Impactos distais e proximais da mídia de super-heróis na agressividade e pró-sociabilidade

Abstract

Superhero media (SMM) portrays characters that serve as examples of the “ideal” human being, defending ideals such as helping and justice. On the other hand, SMM is an example of prosocial violent media, where aggression is used as a means of help. In this sense, how does the combination of positive and negative elements impact the audience? Thus, this research aimed to investigate the impacts of SMM on aggressive and prosocial behavior. To achieve this, a series of ten theoretical, correlational, experimental, and intervention studies were developed. In summary, positive impacts of SMM consumption on aggression and pro-social behavior were observed, replicated in both the correlational and experimental studies. Specifically, different moderators and mediators affect the probability of distinct consequences: when SMM impacts the state of empathy and the moral justification of violence, positive indirect effects on prosocial behavior are observed; on the other hand, aggression intention moderates the relationship between SMM consumption and this behavior. Finally, the intervention studies showed that, when focused on helping rather than violence, SMM are an effective tool in promoting positive behaviors among adolescents and young adults. In summary, these results indicate that the impacts of SMM are complex and require further investigation. This research contributes to the topic through data collected using diverse methods, as well as the development of multiple instruments and three intervention protocols, which showed favorable results regarding the use of SMM in promoting prosocial behavior and empathy.