Violence in TV and Movies: Does it promote violence in

real life?James Wells, Jacinta Fry & Lyudmyla Dendtler

17th October 2011

On the scale from 1-10 please rate your stress level at present moment

Activity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfudknaMC_4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkgPIz-49Fs&feature=related

Please watch these carefully

After watching these images, please rate your frustration/stress level from 1-10.

Has it changed?

Activity

Aggression can vary by culture, individual and situation

Aggression can come in different forms: verbal, physical

If the action was intentionally made to try and cause harm that makes that action aggressive

Aggression

Biological (the brain, alcohol, gender) Cultural (nurture versus nature, peers influence,

social learning theory) Physiological (prolonged frustration, stress, lack

of nonviolent learnt alternatives, pain and discomfort, war)

Frustration aggression theory (frustration, unable to obtain a goal can lead to aggression)

Aggressive Stimulus (having weapons available keeps aggression on the mind)

TV, movies and video games (relates to social learning theory)

Causes of aggression

Some psychologists argue that aggression is programmed into our genes. The Brain - Brain chemicals can influence

aggression as well. Serotonin can have an inhibiting effect on impulsive

aggression Testosterone – excessive amount of testosterone in

brain can lead to violent behaviour Studies show that sociopathic violence in individuals

can be caused by low levels of activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (i.e. lack of ability to feel)

Exploring causes of aggression – Biological

Gender - Buss and Duntley are two evolutionary psychologists who say that men and aggression are connected to reproduction◦ Statistics show that men are indeed more

aggressive then women: Men commit 90% of all violent crimes Males commit most acts of violence and aggression

when they are in their teens and 20's - the time they are most fertile

Exploring causes of aggression – Biological

Even though higher aggression in men can be explained biologically i.e. men have more testosterone than women, it can't all be based on one's genes, culture plays the role in moulding the sexes; their attitudes and behaviour. It is common for men to be 'trained' by society to be aggressive or violent while women are expected to be sweeter and more docile

Exploring causes of aggression – Biological

Research by Quartz and Sejnowski shows that aggression starts early in life and depends on the cultural influence of taming (nurture versus nature)

a typical two year old does eight to nine acts of aggression every hour

we are most aggressive between 2 and 2 ½ years old

Exploring causes of aggression – Cultural

Peers - A person's peer group can also play a part in how aggressive or violent they are. The peer group can either enhance or dull a person's biological tendency to be violent.

Exploring causes of aggression – Cultural

Social Learning Theory - People are likely to copy the people they see around them. This is the idea that we learn social behaviour by observing others and imitating

Children learn how to act by modelling the adults, peers, famous and fictional characters they admire most.

The people children imitate most is their parents. Parents who abuse their children were often abused

as children

Exploring causes of aggression – Cultural

The Bandura experiments showcased the power of social learning. In these experiments a group of kids would watch an adult punch and knock around an air-filled "Bobo" doll. After seeing the adult smacking, kicking, and yelling at the doll, the children were allowed to play. They imitated the adult they'd seen and abused the doll the exact same way. Some were even creative and were even more aggressive then the adult. Another group that did not see these actions did not show aggression to the doll. his offers ample evidence that people learn social behaviour by watching and imitating others.

Exploring causes of aggression – Cultural

Frustration-aggression theory states that frustration, or the perception of being prevented from attaining a goal, increases the probability of an aggressive response.

Exploring causes of aggression – Frustration-Aggression Theory

Television, video games, and movies are still relatively new inventions and are becoming increasingly violent and realistic as technology advances and society changes.

Number of studies conducted to identify if violence in TV, movies and video games cause violence in real life however researchers are still struggling to find answers.

TV, movies and video games

Looking at Bandura experiments - children who witness acts of aggression will often mimic those acts.

Leonard Eron, a social psychologist, estimates that by the time the average American child finishes elementary school, he or she will have seen 8,000 murders and more than 100,000 other acts of violence thanks in large part to TV and movies.

Exploring causes of aggression –TV, movies and video games

According to a study conducted by the National Institute on Media and Family, children spend more time sitting in front of electronic screens than doing any other activity besides sleeping. Kids’ excessive screen time comes with all kinds of hazards: lack of physical activity, exposure to adult themes and content, and lack of interaction with family and peers

Technology and media

There’s a fine line between TV production companies censoring their material

There main aim is to keep you watching

“As long as it doesn’t give you nightmares or make you vomit”

Australian censorship is being reviewed however many acts of violence still get through (YouTube)

Censorship

March 28, 2002 Adolescents who watch more than three

hours of TV daily are more likely to engage in aggressive behaviour as adults

Study links TV viewing among kids to later violence

By Mark Schone, 11/9/2003 This week, accused D.C. sniper Lee

Malvo may become the latest in a string of criminal defendants to plead not guilty by reason of "The Matrix"

The Matrix defense

Repeated viewing of violent scenes in films, television or video games could make teenagers behave more aggressively, US research suggests.

The National Institutes of Health study of 22 boys aged 14 to 17 found that showing dozens of violent clips appeared to blunt brain responses.

The longer the boys watched the videos, the less they responded to the violence within them

Violent images 'boost teenage aggression'

6th March 2009 High levels of violence in cartoons such as

Scooby-Doo can make children more aggressive, researchers claimed

Cartoons aimed at children, such as Scooby Doo, contain more brutality than programmes meant for general audiences, a study has found

The study also found that youngsters tended to mimic the negative behaviour they saw on TV such as rumour-spreading, gossiping and eye-rolling.

Cartoon violence 'makes children more aggressive'

Violence and aggression are a part of being human. By understanding where our desire to inflict pain comes from we can have insights into controlling our aggressive and violent tendencies. Although through research it has been identified that violence in TV can cause violence in real life, biological, cultural and physiological factors play some role in people displaying aggression in real life.

Conclusion

http://www.parentfurther.com/technology-media/facts/facts_vlent.shtml

http://articles.cnn.com/2002-03-28/health/kids.tv.violence_1_effects-of-tv-violence-violent-television-study-links-tv?_s=PM:HEALTH

http://psychcentral.com/news/2009/03/04/tv-ratings-do-not-capture-aggression/4525.html

http://knol.google.com/k/violence-and-aggression#

References