Rejected by peers—Attracted to antisocial media content: Rejection-based anger impairs moral judgment among adolescents.

Abstract

Adolescence is an important developmental stage during which both peers and the media have a strong influence. Both peer rejection and the use of morally adverse media are associated with negative developmental outcomes. This study examines processes by which peer rejection might drive adolescents to select antisocial media content by tying together developmental research on peer rejection and research on media effects. Assumed underlying mechanisms are rejection-based anger and frustration and the adolescent's moral judgment. A between-participants experimental design manipulated peer rejection versus acceptance in adolescents (Mage = 13.88 years; N = 74) and young adults (Mage = 21.37 years; N = 75), applying the Cyberball paradigm. Measures included the State Anger Inventory (STAXI) to assess feelings of rejection and the newly devised Media, Morals, and Youth Questionnaire (MMaYQue) to assess media preferences and moral judgment of media content. Using bootstrapping analyses, a double mediation was established: Higher levels of state anger in peer-rejected adolescents induced more tolerable moral judgments of antisocial media content, subsequently instigating a preference for antisocial media content. In contrast, the young adult sample showed no relations between peer rejection and antisocial media preference. Results are discussed within a downward spiral framework of combined peer and media influences.

The lone gamer: Social exclusion predicts violent video game preferences and fuels aggressive inclinations in adolescent players

“…Considering the findings of Study 1, we speculate that violent video games selection in adolescence as a response to social exclusion will further influence beliefs, attitudes, and behavior accordingly, leading to even stronger preferences for violent video games (see also Plaisier & Konijn, ). In turn, violent video games exposure may produce aggression‐related knowledge structures and a hostile expectation bias (Bushman & Anderson, ) which may prime adolescents to interpret ambiguous social situations as hostile, thus fostering hurt feelings and increasing feelings of exclusion.…”

“…Although sometimes socially excluded individuals respond in ways that should facilitate re‐affiliation (e.g., Maner, DeWall, Baumeister, & Schaller, ; Williams & Sommer, ), research found that often exclusion increases a victim's tendency to act aggressively toward the excluders. In line with these evidences, Plaisier and Konijn () showed that, compared to non‐rejected peers, peer‐rejected adolescents reported higher levels of anger and frustration, which were related to more lenient moral judgment of antisocial media contents. In turn, such moral judgment was associated with a greater preference for antisocial YouTube clips.…”

“…Over the past 35 years, a number of scholars have expressed concern about the potential negative impact of exposure to violent video games (e.g., Anderson et al, ; Dominick, ; Greitemeyer & Mügge, ; Kestenbaum & Weinstein, ). Indeed, media play a significant role in human development (Plaisier & Konijn, ), providing both behavioral and emotional regulation models (Bandura, ; Konijn, Nije‐Bijvank, & Bushman, ). Moreover, recent works suggested that adolescents are especially susceptible to the influence of media contents, given their developmental stage (Dahl & Hariri, ; Rich & Bar‐on, ; Strasburger, ; Strasburger, Jordan, & Donnerstein, ).…”

“…One recent report (Statista, ) suggests that European teenagers (aged 13–18 years) spend an average of 8.9 hr per week playing video games on their consoles. Although video games are designed to be entertaining, many include violence and immoral contents (Funk & Buchman, ; Gabbiadini, Andrighetto, & Volpato, ; Gentile & Anderson, ; Plaisier & Konijn, ; Roe, ). The PEGI (Pan European Game Information) reported that 40% (rated as 12+) of the video games present in the market in 2016 are not suitable for adolescents considering that they expose teens to violence, strong language, blood, and gore.…”

Attack on Malala: Framing of the Incident in the Print Media

“…Therefore, the life risking an attack on the Malala was one of the examples where it was criticized as well and created some doubts. While on the other hand, its positive effect turned the people's anger towards those who attacked the Malala and people started to talk to the Taliban [14]. This shift was seen after the sad incidence of attack on the Malala [15].…”