Natural Experiments on the Effects of Mass Media Violence on Fatal Aggression: Strengths and Weaknesses of a New Approach

摘要: Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the strengths and weaknesses of a new approach natural experiments on effects mass media violence fatal aggression. reviews nonlaboratory linking with subsequent fluctuations in suicide, homicide, accidents. Taken together, these provide first systematic body evidence suggesting that some types tend to elicit aggression among United States adults. provides valuable supplement laboratory field suggests exerts serious not only but real world as well. The experiment social psychologist an exceptionally powerful tool for testing causal hypotheses. In contrast other approaches, allows investigator assess hypotheses quickly, cheaply, rigorously. Finally, advantages are counterbalanced by well-known limitation—it is difficult generalize confidently from behavior studied everyday world.