Effect of Media on Child Violence
Annu. Rev. Public Health 2006. 27:393–415 doi: 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144640 Copyright c 2006 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved
THE ROLE OF MEDIA VIOLENCE IN VIOLENT BEHAVIOR
Annu. Rev. Public. Health. 2006.27:393-415. Downloaded from arjournals.annualreviews.org by UNIVERSITAT ZURICH. HAUPTBIBLIOTHEK IRCHEL on 03/22/06. For personal use only.
L. Rowell Huesmann1 and Laramie D. Taylor2
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-1248; email: huesmann@umich.edu 2 Communication Department, University of California, Davis, California 95616; email: lartaylor@ucdavis.edu
1
Key Words
aggression, assault, TV, video games, imitation
■ Abstract Media violence poses a threat to public health inasmuch as it leads to an increase in real-world violence and aggression. Research shows that fictional television and film violence contribute to both a short-term and a long-term increase in aggression and violence in young viewers. Television news violence also contributes to increased violence, principally in the form of imitative suicides and acts of aggression. Video games are clearly capable of producing an increase in aggression and violence in the short term, although no long-term longitudinal studies capable of demonstrating long-term effects have been conducted. The relationship between media violence and real-world violence and aggression is moderated by the nature of the media content and characteristics of and social influences on the individual exposed to that content. Still, the average overall size of the effect is large enough to place it in the category of known threats to public health.
INTRODUCTION
One of the notable changes in our social environment in the twentieth century is the advent and saturation of mass media. In this new environment, radio, television, movies, videos, video games, and computer networks have assumed central roles in our daily lives. For better or for worse, the mass
THE ROLE OF MEDIA VIOLENCE IN VIOLENT BEHAVIOR
Annu. Rev. Public. Health. 2006.27:393-415. Downloaded from arjournals.annualreviews.org by UNIVERSITAT ZURICH. HAUPTBIBLIOTHEK IRCHEL on 03/22/06. For personal use only.
L. Rowell Huesmann1 and Laramie D. Taylor2
Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-1248; email: huesmann@umich.edu 2 Communication Department, University of California, Davis, California 95616; email: lartaylor@ucdavis.edu
1
Key Words
aggression, assault, TV, video games, imitation
■ Abstract Media violence poses a threat to public health inasmuch as it leads to an increase in real-world violence and aggression. Research shows that fictional television and film violence contribute to both a short-term and a long-term increase in aggression and violence in young viewers. Television news violence also contributes to increased violence, principally in the form of imitative suicides and acts of aggression. Video games are clearly capable of producing an increase in aggression and violence in the short term, although no long-term longitudinal studies capable of demonstrating long-term effects have been conducted. The relationship between media violence and real-world violence and aggression is moderated by the nature of the media content and characteristics of and social influences on the individual exposed to that content. Still, the average overall size of the effect is large enough to place it in the category of known threats to public health.
INTRODUCTION
One of the notable changes in our social environment in the twentieth century is the advent and saturation of mass media. In this new environment, radio, television, movies, videos, video games, and computer networks have assumed central roles in our daily lives. For better or for worse, the mass
Cited: Annu. Rev. Public. Health. 2006.27:393-415. Downloaded from arjournals.annualreviews.org by UNIVERSITAT ZURICH. HAUPTBIBLIOTHEK IRCHEL on 03/22/06. For personal use only. Annu. Rev. Public. Health. 2006.27:393-415. Downloaded from arjournals.annualreviews.org by UNIVERSITAT ZURICH. HAUPTBIBLIOTHEK IRCHEL on 03/22/06. For personal use only. MEDIA VIOLENCE 101. Zajonc RB, Murphy ST, Inglehart M. 1989. Feeling and facial efference: implications of the vascular theory of emotion. Psychol. Rev. 96:395– 416 415 102. Zillmann D, Bryant J, Comisky PW. 1981. Excitation and hedonic valence in the effect of erotica on motivated inter-male aggression. Eur. J. Soc. Psychol. 11(3):233– 52 Annu Annual Review of Public Health Volume 27, 2006 CONTENTS Annu. Rev. Public. Health. 2006.27:393-415. Downloaded from arjournals.annualreviews.org by UNIVERSITAT ZURICH. HAUPTBIBLIOTHEK IRCHEL on 03/22/06. For personal use only.