Media Influence

• What is the concern about watching violent media and playing violent computer games?

  Turning into emotionless killing machines
• Why is it important to examine the theoretical basis of the ideas about violent media and computer games?

  To see if there's evidence backing them up
• What does the term "media" include?

  Internet, TV, computer games, radio, books, newspaper publishing, and art
• What is the concern about aggression and the media?

  Viewers becoming more aggressive in day-to-day life
• What theory is relevant to the media's influence on aggression?

  Social learning theory
• Why do people identify with models on TV?

  Because they are relatable and attractive
• What does social learning theory suggest about observers of aggressive behavior?

  They are vicariously reinforced and likely to imitate the behavior
• How can constant exposure to media aggression affect people's moral decision-making processes?

  It can alter their moral decision-making processes
• How can constant exposure to justified extreme violence affect individuals?

  It can change the way they think about their own responses to feeling wronged
• What is the specification clear about regarding computer games?

  The possible effects of computer games on aggression
• What is unique about computer games compared to TV and movies?

  Players have agency and can decide what to do
• How do computer games often reward aggressive behavior?

  With high scores and access to loot
• What type of conditioning is direct reinforcement in computer games?

  Operant conditioning
• What is the counter idea about the effects of video games on aggression?

  That it reduces real-life aggressive behavior by providing a safe outlet
• What are the three processes that the media can lead to?

  Desensitization, disinhibition, and cognitive priming
• What does it mean to be desensitized to a stimulus?

  To lose the extreme emotional response to the stimulus
• What is the suggested effect of desensitization on aggression?

  Increased ability to commit violence
• What is inhibition in the context of aggression?

  The suppression of aggressive behavior due to socialization
• What is counter-priming based on?

  Cognitive idea of schemas and mental scripts
• What is an example of a mental script?

  Following a specific behavior pattern in response to a cue, such as a school head entering the room
• How can people learn aggressive scripts from watching movies?

  By observing and imitating the behavior of the hero in the movie
• What does the theory of cognitive priming suggest about aggressive behavior?

  That a similar context can trigger an aggressive script and lead to imitation
• What are the key topics to evaluate in the research on media influences on aggression?

  Media's link to aggression, computer games' influence on aggression, desensitization, disinhibition, and cognitive priming
• What did William's Canadian study find about the introduction of TV and aggression in children?

  An increase in verbal and physical aggression after the introduction of TV
• What was the experimental setup of the Canargi and Anderson study?

  Participants played either a violent or non-violent computer game for 20 minutes and then watched a 10-minute video clip of real-world violence
• What did the Canargi and Anderson study find about the effect of violent computer games on desensitization?

  That people who played violent computer games were desensitized to violence
• What is a limitation of the Canargi and Anderson study?

  It only shows a short-term effect
• What did the Berkowitz and Powers study find about the effect of justified violence on disinhibition?

  That participants who were given a written summary suggesting the violence was justified were more likely to be aggressive
• What is the suggested effect of exposure to justified aggression on disinhibition?

  Increased disinhibition of aggressive response