Advancement Through Research
Objective: This study empirically examined the relation between violent media content viewing and aggression among college students in Nigeria. Further, the study also examined the moderating roles of (1) gender and (2) parental mediation in the violent media and aggression relationship. Method: The study participants (N = 618) were senior secondary class two students in the Southeast Nigeria. Self-report questionnaires on violent media contents viewing and aggressive behavior were used to collect data. Bivariate correlations and regression analyses were conducted, among others. Results: Results indicated that violent media exposure explained a small amount of variability in aggressive behavior. Moreover, parental mediation, but not gender, significantly moderated the relation between violent media exposure and aggression. Conclusion: It is important that parents should be exposed to evidence-based practices in parenting of adolescents to equip them with proactive measures to curtail college students’ access to violent media content without instigating parent-child conflict in the home.
Aggressive Behavior; College Students; Gender; Nigeria; Parental Mediation; Violent Media Content
