Turn Down the Volume, Son! The Ways Black Boys Consume Violent Urban Music and Its Impact

• In Event: 25.086 - Sheraton Roundtable Session One - Grand Centre
  In Roundtable Session: 25.086-14 - Bias, (Social) Media, and Critical Turns

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between listening to violent urban music and aggression (Buss & Perry, 1992). This relationship was addressed by asking 35 Black boys, ages 13-17 to complete a three-part single survey. Participants who reported higher Verbal Aggression scores tended to be older, consume violent urban music at maximum volume level, and spend less money on urban music than adolescents with lower Verbal Aggression scores. One recommendation based on these preliminary results is for educators to participate in co-listening experiences (see also co-viewing; Rideout & Hamel, 2006) with teen boys, while explaining the importance of adjusting volume levels when listening to music lyrics that have the potential to adversely alter their natural temperament.

Author

• Tamar Brown, Fordham University