Narrative, Effects of Violent

Violent narratives are a common theme in media. A violent narrative is defined as a plot, with characters involved in ongoing relationships, featuring the use of intentional verbal or physical aggression intended to harm others. Violent narratives in media have been documented for well over 50 years in television and film and now extend to other media such as smartphones, iPods, and video games. Although the relative frequency with which violence appears in media has remained flat over the years, depictions of violent acts are more explicit and audiences are more engaged with violence than ever before. Implications for interacting with violent narratives are discussed.

The purpose of this entry is to (a) introduce the reader to the history of violent narratives commonly encountered in media; ...