Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 26, 2026

The Resident-intruder Paradigm: A Standardized Test for Aggression, Violence and Social Stress
Published on: July 4, 2013
Effects of cartoon violence on aggressive thoughts and aggressive behaviors
Qian Zhang1,2, Yi Cao2, JingYa Gao2
1Center for Studies of Education and Psychology of Minorities in Southwest China, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Abstract:
This article reports on an experiment designed to test whether the cartoon manipulation leads to significant increases in aggressive thoughts and aggressive behaviors among Chinese children (n = 3,000). Results indicated that brief exposure to a violent cartoon triggered higher aggressive thoughts and aggressive behaviors than a nonviolent cartoon. Females displayed higher aggressive thoughts and aggressive behaviors than males in a nonviolent cartoon condition, while males displayed higher aggressive behaviors than females in a violent cartoon condition. Mediation analysis suggested that the effect on aggressive behaviors was mediated by aggressive thoughts. The findings imply that cartoon developers, parents, and teachers should develop cartoons that inhibit children's aggressive thoughts to avoid aggressive behaviors. Females are the key group for the prevention and intervention of aggression in a nonviolent cartoon context, while males are the key group for the prevention and intervention of aggression in a violent cartoon context.
Related Concept Videos
Aggression
Secondary Motives: Affiliation Motivation and Aggression Motivation
What is Behavior?
Buffer Effectiveness
The buffer capacity is the amount of acid or base that can be added to a given volume...
Framing Effects
Behaviorism
The core premise of behaviorism is its focus on observable behavior rather than internal thoughts or feelings. This approach argues that true scientific...

