In the study, we hypothesized the RT of aggressive words was longer than that of nonaggressive words (compared to participants watching non-violent movie clips). Thus, we postulated each participant had an aggressively activated score (AAS), which meant the mean RT values of aggressive words subtracted nonaggressive words and divided by 2, representing the aggressive attitude among adolescents among each group in the study.

Multi-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out to examine whether there significant difference in AAS among independent variables. The results can be seen in Table 1.

Note: AAS = aggressively activated score (mean RT values of aggressive words minus nonaggressive words/2); *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.

Table 1 showed no significant difference in main effect of movie type on aggressive attitude (F(1,63) = 1.96, p > 0.05). There was significant Movie Type × Gender interaction (F(1,63) = 4.76, p < 0.05). Further simple effect analysis showed that the AAS of boys watching violent movie clip was significant higher than that of boys watching non-violent movies (F(1,63) = 6.07, p < 0.05). The results could be seen in Table 2. Table 1 revealed no significant Movie Type × Trait Aggressiveness interaction (F(2,63) = 0.83, p > 0.05) in AAS differences.

Note: AAS = aggressively activated score (mean RT values of aggressive words minus nonaggressive words/2); *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001.

The main purpose of this study was to explore the impact of media violence on aggressive attitude of Chinese adolescents. STREET FIGHTER and AIR CRISIS were selected as media violence and media non-violence, respectively. Our study showed that no significant difference in main effect of movie type on adolescents’ aggressive attitude and no significant Movie Type × Trait Aggressiveness interaction. However, a significant Movie Type × Gender interaction was found, and that aggressive attitude was significantly primed by violent movies only for boys, but not for girls. Specifically, boys yielded significant stronger aggressive attitude than did girls. Thus, we inferred that boys were more likely to watch violent movies than girls, thus leading to rapid development of their aggressively cognitive framework.

In consistent with our hypotheses, the study demonstrated that violent movies effectively activated the aggressive attitude of boys, which partly supporting General Aggressive Model (GAM) [19] and Cognitive Neoassociation Model (CNM) [20], which assumed that media violence could activate individual’s aggressive cognition, affect, physiological arousal, and aggressive behavior. This finding supported hypothesis 2 but did not support hypothesis 1, and replicated previous researches [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]. Moreover, aggressive attitude of HA relative to BA and LA adolescents was affected by violent movies at significant level, which was not in parallel with previous studies [26] [27] [28] [29]. What’s more, some differences existed between the present study and previous research. For instance, previous studies showed viewers’ aggression was primed by violent movies, and the main effect of movie type was significant [30]. The study, rather, demonstrated no significant main effect of movie type, and that no significant difference was found in aggressive attitude between violent movie group and non-violent movie group.

1) Watching violent movies did not significantly increase aggressive attitude;

2) Boys had a significantly stronger aggressive attitude than girls after watching violent movies.