I will cite you as such

Alright I'm basically done harping on you. May I just ask, as I'm looking to devote a section on underlying causes of violent behavior, what are your Top 3 Underlying Causes For Violent Behavior?

Thank you so much by the way!

It depends on how technical you want me to be with my answer, Jon. Yes, the use of DMX and Smith might have influenced the result, but good research controls for that. Dr. Bobby is in fact my name, feel free to use it.

But would you agree that the use of DMX and Will Smith may have played on underlying opinions and biased the results?

p.s for citing you, should I just use Dr. Bobby or is there a name you prefer?

Bias isn't a part of any good research! Or at least it shouldn't be there, it really should be controlled for, otherwise the data is specious (at best) and, typically irrelevant, except to support a predetermined outcome!.

The way to avoid that that would be to pre screen subjects to determine pre existing bias concerning the subject matter, and eliminate them from the study. So, bias is controlled for, and the results are seen as 'cleaner', more accurate to the hypothesis.

Do I think the absence of that could confound the results, rendering them useless? Yes. Unfortunately, there's a lot of bad research out there, and getting something published doesn't necessarily indicate solid methodology.

Personally, Jon, I don't believe that music or movies or literature can CAUSE any behavior, that suggests that we're all basically stupid (frankly), and that these types of stimuli effectively turn off judgment and reason. Rather, I think there are people who are vulnerable to the message b/c of some personal issue, or vice versa, that the music is appealing b/c of some personal issue, so it resonates with them. People's preferences in these things can offer valuable cues into what their needs are or their particular vulnerabilities are, but it's over simplistic (IMHO) to assume causality.

See: Albert Bandura, PhD, author of probably the first study to demonstrate a link btw'n what's seen and one's behavior. Truly landmark for the time. What we've learned since is that certain people have more vulnerability to internalizing the messages and acting upon them. So, a depressed person might listen to Metal or Goth lyrics and they might identify with some aspects of it, making them more vulnerable to acting on their own depression. I think the depression belongs to the listener, however, the music doesn't 'Make' or cause them to be depressed, and the music doesn't cause them to act on it. However, the context in the music provides a type of reassurance (that's what the process of association is), so they feel less inhibited on their own urges, and hence act on them. It's like being in a food store when you're hungry, things just look more appealing, so you buy them, and maybe even more of them.

I'll just post a few other questions just to get a few out of the way.

In 2006, there was a study coming out of Western Connecticut State University (http://library.wcsu.edu/dspace/bitst...1/tropeano.pdf) where they took people and divided them into three groups. One group watched a DMX video, one no video, and one a Will Smith video.

They were then asked the questions that you see on that link. My question is, keeping in mind the public opinion of both DMX and Will Smith, around the year 2006, can you see a bias being created? Thus affecting the way a person responds, even beyond the content of the music videos.

Sorry if my wording isn't the best!

So I have you as saying that although these stimuli, be it lyrics or videos etc, may indeed make someone feel a certain way, there is no direct correlation between these feelings and overall behavior. Correct?

May I just ask for some examples of underlying causes for these behaviors?

You're going to ask hard ones I see...

The question is worded ambiguously, which might account for the mixed results! Music can affect behavior, but it's unclear if it "Produces" violent outcomes. The former is a correlation, the latter indicates causality. The two are different! Just pointing out how the way a question is phrased can alter the results, and those results are more reflective of subtle bias rather than actual scientific data.

Those studies that are well designed tend to show that stimuli people are exposed to (be it auditory or visual) can indeed have an effect on the individual's emotional state, and hence their behavior. However, the exact nature of those effects are due more to individual variances (factors unique to the person), rather than some universal component of the stimuli itself.

Alright so first question: Some believe music can affect behavior and produce violent outcomes while others will show that the violent behavior was already present and the music will only affect mood. There's research supporting both sides of this argument.

On which side do you sit and please explain.

Hi Jon!

No problem, ask away!