ABSTRACT

Questions regarding the relation between media and morality have been a lasting concern. Can media exposure shape or alter moral values? Does morality influence how audience members select, interpret and respond to media content? Attempts to answer such questions are hindered by the complex nature of morality and its dynamic relation with media.

This volume brings together leading scholars in an effort to examine reciprocal processes that connect media with morality, and to set a course for understanding this association. Individual essays combine established and emerging theories from media and moral psychology to explain how fundamental mechanisms that govern moral reasoning can shape and be shaped by media exposure. Together these scholars provide an understanding of the relationship between media and morality that should serve as an invaluable resource for current and future generations of researchers.

chapter |25 pages

Moral Psychology and Media Theory

Historical and Emerging Viewpoints

chapter |18 pages

Morality Subcultures and Media Production

How Hollywood Minds the Morals of Its Audience

chapter |16 pages

The Experience of Elevation

Responses to Media Portrayals of Moral Beauty

chapter |23 pages

Moral Disengagement During Exposure to Media Violence

Would It Feel Right to Shoot an Innocent Civilian in a Video Game?