What Is Media Violence?

Media violence is often defined as the depiction of violence on television and in movies, magazines, books and video games. Numerous studies conducted in the 1970s and 1980s concluded that media violence, in particular, violence on television, is constant. More recent studies have concluded that such violence is also present in video games.

Television

• Media violence on television is the most studied form. It may be defined broadly as those scenes that depict the use of force or the credible use of force against an person or animal.

Films

• As in television, media violence in films is usually defined as those films that use violent interactions in scenes toward other characters.

Video Games

• Unlike the violence portrayed in films and on television, violence in video games is interactive. Violence in video games has been implicated in cases of school shootings.

Online Violence

• Children who are exposed to violence on the Internet in the form of online gaming or violent content of websites are significantly more likely to commit violent acts offline.

Conclusion

• Individuals who are exposed to long-term violence in the media are more likely to use violence to solve problems in their day-to-day lives.