ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the state of the evidence on the exposure to violent media contents as a risk factor for aggression. It presents theoretical accounts of the processes by which confronting violence in the virtual reality of the media may affect aggressive cognitions, feelings, and behaviour in the real world. Content analyses have revealed that violence features prominently in many types of entertainment media. Beyond the frequency of violence in the media, qualitative research has identified several features of how violence is presented in the media that are relevant to the understanding of its harmful effects. To examine the association between media violence and aggression, three main methodologies have been used: cross-sectional studies, experimental studies, and longitudinal studies. Exposure to violent media stimuli leads to an increase in physiological arousal as well as affective arousal in the form of state anger and hostility. The more individuals use violent media, the more they encounter stimuli relevant to their aggressive scripts.
