role of desensitisation/disinhibition/cognitive priming

• define desensitisation?

  • less effected to violence as they are exposed to it
• define disinhibition?

  • feel more relaxed & less self conscious
  • lack of restraint
  • so lose our inhibitions - more likely to be aggressive
• define cognitive priming?

  • cues presented in media & memorising aggressive acts as schemas for later
• role of desensitisation?

  • the more someone is exposed to violence & aggression in media less affected they are by it
  • so emotional responses reduce
  • when person watches violent/aggressive films/tv shows it reduces inpact & revulsion they have for it
  • so more likely to act aggressive themselves
  • your physical biology changing & getting used to aggression
• carnegey 2007?

  • believed that playing computer games can desensitise people to real life violence
  • found that when p who had played on violent video game for 20 mins & watched film of real life violence they had lower heart rates & galvanic skin responses compared to those who had played non violent video game
  • shows media does influence aggression
  • as violence in does cause people to be desensitised to real life violence
  • violence appears to become normal so people have smaller physical reaction to real life violence
  • means youre more likely to behave more violently in real life
• * evidence to support desensitisation by weisz & earls 1995?

  • showed 1 group film straw dog - contained prolonged & graphic scene of rape
  • then watched re-enactment of rape trial
  • other group only watched re-enactment
  • found p in g1 showed greater acceptance of sexual aggression & expressed less sympathy towards rape victim & less likely to find defendant guilty
  • shows that when people have watched media violence they are less sensitive to real life violence
• X ignores individual differences for desensitisation?

  • media influence is widespread - many people watch aggressive films/tv shows & play aggressive computer games
  • but not everyone becomes desensitised to real life violence
  • even though some people play aggressive computer games they still show emotion towards real life violence & dont necessarily become aggressive themselves
  • we cant say that just because media influence is widespread that everyone will become aggressive/desensitised to real life aggression
• role of disinhibition?

  • someone displays uncharacteristic behaviour (aggression) when they watch violent media/play video games
  • they lose their inhibitions & become disinhibited
  • become aggressive when they play aggressive games due to minimisation of authority
  • where theres no law enforcement/awareness of potential legal consequences as there may be in everyday life
  • might occur as when playing video games they are anonymous - deindividuated & feel less responsible for their actions - cant be recognised so more likely to be aggressive
• X only effective in some forms of media for disinhibition?

  • its clear that in computer games theres a feeling of being anonymous & minimisation of authority so disinhibition more likely to occur & people be more aggressive
  • it may not occur when people watch aggressive tv/film
  • so does not explain all aggressive behaviour
• X explains aggression whilst playing video games for disinhibition?

  • it explains why person is unusually aggressive whilst playing computer game
  • but does not explain long term aggression
  • when they finish playing game they are no longer anonymous & do not have minimisation of authority so less likely to be aggressive
  • does not explain long term aggression so could be other factors - genetics that better explain aggression
• role of cognitive priming?

  • aggression cues presented in media effect aggressive behaviour in real life - people memorise aggressive acts in media as scripts/schema for later - PASSIVE
  • when person is in similar situation to that of media triggers schema of how to behave & more likely to behave in same aggressive way as they did in media
  • viewing aggression in media increases individual acting in aggressive way when they find themselves in similar contexts to those in media
• * evidence to support from murray 2007 for CP?

  • gave fmri scans on children watching violent & non violent films
  • found that those watching violence had an increased brain activity in areas associated with emotion (aggression) & personal memories (schemas)
  • when watching violence it cues aggressive acts to be added to their schema which is then used in real life when same/similar cues are seen
• X correlational for CP?

  • pro - relationship can be established between cognitive priming & aggression as evidenced from murray
  • con - not causal relationship as other factors (genetics) could influence aggression - levels of serotonin they possess
  • cause & effect relationship cannot be established between CP & aggression or whether there are other factors that cause aggression
• X another better explanation?

  • psychodynamic explanation says that actually being exposed to aggression in media can actually reduce aggression not increase it
  • suggests that aggression in media as carthatic effect so playing aggressive games/watching aggression in media allows person to release their aggressive instincts - lowering their aggression in real life.
  • it states that media reduces aggression rather than increases it
  • would suggest that there are better explanations for media influences on aggression - psychodynamic explanation