Short-term Effects of Media Violence

Priming -- if a witnessed event, either in real life or on T.V., has particular meaning, it may lead to a host of related ideas and actions as a result of the original screening. Events which most cause this are visual, highly dramatic, and generally conceptually simple. What is most important is not level of violent content seen, rather whether an aggressive interpretation by the viewer of the scene was made.

Disinhibitation and Desensitization -- Emotional "blunting"

• Disinhibitation is the lowering of existing inhibitions toward violence thus making someone more likely to become aggressive.
• Desensitization is a decreased anxiety and aversion to violence. Violence or aggression is often seen as more acceptable than before.

The two can produce violent thoughts when viewers are not repelled by or made anxious of the event. Such is their relationship to priming.

Long-term Effects of Media Violence

Children's View of the Social World and the Cultivation Thesis

Violent scenes can produce a long-lasting impression that the world is violent, wicked, or untrustworthy place. Often, frequent viewers of violence report they feel like they could become a victim more often than do infrequent viewers.

Why Does All This Work? -- Forming "Social Scripts"

What is a Social Script?

A "script" is an internal guide that influences actions and beliefs in certain situations. They influence how we believe situations develop as well as their likely outcomes. We form them by watching how others are seen acting in similar situations. This happens with real-life people as well as characters in film and T.V.

Factors that Influences How Well a Violent Script is Formed

• The witnessed scenes must stand out in one's mind.
• The greater the realism of an event, the greater its effect on script formation.
• If a viewer can identify, that is find similarities in actions, values, attitudes, with media aggressor, the character's effect is greater.
• The viewer must deem aggressive act as appropriate or warranted.
• Rehearsal and retention, practicing and reminding one's self of what they saw, will increase the likelihood they remember the script. Furthermore, the more situations in which it is rehearsed increases the number of situations to which the script could be applied.

By Peder Hanson

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