The effects of viewing violent movie via computer on aggressiveness among college students

• We examine short-term changes in aggressiveness by employing a STROOP task.
• Aggressiveness of males is significantly strengthened by violent movie, which is not among females.
• Aggressiveness of viewers with high aggression (HA) is significantly strengthened by violent movie, which is not among viewers with low aggression (LA).
• Aggressive level and gender are responsible for the effects of viewing violent movie on aggressiveness.

Based on aggression theories and previous researches, we examined the effects of viewing violent movie via computer on aggressiveness among college students. A total of 108 (56% females) undergraduates participated in this study, with 54 distributed to violent movie group and 54 allocated to non-violent movie group. Results indicated that aggressiveness of violent movie group but not non-violent movie group is significantly strengthened. Moreover, aggressiveness of males but not females is significantly enhanced among violent movie group instead of non-violent movie group, and aggressiveness of viewers with high aggression (HA) but not low aggression (LA) is significantly enhanced among violent movie group instead of non-violent movie group. For males and viewers with HA, violent movie can significantly intensify aggressiveness, indicating that gender and aggressive level are responsible for aggressiveness among college students. The implications of these findings are discussed.