Children, adolescents, and media violence : a critical look at the research / Steven J. Kirsh.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 345-379) and index.

1. There and back again : a media violence tale -- 2. Exposing the beast within : aggressive behaviour across development -- 3. Understanding the beast within : theories of aggressive behaviour -- 4. Dining on death and destruction : the how much and why of violent media consumption -- 5. Violent media and the need to feel strong and powerful -- 6. Watching the playful beast : sports violence and aggression -- 7. Violence-laden imagination : comic books, fiction, and toys -- 8. Animating the beast : cartoon violence -- 9. Listening to the beast : violence in music and music videos -- 10. Watching the beast : live-action television and movie violence -- 11. Playing with the beast : violent video games -- 12. Aggressive behaviour : risk and protective factors -- 13. The threat of media violence : assessing its magnitude and reducing its effects -- 14. Policy, violent entertainment, and youth -- 15. The good, the bad, and the ugly : effects of nonviolent media on children and adolescents.

""Children, Adolescents, and Media Violence: A Critical Look at the Research is a state of the art assessment of this complex issue. Providing both historical and theoretical context, Dr. Kirsh expertly guides the reader through the maze of myth and scientific evidence on media violence effects on children and youth. Eminently readable, this book is an essential resource for anyone who wants to understand the scientific methodology, results, and policy implications of media violence research." -- Jeanne B. Funk, University of ToledoChildren, 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. Key Features: Takes a developmental perspective and utilizes three themes throughout the text: critical assessment of research; the importance of development in evaluating research; and identifying the next step in the research process Covers multiple forms of media violence (e.g., animated violence, sports violence, dramatic violence, gaming violence) to broaden the scope of discussion Discusses and critiques the five major theories utilized to explain the impact of media violence on children and adolescents Places media violence in the context of other risk factors for aggression (e.g., peers, parenting, personality) Includes chapter-opening introductions (written engagingly) to draw in readers and to set the stage for the content to come Extends the discussion beyond explicit media violence to address the potential benefits and harm associated with nonviolent media consumption ; PowerPoint slides for this book, created by the author, are available to adopters by contacting kirsh@geneseo.edu.;"--Publisher description.

Machine converted from AACR2 source record.