Violence in screen entertainment media (television, film, video games)—defined as depictions of characters (or players) trying to harm other characters (or players)— is ubiquitous. The Workgroup on Media Violence and Violent Video Games reviewed numerous meta-analyses and other relevant research extending 60+ years into the past, with an emphasis on more recent work on violent video games. The workgroup sought compelling evidence of both short-term and long-term effects. Questions included whether media violence increases, decreases or has no effect on: a) aggressive behavior; (b) aggressive thoughts, cognitions, beliefs…; (c) aggressive affect; (d) prosocial behavior; and (e) empathy for/desensitization to violence to others. Furthermore, the workgroup explains how and why effects occur in terms of modern social-cognitive theories of social behavior. The Workgroup report also notes major needs for additional research.
WORKGROUP MEMBERS
Workgroup Chair
Craig A. Anderson, PhD
Craig A. Anderson, PhD
Professor, Social Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
Brad J. Bushman, PhD
Brad J. Bushman, PhD
Professor of Communication and Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Jeanne Brockmyer, PhD
Troy Hicks, PhD
Troy Hicks, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of English Language and Literature,
Central Michigan University
Joanne Cantor, PhD
Joanne Cantor
Professor Emeritus, Communication Science, University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI
Dimitri Christakis, MD, MPH
Dimitri Christakis
Professor, Seattle Children’s Hospital Research Institute; University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA
Sarah Coyne, PhD
Sarah Coyne, PhD
Associate Professor, College of Family, Home and Social Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
Ed Donnerstein, PhD
Ed Donnerstein, PhD
Professor and Dean Emeritus, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences,
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Douglas Gentile, PhD
Douglas Gentile, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Psychology
Iowa State University, Ames, IA
C. Shawn Green, PhD
C. Shawn Green, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
University of Wisconsin Madison, Madison, WI
Rowell Huesmann, PhD
Rowell Huesmann, PhD
Professor, Communications Studies and Psychology,
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Bruce Bartholow, PhD
Bruce Bartholow, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri
Barbara Krahé, PhD
Victor Strasburger, PhD
Victor Strasburger, PhD
Professor of Pediatrics,
University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
Wayne Warburton, PhD
Wayne Warburton, PhD
Professor, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Tom Hummer, PhD
Tom Hummer, PhD
Assistant Research Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
Barbara Jan Wilson, PhD
Barbara Jan Wilson, PhD
Professor, Department of Communications,
University of Illinois, Champaign, IL
Michele Ybarra, PhD
Michele Ybarra, PhD
President and Research Director,
Center for Innovative Public Health Research, San Clemente, CA
