COLUMBUS, Ohio – A survey of media researchers, parents and pediatricians shows agreement that a child’s exposure to violent media can increase aggression.
The survey, conducted by researchers at Ohio State University and Philipps University in Marberg, Germany, was recently published online in the journal Psychology of Popular Media Culture.
About 371 media psychologists and communication scientists from three professional organizations, 92 members of the Council on Communication and Media of the American Academy of Pediatrics,; and a nationally representative sample of 268 American parents were included in the survey that found 66 percent of the researchers, 67 percent of the parents and 90 percent of the pediatricians strongly agree or agree that violent video games can increase aggressive behavior in children.
Those who feel violent games influence child behavior also said violent movies, television programs and Internet sites also influence children.
However, fewer than half felt that violent comic books or literature have harmful effects.