Media Influences

• What 4 methods do psychologists use when it comes to studying aggression and the media?

  • Experimental Studies
  • Correlational Studies
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Meta-analysis
• What is an experimental Study?

  Usually lab based and look at short-term effects
• What are Correlational Studies?

  These can investigate real life variables and may be short-term or long-term
• What are Longitudinal Studies?

  Correlational studies conducted over a period of time looking at long-term effects
• What is a Meta-analysis?

  Brings together a variety of studies to give an overall judgement of the size of effect of violent media and aggressive behaviour
• Bartholow and Anderson - Experimental Study:


  • Lab study where students played for 10 minutes on either a violent videogame (Mortal Kombat) or non-violent videogame (PGA tournament golf)
  • They were then asked to carry out the Taylor Competitive Reaction Time Task (TCRTT)
  • This is a standard lab measure of aggression in which students are told to deliver blasts if white noise to punish a non-existent opponent
  • Findings - Those who played the violent videogame selected significantly higher noise levels compared to non-violent players
• DeLisi et al - Correlational Study


  • Studied 227 juvenile offenders
  • They all had histories of serious and aggressive behaviours such as hitting a teacher or parent or gang fighting
  • Used structured interviews they gathered data on several measures of aggression and violent computer game playing
  • Offenders aggressive behaviour was significantly correlated with how often they played violent computer games and how much they enjoyed them
• Robertson et al - Longitudinal Study:


  • Studied 1037 people born in New Zealand in 1972-1973 and measured their regular TV viewing hours at regular intervals up to the age of 26
  • Found that time spent watching TV was a more reliable predictor of aggression in adulthood (measured in terms of convictions for aggressive and violent crimes)
  • Those who spent the most time watching TV were more likely to develop antisocial personality disorder
• Anderson et al - Meta-analysis:

  • 136 studies which included all 3 types of methodology
  • Found that exposure to violent computer games was associated with increases in aggressive behaviours, thoughts, and feelings
  • True for both males and females and across individualist and collectivist cultures
  • Concluded that the effect of violent game playing on aggressive behaviours is greater than the effect of second-hand smoke on cancer
  • No indication that publication bias influenced the results
• Strengths of Bartholow and Anderson's study:

  • Standardised
  • Control of variables
  • High internal validity
• Weaknesses of Bartholow and Anderson's study:

  • Artificial task
  • Low internal validity
  • Unethical
  • Unrealistic due to no fear of retaliation
• Strengths of DeLisi et al's research:

  Allows researcher to investigate realistic forms of aggression
• Weaknesses of DeLisi et al's research:

  • Does not show causation
  • No variables are manipulated
• Strengths of Robertson et al's research:

  Rapidly changing nature of media influence can be studied over time
• Weaknesses of Robertson et al's research:

  These types of studies are vulnerable to confounding variables such as role models, family and friends etc...
• Strength of Anderson et al's study:

  This analysis shows no indication of publication bias
• Weakness of Anderson et al's research:

  Publication bias is when only findings that are significant are published - often non significant findings are called the file drawer problem as they are left in the filing cabinet