Wirkungstheorien der Medien- und-Gewalt-Forschung

Do depictions of violence in modern media trigger aggression? Are violent video games (partly) responsible for school shootings? There are often heated public discussions on these questions, but what insights have decades of research into this issue revealed? This book clearly and critically reviews the current state of research on this topic by describing and analysing both theoretical approaches and the results of empirical studies in equal measure. It gives special consideration to the specific characteristics of the person who watches the violence, how the violence is presented, the medium through which it is de-picted and the circumstances in which it is witnessed, all of which may influence the risk of that violence having a negative impact. Finally, this book provides insights into a partly ideological and occasionally polemical academic debate. It will appeal to not only students but also practitioners in media education and anyone else interested in this field of study.