argumentative essay about violence in media

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Violence In The Media Argumentative Essays Example

Type of paper: Argumentative Essay

Topic: Education , Study , Television , Sexual Abuse , Violence , Media , Crime , Mythology

Words: 1400

Published: 02/24/2020

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Violence is endemic in today’s television, movies and video games. The prevalence of violence in popular media begs the question: Are we, as a culture, very violent in nature, or does the violence in the media make us violent. Many people subscribe to the “Art imitates life” idea that violence in the media reflects the violent urges of people, while some feel that the violence displayed in media actually causes people to be more violent. Of the two explanations, the more compelling one is that the violence in the media reflects the violent nature of humans. One study which supports this viewpoint was conducted by LeeAnn Kahlor and Matthew Eastin. In this study, they attempted to find a causal link between watching sexual violence on television with belief in common myths about rape. (Kahlor & Eastin, 2011) In their study, these scientists surveyed over 2000 university students on subjects ranging from their TV viewing habits to their attitudes toward rape. (Kahlor & Eastin, 2011) Television watching was quantified using hours of television watched, hours of crime shows watched and numbers of hours of Soap Operas watched by participants. (Kahlor & Eastin, 2011) The “rate” of rape myth acceptance was measured by questions which asked the respondents whether they believed a number of different myths about rape. (Kahlor & Eastin, 2011) The results of this study were mixed. In general, television viewing corresponded positively with belief of rape myths. (Kahlor & Eastin, 2011) On the other hand, watching crime dramas had the opposite correlation with belief in rape myths. (Kahlor & Eastin, 2011) The authors suggest that their results indicate a positive correlation between TV watching in general and belief in rape myths. These conclusions, though, leave many questions unanswered in the more general subject of violence in media. First, the study focuses only on one type of violent act (rape) and did not directly measure sensitivity to it, rather measuring the rate at which myths about the crime are believed. It should be noted, then that belief in statistical myths does not necessarily correlate to violent behavior. Nor does it indicate even a tendency toward rape or any other violent behavior. It should be noted in addition that the experiment makes no effort to prove causality, only correlation. The experiment proved only that those who watch more TV believe the rape myths more than those who watch little. There is nothing to suggest which element is caused by the other, or if a third variable were influencing the results. Also, there is no evidence that actual rape is more common in people who believe in rape myths. Actual rapists’ motivations tend to go beyond a belief that a girl was “asking for it” or too drunk to say no. A better study is one conducted by Brad Bushman and Craig Anderson which compares the suggestion that violent movies and TV cause violent behavior in real life with the statistical realities. They point out that it is undisputed that TV watchers are exposed to violent content. They cite a study which shows that the average American child will, by the time they leave Elementary school, witness 8,000 murders and 100,000 other acts of violence on television or in movies. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) They note that the percentage of PG-rated movies has dropped, and even G-rated films depict more violence than they have in the past. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) Also, they noted that Fourth Graders reported that about 65% of their favorite video games were violent. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) Statistically, the amount of violence portrayed in the media is far greater than what exists in the real world. Murders in real life represent only .8% of violent crimes, but on TV, they represent 50% of violent crimes depicted. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) The study then turns to an analogy of the connection between violence in the media, and violence in real life and the relationships between smoking and lung cancer. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) The first similarity is that neither relationship is 100%. All smokers don’t get lung cancer and not all lung cancer victims smoke, just as not all who are exposed to violent media become violent and not all violent offenders have exposure to violent media. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) A second similarity is that smoking is not the only causal factor for lung cancer, just an important one. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) A third is that exposure to smoking can cause negative effects (such as nausea) that diminish over time, and violent media can cause anxiety and fear that diminishes with exposure. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) A fourth similarity between these two relationships is that short-term effects of the behavior are mild and temporary in both instances. However, in both cases the long-term effects can be serious and permanent. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) The final similarity between the two relationships is that big money lobbyists have been denying causal relationships for years. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) Despite these observations, the study shows that they actual incidences of violence have little effect on the rate or quality of reporting about the causes. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) In fact, the findings show the media is under-reporting the link between violence and the media’s depiction. (Bushman & Anderson, 2001) While these similarities are persuasive, they definitely are not conclusive. First there is no evidence to indicate the level of causality (if any) between media violence and actual violence as there is with smoking. Despite these conclusions, a number of facts are left out of the discussion about the effects of violence in the media upon that of real life. First, the best way to demonstrate the causal linkage of the two factors would be to analyze and compare rates of violence among societies without access to media, such as ancient cultures, than those with them. In other words, an experiment or study by which the hypothesized variable is removed and the results analyzed would better address this question. For example, comparing the rate of violence in Republican Rome to Modern America would illustrate the effect of Media upon violent behavior. The fact of the matter is that before mass media of all kinds existed, there was violence among the population. One could reasonably argue that it is the reporting of violent instances that has increased with the bloom of modern media rather than the violence itself. Additionally, it is important to understand that none of the statistical “proof” of the correlation between media violence and actual violence contains any proof of causality. It remains possible the violence portrayed in the media is merely a reflection of the violence in real life. The condensed nature of the media portrayal could be seen as an indictment of our attention span rather than a reflection of our violent nature. In summary, while it is clear that as a society we enjoy watching violence, and will pay money to do so, it is less clear whether the love of violence reflected in mass media is a cause or an effect of the violence of real life. That Americans as consumers enjoy violence is not disputed, but our conduct in our daily lives reflects a level of restraint not often portrayed in the media. Similarly, ending violence in TV and Movies would only reduce interest in them and in no case has been proven to reduce actual violence. While the question of whether we are all “potential lynchers” as Stephen King suggests, or whether the studies that indicate, but do not prove a causal relationship between media violence and actual violence are accurate, the fact remains that consumer demand for violent content remains high.

Bushman, B. & Anderson, C. (2001) “Media Violence and the American Public: Scientific Fact versus Media Misinformation” American Psychologist June/July 2001 pp. 477-489 Kahlor, LeeAnn & Eastin, Matthew (2011) “Television’s Role in the Culture of Violence Toward Women: A Study of Television Viewing and the Cultivation of Rape Myth Acceptance in the United States.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media June 2011 pp. 215-231 King, Stephen (N.D.) “Why We Crave Horror Movies” No Information on source.

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Essay on Media and Violence

Introduction

Research studies indicate that media causes violence and plays a role in desensitization, aggressive behavior, fear of harm, and nightmares. Examples of media platforms include movies, video games, television, and music. Violence in media has also been associated with health concerns. The youth have been the most common victims of media exposure and thus stand higher chances of exposure to violence (Anderson, 2016). In the contemporary world, violence in media platforms has been growing, reaching heightened levels, which is dangerous for society. When you turn on the television, there is violence, social media platforms; there is violence when you go to the movies; there is violence. Studies indicate that an average person in the United States watches videos for nearly five hours in a day. In addition, three-quarters of television content contain some form of violence, and the games being played today have elements of violence. This paper intends to evaluate the concept of media messages and their influence on violent and deviant behaviors. Television networks and video games will be considered.

The Netflix effect involves the behavior of staying home all day, ordering food, and relaxing the couch to watch Netflix programs (McDonald & Smith-Rowsey, 2016). Netflix and binge-watching have become popular among the younger generation and thus are exposed to different kinds of content being aired. Studies indicate that continuous exposure to violent materials has a negative effect on the aggressive behavior of individuals. Netflix is a global platform in the entertainment industry (Lobato, 2019). Although, the company does not have the rights to air in major countries such as China, India, and Japan, it has wide audience. One of the reasons for sanctions is the issues of content being aired by the platform, which may influence the behaviors of the young generation. The primary goal of Netflix is entertainment; it’s only the viewers who have developed specific effects that affect their violent behaviors through imitation of the content.

Television Networks

Television networks focus on feeding viewers with the latest updates on different happenings across the globe. In other instances, they focus on bringing up advertisements and entertainment programs. There is little room for violent messages and content in the networks unless they are airing movie programs, which also are intended for entertainment. However, there has been evidence in the violence effect witnessed in television networks. Studies called the “Marilyn Monroe effect” established that following the airing of many suicidal cases, there has been a growth in suicides among the population (Anderson, Bushman, Donnerstein, Hummer, & Warburton, 2015). Actual suicide cases increased by 2.5%, which is linked to news coverage regarding suicide. Additionally, some coverages are filled with violence descriptions, and their aftermath with may necessitate violent behaviors in the society. For instance, if televisions are covering mass demonstrations where several people have been killed, the news may trigger other protests in other parts of the country.

Communications scholars, however, dispute these effects and link the violent behaviors to the individuals’ perception. They argue that the proportion of witnessing violent content in television networks is minimal. Some acts of violence are associated with what the individual perceives and other psychological factors that are classified into social and non-social instigators (Anderson et al., 2015). Social instigators consist of social rejection, provocation, and unjust treatment. Nonsocial instigators are physical objects present, which include weapons or guns. Also, there are environmental factors that include loud noises, overcrowding, and heat. Therefore, there is more explanation of the causes of aggressive behaviors that are not initiated by television networks but rather a combination of biological and environmental factors.

Video games

Researchers have paid more attention to television networks and less on video games. Children spend more time playing video games. According to research, more than 52% of children play video games and spend about 49 minutes per day playing. Some of the games contain violent behaviors. Playing violent games among youth can cause aggressive behaviors. The acts of kicking, hitting, and pinching in the games have influenced physical aggression. However, communication scholars argue that there is no association between aggression and video games (Krahé & Busching, 2015). Researchers have used tools such as “Competition Reaction Time Test,” and “Hot Sauce Paradigm” to assess the aggression level. The “Hot Sauce Paradigm” participants were required to make hot sauce tor tasting. They were required to taste tester must finish the cup of the hot sauce in which the tester detests spicy products. It was concluded that the more the hot sauce testers added in the cup, the more aggressive they were deemed to be.

The “Competition Reaction Time Test” required individuals to compete with another in the next room. It was required to press a button fast as soon as the flashlight appeared. Whoever won was to discipline the opponent with loud noises. They could turn up the volume as high as they wanted. However, in reality, there was no person in the room; the game was to let individuals win half of the test. Researchers intended to test how far individuals would hold the dial. In theory, individuals who punish their opponents in cruel ways are perceived to be more aggressive. Another way to test violent behaviors for gamer was done by letting participants finish some words. For instance, “M_ _ _ ER,” if an individual completes the word as “Murder” rather than “Mother,” the character was considered to possess violent behavior (Allen & Anderson, 2017). In this regard, video games have been termed as entertainment ideologies, and the determination of the players is to win, no matter how brutal the game might be.

In this paper, fixed assumptions were used to correlate violent behaviors and media objects. But that was not the case with regards to the findings. A fixed model may not be appropriate in the examination of time-sensitive causes of dependent variables. Although the model is applicable for assessing specific entities in a given industry, the results may not be precise.

Conclusion .

Based on the findings of the paper, there is no relationship between violent behaviors and media. Netflix effect does not influence the behavior of individuals. The perceptions of the viewers and players is what matters, and how they understand the message being conveyed. Individuals usually play video games and watch televisions for entertainment purposes. The same case applies to the use of social media platforms and sports competitions. Even though there is violent content, individuals focus on the primary objective of their needs.

Analysis of sources

The sources have been thoroughly researched, and they provide essential information regarding the relationship between violent behaviors and media messages. Studies conducted by various authors like Krahé & Busching did not establish any relationship between the two variables. Allen & Anderson (2017) argue that the models for testing the two variables are unreliable and invalid. The fixed assumptions effect model was utilized, and its limitations have been discussed above. Therefore, the authors of these references have not been able to conclude whether there is a connection between violence and media messages.

Allen, J. J., & Anderson, C. A. (2017). General aggression model.  The International Encyclopedia of Media Effects , 1-15.

Anderson, C. A. (2016). Media violence effects on children, adolescents and young adults.  Health Progress ,  97 (4), 59-62.

Anderson, C. A., Bushman, B. J., Donnerstein, E., Hummer, T. A., & Warburton, W. (2015). SPSSI research summary on media violence.  Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy ,  15 (1), 4-19.

Krahé, B., & Busching, R. (2015). Breaking the vicious cycle of media violence use and aggression: A test of intervention effects over 30 months.  Psychology of Violence ,  5 (2), 217.

Lobato, R. (2019).  Netflix nations: the geography of digital distribution . NYU Press.

McDonald, K., & Smith-Rowsey, D. (Eds.). (2016).  The Netflix effect: Technology and entertainment in the 21st century . Bloomsbury Publishing USA.

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Violence in the Media Promotes Violence in Society - IELTS Essay

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Model Essay 1

The debate surrounding the impact of media violence on societal aggression is multifaceted and contentious. I contend that while media violence is not the sole catalyst for aggression, its influence cannot be dismissed. This essay will explore the psychological conditioning it engenders and its cumulative effect on desensitization, ultimately arguing for a nuanced understanding of media's role in shaping behaviors.

Media violence, through repetitive exposure, functions as a form of psychological conditioning, subtly normalizing aggressive responses to conflict. Studies have shown that individuals who consume violent content regularly are more likely to perceive aggression as an acceptable means of conflict resolution. For instance, a longitudinal study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found a correlation between prolonged exposure to violent video games and an increase in aggressive behavior, thoughts, and decreased empathy among adolescents. This suggests that the portrayal of violence in media can subtly influence one's propensity to resort to aggression by embedding aggressive templates into their cognitive frameworks.

Furthermore, the concept of desensitization plays a critical role in understanding how media violence promotes societal violence. As consumers are bombarded with violent imagery, their emotional response to violence becomes blunted, leading to a decrease in the perceived seriousness of aggressive acts. This phenomenon not only makes individuals more apathetic towards violence but also more likely to engage in violent behavior themselves, seeing it as less consequential. A vivid example of this is found in the increased tolerance for violent content in movies and video games, pushing the envelope further as audiences become desensitized to previously shocking levels of violence.

In conclusion, while it is reductive to claim that media violence is the sole progenitor of societal aggression, its role in psychologically conditioning individuals to accept violence and in fostering desensitization towards aggressive acts cannot be ignored. The evidence suggests a significant, albeit complex, relationship between media violence and societal aggression, necessitating a balanced perspective that acknowledges the multifaceted nature of human behavior and the myriad influences that shape it.

Model Essay 2

The contention that media violence fuels societal aggression is a multifaceted debate. I assert that while media can influence behavior, societal violence stems from broader issues. This essay will dissect the roles of media portrayal and other societal factors in cultivating violence.

Media indeed holds a mirror to society, sometimes reflecting our darkest impulses. Yet, its influence is not solely malignant. Prolonged exposure to violent content has been linked to increased aggression, notably in children and adolescents who may not fully discern reality from fiction. A notable study correlated extensive violent video game engagement with heightened adolescent aggression, underscoring the potential impact of media. However, this impact is not unidirectional; media also offers avenues for education and positive engagement. Adding to this, critical thinking and media literacy can mitigate negative influences, fostering a discerning audience.

However, the causality between media violence and societal aggression cannot be viewed through a reductionist lens. Human behavior is an intricate tapestry woven from diverse threads, including mental health, socio-economic factors, and education. To attribute societal violence solely to media overlooks these multifaceted contributors. For instance, areas suffering from poverty and systemic inequality often exhibit higher violence levels, suggesting that these societal issues are more influential than media content. Moreover, interventions aimed at addressing these root causes have proven more effective in reducing violence than controlling media content.

The media's role is paradoxical; it can both harm and heal. Through educational content and peace-promotion campaigns, the media demonstrates its potential as a force for good. This constructive capacity highlights that media, while influential, is but one actor on the stage of societal dynamics. The complexity of societal violence defies simple explanations or solutions, demanding a broader perspective that appreciates the interplay of various factors. Hence, leveraging media's positive potential while addressing underlying societal issues presents a more balanced approach to mitigating violence.

In synthesizing these insights, it's evident that societal violence is not a monolith to be dismantled by addressing a single factor like media violence. Rather, it's a Gordian knot requiring comprehensive strategies that encompass media’s role and beyond. Thus, fostering a societal fabric that values peace and constructive media use is imperative for holistic progress.

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