Violence Among Us: The Connection Between Portrayal of Violence in Media and Aggressive Behavior

• In Event: The Intersection of AI: Entertainment, Mental Health, Media Violence, and Health Care Disparities

Abstract

People consume approximately 8 hours of media every day (Guttmann, 2023), yet people rarely ever consider how this affects the world around them. Media companies want audiences to consume the content they present us with for as long as possible, which requires engaging content. Media covers a wide variety, including film, television, social media, and video games. In recent decades, humankind has grown a stronger preference for viewing portrayals of violence (Johnston, 1992), and media companies have capitalized this. Although people enjoy viewing violent content more, its consequences are rarely contemplated. A link between the portrayal of violence on social media and aggressive behavior has been found, which will be presented throughout. This paper will look into the complexities of this phenomenon through the lens of social psychology. This includes considering the groups that are more susceptible to being influenced by the media along with why they are at greater risk. All of the research presented was gathered from various studies that are found through laboratory, field studies, surveys, or other forms of data. A multitude of reputable academic journals are presented along with a response to the opposing argument. It is crucial not to turn a blind eye to the effects media has on society as its use becomes more common and its influence even more prevalent in society.

Author

• Samuel Dorfman, Wayne Hills High School