Media Violence Moral Panics and Video Games

7/28/2019 Media Violence Moral Panics and Video Games

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Media Violence, Moral Panics and

Videogames


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Introduction

Behavioural Research into Media Effects

vs. Normative Research into Media and

Culture

Columbine and Moral Panics

A look at the various contexts and

contents of violent media


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The Media Effects Tradition

Based on behvaioural research

Focus on quantitative, observable and

generalisable effects

Media effects generally limited by selective

perception shaped by existing

values/beliefs

Children, however, are less equipped with

existing values and beliefs.


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Behavioural Media Effects,

Violence and ChildrenBehavioural studies have shown that

receptiveness to violence is influenced by

a) The nature of the depicted aggression

b) The gender of the child

c) The tendency of the child to seek sensations

d) The aggression levels of the child

Empirical research into violent video gameshas shown that playing video games lowersplayers empathy and reaction to violence

But the overwhelming conclusion is that violentmedia does NOT CAUSE violent behaviour


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Violent games get some bad

press Columbine High School Shootings

(Littleton, Colorado 1999)

2 students shot and killed 13, thenthemselves

The students concerned played Doom

and Wolfenstein 3D Had computer playing privileges

progressively revoked followingbehavioural problems

Red Lake Massacre (Red Lake,Minnesota 2005)

16 year old killed 9 people then himself

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/195194
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/195194http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/195194http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/195194http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/195194


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Dr Phil and Moral Panics[T]he problem is we are programming these

people as a society. You cannot tell me --

common sense tells you that if these kids

are playing video games, where they're on a

mass killing spree in a video game, it's

glamorized on the big screen, it's become

part of the fibre of our society. You take thatand mix it with a psychopath, a sociopath or

someone suffering from mental illness and

add in a dose of rage, the suggestibility is

too high. And we're going to have to start

dealing with that. We're going to have tostart addressing those issues and

recognizing that the mass murders of

tomorrow are the children of today that are

being programmed with this massive

violence overdose. http://blog.wired.com/games/2007/04/dr_phil_also_bl.html


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Considering the wider social

context


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Normative Research on media

effects

Asks what about the context of these

signs?

(remember the difference between European

and American research traditions?)

Questions whether the categories of

violence selected in Behavioural Studies

are ever sophisticated enough to behelpful


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Normative Research on media

effects

Asks that violence be viewed within a wider

social and cultural context

Our societies are complex, interlocking structures,

and this means that we should not attempt to studyany single institution or social process in isolation.

The problem of media violence should be studied in

relation to other institutions and to violence in society

as a whole, and it should be set within the appropriate

social, political and economic frameworks.(Halloran 1978: 817, quoted in Cunningham 1992: 143)


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In summary

Behavioural media effects research is subject tothe following general criticisms (fromCunningham 1992) Generally does not consider the textual context of the

violence Assumes children and viewers to be nave cultural

dupes

Fails to consider other factors which contribute toviolent behaviour (personal experience, socio-

economic group) Implies causation where it identifies correlation

Often fails to critique officially sanctioned violence

Contributes to moral panic


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Where to next?

A more thorough and open classification

system


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Where to next?

A focus on modelling the correct behaviour As a society/culture

As parents

A rejection of moral panic The average age of a computer game player in

Australia is 29

Implies a general lack of respect towards children(and their parents)

We have real issues with violence to deal with andundermining the ability to confront violence andcommunicate about it might not be the smartest thingto do

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Media Violence Moral Panics and Video Games