EFFECTS OF MEDIA VIOLENCE ON CHILDREN

NADER TAGHIZADEH COMM.501

LECTURER: DR.NAYIA ROUSSOU

CONTENT

• Different types of research

• Research by University of Manotoba

• Gender differences in violence and aggressive behavior

• Power relation

• Violent computer games and child pornography

• misogyny and simulated violence against women

• Final thought

RESEARCH TYPES

• Laboratory experiment

• In this type of research a group of children are invited to come to a laboratory and usually consisting of one or more rooms,

• sound and video equipment is installed

• One group will watch violent film and the other group natural film or even no film (similar to Bandora

• 1. experimental group

• 2. controlled group

• (Valkenburg, 2004).

• not ethical and not accurate

• Because samples usually are aware of the experiment

• “ Some researches show that those children who watched violence film behave aggressively, play aggressively and bit others “

• However it doesn’t mean that they will go out and kill someone

• Also it doesn’t secure that they will not behave aggressively

• family social and psychological background

FIELD EXPERIMENT

• In field experiment researcher physically goes to the field and observes the action as it is happening (Valkenburg, 2004)

• A research by University of Manotoba “the effects of mass media exposure on acceptance of violence against women”

• This research was done on two hundred seventy-one female students and male students. “The result indicated that exposure to the films portraying violent sexuality increased male subjects’ acceptance of interpersonal violence against women. ” (Nail M, 1981)

• in most cases those subjects who are not aware of the experiment they respond accurately to research result

CASUAL CORRELATIONAL STUDIES & META ANALYSIS

• It is similar to the previous one. In this study scientist tries to find the cause or explanation for existing differences between (or among) groups

• Meta-Analyses. They are studies in which the results of dozens or even hundreds of empirical studies are summarized and re-evaluated by means of sophisticated statistical techniques

(Nail M, 1981)

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR

• debatable topic of many social and media studies

• man is aggressive than woman? Why?

• Culture, religion, family, other social institutions play role?

• Media play role in evoking masculinity?

VIOLENT VIDEO/COMPUTER GAMES

• Video games

• GRAND THEFT AUTO

• Suggests crime

• Killing, crime is done by hero

• Power relation

• “the video game is both a mirror of an existing of a relations of power and authority in society and a powerful cultural force in its own right” (Gain Dines, 2011) ??

• Video/computer games especially those with aggressive content are central and at the same time crucial topics of study in media.

• 68% of American households play computer or video games (Entertainment Software Association, 2009)

• feminists have observed that the content of the video games mirrors the worldwide of White, heterosexual men who overwhelmingly create and play them, noting that exaggerated sexual stereotyping, misogyny and simulated violence against women are the norms (Gain Dines, 2011)

• the question is does it really lead men to behave aggressive than women?

• Dead or Alive • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmsYdB-RU3s

• misogyny and simulated violence against women are the norms (Gain Dines, 2011)

• unrealistic body proportion (men and women)

• Semi nude

• indistinguishable from soft-core pornography

• these games and even films are available for teenagers almost free online

• majority of heroes of these games and films are male characters (power relation)

• masculinity can be divided into two groups. “the central delineation is between the hegemonic or dominant, masculinity(generally white, heterosexual and middle class) and the subordinated masculinities (e.g. men of color, gay and working class)”, (Gain Dines, 2011)

FINAL THOUGHT • As much as contemporary media grow, people are becoming more media liberated

• and at the same time they become media exposed in parallel.

• media violence effect is inevitable

• children particularly are vulnerable groups of the society

• When I say violence behavior I don’t mean necessarily killing and knifing others

• children’s reaction to violence on computer games and films is visible in their daily behavior such as their aggressive behavior at school, with family and with friends

• In my opinion media is a simulation tool for behavior (In most cases if audience is exposed)

• Social institutions play even more important role

THANK YOU

Entertainment Software Association. (2009). Charts & Graphs on Video Games & Youth Violence. videogames.procon.org.

Gain Dines, J. M. (Ed.). (2011). Gender, Race, Class and the Media. 3, 427-428. USA: Sage Publications.

Nail M, M. a. (1981). The effects of Mass media exposure on acceptence of violence against women. journal of research in personality , 436. manitoba : University of Manitoba .

Valkenburg, P. M. (2004). children's responses to the screen, . a media psychological approach . maheas, newjercy , USA: Lawrence Elrbaum association .

 

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