In this important work twelve eminent scholars review the latest theoretical work on human aggressive behavior. Emerging theories of aggression; peers, sex-roles, and aggression; environmental investigation and mitigation of aggression; development of adult aggression; and group aggression in adolescents and adults are all discussed in detail to provide clinicians, researchers, and students with a cutting-edge overview of the field.

Children, Adolescents, and Media Violence provides a comprehensive review and critique of the literature related to media violence in all its forms during childhood and adolescence. Special attention is paid to evaluating the role of the development processes in media violence research and to stressing the importance of methodology in understanding that research. The developmental analysis taken by the author allows for the identification of age-related gaps in the literature and helps students to become critical consumers of research. The book provides the most comprehensive overview available of the effects of media violence on children and adolescents. PowerPoint slides for this book are available to adopters by contacting [email protected].

"Psychologist and mother Madeline Levine looks at the history of television and movie violence in the United States. She translates into everyday language the results of over four decades of research on the effects of media violence - research that up until now has been inaccessible to most parents. Using a "developmental approach," Dr. Levine helps parents understand that children at different ages think about, understand, and experience the world in very different ways. An appreciation of these differences in how children "see" things is critical if parents are to make wise choices about what is appropriate and what is potentially harmful to their children. Using research findings, common sense, and personal experience, Dr. Levine demonstrates that violence is not generic - and neither are children: the movie that may be instructive and appropriate for an eleven-year-old may be traumatic and overwhelming for a seven-year-old. Parents frequently underestimate the impact of violent television on their children and may be surprised at what children find upsetting." "Dr. Levine argues that the issue of media violence is not trivial, that our society is increasingly at risk not only for higher levels of violence but for a greater tolerance and acceptance of this violence. In spite of efforts from both sides of the political spectrum to claim media violence as a political issue, Dr. Levine insists this is a parenting and citizenship issue. She looks at how parents, government, schools, and the media itself can best approach the problem. The book concludes with a list of resources to help parents become active in media reform."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Violent video games are successfully marketed to and easily obtained by children and adolescents. Even the U.S. government distributes one such game, America's Army, through both the internet and its recruiting offices. Is there any scientific evidence to support the claims that violent games contribute to aggressive and violent behavior? As the first book to unite empirical research on and public policy options for violent video games, Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents will be an invaluable resource for student and professional researchers in social and developmental psychology and media studies.

Freedman argues that scientific evidence does not support the notion that TV and film violence causes aggression in children or in anyone else. A provocative challenge to the accepted norms in media studies and psychology.

This definitive examination of this important social topic asks questions such as: How much media violence is there? What are the meanings conveyed in the way violence is portrayed? What effect does it have on viewers?Divided into four parts, the book covers: a review of research on media violence; re-conceptions of exisiting theories of media violence; addresses the need to rethink the methodological tools used to assess media violence; and introduces the concept of Lineation Theory, a perspective for thinking about media violence and a new theoretical approach explaining it.

The research presented in this book, originally published in 1986, looks to pinpoint the psychological processes involved in the media violence-aggression relation. Expanding on earlier studies, the compilation of essays here delves deeply into aggression study and compares results about media influence across 5 countries. Cultural norms and programming differences are investigated as well as age and gender and other factors. What is offered overall is a psychological model in which TV violence is both a precursor and a consequence of aggression.