Delphine Gardiner
Violent entertainment has made it into the public discourse due to rising concerns about the graphic nature of highly popular video game franchises including Grand Theft Auto (GTA) and Call of Duty. But what about violence in films which are enjoyed by a much larger and more diverse audience? After the R Rating was established by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) film rating system in 1968, there was an increase in violent content in films thereafter.
The relationship between media and culture is bidirectional, making it important yet challenging to disentangle and analyze their effects. On one hand, movies can shape cultural tastes, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. For instance, numerous studies have shown that media violence can lead to desensitization to violence, reduced empathy for victims, and negative mental health impacts such as increased fear and anxiety in children. On the other hand, movies often reflect societal realities, including the prevalence of violence. To better understand this bidirectional dynamic, a crucial question arises: how is the portrayal of violence in media changing over time?
To further explore this relationship, Computational Social Science Lab (CSSLab) Postdoctoral researcher Amir Tohidi (University of Pennsylvania), Babak Fotouhi (University of Maryland), Rouzbeh Touserkani (Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences), and Brad J. Bushman (The Ohio State University) analyzed comprehensive film data and found that violent language in the film industry has increased over time. Their findings have been featured in several outlets, including The Guardian, EurekAlert, and The Daily Telegraph.