The Effects of Media Violence on Attitudes, Emotions, and Cognitions

Abstract

This review specifies mediating factors between the viewing of violent media and aggressive behavior. The role of cognitive and emotional arousal processes are discussed, as is the interplay among these factors and attitudes toward aggression. Included in these discussions are attention and comprehension of the viewed media, as well as attributions and moral evaluations of the perpetrators of violence. Finally, the effects of media exposure on arousal, emotional desensitization, and the excitement of the observer's aggressive inclinations are presented.