Analysis of Aggression and Violence in the Media Using the General Aggression Model (GAM)

Abstract

The 21st century is the century of communication overcoming distance and time barriers which is called the borderless communication. The forms of mass media communication have evolved from printed media to electronic media. Analog radio and TV broadcasting technologies are converted to and replaced by digital technologies, which are running parallel to online broadcasting and mobile applications. Although there are changes in communication and broadcasting, the content is almost the same and there still are varieties of violence appearing in media constantly. Most of the research studies exploring media violence aim at investigating influence of media on the audience, in accordance with the communication science that explains how media influences audience and enhances their learning. Also, media can influence both attitude and behavior of the audience. The General Aggression Model (GAM) is popular analytics tool that can be used for understanding and explaining media violence. The model is composed of several theories such as Social Learning Theory, Cognitive Neoassociation Theory, and Script Theory, which are used to analyze the aggression and violence appearing in media. In addition, the model is used to analyze the aggression and violence associated with media consumption, which can also be used to explore the effects of either traditional or new media.