ERIC Number: EJ933834
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-May
Pages: 24
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0033-2909
EISSN: N/A
The Effects of Risk-Glorifying Media Exposure on Risk-Positive Cognitions, Emotions, and Behaviors: A Meta-Analytic Review
Fischer, Peter; Greitemeyer, Tobias; Kastenmuller, Andreas; Vogrincic, Claudia; Sauer, Anne
Psychological Bulletin, v137 n3 p367-390 May 2011
In recent years, there has been a surge in the quantity of media content that glorifies risk-taking behavior, such as risky driving, extreme sports, or binge drinking. The authors conducted a meta-analysis involving more than 80,000 participants and 105 independent effect sizes to examine whether exposure to such media depictions increased their recipients' risk-taking inclinations. A positive connection was found for overall, combined risk taking (g = 0.41); as well as its underlying dimensions: risk-taking behaviors (g = 0.41), risk-positive cognitions and attitudes (g = 0.35), and risk-positive emotions (g = 0.56). This effect was observed across varying research methods (experimental, correlational, longitudinal); types of media (video games, movies, advertising, TV, music); and differing risk-related outcome measures (e.g., smoking, drinking, risky driving, sexual behavior). Multiple moderator analyses revealed 2 theoretically new boundary conditions for sociocognitive models. First, the effect was stronger for active (i.e., video games) than for passive (e.g., film, music) exposure to risk-glorifying media content. Second, the effect was stronger when there was a high degree of contextual fit between the media content and type of risk-taking measure. The theoretical, practical, and societal implications of the present research synthesis are discussed. (Contains 1 figure, 7 tables and 6 footnotes.)
Descriptors: Music, Video Games, Research Methodology, Drinking, Effect Size, Sexuality, Mass Media Effects, Risk, Emotional Response, Cognitive Processes, Behavior, At Risk Persons, Meta Analysis, Correlation, Films, Advertising, Television Viewing, Smoking, Motor Vehicles, Health Behavior, Psychological Patterns, Longitudinal Studies, Social Cognition, Internet, Drug Abuse, Age Differences, Young Adults, College Students, Adolescents
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A