Reflecting on violent media: empathy and prosocial behavior in fictional versus real frames

Abstract

The prominence of media violence is taking novel forms with the rise of technologies such as virtual reality and artificial intelligence. The nature of these technologies calls for a study of what real and fiction means in terms of mediated violence reception, in order to account for the mechanisms through which audiences will respond. In this regard, this thesis aims to integrate the theoretical framework offered by positive media psychology, specifically by adapting eudaimonic media consumption into the reception of mediated violence in fictional versus real frames. The possible occurrence of prosocial behavior is regarded as a result of moral engagement processes, initiated by empathic concerns and reflective thoughts on viewing violence. The formal elements of citizen witnessing as a specific type of violent imagery are integrated into the framework to enhance the importance of reception processes in the face of different portrayals of violence. To investigate these mechanisms, a between-subject online survey experiment was conducted on 176 participants recruited via convenience sampling of undergraduate students at a private university in Turkey. The results indicated that although the framing of violence as real and fictional did not affect prosocial behavior, reflective thoughts on violence viewing and perceived realism had a significant relationship with the initiation of empathic reactions, and, eventually, prosocial behavior. The findings suggest that violent media requires further and explicit attention in line with eudaimonic media use, as the moral engagement processes related to it are significantly different from other forms of complex entertainment.