Reassessing media violence effects using a risk and resilience approach to understanding aggression.

Gentile, Douglas A.; Bushman, Brad J.

doi:10.1037/a0028481

Cited by 96 publications

(105 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…It is not the case that media violence researchers believe that viewing media violence necessarily causes aggressive behaviors. Instead, most understand the multi-causal nature of aggression, where media violence is simply one of about 100 known risk factors for aggression [59]. When it is present, the odds of responding aggressively to a provocation increase in a predictable way, and when it is removed, the odds of aggression decrease in a predictable way.…”

Section: Flaw 3: Lack Of Empirical Evidence For Catharsismentioning

confidence: 99%

Catharsis and Media Violence: A Conceptual Analysis

Gentile

2013

Societies

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Abstract:The concept that doing something to "vent" aggression as a method of reducing aggressive feelings and behaviors, such as watching media violence or playing violent video games, continues to enjoy widespread public support despite a lack of empirical support. This article describes the historical origins of the concept and examines how well these conceptions fit with the modern usage of the aggression catharsis hypothesis. It is argued that there are four primary flaws with the catharsis hypothesis. First, the metaphor underlying Freud, Breuer, and Lorenz's conception of aggression is flawed. Aggression is not a drive. Second, although Aristotle did use the term catharsis with relation to violent media (plays and poetry), he did not mean that viewing media violence can purge the viewer of aggressive feelings or behaviors. Furthermore, he describes several detailed requirements of plot and character that must be followed if his type of catharsis is to be achieved, and modern media violence does not meet these requirements. Third, the empirical support is not only lacking, a large empirical base contradicts the catharsis hypothesis. This is seen both in studies attempting to demonstrate catharsis directly and in the broader media violence literature. Fourth, human neuroscience contradicts the catharsis hypothesis. Learning is not hindered by viewing something one more time-it is improved. Taken together, it appears that there is no possible way that the aggression catharsis hypothesis can be accurate. It nevertheless continues to "feel" correct at a phenomenological level, and the reasons for this are discussed.

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Section: Flaw 3: Lack Of Empirical Evidence For Catharsismentioning

confidence: 99%

Catharsis and Media Violence: A Conceptual Analysis

Gentile

2013

Societies

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“…The majority of studies propose negative effects of playing violent video games. However, violent gaming has been identified as only one amongst other factors when predicting antisocial behavior (Gentile & Bushman, 2012).…”

Section: Media Use Video Games and Violencementioning

confidence: 99%

Like the good or bad guy—Empathy in antisocial and prosocial games.

Happ

Melzer

Steffgen

2015

Psychology of Popular Media Culture

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Evidence suggests that violent media influence users' cognitions, affect and behavior in a negative way, whereas prosocial media have been shown to increase the probability of prosocial behavior. In the present study it was tested whether empathy moderates these media effects. In two experiments (N=80 each), inducing empathy by means of a text (Study 1) or a video clip (Study 2) prior to playing a video game caused differential effects on cognitions and behavior depending on the nature of the subsequent video game: The induction had positive effects on participants' behavior (i.e., decreasing antisocial and increasing prosocial behavior) after a prosocial game (Study 1), or when participants played a positive hero character in an antisocial game (Study 2). In contrast, empathy increased antisocial behavior and reduced prosocial behavior after playing a mean character in an antisocial game (Study 1 & 2). These findings call attention to the differential effect of empathy depending on game type and game character, thereby questioning the unconditional positive reputation of empathy in the context of video game research.

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“…Rather, it is the combination of multiple risk factors that increases the risk of aggression or externalizing behavior (cf. Gentile & Bushman, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As Gentile and Bushman (2012) point out, using violent media could be seen as just one among various risk factors for subsequent aggressive behavior, such as hostile attribution bias, prior involvement in a physical fight, gender, and prior physical victimization. Thus, being exposed to violent VGs is not the only factor that potentially predicts aggression.…”

Section: A Risk and Resilience Framework For Vg Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Violent Video Games and Children’s Aggressive Behaviors

et al. 2015

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The literature provides some evidence that the use of violent video games increases the risk for young people to develop aggressive cognitions and even behaviors. We aimed to verify whether exposure to violent video games is linked to problems of aggression in a sample of Italian children. Four questionnaires were administered to 346 children between 7 and 14 years of age, attending primary and secondary schools in Northern Italy. Variables measured were externalization, quality of interpersonal relationships, aggression, quality of coping strategies, and parental stress. Participants who preferred violent games showed higher scores for externalization and aggression. The use of violent video games and age were linked to higher levels of aggression, coping strategies, and the habitual video game weekly consumption of participants. Our data confirm the role of violent video games as risk factors for problems of aggressive behavior and of externalization in childhood and early adolescence.

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Reassessing media violence effects using a risk and resilience approach to understanding aggression.

Cited by 96 publications

References 57 publications

Catharsis and Media Violence: A Conceptual Analysis

Catharsis and Media Violence: A Conceptual Analysis

Like the good or bad guy—Empathy in antisocial and prosocial games.

Violent Video Games and Children’s Aggressive Behaviors

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