Background of Media and Violence

Definitions and distinctions
Before proceeding, it is important to define two terms clearly: media violence and violent behaviour. Different people have used different definitions of these terms at different times. For this review, we define media violence as visual portrayals of acts of physical aggression by one human against another. This definition of media violence does not include off-screen poisonings that might be implied, but rather it refers to visually portrayed physically aggressive acts by one person against another. This definition has evolved as theories about the effects of media violence have evolved and represents an attempt to describe the kind of violent media presentation that is most likely to teach the viewer to be more violent. Movies and programs depicting violence of this type were common 20 years ago, and they are common now: Dirty Harry, The Godfather, Mad Max, Cliffhanger, True Lies, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, etc. The list is endless.
The definition adopted for violent behaviour can also be important for how the empirical research is interpreted. Most researchers studying media effects on behaviour have focused on what they call aggressive behaviour. The accepted definition states that aggressive behaviour refers to an act intended to injure or irritate another person. The act could be physical or nonphysical. This includes many kinds of behaviour that do not seem to fit the commonly understood meaning of violence. Hurling insults and spreading harmful rumours fit the definition. Of course, the aggressive behaviours of greatest concern to society clearly involve physical aggression. However, physical aggression may range in severity from acts such as pushing or shoving to more serious physical assaults and fighting, even extending to violent acts that carry a significant risk of serious injury. We use the term violent behaviour in this review to describe more serious forms of physical aggression that pose a significant risk of serious injury to victims.
Violent and aggressive behaviours are best viewed as falling on a continuum of severity. As described above, a very strong correlation exists between mildly aggressive behaviour and the risk for seriously aggressive or violent behaviour later in life. Furthermore, significant evidence suggests that the display of aggressive thinking or aggressive emotions is a valid predictor of risk for violence. Consequently, studies investigating any of these types of aggression can be valuable.