sun et al., 2019, p. 3). The information on their race was not provided in the paper. The sampling method used is non-probability convenience sampling.
Research Instrument
Since the research involved both experiments and surveys, the latter part was used to collect data on hours spent on violent music and death metal music fan or non-fan identification. The experiment was comprised of two parts, where one focused on auditory stimuli and the other analyzed visual stimuli. Both experiments adhered to a standardized test of the binocular rivalry experiment commonly used by medical researchers, neuroscientists, and psychologists (Sun et al., 2019).
The mean percept duration across trials for violent images and the percentage of the first percepts are two examples of the kinds of data the instrument enabled the researchers to gather (Sun et al., 2019). The instrument is valid because it has a well-established protocol for ensuring the accuracy of the data in seconds, and the collection is done through a computer program. In addition, it is reliable since the software ensures the consistency of the measurement.
Data Analysis
It should be noted that ANOVA was used as a statistical method of data analysis. The variables, such as the average percept duration across trials for violent images and the ratio of initial percepts, were compared between two groups (Sun et al., 2019). To replicate the study, two groups with one key difference must be selected, where each individual is run through the binocular rivalry experiment procedure. A series of images are presented to each eye in the learning phases, and then they are shown again, where a participant has to press the button on the picture remembered (Sun et al., 2019). The duration, recognition, and buttons provide the necessary framework to apply it to many studies.
Results
The results of the study refuted the initial hypothesis presented. It was found that “both fans and non-fans of violent music exhibit a reliable bias for processing violent imagery over neutral imagery regardless of what genres of music they were listening to” (Sun et al., 2019, p. 7). In other words, listening to violent music does not make a person desensitized or less empathetic to violence.
Strengths and Limitations
The key strength of the study is its procedural data analysis and collection methods, which are accurate and precise. The main reason is that they used well-established protocols and computer software to record the behavior. However, the weakness is the sampling method, which is not random and representative of the population. In addition, it is important to note that the sample size is small for a quantitative research study.
References
Patten, M. L. (2018). Understanding research methods: An overview of the essentials (10th ed.). Routledge.
Sun, Y., Lu, X., Williams, M., & Thompson, W. F. (2019). Implicit violent imagery processing among fans and non-fans of music with violent themes. The Royal Society: Open Science, 6, 1-11. Web.