Impact of Media Exposure on Aggression Level and Self-Esteem among University Students

Abstract

The current study investigated the effects of media exposure on aggression and self-esteem as well as the connections between these variables among university students between the ages of 18 and 25. Convenience sampling was used to select a sample of 300 participants (n=150 males and n=150 females) for a cross-sectional study. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), the Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire (Buss & Perry, 1992), and the Content-Based Media Exposure Scale (Bushman et al., 2017) were used to gather data. The findings showed a strong positive correlation between media exposure and aggression, showing that more media exposure was linked to higher levels of hostility, rage, verbal aggression, and physical violence. Aggression and self-esteem were significantly correlated negatively, indicating that people with lower self-esteem tended to be more aggressive. Significant gender disparities were found in a number of variables using independent samples t-tests. Male students scored higher on verbal aggressiveness and self-esteem, whereas female students reported more media exposure and higher levels of physical aggression, wrath, and hostility. The results demonstrate how media exposure has a psychological impact on behavioral outcomes and self-perception. The study provides useful recommendations for the creation of media literacy initiatives, mindfulness-based therapies, and counseling techniques meant to lessen hostility and foster positive self-esteem among college students.