Violence in Media, Effects on Aggression and Violent Crime

A great deal of attention has been paid to the effects of violence in the media during the past 50 years. Two areas have received the greatest amount of attention: the effects of violent media on aggression and the effects of violent media on fear and desensitization. This entry presents theories that link exposure to media violence and aggressive or violent behavior and reviews the empirical evidence. Although many reviewers have claimed that the association between media violence and aggression is strong and consistent in empirical studies, and some have argued that media violence causes violent crime, the evidence linking media violence and serious aggressive behavior is not definitive.