Final answer:
Media can influence aggression through potential desensitization to violent content and correlating with aggressive thoughts, especially in children. While studies like those by Anderson and Bushman show a causal link between media violence and aggressive behavior, the topic remains complex, and other factors like mental health and family also play a role. Compelling links between media violence and criminal violence have not been definitively established.
Step-by-step explanation:
The influence of media on aggression has been widely studied and debated. While some studies, such as those by Anderson and Bushman, suggest a causal link between exposure to violent media and aggressive behavior, other researchers like Ferguson contend that these findings may be oversimplified and fail to account for other contributing factors like mental health and family environment. Advertising, video games, and social media can act as platforms for violent content, potentially desensitizing individuals and correlating with an increase in aggressive thoughts. For instance, children exposed to media violence display increases in physical and relational aggression. Yet, the complexity of how media influences behavior means that definitive links between media violence and criminal violence remain elusive, as noted in Savage's meta-analysis study.
In the context of video games, repeated exposure to violent scenarios has been shown to make violent responses more cognitively accessible to individuals. It raises concerns about the socialization of violence as a problem-solving method. Thus, while the media can contribute to an individual's aggression, it is a part of a broader social and psychological context that influences behavior.