Is media violence REALLY turning us into thugs?

osmosis

Critical Thinker
osmosis
Joined
May 1, 2006
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Conventional wisdom has it that exposure to violence on TV and in video games is directly linked to violent behavior in the real world. It seems a lot of people just take this as a given, but I've been skeptical from the beginning. (I have a habit of being skeptical)

This claim seems to come from the apparent assumption that people (especially children) can't differentiate between TV and reality. Exposure to violent media, so the theory goes, desensitizes us to the real thing. And there's the 'monkey see, monkey do' aspect, which points out that children imitate what they see. I've seen evidence that this last part is true on inanimate objects.

Can someone please show me the money? Is there any actual evidence showing a causal relationship between media violence and social violence? I've yet to see any.
 
There does seem to be more acceptance of violence overall in the media. Most movie reviews I have read lately act like violence is nothing to complain about; but sex is going to rot everyone's morals.

Kore
 
Humankind, children included, was violent before widespread media coverage and continues to be so now.
 
Humans are violent animals - in the past this was a "Good Thing"(tm) as it helped put food on the table, fend of predators and the like. It's a lot more complex these days, with the weapons we have access too, and much larger numbers of people living in closer proximity to each other. The root cause of violence is probably hardwired into us, at the genetic level.

Whether or not the media can desensitise us to violent acts, and thus make violent acts more common, is a question which is yet to be answered. I'm aware of several studies and articles on the issue (can't think of any links right now, though, sorry - try searching for "violence" and "media" on PubMed), but I'm pretty sure that an overall conclusion is yet to be reached.

PS: I've just done a quick search on PubMed myself and read a few articles. The conclusions are very mixed, and there seems to be conflicting views.

Cheers,
TGHO
 
Marquis de Carabas said:
Your views fascinate me. Care to elaborate?
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I'm pretty much going with what I view as mainstream theory in sociology. Nature vs. Nurture, sociologists assume more nurture than nature.

If you want actual specifics, I'll try to provide them, but I'm not sure you want a whole lesson in sociology from me.
 
Surely if there was, I and everybody like me would be up the clocktower with a rifle. But despite years of watching Silence Of The Lambs, listening to death metal and playing violent video games, I've yet to throw a punch in my life.

Perhaps another question would be - in regard to people being 'influenced' by violent media - whether or not they're aware of the difference between fiction and reality as it pertains to violence? If one can differentiate, there's usually no problem. I can watch gory horror movies without batting an eyelid, but I had to turn off half-way through a documentary about the Nanking massacre. I still wince every time I see stock Concentration Camp footage. Then again, I'd be worried if I didn't.
 
Lonewulf said:
I'm pretty much going with what I view as mainstream theory in sociology. Nature vs. Nurture, sociologists assume more nurture than nature.
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That's the same assumption I just called unwarranted. :p

But you're right. I don't want a lesson in sociology; I've had them. Not worth derailing a thread over.
 
I love violent movies, and I have it on good authority that I'm not a thug.

Oh, and I love some violent FPS video games, too.

:p
 
What motivates a thug? We've probably been violent since before we split from chimps.
 
According to How To Think Straight About Psychology, children who view violent media have an increased probability of committing violent acts. Is is not large, but it does exist. Do you want me to provide the obscure references?
 
I don't watch a lot of TV, but do confess to being a news junkie, and of course both national and local news is filled with stories of violence and mayhem ("We warn you our next story contains some graphic images")

And I've been shooting firearms since I was 9 or 10- paper targets, cans, bottles, dump rats, and occasional larger critters. For all that I've never acted violently toward anyone. (Waiting here for someone to add, "not yet")

Media violence may be a part of it, but I think a rather small part.
 
Marquis de Carabas said:
That's the same assumption I just called unwarranted. :p
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So is the idea that people are "born" to commit crimes.

But you're right. I don't want a lesson in sociology; I've had them. Not worth derailing a thread over.
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Not quite derailing the thread over, it's a key point of the issue. Are people born to commit crimes and do bad things to others? I don't think so.

Talking majority-wise (not minority-wise, as there's always exceptions):

1) A person's beliefs are usually decided or heavily influenced by the society he grows up in, and the people he grows up around.

2) A person's attitutes are like number 1.

3) A person's values are like number 1.

Really, I have yet to see these points refuted, and I see tons of evidence for it; anecdotal, statistical, personal, etc.

Videogames and violent media tend not to affect individuals, from my personal understanding of the issue (but this part is speculation) because the average person can differentiate fiction from reality. Videogames don't decide whether or not you will become violent because they are fiction, involving fictional characters and pixels.
 
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Lonewulf said:
So is the idea that people are "born" to commit crimes.
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Well, as soon as I see someone making that assumption, I'll tell them the same. Although I do note that if it is framed in terms of commission of crime, you have already brought society into it, since it is society who defines what is a crime. Nifty trap, that.

The capacity for violence is a part of the program. Violence is really nothing more than a (very effective) conflict resolution technique. Whether or not that technique is ever used by any particular human is, of course, determined heavily by his circumstances, but society does not create the potential.

Not quite derailing the thread over, it's a key point of the issue. Are people born to commit crimes and do bad things to others? I don't think so.

Talking majority-wise (not minority-wise, as there's always exceptions):

1) A person's beliefs are usually decided or heavily influenced by the society he grows up in, and the people he grows up around.
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Strong genetic predisposition to conform.

2) A person's attitutes are like number 1.
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See above.

3) A person's values are like number 1.
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See above.

Really, I have yet to see these points refuted, and I see tons of evidence for it; anecdotal, statistical, personal, etc.
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Try Steven Pinker's The Blank Slate for an engaging book attacking the (in his words) Standard Social Science Model. Even if you don't agree with him, I'm sure you'll enjoy the read.
 
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