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©IDOSR PUBLICATIONS ISSN: 2550-7974

International Digital Organization for Scientific Research IDOSRJAM 9.1.252789

IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 9(1) 25-27, 2024.
https://doi.org/10.59298/IDOSRJAM/2024/9.1.252789
Navigating Adolescent Aggression in the Digital Era:
Media, Games, and Preventive Strategies
Ekpe Patience Ifeomachukwu
Department of Public Administration Kampala International University Uganda

ABSTRACT
This synopsis looks at the multi layered terrain of teenage aggression and how it has evolved in the last fifty
years. Injury, disability, and death, which are steeply increased as violence takes adolescents in different forms, are
now the common phenomenon among the youth. Determining the impact of aggressive behavior on youth in the
long-term reveals the necessity of finding widespread effective ways of preventing, most of all, because of its
connection with propensity to violence in adulthood. Mass media has become a deciding factor in the process; it
triggered reconsideration of the old theories like Social Learning and the Cognitive Neo-Association Theory. The
paper examines the empirical proof of the constant relationship between media violence, especially computer
games, and aggressive behavior of adolescents. The General Aggression Model proposes the causative pathways
to explain the developmental course of aggression, casting the spotlight on the interaction of personal
characteristics and situational conditions. The Internet, as a ubiquitous and interactive media, manifests the
situations of multidimensionality, where user engagement is active and risk due to anonymity can be
expected. The rapid development of Internet use has resulted in the emergence of 'Internet addiction'; however,
scientific evidence that directly related the behaviors to aggression is still lacking. Psychological theories look
upon short-term as well as long-term effects of media violence, which highlight the requirement of additional
research. The influence of computer use on aggressive behavior is evaluated, particularly from the time period
when computer games shifted from nonviolent to highly aggressive. Laboratory studies suggest temporary
transferring effect by which exposure to violent games would increase aggression on the short term. The paper
closes by discussing developmental changes in the world of adolescent aggression in the digital era and shows the
need to carry out more research to feed and inform policies and intervention strategies as adolescents go forward
to occupy digital spaces.
Keywords: Juvenile Aggression, Media Violence, Internet Addiction, McGue, the General Aggression Model,
Video Games, Digital Media and Preventive Aggression Strategies.

INTRODUCTION
The form of violence among juveniles has been
diverse in the last five decades until the current
days, that evidently have led to an alarming rise of
cases involving injuries, disabilities and sadly, even
death [1]. This tendency reveals its significance as
an emergency and the need to address and
comprehend the effects of youth aggressive
behavior. The thing that worries most is the fact
that such behavior during adolescence and the
tendency in adult life towards violent behaviors is
closely related, according to [2]. Building proactive
and effective preventative approaches can be
considered as the necessity in light of the recent
literature which recognizes the crucial role of the
problem of teenage aggression in causing long term
injuries.
In the complex matrix of factors affecting adolescent
aggression, the media has gained a significant
position which is predominantly in the digital
age. Classical theoretical frameworks like social
learning theory and cognitive neo-association model,
that have been prevalent in the past, have mostly
focused on passive media consumption and its
influence on behavior [3]. Nonetheless, the
unstoppable changes in media technology,
particularly the rise of interactive media like games
and the internet, provide a prospectus to rethink
these established theories.
As we uncover the intricacies of adolescent behavior,
we must also take a closer look at the numerous
dimensions of influence that media possess on the
molding of attitudes, beliefs and behaviors of the
youths. The exploration both covers active media
consumption models based on old theories and looks
at the transformative features of new interactive
platforms, which change the relationship between
adolescent and media dramatically. The following
sections of this discourse will exhibit the complex
processes of media aggression, internet addiction
and computer use effects on violent behavior,

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forming the foundation for effective counter-
concepts for the digital age.
Media Violence and Adolescents
The brought-up connection between media violence
– particularly, the video games – and aggressive
behavior in teenagers is constantly referred to
[4]. The General Aggression Model [5] offers a
framework focusing on two variables, personal
characteristics and situational factors, which exist
interactively and continuously to put individual in a
certain internal state. The model focuses on the
linkage between cognitions, affects, and arousals
which mean putting the content of the violence on
the repeat results in the enhancement of aggression
associated with the knowledge of one’s own
personality. With the technology development, teens
media influence changes, which is why teachers are
to understand it in details to be able to help their
students.
The Internet and Adolescent Aggression
The Internet is a pervasive and interactive medium
that creates new dynamic features as compared to
old media. In contrast to only 'watching' other
platforms, the Internet users actively participates in
a range of online activities, which turns it into a
sphere of communication. Moreover, the Internet
gives adolescents anonymous global reach without
any age limitations. That is where the risks could be
present. Extra information accessibility and the
ability to supervise parents also leads to the complex
environment of Internet effects on adolescent
behavior.
Internet Addiction and Aggression
The rapid growth of the Internet utilization among
the teens has paved the way for the problem
'Internet addiction' which has the following
symptoms: preoccupation, inability to control,
excessive usage, and the problem of using it for the
irrelevant purposes [7]. Research shows that the
level of Internet addiction in adolescents is close to
19.8% and the aggressive hostility related to it
[5]. These results affirm that there is a significant
gap in studies focusing on the relationship between
internet addiction disorder and aggressive
CONCLUSION
Within the continually changing social environment
of teenage aggression, the effect of media
technologies goes through the constant
transformation, bringing about the brand-new shape
of the world problems. Whereas the residue of
traditional media violence condenses, proliferating
interactive sources mainly, the Internet and
computer games, creates a new trend that should
leave no space to oversimplifications. Understanding
through and through the multi-faceted influence of
those technologies on adolescent behavior is crucial
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Ekpe, 2024
behavior. The confounding factors (i.e. gender,
depression, and family function) should be
considered in the execution of comprehensive
analysis, so that the unique impact of Internet
addiction on aggressive behaviors of adolescents
could be discerned clearly.
Media Violence Exposure and Aggression
Theoretical Orientations
As psychological theories can serve as great
resources to explore the connection between media
violence exposure and aggression. Initial effects
including associative priming, emotional stimulation
and imitation contribute to the immediate increase of
aggression. Long-term consequences emanating
from observant learning, development of aggression
beliefs, and emotional desensitization [9]-[11].
Undoubtedly, these consequences are long-
lasting. There is solid proof for these theories, which
in turn suggests that we should focus our attention
on the mediating mechanisms and moderating
variables as well.
Impact of Computer Use on Violent Behavior
With more and more graphic and appealing
computer games, the debate becomes more intense
on their potentially violence-promoting role. The
development of contemporary video games from
being peaceful to extremely violent stimulates fears
about their effects on children. Some of the cases,
like the Columbine High School massacre, are very
meaningful because they can show how violent video
games can affect a person’s aggressive actions
[12]. Upon examining the content, it becomes
evident that there is a significant abundance of
aggressive or violent games, necessitating a firm
enforcement of strict measures. Empirical studies
indicate the transfer effect, causing the violence in
video games to have an immediate transient effect on
children's behavior [14]. Furthermore, the studies
shows that the prosocial behavior gets decreased
with the aggressive choices [14]. Although
computer game play data from self-reports of its
relationship with aggressive behavior is somewhat
ambiguous, the minimal data that is found shows
there may be a connection.
particularly in the designing of appropriate
preventive schemes that are compatible with the
complexities that surround the digital era.
Historical factors linger in the eyes of contemporary
adolescents in the form of the perpetuation of
violence depicted in the traditional media cements
the significance of the enduring issue of traditional
media violence in the context of adolescent
aggression. While older media of mass
communication increase the influences, the advent of
interactive platforms challenges them to
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recalibration in order to understand and address the
interrelationship of media and aggression among the
younger generation. The fast-paced nature of these
platforms, like the Internet and video games, poses a
challenge to the old view of conservative theories
that are based mainly on the assumption of passive
media consumption, necessitating a more globalistic
perspective to deal with the new environments that
are continuously evolving.
The internet addiction-aggression correlation
challenges new grounds of complexity, thus the need
for ongoing research to shed more light on the
intricacy of the association between the two. Various
theories presenting the effects of media violence
exposure reveal its both short- and long-term
aftermaths, outlining the importance of continuous
examination of mediating factors and moderating
variables. Also, the implications of computer game
content which influence adolescent behavior are
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CITE AS: Ekpe Patience Ifeomachukwu (2024). Navigating Adolescent Aggression in the Digital Era: Media,
Games, and Preventive Strategies. IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 9(1) 25-27.
https://doi.org/10.59298/IDOSRJAM/2024/9.1.252789
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Ekpe, 2024
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