PSYC 1010 Quiz: revision notes on media aggression

• School: York University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1010
• Professor: ozzy mermut

Document Summary

The role of desensitization in media influences on aggression. When a person normally sees violent actions the sympathetic nervous system gets activated & they experience physiological arousal e. g. greater sweat. However if a child constantly plays view violent media e. g. computer games they become used (habituated) to its effects (desensitized). A stimulus that usually has a diminishing impact, results in a reduction of physiological arousal & anxiety if there is constant exposure to violent media e. g. playing a violent video game. (a01) outline: desensitization can be psychological as well. Funk et al. (2004) - argued that repeated exposure to media violent media desensitized the viewers by weakening negative attitudes towards violence, reduced empathy towards victims of violence & their injuries being dismissed. This research suggests that being exposed to media containing violent content may promote the belief that using aggression is socially acceptable when resolving conflict.