Keeping a Low Risk Point for Aggressive Behavior

The media is a powerful tool and a simple exercise easily demonstrates how media effects affect individuals. By examining thirteen factors that influence media effects, I was able to see how the media can influence me. The one effect I examined was how media factors might influence me acting aggressively after seeing a violent movie. What I learned through this exercise is that the profile of factors, in my personal life, which might influence me acting aggressively, is very low. What this means is there is very little chance I will act aggressively, after watching a violent movie.

However, some personal factors might put me at risk. One of these factors is the factor of media exposure habits. I expose myself to numerous violent movies. This is a powerful factor because it could shape my view of the world as being a violent place.

A similar factor is the context of portrayal. This factor places importance in how characters are portrayed as in, for example, violent movies. An example of this could be the movie The Boondock Saints. The plot involves brothers who go around killing mobsters and people they deem as bad people. What this does is portray killing as an okay thing as long as it is justified.

These two factors are powerful and could have forced me to act aggressively. However, there are media factors in my life that limit the chances of the previous two factors from influencing me. One of these factors is the developmental maturity factor. I have developed relatively early in some maturities, such as moral maturity. With a developed moral maturity, I understand that some morals that are portrayed in medias are not good. The portrayal of the characters in The Boondock Saints does not influence me to act aggressively, because my moral level tells me, no matter what this media portrays, killing is never good.

The other factor that limits my chances of a media influencing me to act aggressively is the sociological factor. Certain social institutions like my parents, friends, and church, are a part of my life and they help to give me a sense of morals and a better sense of reality. For example, my parents have raised me as a Christian so I have developed morally through their guidance.

By the end of this exercise, I realized that there are some things I want to change in my interaction with media. For one thing, I want to develop more knowledge structures so I will be more media literate and will have a better grasp of reality. I find myself getting too much information about the world through the television. I hope to counter this by gaining information from different printed media. I would also like me to remember my goals when I am viewing media. For example, if I am watching television simply for entertainment, I want to keep this goal in mind so I don't start believing that the entertainment I am watching is complete reality.