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Student name
Liberty University
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Sociological and Psychological Aspects of Deviance
Introduction
From the age-old question “do video games cause violence” to the more modern question
“does glamourize addiction,” society has been forced to question whether the media is Euphoria
behind deviant social behaviors. While shows like try to answer these questions by Dr. Phil
highlighting heavily dramatized and edited stories about out-of-control guests, other
organizations such as Science Direct and the National Library of Medicine take a more academic
approach. In this paper, I address two entertainment mediums and their deviant counterparts to
answer the question “Does the media encourage deviant behaviors?” this research concludes that
despite the media’s portrayal of deviance, underlying issues and outside circumstances are the
real culprit of deviant behavior.
Sociological Perspective
Deviance is defined as a violation of widely accepted norms in society (Henslin, 2019).
These violations range from simple infractions such as poor manners, odd behavior, and
abnormal sexual habits to more serious actions such as addiction, pedophilia, and violence.
Deviance is classed into two categories: formal and informal. Formal deviance includes
violations that are punishable by law and informal deviance violations are not prohibited by law.
(Mowen & Schroeder, 2023.)
Violence and Video Games
In 1999, terror was unleashed upon Columbine High School when two students opened
fire and murdered twelve students and one teacher before killing themselves. When it was
revealed that the two students were fans of the video game , victims outraged families filedDoom
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a lawsuit against the game and accused it of involuntarily influencing the killer’s deadly
decisions. Though the suit was dismissed in 2002, an important question still remained: do video
games lead players to commit violence?
Important Studies
As stated in a journal article written for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of
North America, exposure to violent media such as video games can lead to a desensitization of
violence in the real world. This desensitization leads to a lack of empathy which can affect moral
reasoning and cause moral disengagement (Brockmeyer, 2022). In 2022, an International
Journal study of 2,118 Chinese middle schoolers of Environmental Research and Public Health
found that violent video game exposure negatively contributed to the children’s problematic
behavior (Wei et al, 2022). But in another study in the Journal of Economic Behavior and
Organization, in a study of American boys ages eight to eighteen, the study found that the
release M rated games did not cause reports violence. Instead, the claim was that increased
gaming time reduced the sample’s reports of aggression. (Suziedelyte, 2021).
Flaws in Video Gaming Research
Though proponents of “video games cause violence” will embrace statistics that support
the notion, it is important to note that many studies have glaring flaws. Take the 2022 Chinese
study for example. The authors admitted that even though their study produced important
findings, there were limitations to their research such as it being cross sectional instead of over
time, the data was self-reported, and other game genres were not considered in the study (Wei et
al, 2022). Not only are accurate statistics difficult to collect for a variety of reasons, but
researchers also do not address that the children who played violent games and later committed
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violence often suffered from underlying issues such as low cognitive abilities or family hardships
(Suziedelyte, 2021).
Proponents of “video games cause violence” also ignore the positive aspects of video
games. The article “The dark and bright side of video game consumption,” Tobias Greitemeyer
acknowledged the negative effects that violent video games had on players while also pointing
out that there is scarce research on the positive aspects of gaming (p. 2). Studies show that social
gaming, playing with other people, leads to prosocial behaviors such as cooperation and
communication among schoolchildren (Halbrook et al, 2019). Another study in 2021 claimed
that strategic games could be used to improve problem-solving and time management skills by
making players solve puzzles within a certain period (Reynaldo C et al., 2021).
Substance Use and Visual Media
There is no denying this simple fact: depictions of alcohol in visual media is everywhere,
from billboards, to TV advertisements, to movies. If one looks at an advertisement for an
alcoholic beverage, he will notice that many of the advertisements feature an aesthetically
pleasing scene of attractive people having the time of their lives while sipping their favorite beer
or wine. If one turns on the TV or watches a move, chances are that the characters on screen are
enjoying a nice glass of alcohol from dinner scenes to party scenes. There is also a plethora of
singers who write about their wild drug and alcohol-induced escapades, with upbeat music
videos with visually stunning graphics to accompany their music.
This glamourization of alcohol consumption and binge drinking has led many to believe
that Hollywood has played a vital role in the substance abuse epidemic. The predominant culture
suggests that it is visual media’s portrayal of alcohol use as fun, attractive, and even healthy has
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desensitized people to the serious emotional, physical, and financial consequences of alcoholism.
But is Hollywood really to blame in all of this?
Discrepancies in Research
Conclusions about substance use being linked to glamourization in media change
depending on who is conducting the survey or drafting the article. For example, blogs such as
Addictions.com will claim that Hollywood’s glamorization of drugs can be “highly influential,
especially for children, teens, and young adults,” (Glorifying Drug Use, n.d.) but alcohol
industry scientist’s research claim that there is no evidence of a link between media portrayal and
real-life substance use (Baran, 2024.)
Addiction Portrayals from a Biblical Worldview
Hollywood’s portrayal of substance use may not scientifically be linked to drug use
(Baran,2024), but the negative stereotypes about addicts can shape viewer’s perception of real-
life addiction. Unfortunately, these judgements sometimes factor in a patient’s unwillingness to
seek treatment (Bosworth et. Al, 2024). A show’s message should be uplifting rather than
degrading. God says in Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to
love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging
one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (King James Bible, 1769/2017,
Hebrews 10:24-25). If a movie or show causes someone in recovery to feel ashamed of
themselves instead of hopeful and uplifted, then this verse was clearly not applied during the
show or movie’s production.
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Examples in Hollywood
Even though there is a heavy debate on the link between substance use and media
portrayal, there is no denying that Hollywood uses addiction to progress storylines in ways that
are exploitative. In the FOX series , Rachel hands her classmates a messy alcohol Glee
concoction before they perform a song and dance number for McKinley High. The performance
ends with the cast comedically throwing up purple liquid all over the stage as the lead singer
Brittney sheepishly informs the shocked crowd to “drink responsibly” (Brennan & Stoltz, 2011).
In the HBO series Cassie and Maddy consume an illicit drug at a carnival. The scene Euphoria,
that unfolds next is so shocking that the acts cannot be described in an academic setting. The
most that can be said is the scene is extremely provocative due to Cassie’s altered state
(Levinson, 2019). In both of these examples, chances to have meaningful and productive
dialogue about substance abuse were instead used for cheap laughs and shock value.
Conclusion
So, do media such as video games, television, and movies cause behavior? Based on the research
that I have conducted, I have come to believe that though media is a platform for deviance, it is
not the root cause of deviant behavior. Instead, deviant behavior is caused by underlying trauma
and a lack of Biblical application. One factor to keep in mind is that much of the research that
supports the notion of media leads people’s deviance tends to be self-reported which leads to
recall bias where a participant unknowingly or intentionally omits the least flattering elements of
themselves. Another factor to keep in mind is that much of the research tends to place all of the
blame on large companies and institutions rather than at the individual consumption level. If we
want to prove that media causes deviant behavior, then we must ensure that the studies we
conduct are free from researcher or participant bias and take into account the participant’s past.
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In the future, we must ensure that we take personal responsibility for our own actions. Shifting
the blame to someone else to make up for our own shortcomings will never solve any problems.
References
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Baran, Stanely. (2024 . ). Introduction to Mass Communication: Media Literacy and Culture
McGraw Hill
Bosworth, T. et al., (2024). Media Portrayals of Substance Use Disorder and its Impact on
Primary Care Treatment: A Scoping Review. The Annals of Family Medicine, 22 (1)
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Brennan, Ian (Writer). Stoltz, Eric (Director). Blame it on the alcohol [36]. 20 Century
Glee. th
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Brockmyer, J. F. (2022). Desensitization and Violent Video Games. Child and Adolescent
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chc.2021.06.005
Glorifying Drug Use: Top 10 Drug Addiction Movies (n.d.) Addictions.com
https://www.addictions.com/blog/glorifying-drug-use-top-10-drug-addiction-movies/
#:~:text=Considered%20by%20critics%20as%20one%20of%20the%20best
Greitemeyer, T. (2022). The dark and bright side of video game consumption: Effects of violent
and prosocial video games. , . Current Opinion in Psychology. 46
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Henslin, James. (2019.) (14 ed.) Pearson.
Sociology, A Down to Earth Approach th
Halbrook, Y. J., O’Donnell, A. T., & Msetfi, R. M. (2019). When and How Video Games Can
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Be Good: A Review of the Positive Effects of Video Games on Well-Being. Perspectives
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Mowen, T. J., Heitkamp, A., & Schroeder, R. D. (2023). Not All Deviance is Criminal: Deviance
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