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Prime Journal of Social Science (PJSS) th ISSN: 2315-5051. Vol. 4(12), pp. 1262-1264, December 28 , 2015 www.primejournal.org/PJSS © Prime Journals Short Communication Catharsis theory and media violence Morka Emmanuel Lecturer, Department of Mass Communication, Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku. E-mail: [email protected]; Tel.: +2348035720345 th Accepted 10 December, 2015 This article focuses on catharsis as a theory propounded by Aristotle. The translation from the Greek word Katharsis means cleansing or purging. The article exhumed the juxtaposing position of the theory that viewing television violence has social utility as later developed by social science researchers- that it provides people with a harmless outlet for their pent up aggression and hostility which is against the position of eminent scholars that viewing TV violent programmes promote violent aggression. The weakness of the theory is examined as posited by scholars. The theory is carefully compared with the social learning theory, pointing out that learning is a cognitive process that takes place in a social context indicating the possibility of reduced aggressive tendencies when media violence is portrayed as inhibitory and punishable. The emotional cleansing of negative feelings as fear and anger associated with catharsis theory as originally propounded by Aristotle is believed to be beneficial to both the individual and the society. Key words: Catharsis, sublimation, media, violence, behavior. INTRODUCTION There have been a lot of questions on how much and what kind of behaviour people learn from the media. Principally most social science researches, favour influence of media contents on its audience. According to Baran and Davis (2012 p. 7,8), two decades ago after reviewing years of relevant researches on the question of media effect, Aletha Huston and her colleagues wrote: “The accumulated research clearly demonstrates a correlation between viewing violence and aggressive behaviour- that is heavy viewers behave more aggressively than light viewers. Both experimental and longitudinal studies support the hypotheses that viewing violence is casually associated with aggression. Field (naturalistic) experiments with preschool children and adolescents found heightened aggression among viewers assigned to watch television or film under some conditions”. Despite this, catharsis also known as sublimation which is the idea that viewing violence is sufficient to purge or at least satisfy a person’s aggressive drive and therefore reduce the likelihood of aggressive behaviour, has been for long in the field of mass communication. From the work of Heris (2009), the notion of catharsis extends all the way back to Aristotle’s poetics where he spoke of drama purging the emotions of the audience and leading to a ritual purification. Baran and Davis (2012 p. 227), also traced the origin of catharsis to the philosopher Aristotle who according to them originally discussed catharsis in his poetics to explain audience reaction to Greek tragedy Denis Mc Quail (2004 p. 549), classified catharsis as a type of effect of tragic of violent fiction and drama that leaves the audience purged of emotion and released of any urge to be affected by the action portrayed. Aligning with other scholars on the origin of catharsis,Denis Mc Quail (2004 p. 549), noted that catharsis was originally suggested by Aristotle and taken up by researchers into media violence to account for seeming lack of harmful effects. Haris (2009 p.276) gave further detail of catharsis as it making clear prediction about the effect of screen violence on behaviour, a prediction that is eminently testable and exactly opposite to the prediction of modeling theory. While modeling predicts an increase in violent behaviour after watching media violence, catharsis theory predicts a decrease in such behaviour. Haris (2009) gave another version of catharsis theory as arguing that watching media violence reduces one’s arousal level, and thus one is less prone to 1263 Prim. J. Soc. Sci. violence. The third version he gave is that media violence may elicit an inhibition response which puts a brake on tendencies towards violent behaviour. It is important to note that none of these positions on catharsis have offered a serious challenge to the overall conclusion that viewing media violence leads to increase in violent behaviour. Assumption of catharsis theory Catharsis is viewed as suggesting that television violence had social utility- that is, it provide young people with a harmless outlet for their violent pent up aggression and hostility Weakness of catharsis theory Baran and Davis (2012 p. 227) noted some weaknesses in the catharsis theory. According to them, common sense and our media consumption offer some evidence of the weakness of the catharsis theory. They posited that if viewing mediated sexual behaviour does not reduce sex drive and viewing media presentation of people dining does not reduce hunger, why should we assume that seeing mediated violence can satisfy an aggressive drive. F. Scott Andison as cited by Baran and Davis (2012 p. 227)wrote in 1977 after reviewing twenty years’ worth of scientific evidence: “We can conclude on the basis of the present data accumulation that television as it is shown today probably does stimulate a high amount of aggression in individuals within the society. Therefore it seems reasonable to tentatively accept TV as a stimulant to aggression and to reject the catharsis theories” Baran (1999 p. 358) in support of the none suitability of catharsis theory in mediating media violence cited respected media researcher and theorist Joseph Klapper as telling the United State of America that “I myself am unaware of any, shall we say hard evidence that seeing violence on television or any other medium acts in a cathartic manner. There have been some studies to that effect; they are grossly, greatly outweighed by studies to the opposite effect” However Scheff (2007) in the journal of social evolutionary and cultural psychology believes that catharsis is relevant in its context to reduce the violent aggression after viewing violent media programmes. According to him Fasback and Singer in a research, were able to show that high school students who viewed violent TV programmes, far committed fewer aggressive acts than those students who did not view. A phenomenon which presumably demonstrating the effect of catharsis. The correlation they found however was weak. On a general note, eminent scholars agree that the media directly influence and impart on its audience. This view according to Miller (2002 p. 237), has been labeled in retrospect by the memorable monikers of the magic bullet effect and the hypodermic needle effect. Under the magic bullet effect and hypodermic needle effect, the media is seen as cable of swaying behavior in whatever direction is preferred by the communicator. The media are seen to work as a magic bullet or a hypodermic needle, shooting the desires of the source directly into the thought, attitude and subsequent behaviour of the receivers. Catharsis theory and the social learning theory Social learning theory posits that learning is a cognitive process that takes place in a social context and can occur purely through observation or direct instruction. In addition to the observation of behaviours, learning also occurs through observations and punishment: a process known as vicarious reinforcement Baran (1999 p. 358), posited that social learning theory provided a scientific explanation for the research that did show a reduction in aggression after viewing violent media content. According to him, this phenomenon was better explained not by some cathartic power of the media but by inhibitory effects. If media aggression is portrayed as punishable or prohibited, it can indeed lead to the reduced likelihood that that behaviour will be modeled. Baran and Davis (2012 p. 231) explained that seeing a model in representation punished for exhibiting a certain behaviour decreases the likelihood that the observer will make that response. In catharsis theory punishment is not the case of a possible inhibitory factor but that exposure to violence media contents reduces aggression. The principle of social learning theory, has been applied extensively to the study of media violence. Research studies have discovered significant correlations between viewing violent TV programmes and aggression later in life, as well as playing violent video games and aggressive behaviours. The relevance of catharsis theory in the society From the original work and intention of Aristotle, Scheff (2007) asserted that Aristotle thought that viewing tragic plays gave people emotional release from negative feelings such as, fear and anger. By watching the characters in the play and experience tragic events, the negative feelings of the viewers were presumably purged and cleansed. This emotional cleansing was believed to be beneficial to both the individual and society. However, evidences in recent media research, show that the media promotes violence at various degrees: powerful effect, limited effect and cumulative effect. This is in line the Powerful Media Effect Theory also known as The Hypodermic Media Theory or Magic Bullet Perspective. CONCLUSION Since most scholars as indicated in the study agreed that media programmes promote violent behaviour among audience, it is appropriate to say that catharsis does not Morka 1264 eliminate violent behaviour in the audience. The era of Aristotle’s postulation of catharsis purging audience of violent tendencies was basically the era of ancient drama far before the advent of television with its sophistication and effect. The mass media and theatre arts or drama are different things all together. The former has more believability because of its impersonal nature than the later which is directly viewed by the audience. Although both of them are media of communication, the mass media has that special ability to influence it audience in taking action. Catharsis cannot work in isolation. The submission of scholars on media violence overwhelmingly disapprove the assumption of catharsis theory. REFERENCE Baran J. S [1999]. Introduction to Mass Communication: media literacy and culture. May field publishing company Baran J. S and Davis D. K. [2012]. Mass Communication Theory–foundation ferment and Future. Wadsworth cengage learning. Haris R. J.[2009]. A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication. Routledge Mc Quail D. [2004]. Mc Quail’s Mass Communication Theory. SAGE publication Scheff T. J [2007]. Journal of Social Evolutionary and Cultural Psychology. Miller K. [2002]. Communication Theories. Hill High Education. www. Bookrage.com/research/catharsis theory and media effect.