What is the connection between media violence and real-world violence?
Posted on: April 14, 2021
Written by Christopher Kilmartin, an emeritus college professor, author, stand-up comedian, actor, playwright, consultant and professional psychologist. He is the author of The Fictions that Shape Men s Lives.
When I ask students in my General Psychology class if there is a connection between media portrayals of physical aggression and actual violent behavior, many, without hesitation, simply answer “no.” “What tells you that?” I ask. Generally, the responses take the form of stories about they and/or people they know who consume violent media and have never been violent.