Does Violence In Movies Cause Violence?

Movies have long been a powerful entertainment medium, influencing our thoughts, feelings and emotions with each story they try to tell. This is especially true for India, where we love our superstars and flock to the theatres every Friday to see what they have to offer in their latest big-screen outing. Like romance, drama and emotion, action and violence have been popular movie genres in India for decades. This leads us to an important question: Does exposure to violent content in movies lead to aggression and violence in real life? Let’s find out what the research says

Understanding Violence In Movies

Violence in movies refers to scenes that show physical aggression, force, harm, or conflict. While action movies are a genre by themselves, elements of violence can also be seen in romance, drama, or thriller movies. In India, action movies have always been popular. The success of older movies like Sholay and Gadar, as well as recent releases like Pushpa and the controversial movie Animal, is evidence of this. 

While most people watch violent movies purely for entertainment without being affected by them, some people- especially children and adolescents might be easily influenced by the violent content seen on screen. Research suggests that repeated exposure to violent movies may have a serious impact on aggressive tendencies and behaviours in children and adolescents, making exposure to violent media a cause for concern.

The Link Between Movies And Real-Life Aggression?

Several studies have explored the connection between violent media and aggression. Here are some significant findings

• A research study published in 2020 investigated the impact of aggressive movies on children’s behavior by randomly assigning 40 Ghanaian primary school pupils to watch either an aggressive or non-aggressive movie for 30 minutes and found that children who watched the aggressive movie displayed significantly more aggressive behavior, 

• Another study published in 2015 examined the risk factors for adolescents indulging in aggression during secondary school. The researchers found that male students who reported higher exposure to violent movies were more likely to engage in physical aggression at school. All of these students were between 13 and 17 years old, which suggests that violent movies do encourage physical aggression, especially among male adolescents

• An older study published in 2009 had similar results where it was found that adolescent boys (aged 13 to 17 years) who watched highly violent movies without any parental control were significantly more likely to believe aggression is acceptable and justified. This suggests that media plays a crucial role in shaping adolescents’ views on aggression

• Another study published in Nigeria in 2017 investigated the impact of violent movies and video games on young children aged between 5 and 7 and found a significant increase in aggressive behavior among them, supporting the hypothesis that these media forms contribute to childhood aggression. 

• Another study involving 2800 adolescents (ages 11-18) conducted in Iran investigated the link between watching violent movies and perpetrating violent behaviors. The study found that adolescents who watched more violent movies exhibited higher levels of violent behaviour, with physical violence being the most likely, followed by verbal aggression. Thus, the study concluded that exposure to violent movies significantly increases the likelihood of adolescents engaging in violent behaviors, particularly among boys

• More research from Iran published in 2022 studied the impact of violent movies on adolescents’ brain function and found that exposure to violent movies significantly increased risky decision-making and decreased behavioral inhibition. The study concluded that violent movies negatively affect adolescents’ cognitive functions, impairing decision-making and impulse control, which could make them more prone to violent behaviour.

Thus, there is a considerable body of evidence to suggest that exposure to violent movies may make children and adolescents more prone to aggression while also influencing their views on aggressive behaviour.

Conclusion

In summary, exposure to violent movies may not directly lead to aggression, but there is ample evidence to suggest that prolonged exposure to violent media can influence aggression, especially in children and adolescents. Thus, we may need more awareness, parental control and stricter censorship to ensure that movies can provide entertainment without harming the minds of young children and adolescents.

References:

1. Baxendale, S., Lester, L., Johnston, R., & Cross, D. (2015). Risk factors in adolescents’ involvement in violent behaviours. Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, 7(1), 2–18. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-09-2013-0025
2. Ghandali, R., Hassani-Abharian, P., Sadeghi-Firoozabadi, V., & Nooripour, R. (2022). The Effect of Violent and Melodrama Movies on Risky Decision-making and Behavioral Inhibition in Adolescents. Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, 13(6), 765–776. https://doi.org/10.32598/bcn.2021.194.4
3. Golshiri, P., Farajzadegan, Z., Mirzaean, M., & Motamedi, N. (2023). The Relationship Between Movie Violence and Violent Behavior in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study in Isfahan, Iran. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 17(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpbs-116383
4. Here’s How Violent Media Can Impact Your Mental Health. (n.d.). Verywell Mind. Retrieved March 4, 2025, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-the-impact-of-violent-media-on-mental-health-5270512
5. Huesmann, L. R. (2007). The Impact of Electronic Media Violence: Scientific Theory and Research. The Journal of Adolescent Health : Official Publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 41(6 Suppl 1), S6-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.09.005