Estimating the effect of the mass media on children, music is frequently treated as a source of violence. Indeed, parents got used to accusing Hollywood and video games in spoiling children, but no one is seriously considering music as an urge to violence. Probably, it makes sense as visual effects in all popular games and films attract teenagers and make them fascinated. Nevertheless, researchers conducted a university research in which they proved that music modifies subconscious of people and results in a violent thinking.
Music promotes violence in an indirect manner. Some popular songs have lyrics describing homicide, discrimination, destruction, etc.. Heavy metal music is already enough to feel rebellious. However, a musical style does not convey violence by itself and the major criterion of the hostility transferred by music is lyrics. Even humorous but aggressive lyrics provide an implication for violence in the teenagers’ mind.
In the experiment, researchers surveyed the impact of several songs with violent and non-violent songs sung by the same artists and in the same style on average college students. After listening, respondents answered questions and made tests which involved sorting the ambiguous words. As a result, students showed a tendency to associate words with violent actions. Therefore, researchers concluded that violent songs give a rise to violent thoughts. They do not necessarily cause any violent behavior, but aggressive thinking is enough to blur the perception of reality.
Violent lyrics may have short-term and long-term effects on children. First of all, aggressive music transforms the social environment of teenagers into a hostile world which tolerates no mercy. On the large scale, songs develop aggressive personality prone to inadmissible behavior.