Teen Aggression and Media Violence: Research and Perspectives

Introduction and Research Overview

The relationship between media violence and teen violence is one that has received substantial attention from researchers over the past decades. The nature of that relationship is, however, debated among scholars, who approach the subject using various theoretical bases. This paper provides a literature review of three scholarly sources, discusses their validity and biases, and explains how academic conclusions affect society as well as global and local community institutions. It also evaluates the role of active citizenship in the coming years and uses a multimedia component—a Youth Radio Podcast—to offer a separate perspective on the issues discussed by the academics.

Anderson, Berkowitz, Donnerstein, Huesmann, Johnson, Linz, Malamuth, and Wartella (2003) conclude in their study of the influence of media violence on teens that the former does have a clear impact on the latter. Their study is based on laboratory observation and the steady accumulation of academic literature on the subject. Admittedly, the impact of media violence on teens is "mild" more often than not, but the researchers note that evidence for substantial forms of serious effects on teens have also been recorded. The "substantial" effect is measured against the effects of drugs and their side effects, such as aspirin causing heart attacks. What was found was that violent media has a comparably substantially negative rate of effect on teens as aspirin has on hearts. At first glance, this may seem an alarming statistic, but considering that aspirin is sold over the counter and is taken by a large percentage of the population without adverse effects, the influence of media violence on teens becomes less concerning.

Social Learning Theory and Laboratory Findings

Anderson and colleagues cite both short-term and long-term studies, which show that media violence increases aggression in youths. Their findings corroborate with social learning theory, which stipulates that individuals, especially younger ones, will imitate behavior that they see around them and gradually base their values on the values of persons in their peer group.

Huesmann and Taylor (2006) concur with the findings of Anderson et al. (2003) as they indicate that television and film violence, news violence, and video game violence all tend to have a desensitizing effect on teens, who see such violence daily. However, both Huesmann and Taylor (2006) and Anderson et al. (2003) note a lack of long-term longitudinal studies on the long-term relationship between media violence and the rise in teen aggression, and both research teams call for more studies on this focus, as it could serve to provide greater quantitative data to the largely qualitative field of scrutiny that covers media's effect on teens.

Williams, Rivera, Neighbours, and Reznik (2007) focus their study on the role of media in teen violence and ways in which violent behavior can be curtailed. Their analysis includes a look at how "pathways" to violence develop and the approaches by healthcare physicians to deter these pathways. This study differs from the first two in that it deviates from the standard paradigm and focuses on the possibility of mental health practitioners having a positive effect on teens.

All three studies are sound in their approach to the relationship between media violence and teen violence, as all three rest on the theoretical approach of social learning as well as on the previous literature of past decades and the findings of current studies which support them. The conclusions of these studies might suggest a bias towards accepting social learning theory as applicable in general terms. Other studies have indicated that there is actually less evidence linking media violence to teen violence than researchers like the ones described above attempt to suggest.

Competing Theoretical Frameworks

In other words, researchers who do not accept social learning theory as an absolutely fundamental approach are more likely to offer other explanations for teen aggression and violence than their being the result of exposure to media violence. Family systems theory, for instance, offers a more complex approach to youth behavior, stipulating that the family dynamic of home life has a much more impactful bearing on teens than the "unreal" world of media representations. Various studies have concluded as much, thus conflicting on this point with the studies described above (Potter, 2003; Kirsh, 2012).

Overall, academic knowledge impacts the social elements and institutions of both local and global communities by offering interpretations of behavior according to various models, theories, conceptualizations, and evidence-based research. These interpretations are gathered and used by social activists, social workers, counselors, psychologists, politicians, lobbies, and more. This is one reason academic research is so valuable and important on a global scale—so many people and organizations rely on them for data and direction.

On a local scale, community institutions such as a youth group at a neighborhood church or a sports league might be made cognizant of these findings and use them to assist in the moderation of youth activities. On a global scale, community institutions such as the World Youth Day movement can use this information to set up booths, print pamphlets, and offer educational seminars for youths who might be experiencing such phenomena in their own lives.

Youth Radio Podcast offers a different perspective as well. The December 25th, 2013 podcast on Teen Depression featured a mental health advocacy organization leader, who identified a relationship between mental illness and gun violence. Youth Radio thus situates the cause of teen violence not so much within either the theory of social learning or family systems but within a psycho-physiological framework that places mental illness as a primary cause of teen violence. Considering that the DSM-V has broadened the scope of what can be termed mental illness, and that more often than not, psychosomatic drugs are used to treat symptoms, Youth Radio Podcast may have the most illuminating take on the issue of teen violence and media.

Impact on Communities and Institutions

The principles of active citizenship are demonstrated in the Youth Radio Podcast as well. In it, there is a clear example of reach-out by an organization leader to make a positive impact on teens within the online community. What the leader is doing is drawing attention to the role of mental illness in teens and discussing how teens have to be careful when they deal with feelings like depression: oftentimes, physicians and psychiatrists can prescribe mood inhibitors that are supposed to alleviate feelings of depression and despair in teens. However, these drugs can have adverse effects as well—effects which can be seen in violent outputs.

The role of active citizenship as seen in this podcast will be similar over the coming years: community organizers, youth group leaders, and youth counselors will need to be aware of the ordeals that teens face—both from a social learning theory perspective and a family systems perspective, but also from the psycho-physiological perspective, which is currently being exploited by the pharmaceutical industry. The role of active citizenship will be to conduct teens through the gauntlet of misinformation and hostility to a place where they can feel confident in dealing with the issues in their own lives and with the people they meet around them, as well as with the images and stories they see and hear in the media. In this capacity, active citizenship can help to relieve teens from media pressure, peer pressure, family pressure, and mental pressure in a very violent landscape.

The examination of media violence and teen aggression through multiple theoretical lenses—social learning theory, family systems theory, and psycho-physiological frameworks—reveals that no single explanation fully captures the complexity of adolescent behavior. Academic research provides essential data and direction for community institutions and practitioners, yet researchers' theoretical commitments inevitably shape their conclusions. As active citizens and community leaders move forward, integrating insights from all three perspectives while remaining critically aware of potential biases will enable more comprehensive support for teenagers navigating an increasingly complex media landscape. The role of engaged citizenship lies in synthesizing disparate theoretical insights while helping young people develop resilience and critical awareness across multiple domains of influence.

Alternative Perspectives: Mental Health and Active Citizenship

Anderson, C., Berkowitz, L., Donnerstein, E., Huesmann, L., Johnson, J., Linz, D., Malamuth, N., & Wartella, E. (2003). The influence of media violence on youth. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4(3), 81–110.

Huesmann, L., & Taylor, L. (2006). The role of media violence in violent behavior. Annual Review of Public Health, 27, 393–415.

Kirsh, S. (2012). Children, adolescents, and media violence: A critical look at the research. Sage Publications.

Potter, W. J. (2003). The 11 myths of media violence. Sage Publications.

Williams, K., Rivera, L., Neighbours, R., & Reznik, V. (2007). Youth violence prevention comes of age: Research, training and future directions. Annual Review of Public Health, 28, 195–211.

Conclusion: Multifaceted Approaches to Teen Violence

Youth Radio. (2013). Teen depression. Retrieved from