Perhaps one of the most impactful and interesting ideas that social psychology proposes is that we are not just impacted by the influence of “real” people. In a world where we interact with others through media, this becomes very relevant.
In recent years, we have all seen reports in the news regarding the potential negative impact that playing video games can have on children and adolescents. However, some researchers would argue that it is not the video game itself, but the content and themes of the video game that can lead to an increase in anti-social behaviors (e.g., aggression, violence) or pro-social behaviors (e.g., altruism, helping).
Do you think that interacting with “imaginary” persons—like those in a video game– has any impact on our real-life social behaviors? What is your personal interaction with any type of violent media (e.g., games, movies, news)? Discuss the positive/negative effects of exposure to violent media.
Side note: Take for example when the first Exorcist movie came out. There were reports of people fainting in theaters and incidences in which an ambulance had to be called. Why do these types of movies not illicit the same reaction in this era?
Minimum 200 words
