Media influences on anti-social behaviour Essay

The cognitive priming explanation suggests that vulturine ideas shown in the media (particularly films) can twinkle off other fast-growing(a) thoughts in memory pathways as proposed by Berkowitz (1984). After a violent film, the viewer is primed to respond precipitously because the memory network involving intrusion is activated.Criticism +Evidence to support the cognitive priming explanation was shown in the Hockey game study by Josephism (1987) whos boys who had been primed to be aggression through viewing an rough film acted more(prenominal) aggressively in a subsequent field hockey game where relevant behavioural cues were present.ArousalThe rousing explanation suggests that arousal augments the dominant behaviour in any situation. If the feeling of arousal is attributed to anger, thitherfore aggression is likely to result. Research has shown that the arousal produces by (violent) pornography facilitates aggressive behaviour as shown by Zillman (1978)CriticismIf arousa l is attributed to factors other than anger, then(prenominal) arousal will not necessarily result in aggression?Cultivation effectThe cultivation effect by Gerbner and Gross (1976) suggests that the metier of television creates (or cultivates a distrust or unrealistic fear in viewers. This causes viewers to misperceive (or exaggerate) threats in real life and react in a more violent way. This is also referred to as the mean mankind effect.CriticismsThe main problem with the cultivation effect explanation is that people who argon particularly fearful are likely to avoid any wakeless situations in the first place. Thus increasing the level of fear cleverness actually help to reduce the level of force-out.DesensitisationDesensitisation suggests that repeated exposure to violence in the media reduces the impact of the violence. People become desensitised to the violence and it has less impact on the (habituation). They become less anxious roughly violence per se and may therefor e engage in more violent behaviour.CriticismsThe desensitisation argument suffers because it could be argued that desensitised individual might be less aroused by violence and therefore not be so easily provoked by real life violence. Similarly, desensitised individuals may become indifferent to the violent message.Research relating to anti social behaviourCopy cat effect A01 BanduraHe suggested that people are aversely modify by the media in that television can shape behaviour through apelike breeding. Watching role models perform violently may increase violent behaviour in those viewers already motivated to aggress. television system may also teach viewers the negative or validating consequences of their violence. Paik and Comstock (1994) did find that the effect on anti-social behaviour was greater if the actor was rewarded for their action.Criticisms1) there is a lot of experimental evidence to support the social learning theory explanation. Bandura et al (1963) study into the imitation of film mediated aggressive models showed that children who observe a model behaving aggressively towards a Bobo doll subsequently behave more aggressively than those who see the model punished for their actions. This puff up controlled experiment and the identification of specific learned responses provides good evidence for imitative leaning.2) The sample characteristics were unrepresentable (only children from a university nursery) and the study has been criticised for lacking ecological validity.3) The study did not really measure real aggression (a Bobo doll is designed to be hit) and only short term effects of the media was assessed.However Hicks (1965) found that 40% of models acts were reproduced up to eight months after one showing of a 10 minute film.4) The study has also been criticised for its ethical stance, where children were encouraged to be aggressive.