The Relative Importance of Violent Screen Media Uage in Explaining Aggressive Behavior

• In Event: Biosocial and Evolutionary Research on Violence and Victimization

Abstract

It is well-known that screen media often contain violent content. Research further indicates that violent content, although only suitable for adult audiences, is also used by minors to a large extent. Regarding aggressive behavior, the relative importance of violent media is often doubted. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of violent media consumption for explaining aggressive behavior when considering other explanatory factors of environment and personality, i.e. violence victimization, number of delinquent peers, gender, empathy, and impulsivity. Data were drawn from the Berlin Longitudinal Study Media, a four-year longitudinal control group study with 1 207 school children. Data from 739 school children who participated at 5th and 6th grade were available for analysis. The average age of participants was 11.5 years at t4 and 12.5 years at t5. About half of the study participants were male (50.6 %), 28.3 % of the children came from immigrant communities. Longitudinal structural equation modeling (aggressive behavior in 6th grade explained by 5th grade variables) revealed an independent, but small explanatory value of media usage parameters for violent behavior; empathic skills seem to unfold a key mediating role between problematic media usage and violent behavior.

Authors

• Thomas Moessle, Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony

• Florian Rehbein, Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony