The role of desensitisation, disinhibition and cognitive priming in media influences
Watching violent media can make aggression feel normal, lower your resistance to acting aggressively, and put aggressive thoughts at the front of your mind. These three processes help explain why media exposure can increase real-world aggression.
Real World
Researchers found that children who watched a violent film clip showed lower skin-conductance responses to real footage of a playground fight than children who watched a non-violent clip, demonstrating measurable desensitisation.
Exam Focus
Define all three mechanisms separately — examiners award marks for distinguishing desensitisation, disinhibition, and cognitive priming clearly.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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