This week we learned that people often look towards “models” of behavior. People

This week we learned that people often look towards “models” of behavior. People imitate the behavior of people they respect or people they wish to be like. We see this reflected in celebrity endorsements of products everyday. There is often a public outcry when these “role models” run afoul of the law or behave in unsavory ways. When these public figures drive drunk or get in trouble, it is said that it “sends the wrong message” and parents fear that their children may want to copy or imitate those behaviors. Another example is not about the imitation of celebrities or athletes; in fact, some fear that children may go as far as to imitate fictional characters. Specifically, there has been a great controversy regarding whether or not video games or movies make us more aggressive and violent. Whereas some studies have found increased aggression among those who play violent video games, a recent long-term study concluded that “societal consumption of media violence is not predictive of increased societal violence rates.”
Watch:
This week, you will watch a brief news story about the link between violent video games and children’s behavior.
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/video-games-violence-generation-blames-latest-media-expert/story?id=18009898
Response Questions:
After watching this video, answer the following questions:
Do you think media causes people to be more violent? Why or why not?
Do you think Bandura’s Social Learning / Social Cognitive theories help explain why so many people believe media violence makes us more violent in real life? Why or why not?
Be sure to make specific reference to aspects of Bandura’s theories that are consistent – or not consistent – with the ideas that media models cause people to be more violent.
Written Response and Paper Format Directions
Prepare your response in Word.
Your response to each question should be approximately one to two paragraphs in length and should include specific examples to illustrate your points.
Your complete written response should be a minimum of around 1 double-spaced page (1-inch page margins and 12-point font), excluding your reference list, name, and title; there is no maximum page requirement.
References are mandatory. Cite ALL references using in-text citations and include a reference list at the end of your written summary. This includes any of the instructional material included in this lesson or the course. All answers and conclusions must be supported with evidence and resources/citations using APA style. Do not use any direct quotes in your response. Everything should be in your own words.