Welcome to Episode 4 of 60-Second Psychology: The Effects of Media Violence.

Have you ever wondered about the psychology of media violence, or what happens when people watch or are exposed to violence in the media? With the recent political riots in 2021, you may be wondering what the effects of media violence are on people, from children to adults. The effects of media violence are real and serious. You may want to be careful about what you watch and how much media coverage of violent events you consume. Watch this video to learn why.

People have argued that media violence has no effect on viewers’ behavior, while others believe that viewing media violence actually has a cathartic effect that decreases viewers’ violent tendencies out in the world.

However, in social psychology, research on observational learning has generally shown that viewing media violence actually increases aggression. For example, frequent viewing of media violence has been associated with the following:

• A tendency to overestimate the likelihood that you will be a victim of violence!

• The more violent media content children watch, the more aggressive they may become.

• Media violence can slowly change your attitude on aggressive or physical retaliation.

• People can slowly become paranoid, believing they are more likely to fall victim to violence in real life.

Based on research, you might not want to expose your children to media violence at a young age if you’re concerned that it might increase their aggressiveness and criminality as an adult. Have you ever seen or experienced this phenomenon before? Let me know in the comments below. Don't forget to like and subscribe for future 60-Second Psychology videos, and I’ll see you next time.

Aloha,

Dr. Jen