Alarming Rise in Violent Language in Movies Sparks Health Concerns, Experts Warn

In a troubling revelation, researchers have found that discussions surrounding homicide in films have surged significantly over the past five decades, raising potential health concerns for audiences of all ages, particularly children.

A comprehensive study conducted by a team from Ohio State University revealed a noteworthy increase in movie dialogue referencing acts of murder or killing. Brad Bushman, a professor of communication and co-author of the study, stated, “The surprising aspect is that this rise isn’t confined to crime genres, which are typically associated with violence. It extends to non-crime genres as well.”

The researchers highlighted that the growing prevalence of violent language in films could signal an overall shift towards more aggressive content. To mitigate potential psychological impacts, they advocate for “mindful consumption and media literacy,” stressing the importance of protecting vulnerable demographic groups, especially young viewers.

Historically, the relationship between on-screen violence and viewer behavior has been contentious. Some studies suggest that prolonged exposure to violent media—across television, films, and video games—can lead to increased aggression and antisocial behavior in children. Conversely, a 2020 study indicated that any direct connection between violent video games and aggressive behavior was minimal and largely dependent on a viewer’s innate disposition towards violence.

In their analysis published in the journal Jama Pediatrics, Bushman and his team scrutinized dialogue from an astonishing 166,534 English-language films released between 1970 and 2020, utilizing data from OpenSubtitles.org. Their findings were striking: nearly 7% of the films analyzed contained dialogue with the root verbs “kill” or “murder.” This analysis consciously omitted instances where these terms were used in non-threatening contexts (such as questions or negations) and did not include other violent acts like "shoot" or "stab."

Bushman remarked, “This is a conservative estimate of how often murderous language appears in film over the years.” The study tracked the proportion of such verbs in each decade and found a consistent increase, with the frequency of these terms rising from 0.21% of verbs in the early 1970s to 0.37% by 2020.

Interestingly, this trend of increased violent language persisted across various movie genres. While male characters were found to use murderous language more frequently across both crime and non-crime films, female characters only showed similar tendencies in non-crime genres.

The implications of this increase are concerning for society, as Bushman warns that repeated exposure to violent media can desensitize individuals and skew their worldview. “We know there are many harmful effects of exposure to violent media. It increases aggressive behavior, but also makes people desensitized to the pain and suffering of others,” he stated.

However, not all experts agree with the conclusions drawn. Peter Etchells, a professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa University, urges caution in interpreting these findings. “It’s a significant leap to equate the number of violent words in films to broad public health issues, especially without context,” he explained. “This isn’t something I would personally worry about.”

As discussions about the portrayal of violence in media continue to heat up, it is clear that the film industry must reflect on its evolving narrative landscape and consider the impact it might have on audiences, particularly the impressionable youth. With escalating talk of murder in films, the call for responsible media consumption has never been more urgent. Will Hollywood take notice, or will the violent trends continue unchecked?