Negative Effects of Media on Children and Youth’ Socialization Process: A Study on Violent and Aggressive Behaviors

Year 2017, Volume: 46 Issue: 2, 368 - 398, 15.10.2017

Turhan Şengönül

https://doi.org/10.14812/cuefd.346149

Cited By: 7

Abstract

This
article addresses theories and studies related to the effect of media violence
on aggressive behaviors in the children and adults. According to social
learning theory, people can learn aggression by observing and imitating
violence on the mass media. Observational learning contribute to both the
short- and the long-term effects of media violence on aggressive behaviors in
the children. Children make inferences from repeatedly observing the violent
behaviors and they can develop schemas about a hostile world and normative
beliefs that more approving of aggression. The experimental studies indicated
that the children who watched the violent film exhibited physical, verbal and
indirect aggression. The longitudinal studies found significant correlations
between frequent viewing to violence on the media in childhood and physical,
verbal and indirect aggression during young adulthood for both men and women
later in life. Often exposure to violent on television during childhood can
promote aggression in later childhood, adolescence and young adulthood.

Keywords

Social learning theory, Observational learning, Exposure to violence in the mass media, Schemas about a hostile world

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