Disinhibition

• Exposure to violent media changes usual restraints
• Most people believe violence and aggression are antisocial

  • so there’s strong social and psychological restraints against using aggression to resolve conflicts

  Violent media gives aggressive behaviour social approval

  • especially where effects on victims are minimised

  Usual restraints on individuals are loosened after exposure to violent media
• What is disinhibition?

  The reduction or loss of inhibitions, leading to behavior that is more impulsive or uninhibited.
• Disinhibition enhanced if aggression is rewarded

  • computer games often show violence being rewarded at the same time as its consequences are minimised or justified
  • These rewards strengthen new social norms in the viewer
• Research support- A03


  Berkowitz and Alioto (1973)

  • found people who saw a film showing aggression as vengeance gave more shocks to a confederate

  Media violence may disinhibited aggression if presented as justified/ socially acceptable

  • E.g. vengeance

  Demonstrated the link between removal of social constraints and subsequent aggressive behaviour
• Disinhibition can explain cartoon violence- A03

  Children don’t learn specific aggressive behaviours from cartoon models

  • e.g head spinning around

  They learn that agression is acceptable (socially normative)

  • especially if it’s unpunished

  So disinhibition explains how cartoon aggression can lead to aggression in those who observe it