Explanations of Media Influences on Aggression: Desensitisation, Disinhibition and Cognitive Priming

Theory 1: Desensitisation (BIOLOGICAL EFFECT)

Normally when we witness violent actions we experience physiological arousal associated with the sympathetic nervous system

(e.g. increased heart rate, BP, sweatiness, adrenaline).

But when children in particular repeatedly view aggression on TV or play violent computer games, they build up a physical tolerance to its effects, resulting in a reduction of anxiety and arousal on repeated viewing/playing (reduced ‘buzz’ from adrenaline), so more violence or aggression is sought to feel the level of excitement desired.

Negative attitudes towards violence weaken, less empathy is felt for victims, and their injuries are minimised or dismissed. (Funk, 2004)

Desensitisation example

Horror films which seemed scary as a child might seem tame as an adult due to a physical tolerance.

A reduction in physiological arousal (heart rate) when exposed to real violence can occur after repeated exposure to media violence. Desensitised individuals are less likely to:

- Notice violence in real life

- Feel sympathy for victims of violence

Desensitisation Study (AO3)

Krahe (2011): showed participants violent (and non-violent) film clips, while measuring physiological arousal using skin conductance tests.

Findings: pps who were habitual viewers of violent media showed lower levels of arousal when they watched the violent clips. They also reported higher levels of pleasant arousal and lower levels of anxious arousal.

Lower arousal in habitual violent media users reflects desensitisation to the effects of violence, and a greater willingness to be aggressive.

Theory 2: Disinhibition (SOCIAL EFFECT)

Most people generally hold the view that violence and aggression are antisocial and harmful.

Consequently there are powerful social inhibitions against using aggression to resolve conflicts. This is learned through SLT.

Disinhibition explains that these usual restraints are loosened after exposure to violent media.

Aggressive behaviour is often made to appear normative and justified (especially when the effects of violence on victims are minimised and the aggression appears vindicated).

It is not unusual for video games to reward violence and to ignore consequences of that violence to the victims.

This creates new social norms in the viewer.

Disinhibition example

Example: Exposure to violent media could explain why a child would fight with their friends in the playground after watching violent TV at home beforehand.

Most of the time anti-social behaviour and violent behaviour is inhibited. However, if large amounts of violence or other anti-social behaviour is shown in the media then it may be viewed as acceptable.

Aggressive behaviour is often made to appear normative and acceptable in violent media and increases the likelihood of an individual being aggressive as a result, especially if the violence viewed is justified or left unpunished.

Disinhibition Study (AO3)

Berkowitz & Alioto (1973): found that participants who saw a film depicting aggression as vengeance gave more (fake) electric shocks of longer duration to a confederate.

This suggests that media violence may disinhibit aggressive behaviour when it is presented as justified (therefore socially acceptable).

Theory 3: Cognitive Priming (COGNITIVE EFFECT)

Repeated viewing of aggressive media (especially game playing) can provide us with a ‘script’ (schema) about how violent situations may play out.

This script is stored in memory, and so we become ‘ready’ (or primed) to act on it (aggressively).

This process is mostly automatic and unconscious – it directs our behaviour without us being aware of it.

The schema script is triggered when we encounter cues in a situation we perceive as aggressive.

Cognitive Priming example

Example: After playing a violent video games children may be more likely to get into immediate fights with their siblings.

This explanation states that aggressive ideas shown in the media can ‘spark off’ other aggressive thoughts in shared memory pathways, known as schemas.

After viewing a violent film, the viewer is ‘primed’ to respond aggressively because the memory network involving aggression is activated.

Aggressive behaviours may be recalled in a later situation if it is similar to the original situation in which the aggressive behaviour was observed.

Cognitive Priming Study (AO3)

Bushman’s (2002) Karate Kid study.

Students viewed 15 minutes of aggression from the film Karate Kid 3.

A control group viewed an equally arousing non-violent film (Gorillas

in the Mist).

Each participant completed a 25 minute trial reaction time task against an imaginary opponent. Students who won could ‘punish’ their opponent by subjecting them to white noise and could select the punishment level (60-105 decibels).

Participants who watched the aggressive film clip delivered longer and higher intensity punishments than those in the non-violent condition.

This supports Cognitive Priming Theory.

AO3: Issue/Debate

These theories are hard determinist - they state after viewing or gaming aggressive media we WILL become aggressive.

Aggressive gaming is commonplace is today’s society, however the rates of real aggression remain low.

It is reasonable to believe that people are using their freewill to choose how to behave after watching/gaming, and only those people with underlying issues continue on to violent acts.

An interactionist approach between determinism and freewill may provide a more valid theory of media influences on aggression