Date of Award
2017
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Honors Thesis
Department
Sociology
First Advisor
Krista Cline
Abstract
With the advent of increasingly accessible technology and the growing prevalence of both fictional and nonfictional violence in the media (American Academy of Pediatrics 2009; American Psychological Association 2013; Emmons 2013; Pew Research Center 2015), the effects of such content on emotional states and behavioral patterns in youths has garnered a great deal of interest among sociologists, psychologists, and developmental experts. However, the results of existing research are inconclusive and often contradictory (APA 2013; Siegel and Welsh 2017:86-87), providing no clear answer to the question of whether or not this content actually affects viewer behavior. I explore the current body of literature examining the relationship between exposure to media violence and its elicitation of aggression and violence in children, adolescents, and young adults before performing my own analysis of data from a previously completed study (Schneider and Waite 1998-2000), specifically analyzing variables that have not yet been examined together. Finally, I suggest directions for future research, discuss relevant limitations, and offer conclusions based on the past and present results.
Recommended Citation
Pearson, Taylor, "The Media and Teenage Violence: How Much Is Too Much When It Comes to Adolescent Aggression?" (2017). Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection. 411.
https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/ugtheses/411