Does Viewing Violent Media Induce Aggression in Prison Inmates? An Experimental Study Cover Image

Induce vizionarea conţinuturilor media violente agresivitatea în rândul deţinuţilor ? Un studiu experimental
Does Viewing Violent Media Induce Aggression in Prison Inmates? An Experimental Study

Author(s): Narcisa Gianina Caranfil, Carla Carmen DIACONU
Subject(s): Law, Constitution, Jurisprudence
Published by: Editura Lumen, Asociatia Lumen
Keywords: exposure to violent media; prison inmates; aggression; experimental study

Summary/Abstract: The adverse effects that exposure to violent media has on emotional and behavioral individual functioning is well-documented. Some experimental studies conducted by L. Berkowitz and his associates have shown that viewing media violence increases the likelihood of short-term aggressive and violent behavior in observers. Based on these previous findings, a field experimental study was conducted at Rahova Prison. Forty-nine prison inmates were randomly divided into two experimental groups. Two weeks before the experiment, subjects completed a set of questionnaires that targeted their TV consumption habits, trait- and state-aggression as well as trait- and state-anxiety. In the second phase of our study, one group of subjects watched a 30-minute video montage of violent news, while the other group watched a montage of entertainment. Immediately after watching the video montage, subjects in each experimental group completed again the questionnaires that targeted their state-aggression and state-anxiety. Results did not support our working hypothesis. Some particular circumstances would explain the contradictory results we obtained. These circumstances are briefly discussed.

  • Issue Year: 2014
  • Issue No: 13
  • Page Range: 113-131
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Romanian