Content warning: This article contains mentions of school shootings and media violence.
April 20 marks 26 years since the Columbine High School shooting, one of the most highly media-covered events in American history. As the anniversary of this event is observed, discussions continue about the factors that may contribute to violent behavior, particularly the role of violent media and video games.
“We assume there’s one thing to pay attention to,” said Douglas Gentile, a media psychologist and distinguished professor at Iowa State. “But in fact, humans are far more complex than that. There’s almost never a single reason why anyone behaves a certain way.”
Craig Anderson, distinguished professor of psychology at Iowa State, has spent decades researching the impact of media violence on aggression. His work, particularly in the area of violent video games, has contributed to the field of media psychology and the understanding of how exposure to violent content may influence behavior.
“Anytime there’s a tragedy like this, we ask the wrong question,” Anderson said. “We ask, ‘What was the cause?’ But the error is in the word ‘the.’ These events are the result of multiple risk factors coming together.”
According to Gentile, those risk factors often include mental illness, bullying, uninvolved parenting, access to weapons and repeated exposure to media violence.
“Every risk factor heats it up, and every protective factor cools it down,” Gentile said. “When we look at the killers at Columbine, they had almost every risk factor.”
Anderson’s research, including his development of the General Aggression Model (GAM), has helped frame discussions surrounding violent video games’ influence. The model outlines how repeated exposure to violent media can impact thoughts, emotions and behavior, particularly by increasing aggression.
On March 22, 2000, a year following the Columbine shooting, Anderson testified before the U.S. Senate subcommittees that examined the effects of violent video games on children. His testimony was part of a larger investigation into how interactive media might influence violent behavior, particularly following Columbine.
While Anderson’s research does not claim that violent video games directly cause incidents like Columbine, he asserts that they are contributing risk factors.
“Violent media exposure is one of the many factors that can contribute to aggression,” Anderson said. “The effect size may not be large compared to other risk factors, but it is one that is modifiable.”
The influence of violent media has been a focal point in the broader conversation about mass violence in the U.S., particularly school shootings.
“We’ve created an attention economy,” Gentile said. “That rewards headlines that are simple and outrageous, like ‘Violent games make people killers.’ But it’s a distortion of what the research actually says.”
Anderson highlighted that media violence is one of the few risk factors that can be mitigated through conscious intervention.
“Unlike genetic factors or socioeconomic status, media exposure is something that parents and caregivers can control,” Anderson said.
In addition to the immediate impact of media violence, Anderson noted the long-term effect that such content can have on individuals already at risk. The Columbine shooters were reported to have consumed violent media, including video games, in the lead-up to the event.
Anderson’s research underscores the importance of recognising and addressing the potential influence of such media, especially for individuals who may already be predisposed to violent behavior due to other risk factors.
“The media has changed significantly since the 1990s, with much more exposure to violent content at a younger age,” Anderson said. “This, coupled with the ready availability of firearms, has created a unique set of circumstances that may contribute to incidents of violence.”
Reflecting on the long-term impact of Columbine, Gentile expressed that it sparked initial awareness but led to lasting apathy.
“People paid attention in the short term, but they paid attention the wrong way,” Gentile said. “Now, 25 years later, most people have stopped paying attention altogether. And things haven’t gotten better. They’ve gotten worse.”
Anderson emphasized that understanding the various risk factors, including media exposure, is essential for developing strategies to reduce aggression and prevent violent acts.
“While the media plays a role,” Anderson said, “it is part of a larger picture that includes many other factors, such as family environment, community influences and access to weapons.”
