Growing up with Media

Although much research has been conducted with respect to television violence, much less attention has been paid to new medias, especially the Internet.  It is was posited that Internet exposures have a greater effect on aggressive and violent behavior of young people than other media exposure because of the heightened interactivity involved, realistic graphics, and other visual stimulation.  Because this is an emerging technology to which youth have significant access, the proposed study has important implications for public health policy and practice.

If public health professionals and parents are to prepare for the new challenges presented by the Internet, we need better information concerning the impact of the Internet on youth violence.  To examine the impact of violent media over time, 1600 youth between the ages of 10 and 15 years were recruited to take part in the 24-month long Growing up with Media project.  Study participants were randomly recruited adult members of the Harris Panel OnLine (HPOL).  This project was conducted in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, and Harris Interactive (U49 CE000206).

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