Neuroscientists Map Violent Media’s Effects On Brain

Although past studies have shown some correlation between exposure to media violence and real-life violent behavior, there has been little direct neuroscientific support for the theory until now.

Researchers using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) at Columbia University Medical Center have shown that watching violent programs can cause parts of your brain that suppress aggressive behaviors to become less active.

Published in PLoS ONE, the study shows that brain networks responsible for suppressing behaviors like inappropriate or unwarranted aggression (including the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex and the amygdala) became less active after study subjects watched several short clips from popular movies depicting acts of violence. The researchers contend that these changes could render people less able to control their own aggressive behavior.

“Depictions of violent acts have become very common in the popular media,” said researcher Christopher Kelly. “Our findings demonstrate for the first time that watching media depictions of violence does influence processing in parts of the brain that control behaviors like aggression. This is an important finding, and further research should examine very closely how these changes affect real-life behavior.”

Interestingly, a secondary finding the study made was that after repeated viewings of violence, an area of the brain associated with planning behaviors became more active This lends further support to the idea that exposure to violence diminishes the brain’s ability to inhibit behavior-related processing. None of these changes in brain activity occurred when subjects watched non-violent but equally engaging movies depicting scenes of horror or physical activity.

“These changes in the brain’s behavioral control circuits were specific to the repeated exposure to the violent clips,” said co-researcher Joy Hirsch. “Even when the level of action in the control movies was comparable, we just did not observe the same changes in brain response that we did when the subjects viewed the violent clips.”

Related:
The Information Insurgency
Risky Business Explained
Scan A Brain And Predict The Future
Liar, Liar, Your Prefrontal Cortex Is On Fire
Is Subconscious Perception the Root of All Evil?

Source: Columbia University Medical Center

, ,

Comments are closed.

Pop MART Labubu Macaron Vinyl Plus -Blind Box New and Sealed-FAST SHIPPING US 📦 picture

Pop MART Labubu Macaron Vinyl Plus -Blind Box New and Sealed-FAST SHIPPING US 📦

$30.00



190+ Vintage Paper Ephemera Huge Lot - Perfect For Junk Journals Mixed Media picture

190+ Vintage Paper Ephemera Huge Lot - Perfect For Junk Journals Mixed Media

$21.99



(2) Paper Guest/Buffet Napkins for Decoupage/Mixed Media - Halloween Cat black picture

(2) Paper Guest/Buffet Napkins for Decoupage/Mixed Media - Halloween Cat black

$2.25



Breitling Jetman Media Kit 2013 Yves

Breitling Jetman Media Kit 2013 Yves "Jetman" Rossy

$39.99



*RARE* 2003 H2 HUMMER Metal Media Promo Kit - Poster CD Auto GM General Motors picture

*RARE* 2003 H2 HUMMER Metal Media Promo Kit - Poster CD Auto GM General Motors

$75.00



Golden Kamuy Manga Volumes 1-31 English Brand New Authentic Viz Media Complete picture

Golden Kamuy Manga Volumes 1-31 English Brand New Authentic Viz Media Complete

$375.00



Dandadan Manga Volumes 1-13 Brand New English Authentic US Viz Media picture

Dandadan Manga Volumes 1-13 Brand New English Authentic US Viz Media

$139.99



DNA Media Comics- Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation Anthology- Used Japanese Manga picture

DNA Media Comics- Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation Anthology- Used Japanese Manga

$15.00



8 LBS Large Weight Rock Tumbler Grit Kit & Ceramic Tumbling Filler Media Polish picture

8 LBS Large Weight Rock Tumbler Grit Kit & Ceramic Tumbling Filler Media Polish

$37.31



SP B Name Construction Crew 8b Media Menace 2024 Garbage Pail Kids Card picture

SP B Name Construction Crew 8b Media Menace 2024 Garbage Pail Kids Card

$122.22



Powered by WordPress. Designed by WooThemes