Media role in violence and the dynamics of bullying.

摘要

Violence and bullying behaviors are facts of life for many teenagers. Violent episodes can take the form of physical altercations as well as emotional taunting and, more recently, cyber bullying via online attacks through e-mail or chat rooms. Although the cause of violence among adolescents is complex, research over several decades has consistently established that exposure to media violence causes an increase in violent behaviors. Media violence can have short- and long-term effects that can influence individual behaviors. In the short-term, exposure to violent media can lead to an increase in violent thoughts and behaviors through physiologic excitation as well as specific behavior imitation. Over the long term, repeated exposure to violence can influence sensitization toward violence and reset accepted norms about the appropriateness of violent behaviors.