cognitive priming

• P: bushman provided support for the cognitive priming explanation in a study of 200 male and female undergraduates of psychology

  E: participants watched either a 15 minute segment of a violent film or a non violent film. participants who watched the violent film had quicker reaction times to aggressive words than did those who had seen the non violent film. video content did not influence reaction times to non aggressive words
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  L: these findings provide support for the cognitive priming explanation for media related aggression. scenes of violence in the media prime aggressive thoughts in memory, making them more accessible to viewers
• P: Atkin suggests that film or game realism is an important factor in the relationship between exposure to violent media and the priming of aggressive thoughts and behaviours

  E: he found that higher levels of aggression resulted from the viewing of more realistic violence. the fictional violence in some computer games may not have the same priming effects as in games with more realistic violence

  L: this suggests that exposure to more realistic and intense forms of aggression versus cartoon animated forms of aggression may influence the types and intensity of activated thoughts and ideas