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Link between media, societal violence inconsistent

Correlations between movie, video game and societal violence are inconsistent over time, according to a recent meta-analysis.

Christopher J. Ferguson, PhD, chair of psychology at Stetson University, performed statistical analysis of bivariate correlations between movie violence and levels of graphic violence and societal homicide rates. Partial correlations were calculated with median household income, population density, real gross domestic product and youth population levels. Time series analysis was examined to investigate potential trends.

Christopher J. Ferguson

A second analysis of bivariate correlations was performed to determine links between video game violence and youth violence.

In the first study, societal violence was only positively correlated with movie violence. Among the findings, bivariate correlations suggested a moderate relationship between frequency of movie violence and homicide rates r=0.33 (df =17; P=.19), but the relationship between graphic violence and homicide rates was only r=0.13 (df=17; P=.6).

When controlled for median household income, proportion of youth, and population, the correlations were not reduced. Correlations between violence frequency and homicide were r=0.35, 0.42 and 0.37, respectively, (ps range, 0.09-0.45), for controlled variables. Correlations between movie graphicness and homicide were at r=−0.1, 0.38, and 0.3, respectively (ps range, 0.13-0.83), with variables controlled.

Controlling for policing and real GDP reduced the correlation between movie and societal violence. Correlations between media violence frequency and societal homicide rates were r=0.06 (P=.89) and r=−0.22 (P=.64) for graphic violence.

In the second study, Ferguson analyzed sales of video games deemed violent by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board and rates of violence among youth. An inverse relationship was seen between 1996 and 2011.

“Neither study provided evidence for the belief that media violence and societal violence are meaningfully correlated,” Ferguson wrote. “Study 1, in particular, demonstrated how such beliefs may come into being.

“Results from study 2 lent further credence to skepticism regarding an association between societal violence and media violence. In this case, video game violence consumption rates were strongly associated with reduced youth violence rates that cannot be explained as an incapacitation effect.” 

Disclosure: Ferguson reports no relevant financial disclosures.