Do media have a contribution to violent behaviour?

Studies have found that children who are often exposed to violent television at the age of 8 are more inclined to exhibit aggressive behaviour in adolescence and, later, to become criminals in adulthood (Eron & Huesmann, 1972). In an era where media is pervasive, the influence of media — particularly regarding its impact on violent behaviour — ­is a widely debated topic. Violent content in films, video games, and social media contributes to increased aggression in society and leads to desensitisation and the normalization of hostile behaviours.

Constant exposure to violent media causes individuals to exhibit high levels of antisocial behaviour, which lays the groundwork for social conflict. Video games, for example, contribute to increased violence in young viewers. Interacting with such disturbing and brutal graphics greatly increases antisocial tendencies among children and adolescents since according to Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977), individuals — particularly young ones — absorb and imitate the actions they observe in their surroundings. However, some people argue that exposure to this content cannot be the only reason for aggressive behaviour, for the environment in which a child is brought up and the way they grew up also has significant effects on later life of children. Besides, no prominent researcher claims that media is the sole cause of violent behaviour (Huesmann & Taylor, 2006). Yet, it is crucial to acknowledge the research that indicates a link between exposure to violent media and aggressive tendencies, even if it is not the sole determinant. Longitudinal studies reveal that long-term exposure to media violence reduces individuals' sensitivity, leading to the normalization of brutal images. Thus, such exposure normalizes aggressive behaviour, which eventually leads to emotional habituation (Rule & Ferguson, 1986). The term ‘emotional habituation’ has come to be used to refer to the process where repeated exposure leads to diminished emotional reaction over time. For instance, the virtual world of video games, which comprises harmful practices such as images of extreme bloodshed and physical assault, not only encourages desensitization to constant violence but also increases the likelihood of perpetration of such crimes. Conducted by Cline, Croft, and Courrier in 1973, research found that children, aged 5 to 12 who often watched television exhibited reduced arousal when viewing new violent film scenes. Ultimately, being regularly exposed to extreme violence and brutality causes people to display reduced emotional responses and to normalize aggression, increasing the likelihood of violent behaviour.

In essence, while violent media may not be the sole cause of aggressive behaviour, research indicates that it plays a vital role in shaping social attitudes. Long-term exposure to images and practices in media that contain violence and extremity has been found to stimulate aggressive behaviour in society. In addition, studies have concluded that people who initially experienced negative emotions may become less sensitive when they are exposed to violence due to repeated exposure, which is called emotional habituation. Although these results demonstrate that exposure to violent programs — such as TV series, video games, and music— decreases emotional sensitivity and encourages aggressive behaviours, it is evident that multiple variables also contribute to aggressive behaviour, but the power of media on shaping society cannot be overlooked. Therefore, promoting awareness about the potential impact of violent exposure in media can help mitigate the negative effects of media consumption.