LIKABILITY OF MEDIA VIOLENCE; EFFECT ON YOUNG ADULTS

Abstract: Raising number of media inspired violent incidents is of great concern at present. Media violence has strong impact and certainly has direct effect on the young adults.. Research haslong established the correlation between media- inspired violent behaviour(Anderson e. a., 2003). With criminal activity rising in India (Ministry of Home Affairs, 2021), the paper highlights the urgent need for further investigation. This paper aims to delve deeper into such issues and measure (a)If there is a rising likability and tolerance towards Media Violence. And (b)If there is an increased affinity towards media violence- what are the possible effects on young adults. Additionally, the paper also aims to look into (c) The relationship between likability of media violence and whether are influential enough to inspire violent behaviour among its viewers.

The graphic and gruesome portrayal of violence in media content has become more prevalent(Coyne S.M, 2004), potentially desensitizing viewers and causing harmful effects(Coyne S. M, 2012). The recent murder of Shraddha Walker is an example of how media is helping cultivate violent behaviour and inspiring copycat murders (Gerbner G., 1976). Similarly, another murder committed by teenagers influenced by the movie Pushpa(The Quint, 2022) emphasizes the need to understand the link between media violence and real-life behaviour. This is repeatedly reinforced by the Cultivation Theory, which suggests that prolonged exposure to media content can shape individuals' beliefs and attitudes about the world.

Coyne(S.M Coyne, 2020)in his study on the association between media violence and aggressive behaviour found that there was a positive relation between the two factors, even after controlling of other factors. Furthermore, Lei Han(Lei Han, 2020)after conducting research on exposure to media violence on youngsters concluded that, violent media exposure was more strongly associated with aggressive behaviour among adolescents with lower levels of self-control. Both studies suggest that exposure to violent media can trigger aggressive behaviour in young adults.

This study involves a sample of young adults aged between 18 to 30 years, and measures the frequency of media exposure and likability of media violence using a survey questionnaire. The results indicate an increased preference for movies with violent content and a possible desensitization to media violence or normalization of it, particularly among men.The results from this study also reflect the consolidation of Cognitive Priming Theory(Berkowitz, 1962), showing that exposure to violent media content can lead to an increased preference for violent content in individuals.These findings highlight the crucial importance of raising awareness and devising effective strategies to combat media violence's negative impact on young adults.

Keywords: Media Violence, Likability of Media Violence, Media and behaviour, Young Adult Culture